Ta-da! This week’s newsletter is brought to ye by Madewell, and I am so thrilled. Madewell is a brand I’ve relied upon heavily in my personal life, and in these letters for perfect pieces that are super versatile, super wearable, and not so expensive you want to scream. Big moment for Earl Earl here, I’ve said in the past I like the Substack thing because unlike traditional magazines, I’m not beholden to any specific brand for any reason other than personal affinity. But! I wasn’t opposed to a partnership if the fit was right, and it was a brand I was already including regularly and already loved. This fit is right, and it makes me feel super proud and super happy to get to dabble in things like this on this relatively new little platform and community I’m building. Anyway - denim skirts!
So yes, about those denim skirts.
This was a trend, or a commonality I’d seen popping up on a few runways. And if not denim, then long, slim skirts - hitting somewhere between upper-mid-shin and ankle. As someone who went through their tweenage years in the late 90s and 00’s, it’s a silhouette that was familiar to me: it reminded me of the dELiA*s era (a word I cannot even spell without being transported back to a world of smily face baby tees, Hard Candy nail polish, and maxi skirts, worn with platform flip flops). Being that I’m a grown-ass woman who tends more towards stark 90s minimalism than y2K irony, it wasn’t initially a look I intended to adopt. However, the more I saw these long skirts, the more I felt like…maybe I could do this. I am generally trend averse, but this seemed like something that could kind of effortlessly sub in for my favorite jeans, and give me a whole new ~vibe~ without me having to put in a ton of effort.
And this is where the Madewell skirt comes in. When I was in New York in May, I got to have coffee with Joyce Lee, the Creative Director at Madewell. She is very lovely, and didn’t flinch when I said the F word a million times, she is so cool, and fun, and funny, and nice, and anyway she kind of told me a bit about things in the Madewell universe. In a nutshell, over the years the design veered more and more towards boho festival land, and recently, she was redirecting the ship back towards the brand’s origins - well made clothing more or less inspired by traditional workwear, but good building blocks for anyone with any style. That is essentially the same concept this NL was founded on: well designed and well made things that don’t require any trickyness and can be worn with almost anything, anywhere. It’s the antithesis of more and more stuff, and playing into trend just to push product, and is more about getting everyone closer to the most essential pieces to their style or lifestyle.
This denim skirt was interesting to me, because while it certainly feels current, the weight of the denim, the construction, the wash, and all the finishes are so tasteful and restrained, it’s something you’d imagine your daughter would hope to find in your closet 15 years from now so she can borrow it and call it vintage. And when I did try it on, it was pretty much exactly as I imagined. As easy to style as my favorite jeans, but it adds a little more interest. Here’s what I put with it.
LEATHER MOM
No relation to Leather Daddy.
See what I mean? It’s basically a pair of jeans, except you get some Angie’s Right Leg energy and a vent, which with the way things are going weather-wise is going to come in handy. I liked this for maybe a day of running errands in the fall, or going out to drinks with my men’s sweater vest, a leather jacket, and some loafers. Very easy easy easy.
1. The skirt! I keep thinking if it’s too long for your taste, it would also be so cute if you hacked off a few inches on the bottom and wore it fraying, like cutoffs, but still mid-shin length at least. Madewell, $98
2. My sweater vest is men’s, and is massive, but if you’re wanting something a little more fitted to balance out the volume of the skirt, this is a great option. The crochet knit detail also makes it feel a bit more feminine. Madewell, $78
3. However, if slouchy and oversized is your vibe, I like this cotton knit sweater vest. The weight would be great in summer, but would still be nice in fall over a button down. Studio Nicholson, $446
4. This leather jacket! Which is honestly perfect. Nice and slouchy, but soft enough that you don’t feel like you’re going to rip through it every time you bend your arms. Madewell, $498
5. These are the loafers I’m wearing here. They have a pleasantly chunky sole, are super comfortable, but they do run a tiny bit big. Madewell, $158
6. If you want to spice it up! I love these little silly cowboy booties with this look. The sleekness of them, but the fact that they’re cowboy boots will play off the country vibe of the denim skirt in a way that will feel tongue-in-cheek and clever, rather than costumey. Khaite, $925
7. Of course you’d wear a vintage Prada backpack with this. The only choice! Prada, $545
8. Finally, a perfect pair of chubby hoops - very subtle, but a nice cherry on top. Madewell, $26
DENIM MOM (BUT ALSO SEXY MOM)
oooOOOooooOOoo Mom is feeling sexy. I honestly can’t really resist a good slit in a skirt, and when I have one, I want to stick one leg out literally all the time. And with a barely buttoned denim jacket….hot bitch. I felt like such a hot bitch, and if I was actually heading out the door, not just playing dress up at home, I would have added a super bright red lip.
