Vogue Says: The Skirts-Over-Pants Trend

By Esther Adams,Vogue magazine

A fresh fix for perhaps the most classic fashion conundrum-how to glamorize a day look for evening-is the skirt-over-pant trend, a runway revelation that started with the seemingly relaxed yet stunningly embellished pieces that drew tears (yes, tears) from the audience at Chanel Haute Couture and continued with the more casual versions Haider Ackermann and Balenciaga's Nicolas Ghesquière designed for fall. It's a younger, easier approach to black tie, and an invitation for the Art Production Fund's spring benefit promised the perfect party to debut this layered look.

Who better to opine on a novel ensemble than New York's coolest art aficionados? In an effort to dress and dash, I threw a stone-studded lace H-line skirt from Dolce & Gabbana over the pair of simple Céline trousers I'd worn to work that day.

"I've done that before!" Amanda Brooks said approvingly. After a quick discussion of proportions and aesthetics, she decided a skinnier pant was better suited for my outfit-the Céline bottoms looked too wide. I closed the zippers at my ankles (thank you, Phoebe!), which seemed to do the trick.

"When I started off in the nineties, we used to wear this look with sneakers," Teen Vogue Editor-in-Chief Amy Astley said. But unlike the layers that flowed through nineties grunge, this after-hours look is structured: a disciplined chic that redefines comfortable eveningwear. It was ideal for a cooler April night, and even with a simple gray sweater on top and basic Miu Miu pumps, I felt polished head-to-toe, ready to continue to an intimate after-dinner tea at the Bowery Hotel with friends. Later, the sartorial-minded Waris Ahluwalia asked whether my layers felt fussy. "I believe it was the French writer Stendhal who said, 'Only great minds can afford a simple style,' " he offered.

My reply? Stendhal was right, and going straight from the office to a lovely affair on a Monday night, nothing felt simpler than dressing up my day outfit with a dazzling extra touch.


Related: Vogue's NEW 100+ Under $100 for Spring


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Photo Credit: WWD