As we turn toward the sense of renewal that naturally comes with a new school year, I’ve been scanning my wardrobe, trying to figure out what, and importantly how, to wear the clothes I already have hanging. Versus buying new, especially after the haul of kiddos’ school clothes I purchased. Basically, I’m looking to “shop my closet,” wear my clothes for any occasion, and stop saving items for special events. One type of garment I have been “holding onto” is skirts. I have well over a dozen skirts, but I rarely wear them for one reason or another. So, as we transition from late summer to early fall, I want to see how many ways I can rethink styling these skirts to breathe new life into my wardrobe.

First up, pencil skirts. Back when my 9-to-5 asserted a more formal dress code, I was ready with numerous pencil skirts to wear with blouses, blazers, and heels. This outfit combo is fine, but a bit bland and doesn’t speak to my current office setting. Nowadays, many workplaces have become more casual in general. So, to flip the switch on the pencil, I’ll wear it with a T-shirt, shacket, and sneakers for work this fall. Or take any black, grey, or navy pencil skirt and swap it in for a standard casual jeans-based look. Basically, the trick is to take the formality out of the skirt to make it more approachable and less serious, style-wise.

Next up, knit skirts. Whether on their own or as part of a matching set, knit skirts go hand in hand with fall since wearing knits together can be both comfy, cozy, and chic. However, I’m looking to change up the texture of a knit skirt outfit with a contrasting material like silk or lace. A longer knit pull-on skirt can be all comfy on the bottom, worn with a flat shoe and kind of dressy up top with a silky blouse with lace elements. Also, with a pull-on silhouette, you can play with length and proportion. If you have a cropped top, wear it with a knit pulled up further on the torso; then the shorter hem would allow for boots.

From knit to full circle. An A-line full-circle skirt can be a tricky silhouette from a proportion perspective. It needs to fit and hit at the natural or slightly higher waist, with flattering fullness to make the best use of its shape. Something too full or too loose can overwhelm the frame and come off as baggy instead of having a shape. If your skirt is fitting and hitting correctly, you may want to style in a vintage 1950s mode, which is well and good, but try not to go too costumey with this approach. For printed circle skirts, there may be the tendency to style them in a twee, quirky type fashion, but on women of a certain age (which I include myself), that may come across as a bit too cutesy. So, what to do? For both solid colored and printed circles, you’ll want it to fall just below the knee, then tuck or half-tuck a top, add a belt, and don some heels. Top-wise, I’m going with an oversized graphic tee all the way. I love the idea of pairing a formal piece like a circle skirt with its complete opposite. An oversized tee, half-tucked so it drapes along the sides and back, provides contrast for an unexpected look, especially when paired with heeled boots and a denim jacket.

Leopard-print skirts are trending this season, especially the midi slip silhouette. You may be tempted to pair this type of skirt with a black or brown turtleneck and ballet flats. But I’d challenge the idea that leopard print is really a neutral and can handle being contrasted with brighter colors, like an autumnal orange or an icy sky blue. So, look to the bold-hue sweaters you already have to pair with leopard and still wear flats, but go for a similarly bold shoe color to your sweater. Or pair the neutral leopard with another classic neutral, the chambray or denim button-up! This duo can be done in a preppy fashion, with a trench coat and loafers, or in a more edgy way with a black blazer and black combat-style boots. Full disclosure, I do not already own a leopard-print midi slip skirt, so this particular skirt type may be added to my shopping list, since I have all of those other elements for the looks described above.

This isn’t by any means an exhaustive list; we didn’t even get into denim skirts, corduroy skirts, and, Lord help me, miniskirts. The point, though, is that you look to the clothes you already own and think about new ways to wear them. You may have noticed I used words like “contrast,” “proportion,” “fit,” and “texture.” These concepts can be applied not just to skirts but to any and all items in your closet when creating outfits. And when you create these looks, don’t save them; wear them. Whether you’re meeting up with pals, doing the school run, or going to the dentist, wear the skirt, the boots, the blazer; this is your life, you should be dressing the part. Now I need to search for a leopard print midi slip skirt.