Few silhouettes have as much going for them as a pencil skirt when it actually fits properly. That is the entire argument. The fit is everything. A pencil skirt that skims correctly through the hip and sits at exactly the right length does something to a figure that almost nothing else in the wardrobe can replicate. It creates shape without fuss. It reads as put together whether you pair it with a tucked in blouse, a simple knit, or something slightly oversized on top.

We have also noticed that pencil skirts have a slight reputation problem, mostly because bad ones exist in large numbers. Too tight through the thigh so you end up shuffling. Too short so the proportions go wrong. Fabric that pulls and creases by midday. None of that is here.

What we have pulled together are the versions that solve those problems quietly and get on with looking good. Classic black options, some in rich colours, a few in textures worth paying attention to. Across occasions from the office to a dinner out. A pencil skirt done properly is one of the most quietly powerful things you can own.