One Item, Five Fashionable Ways: Boden Cotton Printed Pencil Skirt

I chose this cotton printed pencil skirt from Boden to feature in today’s series because I think it is one of those styles that gives many an immediate positive reaction along with an inclination to want to purchase it.  Yet, a cute little polka-dot skirt like this can easily become one of those impulse buys that just collects dust in the closet.  After you get it home, with the color and print being so specific, what do you do with it?  To avoid looking too matchy-matchy (or looking like Grimace or Barney), you don’t want to wear head-to-toe purple, and you know it is going to be next to impossible to find a matching purple shade that works with the purple colors in the skirt anyway.  Yet, on the other hand, it’s probable you are going to tire quickly if you just wear the skirt with black or white.  Suddenly, this skirt that initially seemed like a much needed wardrobe refresher, causes resentment and you feel like you have once again wasted your money.

That said, I decided to put five looks together using this one skirt, along with tips on ways you can change up the styling of very specific pieces like this one.

Five Printed Pencil Skirt Outfits

Look #1

Instead of purple, try a color that is in the same family as the shade, like blue. This blue shirt from J. Crew complements the purple skirt.  Next, try wearing tonal shades found in the skirt, like this cardigan, also from J. Crew.  Lastly, a pair of tan heels from Michael Antonio keeps the focus on the colors found in the outfit and the look is finished with a deep purple handbag from Vince Camuto, a purple necklace from Dara Ettinger and a simple gold bracelet from Nordstrom and gold studs.

Look #2

A white top is certainly an easy piece to wear with this skirt.  To avoid boredom after multiple wears, try a plum shoe and a pewter handbag.  Finish the look with a pair of purple dangle earrings.

Look #3

Another color that works with the colors of this skirt is navy.  Here, I paired a navy tank with the skirt which can be worn under the same lavender cardigan from look #1.  With a pair of grey peep-toe pumps, Argento Vivo silver earrings and belt, and that same pewter handbag from the earlier look, the outfit is finished.

Look #4

When trying to style such a colorful skirt, it can be hard to think outside the box and choose a color not found in the skirt.  However, colors like green and yellow, which are often referred to as colored neutrals, can be those versatile shades that work well when worn with any color.  If you want to add an unobtrusive color to an outfit consider green or yellow, like this top from Banana Republic.

For arm coverage, I chose a cardigan that is also from Boden.  When you are trying to match a color perfectly, it is smart to look to the retailer where you bought the original piece.  Designers and retailers usually have a set of colors for the season and dye many fabrics and knits in the same shades.  You should be able to get something that matches exactly or comes very close.

With all the color in this look, I chose shoes and and a handbag in a neutral shade and finished the outfit with a pair of purple earrings from Blu Bijoux.

Look #5

The only new item in this outfit is the safari jacket from Mango.  The rest of the outfit uses pieces from previous looks yet still manages to look different.  The beauty of a mix-and-match wardrobe and wearing one item multiple ways is that you can get a variety of looks from just a few pieces.

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