Who would have thought that stylish women everywhere would be wearing gathered skirts this year? But the black cotton full skirt has been hugely popular with all age groups.
As the gathered skirt reminds me more of my pre-teens than my seventies, it was with some trepidation that I purchased a Marks and Spenser’s black cotton skirt to find out how wearable this style is for older women. I am fighting a large waist so gathers at the waist are usually a no-no for me. And I am sporting the palest legs in Europe right now as I find it simply too hot to go out.
However, in the interests of research here I am trying on a little large black number.
This is a more fitted white shirt than I normally wear to emphasize the wide skirt.
Here’s how I would most often wear this black cotton skirt. It’s a very casual look but I need the wide leather belt to cover the wide elastic at the waist.
The skirt makes me look very short-waisted so I still need the wide belt to add a bit of length to my upper half.
Does a gathered skirt work for a smarter look? Just about.
A sleeveless top narrows the upper body and forms a good contrast with the much wider skirt.
This outfit starts to look a bit frumpy with no marked waist.
Adding a color helps to mark the narrower top against the fuller skirt.
I’ve just bought this square-cut tee and wanted to see how it would look against a wide skirt. Heading into frump territory again I think, without a belt.
This is the cardigan I bought when I was writing my previous post on summer short-sleeved cardigans. It is short and sits well at the waist with just a slight fold. Better than a longer top I think, but the wide shirred elastic does me no favors!
Definitely looks better with the wide stiff belt, doesn’t it.
Verdict? I’m not sure if a wide gathered cotton skirt is right on my figure type. I’m short and square with no waist. The skirt is designed to stand out, not drape – which is the look that is trending this year. But I don’t have the upper body to make a real contrast with the skirt. I think this type of skirt would look fabulous on someone taller with less fat on their upper half. A tucked-in sleeveless fitted top would look perfect. But…how many of us in our seventies could wear that happily?
The M&S skirt I bought looks as if it’s sold out, but there’s an identical skirt at Banana Republic.
If you want to see other try-ons for an older woman take a look at my Summer 2025 Capsule Wardrobe
I love the black skirt outfits with the wide belt. You have given me some great ideas for wearing some of my wider belts which I’ve had for years. My body type is short (5′ 4″) and a little full around the middle so these ideas might just work. I appreciate your suggestions & always enjoy seeing how you create outfits. Thank you for sharing your ideas!
Hi Karen. Sometimes I think a ‘let’s see how this looks’ post can help people as much as ‘look how good this is’ ideas. Thanks for your feedback. Joni
I’m built like you and I definitely stay away from those voluminous skirts. I totally agree with you about the shirred waist. I have 2 pairs of linen pants with those thick elastic waistbands. While i love the comfort, they do make me look quite frumpy, but I never thought about using a thick wide belt! Game-changer! My favourite outfit is the white shirt, black skirt, wide belt and red shoes!
Hi Jan. Yes, I think bright shoe colour can help offset the frumpiness of a huge skirt! Joni
Sorry Joni but that is not flattering at all. We are both short, have lost our trim waistline and sure don’t need anything to make our hips look larger than they are. I haven’t worn a stiff gathered skirt since I was 14 and have zero desire to wear one now. This trend is a reach and as far as I’m concerned can go away. Most women can’t wear this skirt without it adding 10-20 pounds on our hips and waists. Who would want that look? I usually love your picks and we dress very similarly. I’m an inch shorter than you and a little thinner but our height is against wearing a stiff full skirt. It is a miss. You have lots of great slimmer choices in your capsule wardrobes. Donate that skirt to a tall thin younger woman. I’m 80 so you are like a younger sister/friend to me Joni. Not all trends are worth trying as they are not designed with us in mind. Looking forward to your fall to winter wardrobe capsules!
HI Sydney. This was a ‘let’s see what this trend would look like on our age-group’ post rather than a ‘I think this style will work for us’ sort of article. It certainly isn’t my favourite look because it is so difficult to style. Thanks for your feedback! Joni
I can see why it is a good look for all ages and I certainly think you can carry it off. The more fitted look top is the best way to wear it otherwise it can make you look square, my own personal experience not a comment on your look, however I really liked the no belt look and did not think that it looked frumpy at all. My favourite is with the red top and shoes but I did like them all.
Hi CeeJay. Interesting!! I think most of my readers thought the looks were too frumpy so it’s great to hear a different opinion. Thanks for your feedback. Joni
I’m looking for some fall/winter
Hi Do. I’m working on Fall items right now. But what I’ve often found is that is I write the article too soon, most of the best clothes come into the shops/internet sites later. It’s a bit of a dilemma for bloggers like me as I want to be a resource not just for classic dressing but for finding out about current trends – even if they don’t always suit us! Joni
I think you’ve made it work. It’s definitely a look that you need to be organised about as the elements really need to work together. Love the white shirt, red shoes and straw bag combination.
Hi Heatger. Thanks for your comments. Yes, it’s never going to be a simple pop-on look. But I am thinking that once the cold weather sets in, it might look quite good with a big – possibly fair-isle – sweater over it. A sort of hot chocolate moment at home or with a good friend, hahaha. Joni