Ivory, polka dot and black satin: three ways to wear lace, from the boutique.
To style a lace skirt, balance its softness with something plain and structured. For day, pair it with a fitted knit, a simple tank or a crisp shirt, flat or low shoes and a light jacket or denim layer. For night, wear it with a satin or silk camisole, a heel and a small bag, and let the lace be the only detail. Keep the top solid and close-fitting, choose one color family, and check the lining in daylight. Lace can be delicate or dramatic depending on what surrounds it. Below: how to choose one, and outfits for daytime, evening and fall.
Key Takeaways
- Pair lace with something plain: a solid knit, tank, shirt or satin camisole. Lace plus another texture or print gets busy fast.
- Where the lace sits matters. A lace panel or hem is easier to wear by day than a skirt covered in lace.
- For daytime, flats and a jacket. For night, a heel and satin.
- Check sheer lace in daylight and add a slip or nude shorts if you want full coverage.
- In fall, lace works with knits, boots and darker colors, and the contrast keeps it from looking bridal.
What kind of lace skirt should you choose?
Start by deciding where you want the lace: all over, as a panel, as a hem, or as trim along a slit. Partial lace is easier to wear by day. All-over lace reads more formal.
Lace skirts come in four basic types. An all-over lace skirt, lined underneath, is the most dressy, and in black it goes straight to evening. A lace-panel skirt uses lace for part of the length, often the lower half, which keeps it light. A lace-hem skirt adds a band at the edge, which is the easiest version for daytime. And a lace-trim skirt uses lace only along a slit or seam, as a detail on a plain skirt.
The three skirts in our photos cover three of those four. The ivory midi skirt with sheer lace panel by Dixie has a 100% cotton upper that stops around the knee and a fine, open lace that carries the length to mid-calf. The cream polka dot midi skirt with lace hem by Imperial is 100% viscose, with a narrow band of lace only along an asymmetric hem. The satin skirt with lace slit by Kontatto is a black-and-silver satin midi with lace trimming the slit. All three are made in Italy.
Length is the second decision. A midi is the most versatile, because it covers enough to wear to lunch and moves well at night. If you are unsure of your best length, our piece on how Italian women find their skirt length walks through it. You can browse all our skirts here.
Where does lace come from, and why does Italy matter?
Needle lace as we know it was developed in Italy in the sixteenth century, and Venice was one of its great centers. That is part of why lace still feels like an Italian fabric.
The early Venetian technique was called punto in aria, stitch in the air, because the lace was built with a needle and thread alone, without being stitched onto a woven base. It is often described as the first true lace. The island of Burano, in the Venetian lagoon, became famous for it, and from the late sixteenth to the end of the eighteenth century its lace appeared on collars at courts across Europe. The tradition almost disappeared after the fall of the Venetian Republic in 1797. A lace school founded on Burano in 1872, with the support of Countess Adriana Marcello, helped revive it, and its building is now the Museo del Merletto, the Lace Museum.
Most lace in clothing today is made by machine. The Leavers machine, invented in 1813, is still used in Calais and Caudry in northern France to make the fine lace called Chantilly, among others. That is the fine, floral kind you often see trimming a slit or hem.
For a skirt, the history is less important than one practical lesson: good lace lies flat and does not snag. When you shop, run your hand over it. It should feel soft and even, with no loose threads at the edges. For more on fabric quality, read our guide on satin vs silk, and learn more about how we choose our fabrics.
How do you style a lace skirt for day?
Keep the top simple and fitted, choose flat or low shoes, and add something with a little edge, like a jacket, a knit or a crisp shirt. The goal is to make lace look like everyday clothing, not like a special occasion.
A fitted tank or tee. A plain black or white tank tucked into a lace skirt is the simplest daytime outfit there is. The photos of our ivory lace-panel skirt show exactly this: a black ribbed tank with a sporty striped waistband, which keeps the ivory lace from feeling bridal.
A crisp shirt. A white or striped cotton shirt, tucked in or knotted at the waist, pulls a lace skirt toward the office. Roll the sleeves.
A fine knit. In October, a light sweater in camel, grey or navy tucked into the skirt is the most wearable fall combination.
A jacket with structure. A denim jacket, a blazer or a tailored vest adds the contrast lace needs. For more on the vest, see how to style a vest.
Shoes. Loafers, ballet flats, simple sandals or clean white sneakers. A chunky or sporty shoe makes lace look modern.
