Sometime around June, my jeans lost the argument. They’ve been sitting on the shelf sulking ever since, while I quietly surrendered the only garment that actually makes sense in the late-summer heat. A dress is a single commitment. A skirt, well, a skirt lets you change your mind from the waist up. Same base, different top, and a completely different vibe.

Everyone else is currently panicking about their autumn layers, but I’m still here. We still have weeks of warm light left, and I am embracing it. These are the four skirts I’ve actually lived in all summer long, and how to wear them before September takes over.

Sheer Commitment

The sheer skirt only works if you commit 100%. Anything less looks like you got dressed in the dark and forgot a slip. Full commitment: a solid foundation, a tissue-thin tank, flat leather sandals, and zero competing accessories. Organza and lace do a heavy lift here because that texture keeps it elevated. Without the texture, sheer is just a window treatment.

My Beloved Mini

Everyone will tell you minis are just a trend they go back to when it makes its inevitable comeback. I frankly find it eye-roll-inducing. Since I was younger, I’ve been rocking structured denim minis to the standard black mini, and my personal favorite - leather minis. The shift in miniskirts is about proportion. Pairing it with a slouchy, oversized knit or a boxy button-down, it’s a completely different garment. It feels nonchalant rather than a display.

The Satin Midi Does Everything

If I could pick a workhorse of the bunch, this is it. Paired with a washed white tee and retro sneakers in the middle of the day or a bare shoulder and low heel at night, it takes all the credit for zero effort. The secret is the drape. A stiff satin skirt looks like a costume; it needs to float half a second behind you when you walk. Always look for a bia cut and test the movement rather than trusting a flat lay on a screen.

The Relaxed Maxi to Live In

This is a trusty, reliable piece in any closet. In a weighty linen or soft jersey that sits straight through the hip, it is the closest a skirt can get to sweatpants without dropping the bar. It radiates effortlessness when you put zero through it. Mine is black, and it has routinely been there since I was much, much younger, and will probably remain there for a while.