The game changer: a pencil skirt with attitude

The pencil skirt has always been a bit of a surprisingly sexy closet staple. When it made its modern debut in Christian Dior’s 1954 H-Line collection, the design was modestly simple, but the way it emphasized the waist, clung to the hips and hovered below the knee encouraged a slinky walk and gave the piece a smart-meets-sensual reputation. Still, it’s often overlooked as an antiquated workwear piece, dismissed as unassuming and a bit stuffy. This season, though, that’s all about to change. For FW19, it’s been reimagined by a handful of directional designers, who clearly revelled in dialling up the tantalizing connotations of this closet classic. From Saint Laurent’s floor-skimming ruffles to David Koma’s patent designs and Christopher Kane’s scanty, sparkling creations, this new breed of pencil skirts is definitely NSFW (not safe for work).