Taking your Skirt from a Classic to Modern Look
Taking an outfit from classic to modern may not be as hard as you might think. Not that I get many catalogs anymore, but I was browsing through a Talbot’s catalog recently and saw the same skirt styled with two different shirts! On the cover was a black & white plaid skirt paired with a black & white polka dot blouse! My initial reaction was look at how modern Talbot’s has become. And then I open the catalog to see this exact same skirt shown with a white blouse!
Quote of the day: “The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.” Anonymous
This is exactly how some ideas come to me!! So I wanted to explore the possibility of taking the same item and putting both a classic to modern twist on it. We tried this concept earlier with a dress, and now I’m introducing a skirt!
But wait, there’s more!! Do I sound like a commercial? LOL!! I wanted to make the modern styles all different by trying various ideas! Read along, and I’ll explain!!
Jodie’s (50+) Outfit: For my classic to modern approach with my floral skirt, I started with a white blouse and then switched to a striped shirt.
Classic Style for Jodie
The white blouse is an eyelet blouse that my mom made for me last year! I consider this more of a classic style because white is in the print of the skirt. There is also the fact that white goes with everything!
I’m sure we all have a white blouse in our closets! Talk about a classic, basic item of clothing, right? In fact in March, the 3 of us teamed up with Amy to show 3 different ways to wear our white blouse! But since the white shirt goes with so much, it’s always fun to have a couple varieties in our closet like a cool, asymmetrical one or one with interesting sleeves!
I vacillated on which pair of shoes I should wear with this outfit. I thought the classic look would be better with a matching pair. So I chose this peach pair of sandals that I bought last year when I was praising the block heels!
Do you have a pair of block heels in your closet?? I will admit that they aren’t a style I would have worn a couple of years ago! But now that I see them on everyone, I’m happy to join in! There are so many varieties for great deals. Under $25 will get you this pair or this pair!
Let me also point out that my mother, Charlotte, made my skirt also!! I’m hoping you’ll see more of it one of these days, because all 3 of us have something from this material. My mom has a maxi skirt and Nancy has a scarf!
Floral skirts will never go out of style, I bet! Sure the silhouette will change and the length you prefer may evolve, but there is something classic about them. If you want to invest in the more modern version, then this one or this one could be perfect.
But for those of you that want to stick with the more classic floral skirts so you can wear them to death, I found a couple more. A pencil skirt will work for so many occasions, along with the maxis! But there are always the midi versions and the pleated versions!
Skirt: My mom made it (similar here)~~Top: My mom made it (similar here)~~Shoes: Old Navy (similar here)~~Earrings: (similar here)~~Bracelet: (similar here)
Modern Style for Jodie
I have been trying my darnedest to incorporate more print mixing into my outfits! At first, I thought it was craziness, but for some reason, there is a part of me that loves the challenge.
And if you’ve been thinking about print mixing too, then you’ll realize how perfect a striped top is for the job! Now you could just buy your striped top with different prints already on it! Or maybe you’d prefer vertical stripes? But either way, stripes along with gingham & polka dots seem to be the prints of choice when you are mixing them together!
For my shoes I wanted to pull in another trend from this summer!! The espadrilles seem to come back in style every summer, but this season they’ve added in the lace up ties. If you don’t love the idea of tying and untying the laces every time you put on your shoes, then the back zipper is the best detail! Of course, the blush pink color is very hot right now. When you have a pair of shoes this color, it’s almost like a nude!
Since I felt like there was a lot going on in this outfit with the print mixing, I tried to keep my accessories simple. My shirt has mint embellishments already on it, so I just added in red earrings and a couple of red bracelet!
Skirt: My mom made it (similar here)~~Top: Gap (similar here)~~Shoes: Louise et Cie (similar here)~~Earrings: (similar here)~~Bracelet: (similar here)~~Sunglasses: (similar here)
Nancy’s (60+) Outfit: To change up Nancy’s look from classic to modern approach, I used shirts that were neutrals. With the classic look, I had her wear a black top which is also a color in her skirt. For the modern outfit, I wanted a neutral shirt of a color hat wasn’t in the skirt. What I mean is this color isn’t part of the skirt’s colors!
Classic Style for Nancy
Black is one of those colors that is so popular, and definitely considered classic! In fact, the 3 of us just recently styled black pieces for the summer due to a reader’s suggestion!
Of course since black is a neutral, it will go with everything. But since it’s also a color in the print of this skirt, I thought it’d be a great way to showcase a difference of styles!
