Ways to Make the Pencil Skirt Work for You

10 Ways to Make the Pencil Skirt Work for You<br /><br />READ: Skirts: The Long and Short of the Trends<br /><br />No longer your grandmothers go to ensemble, this timeless wardrobe must have has been boosting the confidence of women everywhere for decades and its now hotter than ever, thanks to celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Christina Hendricks making it a red carpet staple. And no matter your body type, rocking the pencil skirt can flatter your figure and make the most out of your favorite accessories. Its no wonder this hip hugging skirt has withstood the test of time.<br /><br />The history of the pencil skirt is quite fascinating, explains image consultant Thea Wood. Dior introduced the design to relieve women of the impractical hobble skirt, named after a restraint for horses.<br /><br />READ: 10 Ways To Make Your Waist Look Smaller<br /><br />Yikes. Fortunately for us, the pencil skirt is a lot easier to wear and is perfectly stylish for day or night.<br /><br />READ: 10 Super Stylish Shopping Sites for Curvy Women<br /><br />It highly contrasted to Diors New Look A line skirt, which is full and allows for movement. However, if you feel bottom heavy in an A line, the pencil skirt is your best alternative.<br /><br />READ: 12 Tips For Looking Thinner<br /><br />Los Angeles based stylist Laurie Brucker agrees that this simple, yet sizzling hot silhouette continues to be in high demand.<br /><br />READ: The No Exercise Way To Banish Your Muffin Top Forever<br /><br />Forget A line skirts being universally flattering, says Brucker. For me and my clients, its all about the pencil skirt. Ive worked with women of all shapes, sizes, and proportions and pencil skirts are for the win in every wardrobe. Ive seen them work on every frame and every shape.<br /><br />READ: How to Dress a Curvy Body<br /><br />How can this once office must have work for you? Several celebrity stylists reveal how to make the pencil skirt your new thing for whenever and wear ever.<br /><br />Look Slimmer with Simple Tricks<br /><br />Celebrity stylist Ali Levineemphasizes that a pencil skirt can be worn with a variety of blouses, blazers, and accessories, meaning youll get plenty of bang for your buck. However, if youre looking to create a slimming effect, make sure you keep one important tip in mind. If youre more curvy, opt for a top with ruffles or a deep V neck to give you the appearance of being slimmer, says Levine. Color blocking is also a fun way to express yourself with pencil skirts. If you prefer to color block, make sure the darker shade is applied on the areas of your body youre looking to conceal.<br /><br />There are so many positive attributes about the pencil skirt that its almost impossible not to have at least one hanging in your closet, says style expert and model Jaimie Hilfiger. A high waisted style with a shorter hemline will add height and a style with a ruched tummy panel will also make a plus size woman look slimmer. When it comes to pencil skirts, make sure you select the right fight for your body, as a bigger size will add extra volume to your midsection and a too tight version will not only make it difficult to walk comfortably, but also created unwanted bulges in all the wrong areas!<br /><br />Speaking of fit, how can anyone pick the perfect pencil for ones body type? First, the waist line should sit high waisted so that it is flattering to your waistline, which is about 2 inches above your belly button, explains Brucker. Second, the skirt itself should fit nicely at the widest point of your hips and then go straight down to the hem. If the skirt starts to curve in under your hip, it will be over accentuating your hips, so its important that the skirt fits straight down your widest hip point. Brucker also adds that when it comes to the hemline, its all about personal choice, but petite ladies, in particular, should find a skirt that sits right about the knee to create the illusion of leaner, longer legs. For average height or taller women, I recommend for the hem line to hit you at the smallest point of your legs, which is above or directly below the knee, she states.<br /><br />If youre a bit more adventurous, I absolutely love doing mixed prints or a mono print look with a crop top and pencil skirt, says New York City based celebrity stylist Sara Cooper. This is a great way to show a little skin, but too much. And a high waisted pencil skirt is especially flattering, giving the illusion of super long legs. The key is to wearing a form fitted pencil skirt is keeping the top portion more voluminous and less fitted to balance the look. While this daring style isnt meant for the office, you can still tone it down with a matching blazer.