I do have links for you, but first, some skirt talk!
About a week ago I posted a lament on Twitter. I simply could not find the kind of skirt I was looking for: A-line, long enough and made of corduroy for warmth, sturdy and yet also pretty. A skirt to wear with boots in winter with warm leggings underneath, or with adorable flats and a cashmere sweater for Mass. And one that is not in aggressively “fall” colors, which I cannot wear.
When they realized I wasn't doing some sort of odd political satire, people began coming to my aid.
My friend Martha searched high and low and found some on ebay that might have worked. Eddie Bauer used to make the kind of thing I wanted, which is actually called a riding skirt — and is constructed with panels, jeans detailing at the top, and nice felled seams. The examples for sale were not quite the right color for the asking price (and yes, we searched Poshmark, ThredUp, and all the rest)… I could in theory make such a thing, and that was also suggested, but I really wanted to put my crafting energy elsewhere.
I thought I'd search one more time myself. Finally I did find this one! It came yesterday and is actually pretty close to what I had really been looking for!
It looks innocent enough — almost boring, maybe! — but honestly, this sort of skirt is incredibly hard to find right now! Just a nice winter skirt! See those panels, called gores? They make life so much nicer: they flatter the figure and allow you to work; a more slim style requires a slit, which lets the cold air in and hampers your movements.
I'm not affiliated in any way with this site — I'm posting here about it out of sheer helpfulness, in case you too would like a pretty, useful (like, “pop on a pair of jeans” useful, only in a skirt) garment that will be a dependable staple in the closet. You're welcome! And it has pockets! They are big enough to be useful, and on-seam, so not adding bulk.
If your putative size is 10 — by which I mean you used to be a 6 or an 8, you have conceded that you are a 10, but you often find that the cute thrifted skirt in 12 fits you just fine — the 10 will fit, I think. It has an elastic waist in the back that is comfy and unobtrusive. The length is perfect for me; in winter a longer skirt helps me stay warm.
I got the brown — for me (a “winter” who wears lots of black), dark brown (as opposed to a very warm brown or the forest greens and pumpkin oranges that are the only other colors I've seen in a skirt like this) is a useful neutral that goes with my cool, clear tops and scarves.
I can wear my black tops and sweaters with them and not feel that I am auditioning for the role of Casual Morticia — but it's still practical in a way that a light color wouldn't be. I might go for the “smoked pearl” — the price is certainly appealing! It has a nice, fine wale corduroy that doesn't feel bulky.
If you're not used to wearing skirts but would like to be more in the habit, let me give you this pro-tip: You will need a nylon slip to feel comfortable and avoid that sense that the skirt not moving around your tights in a natural way. The slip seems like a royal pain, but once you have it on, you realize that it solves the issues (including static cling).
You want one like this (this is an affiliate link) — but I have always found good slips at thrift stores for next to nothing (get one that just hits the knee for your shorter skirts and a longer one with a slit for your skirts with slits).
So there you have it! Way more info than you probably needed for something this simple, but I had such a time finding it! I am really psyched that I have something other than practical pants to reach for this winter!
bits & pieces
- If you are looking for good, solid spiritual “reading” but in audio form, do listen to this conference given by Fr. Carleton Jones, O.P. on the the spirituality of John Henry Newman. I think you will find it incredibly inspiring for the interior life, as I did. Real solid nutrition for the intellect and the soul.
- One of the best things I've read in a long time about how untenable progressive ideologies really are. “Treating a massive crisis of unchastity as a “problem of power” that can be fixed by the hiring of more female executives, the expansion of HR departments, and so on, is utterly delusional.” Society cannot sustain itself under this condition of a total war of all against all.
- I think your older (college bound, for instance) student could really benefit from reading this essay on the fallacies of Fr. James Martin SJ. Our young people are going to be confronted with spurious reasoning, especially on LBGT matters. We need to know how to combat them.
