My husband recently pointed out an article in The Wall Street Journal on the popularity of patterned pencil skirts for spring. Although I think the look is great, I tend to avoid patterns—particularly when they’re wrapped around my bottom half.
“Nice,” I said. “But not for me.”
And then I found this at Maiden Lane in Nevada City, CA.
Made by Tribal, it’s one of the most figure-flattering skirts I’ve ever worn. It’s the absolute exception to the avoid-horizontal-stripes-at-all-costs rule, because the varied directions of the stripes on the front detract from any illusion of width. (And for some bizarre reason that I have yet to figure out, even the horizontal stripes on the back defy that rule.) It’s fully lined and made of a substantial jersey-type fabric with a hint of spandex, so it follows your body’s contours without clinging to hips or thighs.
I wear a lot of black, which always presents a problem in warm weather. No matter how lightweight the fabric, black looks hot. But the bright white stripes in this skirt visually lighten it so it looks a bit more spring/summery than solid black.
To me, this skirt is an optical illusion on a lot of levels. I may not be able to explain any of it, but I love it all.
Available at Maiden Lane, 307 Broad Street, Nevada City, CA — 530.265.9520.











