I know some of you, like me, have been waiting a long time for this post. This gorgeous olive striped Rosie skirt was part of Collectif’s AW17 line and was much admired in their previews, judging by the many messages and comments I received from ladies telling me they, like I, were in love with this skirt. We were all eager for it to turn up last Autumn, then still excited in winter…and before we knew it, it was 2018. Where was our beautiful Rosie?

The answer is that she, gloriously versatile as she is, was moved to this wonderfully awkward in-between stage of the year as a transition piece between winter and spring lines. And, really, I can’t blame Collectif for that, because it makes a lot of sense; the stripes as a print are season-free, olive as a colour is just as footloose and fancyfree for looking good all year long. And looking at the weather, with snow descending here in the UK for our last few days of February, this skirt truly does work just as well for this cold, white blanket on the horizon as it would on a brighter, more spring-like day. It may be snowy now, but as soon as that sun comes back out and the temperatures start to increase, you can bet I’ll be busting this Rosie skirt back out with these boots replaced by some cute flats, the double layers shed for simple white top, and a cute wicker bag added to finish it all off. For now, though, let’s take a look at how good Rosie looks in the snow, because boy does she.

Skirt: Rosie Striped skirt C/O Collectif
Cardigan: Jessie Jacquard Olive Floral cardigan by Collectif
Hair Flowers: Marsha Duo by Alternate Normality
Brooch: Bow & Crossbones
Boots: eBay

Let’s just state the obvious right up front, which is that I am both a sucker for olive tones and for stripes. I think olive looks good on pretty much everyone, and duh, stripes definitely do, in addition to having the styling benefit that they are appropriate in every situation and never go out of style. And, obviously, there’s the fabulous fact that this skirt has pockets, for which we will always be thankful, forever and ever, amen.

The Rosie skirt style is a longer piece than a lot of Collectif’s skirts, making it perfect for tall ladies, for cold weather coverage, and for those who feel most comfortable in a demure length. It’s a flared style so it sits closer on the hips than a full circle would, before flaring out with a beautiful swishy volume around the knees. For ladies who hate the extra weight gathered skirts can seem to add around your hips, this style is definitely a winner. It comes with a black faux leather notched belt to give a nice cinched waist finish and there are 4 belt loops to keep it in place

I opted for this skirt in the size 18 and it’s very true to Collectif’s size chart, with a touch of stretch in the fabric. The waist flat measures 35 inches with stretch to 37, and the skirt measures 29 inches long from the base of the waistband to the hem. From pictures for some reason I expected this skirt to have a stiff canvas feel to the fabric, but it’s actually incredibly soft and has a lovely weight to it, while still holding it’s shape very well. Petticoats that are more bottom heavy in volume will fit well under this skirt.

The Rosie Striped skirt comes in UK sizes 6-22, available in Collectif’s 4 UK stores or to ship internationally from their website. Collectif have stockists all over the globe.