How to Wear an A‐Line Skirt

Creating a Casual Look

Opt for a denim or corduroy a-line skirt for a weekend adventure. A-line skirts come in all fabrics and colors, a denim or corduroy skirt, or even a suede skirt, will make a great casual, weekend look. If you have long, slim legs, choose a skirt that ends above your knees. If you have bulkier legs or wider hips, choose a skirt that is at least knee-length. If your casual a-line skirt has belt loops, opt for a leather belt in black or brown.

Wear sneakers or sandals and keep your legs bare in warm weather. If you’re wearing your a-line skirt in warm weather, treat your a-line skirt like a pair of shorts and keep your legs bare. Keep your feet bare as well and wear a pair of casual, flat sandals. If it’s cooler weather, or if you’re going to participate in more active events, add ankle socks and sneakers to your outfit.

Dress with layered tops for flexibility in cooler weather. Layering tops means you can add or remove layers depending on the weather or indoor temperature. Start with a tank top or sleeveless top, add a short or long-sleeved button-up blouse, and then top it off with a sweater or sweatshirt for warmth. For example, start with a colorful tank top with a white, long-sleeve button-up blouse on top. Then wear a funky sweatshirt, with a fun image or text, on top. Another example, wear a white tank top with a low-neck or off-the-shoulder sweater on top. Replace the sweater or sweatshirt with a knit vest in spring or fall weather, or when you’re going to wear a jacket. Don’t be afraid to wear a denim top with a denim skirt. Select a top that’s a different shade of denim from the skirt.

Wear simple, minimal accessories to keep your look casual. To keep your look casual, add a limited amount of accessories like jewellery. When you do add accessories to your casual outfit, keep them simple and practical. For example, opt for gold hoop earrings, a watch with a leather band, and a simple gold chain necklace. If you’re spending time outside in your casual outfit, consider adding a cute hat that matches your outfit.

Wearing an A-Line Skirt to Work

Select a midi-length a-line skirt for the business look. When wearing an a-line skirt to work in an office or professional business, opt for a skirt that is at least knee-length. A skirt that goes 2 inches (5.1 cm) to 3 inches (7.6 cm) below your knee is the perfect professional length and can be worn with almost any body type. If you’re tall and slim, you can also choose a skirt that goes down to your ankles. Many dress skirts don’t have belt loops and therefore don’t require a belt. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t wear a decorative metal belt around your waist to add some sparkle.

Choose tights or pantyhose that are sheer or skin-tone. When dressing for work, it’s always a good idea to include a pair of tights or pantyhose to your outfit. To keep things simple, select pantyhose that are sheer or skin-tone. If you’d prefer tights, keep them simple with solid colors. Alternatively, opt for pantyhose or tights with a simple pattern, such as argyle.

Pair your skirt with a top that is both professional and practical. When selecting a top to go with your a-line skirt for the office, look for a top that completes the business look. Also, think about the temperature of your office when selecting a top. For example, if you’re office tends to be on the cooler side, opt for a sweater set to wear with your skirt. If your office tends to be on the warmer side, opt for a sleeveless or short-sleeved top. For example, wear a white, button-up, long-sleeved top tucked into your skirt. Add a loose, colorful sweater on top if you need the warmth. Another example, select a blouse with a colorful or unique pattern (such as a leopard print) to go with a solid-colored skirt.

Wear heels to elongate your legs. For the full work look, choose heels to wear with your mid-length a-line skirt. The heels will also help define your legs and, and for shorter women, will make your legs look longer. Also, choose shoes that are skin-tone rather than shoes that match the color of your skirt, to make your legs look longer. For example, select simple skin-tone stilettos to go with a skirt of any colour when wearing sheer or skin-tone pantyhose.

Select a pair of boots if heels aren't your thing. Ankle boots, worn with tights of the same color, look great with a mid-length a-line skirt. Knee-high boots can also be worn with mid-length a-line skirts, either with or without pantyhose or tights. Black above-the-knee boots can also look really elegant when worn with black tights and a skirt that ends above the knee. If you want to make your legs look slimmer in your knee-high boots, opt for a pair that are simple and sleek, not a pair that slouch or have loose fabric.

Add bright and colorful accessories to bring the look together. If you’ve selected a skirt and top that are simple colors or shades of black and white, select bright and colorful accessories for the outfit. This might mean pairing a white shirt and black skirt with a bright yellow or green, chunky necklace. Or skip the necklace and instead opt for bright-colored, large earrings. If you prefer a more subtle look, add a gold or silver watch, matching earrings, and a simple pendant necklace.

Going out on the Town

Select leather, satin, or lace to dress things up. When wearing an a-line skirt to an evening event, party, or a night on the town, look for one made of leather, satin, or even layers of lace to dress-up your look. You can also select a skirt that’s made from a material with a metallic sheen to it to add a bit of sparkle. Another option is to select an a-line skirt with a solid fabric as a lower layer and a sheer fabric as a top layer. If your skirt has belt loops, add a belt that’s the same color as the skirt so that it blends into the skirt.

Choose a skirt length that is appropriate for the event. The length of your skirt should depend upon the event you’re attending. If you’re going to a formal dinner with work colleagues, a mid-length skirt is probably the best option. If you’re going to a club or party with your friends, feel free to wear a mini-skirt. If you’re attending a formal, black-tie event, select an a-line skirt that goes all the way to the ground and has a lot of flow and material.

Try a sheer top to accentuate your figure. When it’s a night out on the town, you can be a little more flirtatious and select a sheer top to go with your a-line skirt. Pair the sheer top with a fancy bra or tank top. Tuck your shirt into your skirt to show off your figure. Alternatively, select a flowy, satin blouse in a bright color to pair with a black skirt. If you opt for a black skirt and top, add a colorful jacket to your outfit as a splash of color that will make you stand out in the crowd.

Opt for strappy heels, stilettos, or knee-high boots for the wow factor. Add pantyhose to your outfit if you’re attending a formal event or if it’s cool outside. Keep your legs bare if you’re attending a more casual function with friends, especially if the event is outside in the summer. Add strappy sandals to your bare legs for a fun look at an outdoor event in the summer. Add stilettos with or without pantyhose to elongate your legs in any type of weather. Add knee-high boots with pantyhose to a cool-weather event. Avoid flat shoes for a night on the town, unless you’re really tall and slim.

Add sparkly accessories to stand out. You can opt for a minimalist look by wearing a simple pair of silver or gold loop earrings to your outfit, but no other accessories. Or you can select earrings, a necklace, and a bracelet with some bling to add sparkle and class to your outfit. If you’ve opted for an all-black evening outfit, try adding a colorful and bright necklace to the outfit. If you have a long neck and have opted for a low-cut top, add a lace choker to your outfit.