- Commissioning babies is wrong. Relatedly: The porn problem in IVF (which, of course, is wrong).
from the archives
liturgical year
Happy feast of All Souls! November is the traditional month of remembering the dead. It's also a good month to begin your preparations for living the liturgical year in a calm and reasonable way. We have help for you: The Little Oratory: A beginner's guide for praying in the home. (this is an affiliate link) Never was there a better time to renew our commitment to home in the liturgical year, and to strengthen its ties to the eternal liturgy.
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Melinda Loustalot says
Merci, merci, merci!! I too am a “winter” and wear lots of black already (goes well also with my now silver hair, lol) and hate when I think I look like a ninja, secret agent or an Italian grandma from a Tomie de Paola children’s book (tho there’s NOTHING wrong with looking like an Italian grandma, I’m a Spanish/French heritage grandma and don’t want to “appropriate” haha) so I like to incorporate warm colors when they are away from my face (coz they make me look sallow.) Anyways. .I went low carb a couple of years ago and am now at “normal” weight for the first time in years and my old wardrobe of carefully curated skirts just won’t fit anymore, and I’m tired of pinning them. This looks PERFECT for me! I have pondered making my own, but would have to find a vintage pattern and the fabric in the stores now is not suitable for the most part. I can’t wait to try it!
Molly B. says
Every Saturday, drinking my coffee, I think ahead with pleasure to reading this weekly post. Thank you! And, my local library was able to obtain a book from last week’s post, Satanic Feminism, from somewhere outside the library network, so that will be an interesting albeit academic dive in the rotten roots of that movement.
The skirt looks great, I agree! And the price very good. I came across a similar skirt (perhaps slightly better tailored? the price suggests it…) at a site called North Style, called a “Silky Stretch Corduroy Boot Skirt” in similar lovely colors, but I have not purchased so cannot yet pass judgement. I also recently obtained a wide-wale corduroy slightly-below-knee-length pencil skirt from LandsEnd (“Women’s Woven Corduroy Skirt”), it does stretch nicely so moveability isn’t an issue, despite absence of gores, but regretfully the deep mauve is gone, leaving only a lapis blue, which is an odd color for a Fall/Winter skirt…but the mauve will service for Sunday Mass, I *think*…
This week’s links promise to be good reads. Thank you again for these wonderful contributions!
Leila says
I saw the North Style one — Honestly, I think the Old Pueblo one looks nicer, including the colors for a winter (that brown is not dark enough) and the fabric — I don’t think the fabric of the North Style one would be warm enough.
Molly B. says
That’s a good point – it does look to be a thinner material, and the higher price point does make that skirt seem less appealing. A nice brown skirt is hard to beat. I’m glad you found one that worked!
Juliana @ Urban Simplicity says
Chadwick’s also carries this style of skirt most winter seasons. I’ve owned a few over the years and they tend to wash and wear well.
Thrift at Home says
I love this skirt talk!! I was just getting dressed for a wedding today thinking I need another winter skirt. I actually loathe slips and try my best to buy/make skirts that are lined. But I should try harder with thrift-store slips. . .
Please do more clothing posts!!! I am very interested in what you have to say 🙂 (And I can also not remember whether I am a spring or summer, haha, time to dig out my CMB book)
Dixie says
Thrift At Home, do you hate slips because of the thin scrunchy elastic waistband, by any chance? If so, you should try one of the Vanity Fair styles with the wide elastic lace waistband…game-changer.
Thrift at Home says
Yes! How did you know it’s the waistband?! I will look for the VF waistband you’re talking about. . .
Leila says
Margo, a lined skirt is a thing of beauty. I am so hasty and impatient — I hate putting on a slip. But I hate not having a slip (if I’m wearing nylons or tights and the skirt is un-lined) much more!
I’m going to guess you’re a summer, but summers and autumns fool me.
If I find I have anything else to say about clothes, I will try to say it 🙂
Thrift at Home says
I refreshed my memory with my book: I am a summer!
