Okay, so I’ve been meaning to actually try out that whole pencil skirt oversized shirt combo for ages. You see it everywhere, right? Looks dead chic on some people. So, I figured, why not give it a whirl myself? Got a bit of time, rummaged through my closet.
First things first: The Skirt
I dug out this black pencil skirt. It’s pretty basic, stretchy, hits just below the knee. Had it for years. It’s one of those pieces that just hangs around, waiting for its moment, I guess. I thought, “Alright, this is a solid base.” Can’t go too wrong with a black pencil skirt, or so I believed.
Then Came The Shirt Saga
Now, the “oversized shirt” part. This is where things got a bit… experimental. I grabbed one of my partner’s old work shirts first – a light blue cotton one. Threw it on. Whoa. Okay, “oversized” was an understatement. I looked like a kid playing dress-up. The shoulders were halfway down my arms, and the length nearly made the skirt pointless.
So, I thought, “Maybe a different kind of oversized?” I had this white linen shirt I bought a couple of sizes up intentionally. Better, but still not quite hitting that effortless vibe I was aiming for. It just looked… big. Not in a cool, slouchy way, more like I just couldn’t find my size. It’s a fine line, you know?
The Tucking, Twisting, and Turning Point
I spent a good while in front of the mirror just playing around. Here’s what I tried:
- The full tuck: Pulled the shirt tight and tucked it all around. Nah. Defeated the “oversized” feel. Made the skirt look okay but the shirt just bunched up weirdly around my waist. Not comfy, not stylish.
- The French tuck (or half-tuck): Just tucked the front bit in. This was getting somewhere! It gave some shape, showed off the skirt a bit, but kept the casual, loose feel of the shirt at the back. This felt more promising.
- The knotted front: Undid a few bottom buttons and tied the ends. This was… okay. A bit more casual than I wanted, maybe. And sometimes the knot felt bulky.
- Belt it? I even tried a skinny belt over the shirt, at the waist, with the shirt untucked. Mmm, sometimes it worked, other times it just looked like I was trying too hard to give myself a waist with all that fabric.
What I Actually Figured Out
After a lot of pulling, adjusting, and muttering to myself, I realized a few things. The material of the shirt is key. A super stiff, boxy oversized shirt just made me look… boxy. A softer, more fluid oversized shirt draped better, but it could also cling in weird places if it was too thin. The sweet spot was something with a bit of structure but still soft enough to move.
And proportions, man. If the shirt was too long, even with a French tuck, it just overwhelmed the pencil skirt. The skirt needed to hold its own. For me, the best outcome was actually with a shirt that was more “boyfriend fit” than truly “oversized” – still loose and comfy, but not drowning me. And that French tuck really was the winner for me. It felt like the most balanced approach.
I also found that a slightly higher-waisted pencil skirt worked better. It helped define the waist a bit more, especially when the shirt was a bit blousy. Shoes changed the whole game too. Sneakers made it feel super casual and cool, heels instantly dressed it up for something a bit more put-together.
So yeah, that was my little experiment. It’s not as simple as just grabbing any big shirt and any pencil skirt. Took a bit of faffing about, but I got a feel for it. Might actually wear it out now!