Nancy’s black top is a shiny material with a small cowl neck. The one I linked to as similar below is nice that the front portion has a built in cami, so you aren’t over exposed! But if you are looking for a black shirt with different details, then here’s one with ruffles! Or for the summer you may enjoy one with sheer sleeves!
Since we discussed striped for your tops in my outfit above, then why not discuss them for our skirts? I know many of us have heard that stripes make us look wide!
I don’t subscribe to this theory, but if you do, then a vertical striped skirt or two may make you feel better about the design!
The ballet flats were chosen to try to keep the look more traditional along with black earrings and a bracelet!
Skirt: Ric Rac Designs (similar here)~~Top: Pantology (similar here)~~Shoes: H&M (similar here)~~Earrings: (similar here)~~Bracelet: (similar here)
Modern Style for Nancy
Grey is one of my favorite neutrals, and I think it gets overlooked much of the time. I thought this could be considered a more modern approach since there isn’t any grey in the skirt’s pattern, yet it should work because it’s a neutral!
One of my favorite Pinterest pins that I had saved many years ago was from Style Me Grasie seen here!! It really made me think about considering a grey shirt with a print even though the color grey isn’t a color in that particular print!
There are quite a few different shades of grey too and the shirts can have some fun details involved! Like this tie front shirt is darker than many others I see! Or there is the heather grey and this one even includes a ruffle! And then, like Nancy’s shirt, there is lighter grey and this one has a different kind of ruffle!!
The other way I tried to make this outfit more contemporary, is to pick a totally different color for Nancy’s sandals! We went with her yellow pair and then bookmarked the outfit with yellow earrings!
The three of us showcased yellow shoes last summer because I think they add such a fun color to most summer outfits!! If you don’t have a pair of yellow shoes yet, then let me entice you with a walk on the wild side!! This pair has yellow in them, but aren’t too bright, and then this pair would work for the days when you are walking around more!!
Skirt: Ric Rac Designs (similar here)~~Top: Gerard Daniel (similar here)~~Shoes: Kelly & Katie (similar here)~~Earrings: (similar here)~~Bracelet: (similar here)
Charlotte’s (70+) Classic to Modern Outfit:
Mom’s classic to modern outfits involved different colored shirts also. But for her options, I wanted colors instead of neutrals. She chose the yellow-green shirt to match her skirt for the classic version. But then I chose a totally different color for the modern version that doesn’t “match” the skirt!
Classic Style for Charlotte
I do think most of us tend to look at a print skirt and try to match our shirt to the colors in the skirt!! Isn’t that how we were taught to dress when we were growing up? And there is nothing wrong with that. To me it’s a look that works for many occasions and looks cohesive.
Matching colored shoes were the next choice for the outfit. My mom even has white pumps, but she chose this ivory pair because they were dressier!
I have been seeing many more white shoes this summer! If you have a pair, it’s time to pull them out. And if you want a pair then check out these or these!!
To continue along the matching theme, my mom chose her yellow-green accessories.
Skirt: Mom made it (similar here)~~Top: Casual Corner-thrifted (similar here)~~Shoes: (similar here)~~Necklace: (similar here)~~Earrings: (similar here)~~Bracelet: (similar here)
Modern Style for Charlotte
However, I also think it’s fun and a tad more youthful to try to incorporate a new color to work with your print skirt! This is one of those times, that my mom looked at herself in the mirror after we put the outfit together and said, “I’d never wear this in public!”
Come on everyone, tell my mom how pretty the blue looks with this palm print skirt!!
The other reason, my mom wouldn’t put this top with this skirt is because of the difference of materials! The shirt is a silky shell and the skirt is a cotton. However, to me, that’s what also makes this look more modern!! The mixing of not only colors but materials!!
Speaking of palm prints, this skirt was made by my mom many years ago. They are certainly becoming popular again, so if you like the print then let me show you some others varieties. You could join in on this trend with a short sleeve blouse, a t-shirt dress or a pair of wide leg pants!
Skirt: Mom made it (similar here)~~Top: Field Manor (similar here)~~Shoes: AK (similar here)~~Necklace: (similar here)~~Earrings: (similar here)~~Bracelet: (similar here)
I hope you liked these comparisons. I know most of us were taught how to put together outfits when we were young.
However, many of the rules that we learned have changed over time. On top of that, by this stage in our life, isn’t it time we have fun with our clothes? By this, I mean, lets switch up some of the ideas that we were taught!! I’d love for you to try and tell me what you think!
Thanks to one and all of you for your support. It means more than you know!
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