1 Tricky Midi Skirt, 3 Ways to Style It

Oh, the midi skirt. It infamously emphasizes the most unflattering part of your calf, it's demure to the point of stuffy, and the "skirt" section of any legitimate thrift shop is always packed with midis in terror-inducing fabrics like corduroy and denim. But when the midi is done right, it's refreshingly unexpected: neither the overplayed maxi, nor the over-revealing mini, but a coy statement of breezy femininity.

Google "midi skirt" and you'll find a host of websites insisting that you must wear heels with a midi at all times or you'll look like a tree stump. Ignore them. The key isn't the shoe, it's the length of the skirt itself. You want something that hits either just below the knee, before your calf curves out, or just below the widest part of your calf — like a maxi skirt that's scared of water.

I found this petal pink midi skirt at a thrift shop, and fell for the embroidery along the bottom — it reminded me of something Anthropologie might sell (I know, I'm a sucker for consumer culture). Here's how I'd wear it (constantly) over the next few months.

1. Late summer: Midi skirt + filmy top (tucked in) + narrow belt + bright sandals.

A midi skirt paired with sandals is the perfect way to stay cool in late summer without resorting to those tank-top maxi dresses that everyone is wearing right now. Plus, there's something about the length that nods ahead to fall while still remaining carefree and sun-warmed. It's the perfect transition piece.

2. Early fall: Midi skirt + loafers + graphic sweatshirt.

A midi skirt paired with loafers is just so Oxford-class-of-1980, or at least that's what I'm telling myself. I love how the vintage sweatshirt (mine reads "California Sailing," got it in Portland for $14, no big deal) offsets the total girliness of a swoopy skirt.

3. Night out: Midi skirt + boyfriend sweater + Hitchcock heels.

People say you have to pair a midi with something tight on top — a cropped bustier, a second-skin t-shirt. I (and Rochas) say you can slouch around town just fine in something a little more mysterious.