The pursuit of cute, full skirts (with pockets!) has brought me to this beauty by Rachel Zoe. The short and full silhouette is fun and flirty, and the simple color-way makes it easy to mix and match. I’ve found myself drawn to Rachel Zoe’s line recently, probably for a few reasons. First, she’s a blazer girl, and I can relate. Second, she’s based in LA, which gives me a bit of hometown pride. Not too long ago, LA fashion was epitomized by brands like American Apparel (which icks me out on many levels…Dov Charney…those ads…eww), so it’s refreshing to see some actual style associated to LA that’s not of the spandex or silicone variety.
I love that LA fashion is having a moment right now. Thanks to Bravo and their back-to-back-to-back lineup of The Rachel Zoe Project, It’s a Brad Brad World, and Dukes of Melrose, the Los Angeles fashion scene is getting some attention (even if it’s a bit comedic). And probably the biggest fashion industry shocker…Hedi Slimane, the new creative director of Yves Saint Laurent (now just called Saint Laurent), one of the industry’s most important French fashion houses, has snubbed both Paris and New York as his city of choice, staying instead in Los Angeles. Now we just need to get a decent fashion week going, and LA will be looking pretty stylish.
Outfit details – Club Monaco sweater :: Rachel Zoe skirt :: Rachel Roy shoes :: Chanel handbag :: J.Crew belt :: Kate Spade watch :: Stella & Dot bracelet (c/o) :: J.Crew necklace :: Daisy Knights ring
Altered – Rachel Roy shoes have ball-of-foot and heel pads added
Love the skirt! But I will respectfully disagree that LA style has only been of the silicone or spandex variety. Maybe they are not all of the blazer loving variety, but we are home to Robert Rodriguez, Trina Turk, Cynthia Vincent, James Perse, Joe’s Jeans…My favorite items from the last ten years have been from indie designers who experiment with the edgy and avantgarde. As the first article you linked to mentions, this city allows people to develop their own visions and not be ” influenced by the same thing all these people are influenced by.” (I do concur that our Fashion Week has somehow sadly never been able to deliver, however.) Anyway, long live LA fashion!
A fellow Angelino! Hello! You’re so right about all the great brands that call LA home. BCBGMAXAZRIA is also LA based! Whoohoo!
What I’m thinking of is what LA “style” has meant to the world, and I think TV has played a big part in that. I remember when The Hills was on TV and fashion blogs were writing about their style as they ran around LA in Uggs, leggings, and t-shirts. That was the style LA was projecting to the world, and it was kind of a joke to the fashion world.
The designer denim industry started making noise a while back about being produced in LA which was awesome! One of my favorite things about LA is you can wear jeans everywhere and still be dressed up. =)
Now we have LA fashion being portrayed as a little more sophisticated and respectable in the media, and having Hedi Slimane shacked up here is such a boom to LA’s fashion rep. And YES, please let this bring a better LA fashion week!
Ah, okay, I see what you’re saying. I haven’t had a TV in 7 years, which is good because I missed out on things like The Hills, but bad for not having access to Bravo or Mad Men!
This was a great feature by Refinery 29 on LA denim that you and your readers might find interesting:
The Dish On L.A.’s Denim Superstars
http://www.refinery29.com/denim
Thanks for the link! OMG…no TV in 7 years? You must be incredibly productive, and well read. ;)
what the heck is going on with ysl? seriously, who changes their name? weird. the skirt is adorable on you (and pockets are always welcome!!)
I know! I was tempted to pick up something YSL before the name change (in case it became a collector’s item), but never did. This season might be another good one to snag if you can…first generation of Saint Laurent under Hedi Slimane. Could also be collectible. =P
Does size 0 of the skirt fit you without any alteration? I’m curious if this line runs small, a good thing for us petites.
Hi Tina! Rachel Zoe generally does run a tad small. This skirt is without alterations, and sits naturally just below my belly button (low waist). I found if I wanted it to sit higher, I could cinch it up with a belt, or tuck in a thicker top (like a chunkier sweater). =)
Thanks Kelly. I love the skirt. I found it on Piperlime and may snatch it up if there’s a sale.
OMG Kelly love this!!!!
Funny I always thought L.A. DID have a fashion scene! LOL!
LOVE seeing you in a skirt — no jeans, and no blazer! Thrilled that you’re expanding your repertoire!
Loving the pops of burgundy with the black & white Kelly. Rachel Zoe makes such great pieces and this skirt is no exception. I can’t wait to see how else you style it :)
Hope you’ve been well! xo
Jen
http://www.herwaisechoice.com
love the necklace!
Glad you can take pride in your LA fashions :). So will you keeping the Lord & Taylor striped skirt? And the Express one (if you kept that one, can’t remember). Looks great on ya!
Hi Lisa! The Lord & Taylor was definitely a keeper & got some wear last summer. Looking forward to pulling her out again now that the weather looks like it’s warming up. The Express one was returned after much thought. It is very cute and I liked its easy care instructions, but I started to realize the off-white color (they called it “dove” I think) was hard for me to pair & I really wished it had pockets. This Rachel Zoe with pockets and true white color-way is much more in line with my closet.
How do we keep our bums covered? I love the skirt and I love skirts in general but I often have to load and unload things into my little SUV for work. So I have been shy of wearing skirts. Suggestions?
Hi Tammy! Short & full skirts are definitely danger territory for that! Making sure the fabric is a little on the heavy or thick side helps to keep fabric from blowing in the breeze and showing off your goodies. I also like to wear more substantial undergarments, like boy-short undies, just in case. You can also try going a little longer on the length (around knee-length) which will help keep you covered, or try pencil skirts which stay put a little better. If it’s chilly outside, you can also wear tights under your skirt, which obviously helps to keep you covered. Skorts (skirt/short combos) are also making a comeback lately. =)
Hi Kelly,
Can you suggest other colors to pair with this skirt? I know it should be easy to mix and match since the colors are so simple, but I can’t think of any other colors aside from black or white to go with this skirt. I also purchased the Express color block skirt after seeing it on your blog, but haven’t found another color to pair it on top with aside from black. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. =)
Hi Candice! Did you get the Express skirt with one black block on the bottom or with two stripes? The one I showed on Instagram (one black block) I ended up returning because the top color was more of a dove grey than a white, and I agree, very hard to pair! The two stripe version may be easier because it looks to be true white:
http://bit.ly/14JUcjf
Other color ideas I’ve had for this skirt include mint or other pastel colored tops/sweaters, and my favorite color…merlot. =) Also look at trying it with smaller prints in a similar color-way, such as polka dot. Some ideas attached:
What a stunning skirt, I absolutely love the fullness!
Thanks Crystalin!