Pencil Power: Ways to wear a pencil skirt

Forget fads and one-season wonders, instead invest in wardrobe classics you'll wear forever.

Trends can be tricky, especially if followed to the letter. With many designers releasing an average of four collections a year, they can also be rather costly.

The most valued items in most wardrobes are actually "wear every day items" – pieces that are versatile and timeless. The pencil skirt ticks those boxes.

For a demonstration of the nifty ways to wear a pencil skirt you need only look to the spring/summer collections: at Altuzarra they alternated between stripes and gingham; at Balenciaga they were a more athletic affair with mesh detailing and falling far lower hovering around mid-calf; and at Miu Miu they came in floral prints, striped panels, with embroidery and ruffles – and leather.

The 1970s were a big reference point for many designers this season, and while suede flares and platforms may sound a little too "costume party", a pencil skirt in suede or the burnt orange and khaki colour palettes of the period are a far more wearable way to interpret the trend.

Denim is the ideal solution for this mid-season period -– too cold to go head-on with the spring/summer trends and not chilly enough for winter woollens. Pencil skirts in denim are a good solution for those trying to make the look work in an informal way.

When it comes to getting the look right, fit is key – too tight can spell disaster for movement of any kind. Similarly balancing out proportions is also important – loose knitwear and blouses work best in a casual setting - leave the skimpy pieces for the evening.