Maureen says
Ahhhh thank you for the skirt link! I have been really wanting some nice, long, warm skirts and dresses recently because I don’t wear pants anymore, and I’m getting tired of summer dress + long-sleeve top underneath + leggings. But it has been such a challenge to find what I am looking for – where else do you ladies turn for serviceable but warm skirts/dresses? I prefer to thrift when I can, but that hasn’t yielded much in this area yet.
Leila says
Well, I have found some nice lined wool skirts that I wear to death. They are surprisingly sturdy and hardly ever need more than a spot cleaning. I am determined to find some more staples this year!
Katherine says
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I was just thinking this morning as I was dressing for Mass that I need to invest in some bicycle shorts or something to wear under my skirts to keep me warmer. I don’t break out the tights unless it is really winter and I absolutely have to wear them. Like pantyhose, I don’t find tights comfortable. I haven’t been able to find a heavier skirt that I like. I am not a fan of plaid (bad memories of my ugly parochial school uniform which often smelled of spilled lunch milk). I ordered the gored skirt in coffee bean.
NY Mom says
Thank you for this “find”- i just ordered 2 skirts! I am at that in-between stage of life where junior styles are terribly inappropriate but I am also not looking for a casket-ready garment. I find that timeless classics (what we once dismissed as “preppy”) look best on a somewhat frumpy aging body. Some gentle tailoring firms things up visually and adds structure to where structure once used to be.
BridgetAnn says
I have that Eddie Bauer skirt! Surprised when I thought about it that it is… 12 years old! Still wear it and have already worn it multiple times this fall. I think my mom and my sister bought it back then too because it can be tricky to find such things- thanks for sharing your ground work for us all! (And, unless its because mine is so old, they may have run big; the size I have is most assuredly not my current size 🙂
Wearing tall boots with a knee-length (corduroy/jean/wool) skirt is a nice look too and makes skirt wearing the colder months, in my opinion, a little more mainstream? Maybe I shouldn’t think about being *that lady* at the park not only not wearing leggings, but wearing… a skirt! Ha
NY Mom says
Back again to thank you for the link to the talk by Fr Carlton Jones on the spirituality of St. John Henry Newman. For years I was only shallowly acquainted with him through random quotes and always felt a bit intimidated by his rather ascetic portraits. How convicting to consider our”secret faults/sins” – and ha ha – I caught myself thinking “ my hubby should listen to this!” Obviously I have a long way to go…
Nana says
Thanks so much for this post. I, too, have been looking for long curduroy skirt for fall. Went right on line and ordered this one,(also in brown😊). If sizing is good, I will order the lovely green, pine color too. I’m always happy to read your posts and continually forward them to my 5 daughters.
Anamaria says
As always, thanks for the links! The skirt looks great but I’m more in need of shoes as my feet grew 1/2 size with babies 3&4.
I’m fairly certain you have a post with early chapter book recommendations but I can’t find it! My almost six year old loves frog and toad and I was planning to get her other frog and toad books for Christmas but my mom got her the collection! So what other books would she like, that she can read on her own? Frog and toad is about her max reading level right now but just beyond that is welcome, too! Her birthday is Jan 2 so all the years gifts are around this time!
Caitlin says
“putative size 10 — by which I mean you used to be a 6 or an 8, you have conceded that you are a 10, but you often find that the cute thrifted skirt in 12 fits you just fine…”
Literally my exact body, except for a lone pair of thrifted Loft jeans that are a six and fit nicely. Bless their vanity sizing! 😉 I have no idea what my “true” size is anymore… I’m eight months pp after baby number 3 in five years… yo-yo body! I do like real clothes that fit well, though!
Michele says
I bought this skirt on your recommendation, and it is great! One thing that I didn’t see mentioned is that it has POCKETS! ❤️It is so hard to find a decent skirt with pockets. I like it so well I’m going to buy another one.
Thank you!