Fashion has a funny habit of convincing us that we need to constantly reinvent the wheel. Every season brings a new styling trick to try, an unexpected colour combination to test or a slightly left-field shoe pairing that apparently promises to make our existing capsule wardrobe feel entirely different. And while I’m always happy to experiment, there’s something to be said for the outfit formulas that simply work. Take the pencil skirt and pointed-toe heel. It’s a combination that has been around for decades, but as we head towards spring/summer 2027, it’s suddenly feeling particularly relevant again.
The pencil skirt is set to be one of next season’s biggest trends, with Prada making a particularly strong case for its return on the S/S 27 runway. The streamlined shape is a natural partner for a pointed shoe, too: together, they create one long, uninterrupted line that can make the legs look instantly more elongated.
It’s a particularly useful styling trick if, like me, you’re on the petite side and have always found the knee-length pencil skirt slightly tricky to wear. The key is keeping the proportions clean rather than adding anything that visually interrupts the line of the skirt. A pointed toe helps, as does a shorter jacket that finishes around the hip.
Which brings me to the outfit that reminded me of all this in the first place. Amanda Seyfried, who happens to be the same height as me at 5′ 3″, was recently spotted wearing a white pencil skirt with icy-blue satin pointed-toe heels, and the combination looked remarkably fresh despite being anything but new. She added a black-and-white checked, bouclé-style jacket, a bright red jumper and a cornflower-blue shirt, giving the traditionally polished skirt a more modern feel. Muiccia would be proud.
It’s actually a brilliant blueprint for how I think we’ll be wearing pencil skirts next season. The skirt provides the sleek, sophisticated base; the cropped jacket keeps the proportions current; and bright knitwear adds the kind of personality that stops the whole thing feeling too office-y.
Seyfried, of course, has always had a knack for making classic pieces feel effortless. And while this look is a world away from Karen Smith’s famously pink Mean Girls wardrobe, the takeaway is perhaps just as straightforward: sometimes the most fashionable outfit is simply the one that gets the proportions right. Pencil skirt. Pointed shoe. Done.
Scroll on to shop pieces that will help you to create this pairing ahead of it becoming a “thing” next spring.
Shop Pencil Skirts and Pointe-Toe Heeled Shoes
If budget allows, a Prada pencil skirt is the way to go.
These sleek heels will go with absolutely every colour of pencil skirt you throw at them.
The addition of a skinny belt makes this pencil skirt look even sleeker.
A great colour and textile.
Just like Amanda’s.
If you’re going to invest in some slingbacks, I’d recommend saving up for Saint Laurent.
Suede and in one of the season’s biggest colour trends? I’m all in.
These are so pretty. I’m also tempted by the black colourway.
So sophisticated.
Burgundy heels will always look elegant.
