J. Crew No. 2 Pencil skirt in Vibrant Flame – how to love it

I am a girl who likes a challenge. Tell me I can’t do something and suddenly I am on a mission. Just ask the poor ski patrol in Jackson Hole, Wyoming who dared ask me if I needed a ride down the mountain on their snowmobile after they watched me fall approximately 18 times in thirty seconds on the bunny slope. Instead of politely saying “no thank you” I yelled at them that I would get down that mountain on my own or I would die trying. Sorry nice ski patrol lady!

Keeping that in mind, I recently convinced a friend to buy this skirt:

And when she agreed to buy it  – which was a good call on her part b/c she looks totally fab in it – it was with the caveat and understanding that I would be responsible for helping her figure out what to wear with a bright orange pencil skirt. Challenge accepted!!

Now here is how J. Crew suggests you wear this skirt:

Woof! And to think – J. Crew actually paid someone to put this look together. Call me J. Crew – because, as evidenced below, I can do better.

Outfit No. 1:

Now as a double Alabama grad it pains me to match this orange skirt with a navy and white top. But try as I might I cannot deny that navy and orange look good together. Plus I’m toning down the AU overtones with a beige open cardi with some great details and a fun chunky necklace. Also my friend is an Ole Miss grad so she probably doesn’t have as much of a natural aversion to this color combo as I do.

Outfit No. 2:

I am LOVING the idea of a dark purple paired with this bright orange. And I am especially loving it with this amazing leopard-print cardi on top. I could make a whole week’s worth of outfits out of that cardi – I love it that much. So if you want one you better get it before I snag them all for myself.

(And b/c I know you will ask – yes Emily, you should wear this with dark brown tights.)

Outfit No. 3:

While I certainly do not advocate wearing this mustard yellow shirt alone with this skirt, I think a little bit of yellow peeking out at the collar of this yummy gray sweater would be fab. But if that makes you nervous you could substitute a light blue collared shirt instead for an (almost) equally stylish look.

So there you have it. Three ways to wear one of the season’s hottest colors without looking like a giant pumpkin. (Which would only be acceptable today – so if you already own this skirt and aren’t wearing it there’s still time to go home and put it on with a green shirt for instant pumpkin-ness.)

Happy Halloween kids!!