Free People’s Lydia Midi Skirt // Wear it Two Ways

Hello friends!! This skirt has been pretty popular among the IG/blogging crowd and I can see why. It’s seriously so good. I thought maxis were my ideal length for skirts and dresses, but I have changed my tune. It’s so nice not to have to worry about wearing heels or that the hem might drag along the ground – plus it shows off one’s footwear so much better 😉

It is listed as a midi skirt, but many ladies were complaining in the online reviews that it is actually maxi length. This is because the length of the skirt gets longer as the size increases. So when you have a model who is 5’10 modeling an XS that’s the shortest it could be on just about anyone. And if one buys an XL and is petite it’ll be crazy long on them – that’s bound to be at least a little confusing.

I bought it in M and I am 5’7. It was the only size they had available in-store when I spotted it on Macy’s sale rack, so I’m very glad it worked! I would have thought I’d be a L in this skirt, but that would have likely brought it into maxi territory. I mostly wear it at my natural waist, but one could play with wearing it lower/buying a bigger size if they want a little more length.

It is AWESOME that so many brands these days are not just selling a wider range of sizes, but they’ve actually started showing the items on women of different sizes and shapes within their online stores. Hallelujah! In the past I’ve had to rely on reviews and pictures people have posted to gauge what something will look like on a non-model, but brands like Express, for example, have been stepping it up and showing their duds on ladies from size 0 to 16 or so. Finally!

I love that this skirt is so versatile. You can style it as I did with a fitted tank (it’s the best not so basic tank I’ve found AND super affordable, I also have it in white), a bodysuit, a crop top if you’re brave, a band tee (tied at the waist or slightly tucked), or even layer a sweater on top – which I am so very eager to do.

Even though we had a rather mild summer (compared to last year and what the rest of the world seemed to deal with) I am sooo glad it’s fall! I bought this awesome leather jacket from TJMaxx during some of the hottest days of the season so it’s been hanging in my room just waiting to be worn. It was another major bargain – $99 from an original retail price of $550!

I was going to sell it to make a few bucks, but it’s such a great investment piece that I just couldn’t bear to part with it. I’m glad I kept it because it’s almost time to whip it out and it truly goes with everything. But since it’s not really cold enough yet to wear it all day I figured I could at least show y’all how I’ll be wearing it when the temps do drop. It rained today and I could not be more stoked about it! Haha. Even Scooby (our new dog) didn’t mind the drizzle on our morning walk.

If you are going to invest in a leather jacket I’d recommend getting the most classic style possible when it goes on sale, as I did. I’d probably skip the leather versions for trendy pieces as they will not be nearly so appealing in a year or two. I’ve actually stopped buying the faux leather jackets altogether – I’ve just seen too many of them disintegrate after far too few wears.

Really good quality leather jackets – the kind that get even better with age – actually start around $500 I’ve learned as the quality of the leather, lining, and zippers suffer on anything cheaper. But it all depends on one’s budget and what one is looking for. Some slightly cheaper options (1, 2, 3) can still be pretty amazing! Just look at this pretty suede jacket from a previous post, which retails for $188 (available here in  a few colors), but goes on sale every year. You know this girl likes things that last 😉

These flats ended up being a lovely surprise score from Nordstrom. I got them for a steal, which is quite the coup for a brand like Frye. Most flats give me blisters, but these have not so far. Woot! I think it’s the fact that they are suede that helps so much, they truly mold to your feet. Since they are such a light color I bought some suede/nubuck protector and plan to give them a treatment ASAP so they stay nice as long as possible. A nude flat goes with just about everything!

Speaking of going with everything – animal print is now considered to be a neutral so I say play with it. It can be very empowering to wear an animal print and it does tend to jazz up one’s ensemble. You can dip your toes in via accessories if you are not ready to go full on. The hubs was NOT a fan of this skirt, but I don’t dress for him so I figure he’ll get over it lol.

We had a few “visitors” observing our little photo shoot, which was a bit of a suprise!

Bye my loves! See you next time!

skirt, tank, ballet flats, jacket, booties

XO, Kate

Photo credit: Leo Amar