Pencil shmencil

After thinking about the perfect white shirt, I decided to switch it up a bit and begin my shopping for the perfect black pencil skirt online.  I wanted to know if it could be accomplished from the comfort of my own home, as “they” say. 

I first went to a major shopping site, thefind.com, which tells at what online store you may locate a particular item.  You can filter it down once you have your first category, which for me was black pencil skirt. 

Of course, I got several thousand results.  On first glance, it looked promising.  Of course I quickly realized that my definition of pencil skirt and some designer’s definition are worlds apart.  What is with going in at the knees? Does anyone really feel like that’s a good look? Okay, maybe the Kardashian sisters but seriously.  I saw right off the bat that about 50% of the skirts could easily be eliminated. 

On to the next criteria.  Price.  There is a filter for price and even though I did say I was not going to buy cheap, I was also probably NOT going to buy the $355 version of the black pencil skirt by Versace.  I entered the filter $9 to $99 and eliminated thousands of options. 

Even though my search was “black pencil skirt” I got hits of all sorts of black…black and white, black and multi, black dot, even grey.  I selected the filter “use color” and chose “black”.  This filter also removed many stores.   I still got some black and white patterns but the results were more what I was seeking, with some patterns thrown in.  I also got vinyl and latex.  Goodness. 

I changed my low number up to $29 as I was getting some super garbage stuff and things for juniors.   Finally, I sorted the list from high to low.  While I prefer looking more on the $29 end than the $99 end, I want to see some quality things as well.  Sometimes there are sales, shipping deals, coupons or online specials that make that $99 skirt more appealing. 

Now it starts getting tricky.  One site posts the same skirt over and over by size.  Another skirt appears on several sites.  But I have gone from 22 pages of results to 5. 

Not surprising the best options appeared at around $80 and at Nordstroms, Black House White Market, Banana Republic and a Calvin Klein skirt at Zappos.  The site that posted the skirt in every size, Bon Ton, has a Chaus skirt at $59 that looks good.  In a little lower end JC Penney popped up with a Worthington version and Kohl’s, a black pinstripe by Dana Buchman at just under $40.  Those are probably both great options if the material is good, the lining is right and the shape will hold.  I’m noticing a lot of “ponte” knit, and I’ll be honest, I have no idea what that is.  I’ll find out though.

I know enough to know that I will have to try on versions of the pencil skirt  to find one best suited for me.  I wish I could just order online and many of you can.  As I plan a big city trip soon, I’ll take these suggestions and brands to shop a bit.  I plan to look white shirt then as well.  Gee, two items.  Oh, I almost forgot,  I will be ordering a skirt from JC Penney that is more of an A-line than pencil.  They offer it in both black and grey.  We’ll see.

On other business, I got my “reconciliation tax bill” last week, as did many of you.  On my list today is to visit the courthouse, because, seriously, they must be joking.