Pleated Skirts 💅🏼

When it comes to workplace fashion from the 1980's, I am drawn to the sheer power that these clothes exude. Women would wear broad shouldered blazers lined with gold buttons, bright reds or fancy black colors, and have intricate buttoning. On the work attire family tree is the famous: pleated skirt. Whether you are getting lunch with coworkers or leading an important meeting, a pleated skirt would make your look pop!

Popular magazines, such as Vogue, included pages of models wearing pleated skirts in vibrant colors. These skirts were essential for both elegant and put-together attire. The 1980's introduced the pleated fashion, but it has now morphed into more modern versions of this stylish piece. On stores like Shein, Fashion Nova, or Forever 21, it is easy to find pleated tennis skirts or long skirts that cater to your liking.

What I absolutely adore about these skirts is how well they can uplift any fit, and can actually be worn casually! The most common misconception of wearing long skirts is that they have to be only worn for special occassions. Instead, it is possible to pull off this skirt and shirt combo with ease for any type of day. For instance, you can wear a classic white tee, a pink pleated skirt, and some white vans to create a casual look!

But, if you still want to go for that more refined style from the 80's looks, you can swap out those shoes for some heels!

Unfortunately, even though these skirts are pretty accessible across most major fashion retailers, I don't always see this style out and about in 2021. I'm really hoping that it catches on to become more of a trend in the next year!

The comparison between 1980's pleated skirts and tennis skirts versus 2021 skirts is actually not very stark in contrast. For the photo above, the woman wears a red pleated skirt slightly above her knees with a fashionable blazer. The color is bold and loud, yet it brings a soft feminine touch with the style of the pleats. Even though the tights give this outfit a more professional presentation, this specific accessory may not be included in today's fashion preferences.

In 2021, I noticed that these skirts are usually paired with more jewelry, beige colored accents, and no-lace shoes. It gives off a clean and comfy appeal, yet looks amazing nonetheless! Some examples of 2021 touches may include wearing simplistic t-shirts with color combos that coincide with the pleated skirts or using belts, rings, and earrings that enhance the fit altogether.

As I was scrolling through the internet for the perfect outfit combos with pleated skirts, I found modern examples such as this:

The ebay listing above is a great depiction of how to wear a pleated skirt. Throw on a striped sweater, some jewelry, boots, and you're set! It's extremely versatile, comfortable, and breezy. Although the vintage skirt is still utilized, modern day elements pull it together so well!

Surprisingly enough, seeing flashbacks to 1980's fashion was not when I was first introducted to the pleated skirt fad. After seeing a outfit post on Instagram from @hellomagggy, I instantly got hooked on creating this look for myself. Magarita is a fashion and beauty influencer from Oaxaca, Mexico, offering many cute styling tips! I always light up whenever I see her page, since I also have a few relatives from her home state in Mexico. She purchased her long yellow pleated skirt from Shein, and even paired it with a black leather jacket, a simple tee, and some clean white shoes.

Seeing people you relate to, whether culturally or style-wise, really brings those "old" trends back home for me! Having people to share these fashion trends with and see them renvisioned online really makes it come alive and further gain traction!

How can pleated skirts be styled?

These skirts can be worn with...

- blazers!

-heels, flats, sandals or casual shoes!

-flowy tops!

-button-up tops!

If you need more specific color combos, check out this video by Mel Inspired:

Modern Day Shops ❤️

Here are some quick shopping options for pleated skirts if you want to try out the look yourself!