Dreaming of: Ladylike skirts

Lately I've been gravitating towards pairing girly skirts and accessories with super casual tops like sweatshirts and long-sleeved knits.  I've been rocking various renditions of the combo, but I'm dying to switch out my mini for a longer version and pair it with some more rugged boots, like in some of the inspiration photos below, for a perfect balance of feminine and edgy.

1-2. Vogue Germany December 2010 via Studded Hearts, 3. Sea of Shoes, 4. Marc Jacobs Fall 2010 Runway via Style.com, 5. Taylor Tomasi via Jak & Jil, 6. Tommy Ton for Style.com, 7. Mary Kate Steinmiller via Hanneli, 8. Taylor Tomasi via Mr.Newton

These longer, ladylike hemlines were all over the Fall '10 and Spring '11 runways, from Marc Jacobs to Chloé to fashion's cult favorite, Dries Van Noten (if you haven't viewed the collection in full, I highly recommend doing so here–endless fall outfit inspiration!)

While definitely a trend, I love that these skirts haven't become ubiquitous yet, and still look fresh and fashion forward, yet completely sweet and effortless.  I'm going to try and pick some up this weekend to switch into the rotation... Here are my current favorites (all under $100!):

TOP ROW (All from Urban Outfitters): Lurex skirt $59, perfect for the holidays with black tights and a statement necklace;  Tulle skirt $68, I would ditch the tights they paired it with and add healed oxfords with bobby socks and a cropped cable knit sweater with a pretty muted scarf; Sheer maxi $38, looks great styled casually as seen above (though I would go for a chicer bootie) or would look amazing for holiday with black tights, a deep lip and sparkly accessories!

BOTTOM ROW (All from Zara): Printed skirt $79.90, I'd pair this with more of a neutral top, a chambray oxford tied in center knot at the waist would be a chic, unexpected pairing; Lace skirt $69.90, would wear more casuals with this to balance out the daintiness of the lace, thinking maybe a long-sleeve burnout knit and lace up wedge booties with tights; Silk/lace skirt $89.90, love the idea of making this skirt work for winter by styling it with boots like Taylor Tomasi in the photos above!