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" Midi skirts are a new season staple and knowing how to wear them can be the difference between a style hit and miss. Here, we give our tips on the best way to wear midi skirts for spring... What is it? The &amp;quot;midi&amp;quot; is a three quarter length skirt, falling halfway between your knee and ankle. It can take a variety of shapes - pencil, A-line, or circular, etc \u2013 the key point is the length. How do I wear it without looking like a frump? Thanks to its polite hemline and non-clingyness, the midi has traditionally been the sartorial go-to for old ladies and prim, librarian types. Classic midis have a pesky habit of doing absolutely zero for your figure, but now that the fashion powers that be have ordained it a SS14 staple, that&amp;#039;s all about to change. Follow Cosmopolitan&amp;#039;s top ten tips to style it right\u2026  1. Cinch your waist Take your cue from designers like Roksanda Ilincic who have led the midi resurgence. For spring, Roksanda&amp;#039;s calf-grazing circular skirts in citrus colour blocks were nipped in with a dark waistband, keeping the focus on the slimmest part of your body. Dolce and Gabbana took this further, teaming their printed numbers with a gold belt, which was matched with gold wedges. 2. High/low is the way to go If you don&amp;#039;t want to look like an extra from Grease or you don&amp;#039;t want to look about five, then you need to get this high/low thing nailed. That&amp;#039;s official fashion speak for pairing designer with high street, but it&amp;#039;s also about the contrast between polished and rough-and-ready. So pair your lovely new midi with a favourite T-shirt, a worn-in leather biker or a laidback sweatshirt, \u00E0 la Christopher Kane.  3. Observe the power of panels and pleats Midis are often charged with being unflattering, but that&amp;#039;s as much to do with the fabric and the shape of the skirt, rather than its length. For a more figure-flattering midi, look to the C\u00E9line or Proenza Schouler catwalks where midis came pleated; offering a less stiff, unforgiving shape. Transparent panels also worked to break up the look (read: slim and streamline). 4. Pencil in If flare-from-the-hip makes you feel queasy, there&amp;#039;s an alternative: the pencil. This looks great with a bomber (it&amp;#039;s hanging around for another season), or a casual knit (see high/low). Burberry showed prettified, laser cut pencil skirts with relaxed cardigans. Remember, it&amp;#039;s about looking as though you haven&amp;#039;t tried (even though you have).  5. Walk the line Heels are an instant way to un-frump a midi. Only snag is, SS14 is all about the flat. D&amp;#039;oh. Still, if you can&amp;#039;t pull off a slide, you can still be modern by going for a block heel sandal. The minimal detail on the front will ensure your legs look longer. Tick. These ones are from New Look. 6. Cross your bag and hope to die The right accessories will nail the look but you should avoid crossover bags at all costs, they&amp;#039;re massively unflattering when it comes to midis \u2013 something about the way they cut across the body. You want a proper handbag, or better still, a new-wave clutch: it&amp;#039;s a bunched-up, grab and go clutch that&amp;#039;s more everyday than its princessy counterpart.  7. Hell for the leather Grannies might do midis, but they definitely don&amp;#039;t do leather. Take your cue from Hermes, then hotfoot it to Miss Selfridge where you can pick up a pretty awesome Roksanda-alike for next-to-nothing. Buy with matching top and tap into another big trend for SS14: the twin set. 8 Rebel Rebel Shake off the prim factor that comes with a longer hem, with new materials and a punk aesthetic, like Simone Rocha. She used plastics and skull motifs for a wickedly subversive take on ladylike. 9. Sexy sheer If all else fails, do as Rihanna does and pair your midi with a see-through top. See Burberry, where sheer blouses came buttoned to the top as a contrast between prim and naughty. Play it safe, by choosing a nude-toned silk T-shirt or pale shirt. Keep the look minimal to keep the focus on skirt. 10. Beauty notes Finally, to pull the look together, slick your hair back, a tried and tested backstage trick to instantly take an outfit from retro to fresh. Keep your make-up lo-fi in keeping with this season&amp;#039;s grunge, undone mood. Bold up your eyebrows and add a hint of graphic eyeliner. You&amp;#039;re good to go. MORE FASHION... 7 BIG FASHION TRENDS FOR SPRING 1O BEST POOL SLIDES (THAT&amp;#039;S SHOES, NOT FLUMES) HOT TO TROT SPRING HEELS "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.cosmopolitan.co.uk/fashion/style/a26114/how-to-style-the-midi-skirt-trend-top-tips/>