How to Style a Patterned Pleated Midi Skirt in Summer #iwillwearwhatilike

Can it be true? An outfit with no orange, and a lot of blue?

Not that that cheesy rhyme was intentional(!), but I really did wear an outfit the other weekend where I abandoned all orange and based what I wore around the pleated midi skirt you see before you. Bought when we had a bit of a warm spell a month or so back (Easter I think), I hadn’t yet unpacked any of my summer clothes so bought the skirt on impulse because I NEEDED something light and floaty.

And although we haven’t had much in the way of summery weather since, there was one warm day when I popped to Ikea (gah I love having one just 20 minutes away so I really CAN just “pop” there and get my reasonably-priced Swedish homewares fix) for some bits.

I have a few pleated midi skirts but most are too small in the waist for me at the moment – that is changing however after having been to the detox retreat again recently and getting my diet and fitness back on track (watch this space for more on that here on the blog) – so I had a new pleated patterned leg-aerator to style.

And weirdly, the blue colour FOXED me. It took me aaaaages to style this.

 

Disclosure: I was gifted some of these pieces by JD Williams with no obligation to feature (click here for my full disclosure). The post contains affiliate links which means if you click through and buy I may receive a small commission at no cost to you. Any items listed as* were gifted within the last 12 months.

 

SHOP THE LOOK:

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Thankfully I was recently gifted the stripe linen blazer* from JD Williams so the blue and white worked with the blue and white in the skirt pattern. Plus I treated myself to some Steve Madden sandals in the sale as I am TOTALLY into this flatform style at the moment. Completely flat, super comfy, but they add height to a short-in-the-calf pair of legs like mine.

The pinky-purply-nude colour suggested something (you guessed it!) pinky-purply-nude for the top, so I layered a mauve vest top over a lace-trimmed camisole top… the black lace trim tied into the black of the skirt pattern. A few cool accessories like the white retro-style sunglasses, chunky tortoiseshell earrings and the straw bag* (scroll down for alternatives) completed my Going Shopping ensemble.

 

So don’t be fooled – this outfit did not come together in an instant. Sometimes I go through loads of different combinations before I come up with the right one; this was one of those times. Give me All The Orange And All The Yellow and I’m fine. Give me It’s Blue So What Do I Do With That and I’m stumped.

However I’m happy with how it came out in the end – a blazer and t-shirt or vest top with a pleated midi skirt is a combination I need to explore more.

How often do YOU get your outfit spot-on first time? Or is it just me who struggles?? Tell me in the comments…!

P.S. Do add your outfits to this week’s link up – and if you’ve added a link to here or my button to your post you may be featured in my bi-monthly Women Who Wear What They Like post!

Blazer: JD Williams [gifted]

Skirt: F&F Clothing (here’s a blue one in a mini skirt version)
Lilac top: Asos (I like this one)
Lace camisole (just seen): New Look (similar)
Shoes: Steve Madden at Asos (on sale!)
Bag: JD Williams [gifted] (similar)
Sunglasses: Asos
Earrings: Asos (similar)

 

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Thank you for joining the #iwillwearwhatilike link up! This started as a campaign on Instagram in August 2015 where women over 30 wore everything on a journalist’s list of “inappropriate” items for 30+ women (including leopard print, short dresses and oversized sunglasses. Yes, really). It was so popular that I decided to carry it on weekly where women of all ages link up their fabulous style, never mind what anyone tells them not to wear!

The link up goes live every Tuesday at around 3pm UK time and will stay open for a week. Whilst the original article was of course aimed at the 30+, you can be ANY age to link up. The only prerequisite is that you’re wearing whatever you damn well like!

Click here to receive an email reminder for the next #iwillwearwhatilike link up as soon as it’s live!

Linking up etiquette…

CLICK HERE to read the rules of linking up (and to grab the #iwillwearwhatilike button). Basically it’s just good manners to link back to here – to leave a comment is even nicer!
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PLEASE NOTE: This is for linking up WHAT YOU’VE BEEN WEARING ONLY. Non-outfit links will be removed and you might be blocked if you turn out to be a repeat “offender” (and no one wants that, do they…)!