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"Who doesn't love a girly, twirly miniskirt? You probably first wore one when you were a little kid, and you most likely still have several on hand for fun nights out (or fancy nights in). Now the party skirt is being taken to a whole new level thanks to two stylish 20-something sisters from Vancouver.\n\n With the official debut of their Partyskirts line this year, Lauren and Mariel Armstrong have seemingly done the impossible: perfected a classic. Interested in the industry from an early age, the Armstrongs both went to fashion school in the States. Lauren\u2014who studied marketing at Parsons\u2014found herself landing jobs at Herm\u00E8s, Burberry, and Lululemon, while her younger sister Mariel worked for a Los Angeles-based designer after graduating from FIDM. Their schooling and work experience put them in the position to venture out on their own when the timing was just right.\n\n \"It all started quite organically,\" says Mariel. \"One day, we asked our mom to pull out her sewing machine and whip us up some items we felt were missing from our wardrobe.\" One of the mom-made pieces was a bubble skirt that didn't quite work, so they cut off the bottom and played with the shape. \"We started wearing them out, and we had so many girls coming up to us wanting to know where we got them.\"\n\n They enlisted their mom to produce skirts for their first round of customers five years ago, always keeping the idea of turning their statement skirts into a full-fledged business in the back of their minds.\n\n \"When Mariel and I were both back in Vancouver, we felt like it was time for us to sit down, write a proper business plan, and make this little seed of an idea into something real,\" explains Lauren.\n\n And thus, the aptly-named Partyskirts was born. \"What inspires us most is celebration,\" Lauren continues. \"It's about making what you may think is an ordinary occasion into something special.\" Crafted from lustrous Dupioni silk, the polished classic comes in a slew of vibrant hues, from rich navy to bubblegum pink to daisy yellow. (If you're in the market for something a bit longer, a \"lady-length\" midi-version is also available.)\n\n The pair profess they owe at least part of their success to their sisterly bond. \"On the hard days, we complement each other even more,\" says Mariel. \"We can get through tough times a lot easier because we've done it before.\" Lauren adds, \"Even if we're sitting in a boardroom having a meeting, I know what she's thinking and she knows what I'm thinking.\"\n\n And Partyskirts is just the beginning. Currently sold online and at a few Vancouver boutiques, you can expect to see the colorful goods in U.S. stores in the coming seasons. Other products are in the works too, under Partyskirts' parent company Skot Apparel, named after their brother.\n\n \"We're so passionate about our skirts, and we obviously struggle to find the perfect tops and bodysuits to go with them,\" says Mariel. \"That's something we would love to venture into.\" And what would they be called? \"Partysuits.\" Of course.\n\n Click through to see images from the Partyskirts spring lookbook, and check out the latest collection."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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