So I had this things with Cher Horowitz and Clueless growing up. I was probably way too young to get half the references in the movie, but I loved the fashion. I wanted Cher’s whole wardrobe (and that high-tech closet and computer program that helped her pick out her fits — why don’t we have that now btw?). And I especially love her and Dion’s skirt suits. They were preppy yet chic yet flirty and feminine, and well, honestly, everything Cher wore in that film I wanted to wear. I tried to recreate the look with pieces in my closet, but it wasn’t quite the same, but I couldn’t really convince my mom of my need for a skirt suit as a middle schooler. Cher’s were so much more chic than the dowdy skirt suits my friends’ moms who worked wore or the ones I saw women wear in movies. Of course, Clueless style is having a resurgence right now, so it’s not totally shocking that Cher and Dion’s famous fits are making a comeback too, but it’s a little tricky to figure out how to wear skirt suits in 2023. I’m not exactly going to be wearing knee socks and newsboy caps as a professional mom of a certain age, but platforms are totally fair game.
The funny thing is that most of my professional life I have steered clear of skirt suits and really suits of any kind thanks to glamorous-ish jobs in women’s magazines, where I could be much less buttoned-up with my style. But sets have been back for years and this spring, skirt suits (and pants suits too!) are in. At first, I wasn’t sure how I felt about the look, though I can’t deny its practicality. It gives you one and done dressing or you can mix and match the pieces giving you even more use than a dress but at a similar price point. But the matchy-matchy look felt too sweet and maybe too try-hard to me, and honestly, I think it’s hard to figure out how to wear skirt suits without looking too corporate or too Clueless or too pageant-y. But then I found this adorable floral quilted jacket and matching skirt and completely changed my tune. It is the perfect thing to wear to a bridal shower, charity luncheon, work event and most recently, I wore it to a dinner with my husband during a weekend getaway. It’s super sweet and girly but I still love it even though I’ve felt a pull away from feminine styles recently. Idk maybe it’s the spring season and all it’s events filling up my calendar, but I’m loving skirt suits and how versatile they are.
They’re actually easier to wear than you might think too. The trick for how to wear skirt suits is really in choosing the right set. Mini skirts update the look but you can make a midi style work as well, just make sure to go either above the knee or for a midi and avoid a skirt that hits at the knee, which will feel more dated. Pair them with flats or heels or cool sneaks for a cool-girl moment. Wear a tee underneath, a lightweight sweater or turtleneck, a cami or button-down shirt, depending on what you have going on that day. And then you’re good. I love a skirt suit in either a print or a tweed or boucle to give it some interest. Solid colors are harder to pull off in a way that won’t feel too corporate.
And that’s it for how to wear skirt suits — pretty simple, right? If you want to give it a try, here are some of my favorites.
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