Goodbye Slate Blue Skirt

Today I'm continuing with my summer closet edit...

-Grey tipped blazer post is here;

-Navy short-sleeved jacket post is here;

-Light blue Henley t-shirt post is here.

The fourth item leaving my closet is this thrifted slate blue skirt from M.M. LaFleur that I purchased 6 years ago. The $20 price tag was reasonable given that their skirts sell new for $195 and up. I have previously talked about this skirt as one that is high quality and feels very "fancy/professional" for work, though I did learn to start styling it for work from home days as well.

I last wore this skirt in 2024 because in the summer of 2025, when I'd just left my job, I didn't feel like wearing skirts and wore a lot of pants and skimmer shorts instead. When I pulled it out earlier this summer, I decided that even though it still technically fit, it wasn't as comfortable in the waist/belly area as I preferred due to its woven fabric and lining having no give and the style being very structured. Since my days not working my desk job involve more movement than my office or even WFH days, overly structured or confining clothing does fit as well with my life.

I did not manage to get up to 30 wears with this skirt, but I did (barely!) reach my under $1 cost per wear goal. (I really don't know whether 30 wears should be the goal for a thrifted item that someone else has owned/worn before I did, but if people wear a garment 7 times on average, then maybe a goal of 23 wears would be appropriate...and I didn't quite reach that threshold either.)

One thing that made it easier to bid adieu to this lovely skirt is that it's always been that "one weird item" that doesn't match any other solid pieces in my wardrobe so I tended to wear it with neutrals or with certain print items that had a similar shade of blue to it. I think there's nothing wrong with having an odd man out item in your closet (and I wouldn't purge something I already own, like, and wear just because it's a "different" color), but since I like the convenience of being able to use color formulas like the inner column of color, "suit," modern twin set, etc., this skirt was less versatile than most of my clothes. Here you can see my collection of slate blue (including scarves with a slate blue-like background) - the skirt was the only piece of clothing in this color.

Although I have worn this skirt in all seasons, I am sharing 7 ways that I styled it for summer from my OOTD archives.

#1: Print Blouse + Solid Cardigan

The cheetah blouse has a dark grey-blue background that seemed like a darker version of the slate blue skirt, so that combination looked good. The navy and blue floral top has a few other blue tones, so I figured I could make the slate blue work with it.

OOTD Left: 7/10/2020; Right: 8/5/2020

#2: Bluebird Blouse

I have a thrifted Loft blouse with soft blue birds on a blush pink background that pairs well with the slate blue skirt. The left outfit was a failure because the buttoned white cardigan looked weird and I truly hated how that brighter blue scarf clashed with the skirt. The right outfit was much better with the bird blouse showing well underneath the chambray blazer and the various muted blue tones blending nicely.

OOTD Left: 6/14/2021; Right: 9/2/2022

#3: Beige Striped Linen Top

This striped linen top is a boxy piece that is perfect for warm summer weather because it stands away from the body for good circulation. I can't layer over it due to the silhouette, but it's such a great stand-alone summer top with good coverage and visual interest that I wear it happily on its own. It doesn't match the slate blue skirt, but it goes.

OOTD Left: 5/20/2021; Right: 9/7/2022

#4: Striped Sweatshirt

This sweatshirt has multiple shades of muted blue so the skirt works well with it. I can layer with this sweatshirt in cold weather, but for bare legs season, it's a stand-alone top. I also liked the juxtaposition of the casual sweatshirt style and the "fancy/professional" vibe of the skirt. As with the striped linen top, this is one of those "surrender the waist" silhouettes that is not everyone's jam, but liked it.

OOTD Left: 5/23/2024; Right: 5/17/2023

#5: Navy Print Tops

Navy is a nice neutral to wear with the slate blue, and I have a couple of print tops that have a soft, greyed-out blue tone in the print that pairs well with the skirt. These tops are not as boxy/relaxed/oversized so the outfit's silhouette follows the shape of the body more closely. I could easily layer over these two tops if I wanted to do so.

OOTD Left: 6/11/2024; Right: 6/8/2023

#6: Navy/Olive/Pink Floral Shirt

I bought this shirt because I was crazy about the colors and the print, but it's one of those "crisp button up shirts" made from stiff woven cotton that is rather uncomfortable for me to wear buttoned up like a shirt - it always seems to pull funny as I move around or feel weirdly constrictive (or I have to size up and then it looks strange for that reason). So it's become a lightweight shirt-jacket for the summer months that I can pop over a solid top. The light blue flowers are not the same shade as the slate blue skirt, but when matching a solid piece to a print piece, you have a lot of leeway to pair a color that is rather similar but still different.

OOTD Left: 7/12/2023; Right: 6/18/2024

#7: Navy Floral Cardigan

This is another print summer layering piece that coordinates even if it doesn't match the skirt. The long flowy nature of this lightweight t-shirt knit cardigan is not a slam dunk with the flared shape of the skirt, but as you've seen, I'm not dead set on creating the most figure-flattering silhouette possible...especially in the summer time when I can struggle with overheating even in the air conditioning so comfort trumps balanced proportions every time.

OOTD Left: 7/22/2024; Right: 5/30/2023

I don't own any skirts similar to this in color, but it's not something my closet needs. In fact, now that this skirt has left my wardrobe, I just don't really own any slate blue clothing, which is actually easier in some ways! I do have space in my wardrobe for a muted blue skirt that was a better match to my "soft blue," "chambray blue," and "soft indigo" collections (none of which have a skirt), but it's not something I'm seeking out. My indigo blue pants or denim skirts/jeans are easy to wear with those muted blues to create color formulas when I want them.

Do you have any "odd man out" pieces in your wardrobe that are a color that doesn't really match anything else? Do you have any clothes that have a "fancy/professional" energy that doesn't fit with your lifestyle? Have you tried to casualize those clothes for your day-to-day outfits? Where does comfort fall in your priorities for clothes/outfits?

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