Pants Be Gone: 12 Mini Skirt Outfits to Free Your Legs From Winter Layering

If you’re looking for fresh new mini skirt outfit ideas, you’ve come to the right place. But before we get into which kinds of minis are cool right now and how you can wear them, let us first reflect on how we got here.

Believe it or not, there was once a time when wearing a mini skirt was considered scandalous. Before the late 1950s, it was rare for hemlines to rise above the knee. That all changed when London’s youth culture was ready to embrace something other than the more modest and traditional styles that were being offered. Artists, musicians, and dancers placed a high value on individuality and creative expression. So when British fashion designer, Dame Mary Quant, became the only store owner at the time offering short dresses and skirts, she single-handedly popularized the groundbreaking style, eventually coining the term “mini skirt.”

Nowadays, mini skirts are not necessarily as revolutionary as they were in the 20th century, but they can still make a statement about your unique point of view. And for what it’s worth, it seems like fashion could really use some originality amidst the constant tidal wave of information on the Internet. So this year, we’re paying close attention to factors that can easily differentiate your mini skirt outfit. Whether it’s the look and feel of the skirt itself or the pieces you style it with, there are endless ways to wear a mini skirt more distinctively.

Scroll on for twelve original ways to wear mini skirts right now.

Two In One

If you thought one leather mini skirt was enough, think again. Layering one skirt on top of another adds a whole new level of chic. The way to nail this look is to have a two-in-one, different colored skirts to accentuate the skirt’s proportions. Pair it with a loose button-down, your favorite suede knee boots, and your go-to signature accessories.

Play On Texture

Even if a mini skirt is simple you can still create an eccentric overall outfit. All you need to do is incorporate different kinds of textures. So, for example, if your skirt is made from, say, a cotton blend, you can make sure to wear things like a fuzzy woolen sweater, a leather trench coat, and fringed shoes. It’s best to stick to muted and earth-toned colors so as not to appear too overwhelming.

Polar Opposites

Just because an outfit is black and white doesn’t mean it has to be boring. The inherent contrast between opposite colors is a statement in and of itself. In this case, a long ivory coat paired with an all black mini skirt underneath will turn out to be extremely chic.

Print Mania

Animal prints are one of those things that always come back in style. Luckily, leopard is having a major moment right now. Since the print can be quite loud, your safest bet will be to style a leopard mini skirt with either more leopard or just black and white accessories.

Pleated Perfection

Looking for something different to wear to date night? How about a red pleated micro mini skirt. Styled with a big furry coat, sheer black tights, and a pair of heeled sandals, a winter night on the town never looked this plush.

Leather on Leather

Leather on leather isn’t anything new, but with design upgrades like a shearling shoulder lining and fringed pumps, your next leather mini will subtly set itself apart as the ultimate cool girl look.

Need Tweed

If you have a sophisticated meeting on the calendar, look no further than a matching tweed jacket and mini skirt combination. Nothing looks quite as elevated for a daytime get-together than an all white tweed on tweed skirt set. Extra style points if you manage to find one with a multicolor hem.

Optical Illusion

Wearing all black is always a good idea when you want to be instantly sleek—especially if you have somewhere more dressy to go. But in order to keep things exciting, you can play around, not with color, but with bold shapes. Wearing a black mini skirt with an abstract top is a sure way to keep all eyes on you.

Lace Trimmed

A lace-trimmed mini is the simplest way to channel your inner femininity through your clothing.  Lace is typically considered a more romantic and elegant material. So, in order to level things out, you’ll want to style the skirt with something structured like a blazer. For even more girliness, play around with ankle socks and Mary Jane flats.

Ready, Set, Paillette

Spruce up your spring wardrobe by adding some excitement to your life. A bright paillette mini skirt is exactly the type of lighthearted fun that we can all use after a rough winter. And with just the right amount of flair, you won’t need to overthink the rest.

Prep School

One way to update your typical prep school-inspired outfit is by swapping out the dated pleated skirt for something more unexpected. Case in point: this white balloon skirt number. So the next time you're ready to channel your inner scholar, do it just like this.

Casually Embellished

Bet you never thought of wearing a $6,000 embroidered silk and wool mini skirt with a sweatshirt. But it actually works—especially if your aim is to achieve a high-low look. Break it up into casual on top and high-end on the bottom to find your perfect balance.

Read the original article on InStyle