I've long been obsessed with a pleated skirt. Sometimes, I wonder if I'm drawn to it because I went to public school my whole life and never had to wear a uniform. The pleated skirt felt foreign to me, so I was drawn to it instantly. It was more than a skirt associated with rule following and strictness. It was something I could slip into to become another version of myself.
Pleated skirts have been a key part of my personal style for as long as I can remember. It's funny because while they represent orderliness and tradition, I often wear them in a way that is anything but. I lean into a grunge aesthetic, which is probably why pleated skirts are so fun to wear. Because of their use in private-school uniforms, they're easy to wear in ways that feel more subversive. Wearing a pleated skirt the "wrong way" makes it all the more fun.
For me, a pleated skirt has become like a second skin. Whereas some people constantly reach for their favorite pair of worn-in jeans, I always gravitate toward a pleated skirt, of which I own too many. They often come in varying lengths, so I have longer ones and shorter ones I wear according to the season. There are great options in bright and bold shades, simple neutrals, and loud patterns and prints, like plaids.
As long as designers and brands I love keep putting out pleated skirts, I will keep buying them, as a pleated skirt is always something I'm happy to invest in. You can never have too many. Below are a handful I currently have my eye on.
Shop the pleated-skirt trend below.