1. The skirt again! Crisp and clean and 90s inspired. Madewell, $98
2. I’m wearing a vintage jean jacket, but this one has a super similar wash and fit. I like that it’s not mega oversized, but also not super fitted. It’s just boxy enough, and is so cute worn just as a shirt. Madewell, $128
3. I also really love this denim trench. Over the skirt it’s a lot of denim, but if you have the confidence to pull it off it would be chic as hell. Madewell, $178
4. A little crystal tennis necklace! A little sparkle! Madewell, $68
5. My dream necklace - a small oval link chain from Sherman Field. A little short necklace like this is great with an unbuttoned shirt or jacket with nothing underneath. A longer pendant feels like an easy win with that, but in my opinion, something shorter and more dense (like the crystal necklace or this gold chain) keeps the look clean and crisp. Sherman Field
6. And here, my dream clutch. Every time I see this in a store, I have to hold and pet it. I love the strap you can put your hand behind, and I love that it can look very dressed up, or very casual depending on what you wear it with. The Row, $1,910
7. A very perfect, minimalist, clean, 90s feeling black belt. Perfect, perfect, perfect. Madewell, $48
8. The shoes I’m wearing here are long sold out - very old! But these have a similar feeling. A nice pointy toe, cone-shaped heel, and a tiny bit of toe cleavage. I love them. Khaite, $880
9. These are another very clean, very crisp heel. They kind of disappear when you wear them, which is very pretty. The Row, $790
10. And here - my favorite red lipstick. It goes on super super matte, and doesn’t rub off, doesn’t flake or get weird. You can kind of put it on and forget about it, which is the goal. This is a nice, bright, super vivid red - which, as a blonde, is what I always go for. Maybelline, $11
THIS ONE DOESN’T HAVE A CUTE NAME
It’s just nice, and clean, and crisp, and polished! I love how the sturdyness of the skirt goes against the softness of the poplin top. It feels VERY polished to me, and the kind of thing that I’ll probably wear to work or to meetings all the time. I love this outfit.
1. Mine beloved skirt again! Madewell, $98
2. This is such a good shirt. It’s very oversized, very soft, very light, tucks in nicely, but also is great untucked. I’ve been wearing it nonstop. Madewell, $85
3. I loooove this very 90s snake chain necklace, and it would look so nice against this blue poplin shirt. Fallon, $150
4. A super beautiful, sleek, crisp, polished black tote bag. I’d probably wear it without the crossbody strap and make it my every day for everything bag. Madewell, $198
5. Similarly beautiful sleek, crisp, polished black oval cat eye glasses. I love that they’re not so pointy, so cat eyed, that they’re a bit more subtle and with zero branding. Madewell, $70
6. In the picture, I’m wearing the belt I linked in the outfit above, but I also love this one. I really like covered buckle belts - sometimes the metal buckle feels like too much of a focal point, and I prefer something with less shine. Madewell, $48
7. I love this shoe with this look. Kind of a grounding effect, but neither feminine nor masculine - just really interesting and beautiful and timeless. Madewell, $110
8. These are very close to what I’m wearing. Mine have a mega thin sole and are a kind of slingback flip flop. I like how pared back the design is, and that they kind of just disappear. Saint Laurent, $795
And there we are! I honestly have struggled to wear and style skirts - I’m just so pants, but this one was very, very easy. I love it. And I love you.
Your friend,
Laurel
Too much Madewell for one post IMO. I say that in the context of - I love your newsletter and I respect the partnership concept. I think a little less Madewell, more integrated with your personal style and items sourced elsewhere, would actually showcase the fewer Madewell items better. The reality is most people would not wear so much from one source at once. This feels a bit more like an ad than something genuine. But please - I say this as a fan of yours and as someone who is not anti-Madewell ♥️
Love this styling! I’ve been uncertain about the denim skirts coming back but this styling has me reconsidering!