Whether you’re going to the office or heading to dinner with friends, getting dressed can be a test of patience. While your creative workplace urges you to be creative in your style without looking too conservative or too casual, your night’s dinner with friends inspires you to look feminine without looking too corporate. Typically, we tend to seek for classic dresses or pencil skirts that can bring transforming looks from day to night. Mind behind the Memorandum blog, Mary Orton is a style blogger known for her professional looks featuring timeless pieces like combinations of pencil skirts, blazers, button down shirts, jackets and such perfect for an office environment or even for your personal affairs.





Not all pencil skirts are made equal, so select the perfect style and fit that flatters your shape. Like Mary, you may look for sexy styles that skim your body and hug your waist but is not too tight or too short. Some pencil skirts fit right at the waist while some sit on the hips. You may consider picking a skirt with a little stretch in the fabric like cotton or chiffon as leather, denim, and tweed are typically stiffer and structured. Also, there are pencil skirts with slits which allow movement in its snug fit. Like Mary, you may go with adjustable slits through zippers or buttons to make you feel more comfortable in your own length. Front slits are sexy, but if too high will just expose a bit more leg or skin. Side slits and back slits are durable since it’s easiest to walk in with no awkward flesh showing.
Pairing your pencil skirts with button-down shirts and blouses may look great in the office, but too corporate in casual affairs. Like Mary, you may toughen the ladylike shape of your pencil skirt by teaming it with a leather jacket and edgy boots. With no dress code to adhere to, you may even pair your pencil skirt with simple shirt and top it with a cropped cardigan, matching blazer, structured vest, and even trendy denim jacket if you wish to.
Wearing pencil skirts in classic prints like pinstripe, checkered, herringbone, and houndstooth are great for conservative office environment, while stripes, paisley, leopard, polka dots and floral are more playful but feminine touches to incorporate with your dressy casual outfits to inject a more playful vibe. Stick to the neutral shades of navy, black, brown, white, and gray for a more timeless look. But to bring some modern and fun vibe to your outfit, then feel free to incorporate bright colors through your prints.
Shoes can make or break your look, so opt for sophisticated one to dress up your outfit or go for relaxed ones. Mary opted for classic pumps for making her classic outfit look office-appropriate while strappy sandals and flats for a laidback and casual look. However, you may even go for combat boots, thigh-high boots, and even ankle booties to bring a tough girl looks on your street style. Indeed, a pencil skirt is a fashion staple that every woman should have.