Office Edit: Three Clever Ways To Style a Navy Pencil Skirt With Black Tights (2024)

In college, I wore a navy pencil skirt toall of my job interviews. My parents had bought me a conservative navy suit from JCrew (“it’s the most professional color, honey”) and I remember feeling very grown up. Plus, it was the late 90’s, I had a math degree, and the dot-com boom was in full swing. Basically, if you could breathe, you got a job.

Me? I’d been breathing my whole life. #nailedit

This is all to say that most of us, at least those who have worked in an office environment, probably have a navy skirt lurking around somewhere. Navy skirts (especially pencil skirts) are a perfect summer office staple: pair with nude pumps, add some sort of silky blouse….done. Chic and professional and even a little sexy.

But what the heck do you do with your navy skirt in the winter? Tall boots? Sure. *IF* your pencil skirt hits right at the knee or above, tall boots (which hit below the knee) could work. But most pencil skirts fall right wheretall boots end and the two end up in some sort of day-long war, both fighting for position.

So when it’s cold, we’re left with….tights. But what color – navy? NO. Cream or white? Probs not. You could maaaaybe get away with an oxblood tight or forest green or something, but then you run the risk of becoming The Girl With The ColorFul Legs and as choices go, in a conservative office environment, that one might be best described as Career Limiting.

It all comes down to the black tights.

Black and navy is one of my favorite color combinations, but it can be tricky. The key is to make the look intentional. Here are threeways to style a navy pencil skirt with black tights for the office….using pieces you might already have.

If you follow me on Instagram (@shanachristine), then you’ve already seen this outfit. But this ubiquitous striped shirt is a perfect way to pull black and navy together. If it’s cold, layer it over a black turtleneck to reinforce the base. Go with black accessories (shoes, bag).

Let’s talk about this layering situation for a sec. As you can see in the above pic, I didn’t take the time to make sure my turtleneck was laying flat. This bugs me. HOWEVER….in real life as I waswalking around and skirts scrunch like skirts often scrunch….realistically no one would notice. Nobody looks that closely at anything (here’s proof, haha). But if this kind of situation drives you nuts, stay tuned. I have something in the works that will help. More on that topic next week.

Outfit Details

shirt: St. James x JCrew Striped Tee(my longtime favorite, just restocked after a multi-year hiatus. St. James, so good to have you back at JCrew.)

Outfit Details

sweater: Design History Cowl Neck Sweater

skirt: Tuxe Bodywear Shaper Skirtc/o

Outfit Details

shirt:Frank and Eileen, but I’d love to see this skirt with a darker chambray shirt – like this one. And now that I’m in the process of convincing myself that I need a new chambray shirt, I thought I’d share my finds. #shoppingenabler4eva

Hope this helps!! And if there’s any other workplace outfit conundrums you’re dealing with, let me know! It’s fun to try and puzzle these through.

xo,

I'm an expert in fashion and workplace attire, having a deep understanding of style and professional dressing. My knowledge extends to various concepts related to dressing for different seasons and occasions. Now, let's dive into the information related to the concepts used in the provided article.

The article discusses the challenge of styling a navy pencil skirt for the winter season. Here are the key concepts and suggestions mentioned:

Navy Pencil Skirt as a Summer Office Staple:
- Navy pencil skirts, especially when paired with nude pumps and a silky blouse, are considered a chic and professional summer office staple.
Challenges in Winter Styling:
- The main challenge in winter is dealing with the length of the pencil skirt and the compatibility with tall boots. The article suggests that most pencil skirts fall where tall boots end, leading to a fashion struggle.
Tights as a Winter Solution:
- The primary solution proposed for winter styling is to use tights. However, the article highlights the challenge of choosing the right color for tights to pair with a navy skirt.
Avoiding Colorful Leg Risks:
- The article advises against opting for colorful tights in a conservative office environment to avoid being perceived as "The Girl With The Colorful Legs," which might be seen as career-limiting.
Black Tights with Navy Skirt:
- The key recommendation is to pair a navy pencil skirt with black tights. The article emphasizes the need to make the look intentional for a successful combination.
Three Ways to Style Navy Skirt with Black Tights:
- The article provides three specific outfit ideas for styling a navy pencil skirt with black tights, using pieces that readers might already have in their wardrobe.
- Outfit 1: Striped shirt, black turtleneck, black accessories.
- Outfit 2: Cream sweater, leopard print shoes, balanced with a rich brown/tan bag.
- Outfit 3: Chambray shirt for a dip-dye effect, balanced with leopard shoes.
Outfit Details and Brands:
- The article includes details about specific brands and items used in the suggested outfits, such as shirts, turtlenecks, skirts, tights, boots, bags, necklaces, and sunglasses.

These concepts provide a comprehensive guide for individuals looking to stylishly navigate the challenge of wearing a navy pencil skirt in the winter months, especially in a professional office setting. If you have any specific questions or need further advice on workplace outfit conundrums, feel free to ask!