As people arrived and they were directed to the appropriate bins I would watch as different ladies would pull out an assortment of patterns and colors and try them on. Sitting there, I listened to the other women’s opinions of what to wear them with. It became apparent that the easiest thing to pair with each skirt was either a white shirt or one that matched a color featured in the skirt. After hearing this a number of times I wanted the skirts to be more stylish than a simple plain white tee shirt so I began styling each of them in my head, deciding which color or type of top would go with each, adding accessories, then starting over when a new skirt came strutting out of the back room.

Through these mental endeavors I decided to compile a list here of what I think would take a basic maxi skirt from simple to chic.

Accessories move any outfit from drab to fab in a matter of minutes. Pairing a big, chunky necklace, coordinating belt and bag can make a plain maxi skirt and solid tee look polished and put together. 

Mixing patterns can be a tricky feat but there’s one thing that can make it a little easier and that’s matching one color in each piece. Finding a common color in both the top piece and bottom piece helps sync them together even though they may present two different patterns.

Coordinating colors that go well together can change the look of a basic maxi skirt. Specifically, pairing coral and fuchsia, lilac and pale pink, or hunter green and plum, makes the outfit more modern, intentional, and eye-catching. Monochrome would even work in this case with a bright bag to draw the eye in. 

Texture, simply explained, is different types of fabric. Pairing a denim vest or leather jacket is one of the easiest ways to upgrade a cotton maxi skirt. If the skirt is made of chiffon or a seemingly fancier material, adding a perfect, cotton tee tones it down to something more daytime appropriate. 

[photos 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6]