Happy George Washington's birthday, everyone! The skirt I'm reviewing today is one of those things that I fell in love with quite gradually. I'm sure you've all experienced this before. You're browsing a website for the umpteenth time and suddenly, your eyes fall on a piece that you'd passed over the first 987234 times you saw it. This time, though, you see it in a whole new light. All of a sudden, the skirt/dress/whatever sheds its glasses, gets a makeover, and bam! It's the end of every teen movie from the 80s and the 90s, you're at the prom, and you're in love. That's exactly what happened to me with the Mermaid Circle Skirt from Pinup Girl Clothing.
One day, I simply had to have it. The print is so vibrant and colorful, and I could suddenly picture so many different outfits, including this one. (Yes, I plan everything in my life.) The only thing holding me back was the adjustable waistband. Some of the reviews on the site mentioned that it was a bit confusing to sort out the buttons and ties and actually put the darn thing on, and I have an almost-pathological fear of wrap garments. I couldn't see from the photos how it was actually constructed, and was nervous that the fabric might gape at the joints and show my underwear.
These totally reasonable concerns held me back for approximately a week (which is amazing considering that I'm pure id), and then I took the plunge. I'm pleased to report that this was the right decision!
L to R: The shot I wanted; the shot in which I thought someone was about to walk down the stairs. Also, my hair is like a tree, but instead of growth rings, it changes color to indicate exactly when I stopped walking around in the California sunshine. #unintendedombre
This skirt is even more vibrant in real life than it looks on the website, and the detail in the print is astonishing. It's made of a sturdy fabric that holds its shape well even without a petticoat, in case layers of poof isn't your jam. If petticoats (emphasis on the plural!) are your thing, though, two very full ones will fit under this skirt quite nicely, owing to the epic levels of gathering at the waistband. In all the photos in this post, I'm only wearing one, because I needed to lug my tripod, a bag, and my coat through a building and didn't want to knock people over from three feet away.
This skirt is also nice and long, and completely hides my tea-length Malco Modes petticoats. For reference, I'm 5'2". Because of the tie waist, it isn't really possible to wear a belt with this skirt, but between the ties and the interior button waistband, I find that it defines my waist quite nicely.
The most exciting part of this skirt is the adjustable waistband, which even has pockets!. An adjustable waistband is surely a gift to the gluttonous from the gods; it makes this skirt an option for date nights involving serious chowing down. I road-tested it on the day these photos were taken, and the ability to loosen it one notch after a truly staggering dinner (both in quality and quantity!) made a world of difference, comfort-wise. When putting things in the pockets, just make sure that you've actually stuck your hand in the pocket, and not between the two halves of the skirt. This isn't rocket surgery. If you hit something that feels like the bottom of a pocket, you're on the right track; if you grab your own body, you should probably try again.
I also didn't find it confusing to put it on, and have attempted to photograph it so those of you who were wondering how this adjustable-skirt thing worked could get a better idea. To put this skirt on, you unbutton the waistband, step in, button the waistband to your desired fit, and then wrap the ties attached to the front portion of the skirt around you and tie them at the back.
The pockets are attached to the interior waistband.
Closeup of the button waistband.
Putting it on: Step 1. Pettipants not included.
Putting it on: Step 2 -- pulling up the front half of the skirt. Halloween socks available at Old Navy, 13 years ago.
Putting it on: almost there! Just pull the outer waistband up to cover the buttons, tie securely behind your back, and you're done!
Victory at last!
Overall, this is a fun, bold print in a classic cut, and if you've been eyeing it, you should go for it! It's a very versatile print: I wore it here with red, to pick up on the hint of red in the mermaid's lips and bow. It would also look fabulous with lavender or mint, for a fun Spring-Under-the-Sea look, or a mustard yellow. The print has almost the full color spectrum, so it really goes with just about anything. I bet it would look cute with polka-dots, too. I adore this skirt!
How would you wear this skirt?
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Love the way you styled this and I'm not sure I realized just how long your hair is until this post! Gorgeous :) I have this skirt & the female matador, but the ties drive me kind of insane. I'm with you on this skirt growing on me. I went back and forth on it for over a year until Black Friday and I just decided I needed it and replaced it with items I thought I wanted more in my cart haha. It really is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I *really* need a haircut, but have been putting it off because finding a salon in a new city is scary. But the longer my hair gets, the better it behaves when I let it air-dry. I just checked your blog to see if you'd ever posted about this skirt, and I don't think you have, but I'd love to see how you style this one! The ties can be a bit of a pain if you're sitting for a while and want to slouch against the seatback, but the print makes it all worth it to me.
DeleteI've seen it at their boutique...it's really, really pretty :)
ReplyDeleteIf I still lived in LA, I'd be so broke from being able to go to the boutique!
DeleteThe last Friday of every month is Ladies(and gents) Night and they usually do some sort of discount on the entire store!!!!
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