One practical point about sheer lace. The lace on our ivory skirt is fine and open, so in strong Florida sunlight you may want a slip or nude shorts underneath. Check it in daylight before you wear it out. You will find more daytime ideas in our guide to how to style a maxi skirt, and more pieces in our new arrivals.
How do you style a lace skirt for night?
For evening, pair lace with satin or silk, add a heel and a small bag, and keep the palette to one color. Lace and satin work together because the smooth shine sets off the texture.
A satin camisole. The easiest night outfit. A black lace camisole or a slip top over a black lace or satin skirt gives a long, unbroken line. On our black satin skirt with lace slit, the lace appears only where the slit opens, so it shows when you walk and hides when you stand.
A fitted bodysuit or fine knit. For a cooler evening, a black bodysuit or a fine long-sleeve knit keeps the look sleek.
Tonal dressing. Black on black, ivory on ivory or brown on cream. One color family lets the lace texture stand out. The polka-dot skirt in our photos is styled with a chocolate-brown satin top that picks up the dots and the dark lace hem.
Shoes and bag. A pointed heel or a slim strappy sandal, and a small structured bag. For more on building an evening look around a skirt, read how to style a satin midi skirt.
Jewelry. Lace is already ornamental, so keep it light: small earrings or one bracelet. A heavy necklace competes with the texture.
Here in Sarasota, this is the outfit for dinner on St. Armands Circle or a gallery evening downtown, and it works in the heat because a satin or lined skirt stays light. See our ideas for what to wear to dinner on St. Armands and browse our satin and silk skirts.
How do you wear a lace skirt in fall?
Add weight and warmth around it: a knit, a jacket, tights or boots, and darker colors. The contrast between delicate lace and heavier fall fabrics is what makes it look deliberate.
| Occasion | Skirt | Top | Layer | Shoes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekday | Lace-panel midi | Fine knit or striped shirt | Blazer or denim jacket | Loafers or ballet flats |
| Weekend lunch | Lace-hem midi | Satin tee or fitted top | Light bomber | White sneakers or sandals |
| Dinner | Satin with lace slit | Satin or lace camisole | Cropped jacket | Pointed heel |
| Fall evening | Black lace midi | Fine long-sleeve knit | Wool coat | Ankle boots |
In most of the country, fall means tights and boots with a lace skirt. In Sarasota, October evenings are still warm, so a fine knit over the shoulders and a closed shoe usually do the job. The first cool evening, when it finally comes, catches everyone unprepared, which we wrote about in the first cool evening catches everyone dressed wrong. For what the runways are saying about skirts next spring, see Milan spent a week on bra tops, watch the skirts instead. More pieces for this season are in our bottoms collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What top goes with a lace skirt?
A plain, fitted top in a solid color: a tank, a tee, a fine knit, a crisp shirt or a satin camisole. Avoid lace-on-lace and busy prints, which compete with the texture.
Can you wear a lace skirt during the day?
Yes. Choose a lace-panel or lace-hem skirt, pair it with a simple top and flat shoes, and add a jacket or denim layer. The casual pieces keep it from looking like occasion wear.
What shoes go with a lace midi skirt?
For day, loafers, ballet flats, simple sandals or clean sneakers. For night, a pointed heel or a strappy sandal. In fall, ankle boots work if the skirt is midi or longer.
Is a lace skirt too formal for work?
Not if you style it simply. A lace-panel or lace-hem midi with a fine knit or a shirt and a blazer is fine for most offices. Save sheer or all-over black lace for evenings.
How do you care for a lace skirt?
Follow the label. Most need a gentle hand wash in cold water or a delicate cycle in a mesh bag, and should be dried flat or hung, never tumble-dried. Store it hung or folded loosely so the lace does not crease or snag.
Shop the Story
By Maria, Founder & stylist at ITALICA, our boutique in downtown Sarasota, FL. Written from first-hand experience sourcing and wearing these pieces. Sources are cited at the end of this guide.
See every lace, satin and midi style in our skirts, in our Sarasota boutique or online.
Sources
- Wikipedia, “Punto in Aria” — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punto_in_Aria
- Visit Venice, “History of Burano Lace-Making” — https://visit.venice.it/things-to-do/burano-lace-history
- CoopCulture, “Lace Museum, Burano” — https://www.coopculture.it/en/poi/lace-museum-burano/
- Wikipedia, “Chantilly lace” — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chantilly_lace
- Fashion Index, “The Art of French Leavers Lace” — https://www.fashionindex.com/blog/leavers-lace
