GET IT STRAIGHT

How can you have a long, lean silhouette without resorting to narrow pants? Two words: pencil skirt.

"Pencil skirts for fall are a return to investment dressing with a sexy ‘Mad Men’ edge," said trends analyst and branding consultant Tom Julian, president of the Tom Julian Group in New York. He says the seams and the high waistlines make pencil skirts streamlined and versatile. A pencil skirt should hit below the knee, fit snugly - but not tightly - and have a kick pleat or slit to ensure that walking is not a safety hazard.

The straight, longer skirt, so popular in decades past, is a good piece to add to your wardrobe. Try it with jackets, blouses and knit tops you already have.

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- McClatchy Newspapers

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