Best high street midaxi skirt is £26 and has ‘super stretchy’ elastic waist
I have been living in satin midaxi skirts for the past two months after finally discovering a high street retailer who balances quality with affordability. Now, I can’t stop buying them, and have racked up an army of swishy, slinky skirts that have entirely replaced trousers in my wardrobe.
I love the latest midaxi trend for a multitude of reasons. The first of which is that they immediately make any outfit look 10x more expensive than jeans, whether it’s a cute and cosy knitted jumper, or a high neck bodysuit. Even dressed down with a pair of trainers they still look effortlessly chic and put-together.
Secondly, I’m a big fan of the length, which sits between midi and maxi - they really elongate the legs and are super flattering. They often come in a range of colours and patterns, too, meaning you can really inject some personality into your wardrobe with them, making them a simple but hardworking piece that can be worn for any occasion, from the office, to brunch, date night and more.
To help you find where to buy your next satin wardrobe essential, I visited some of the most popular high street stores and tried on size 10 satin midaxi skirts in each of them. I visited River Island , Marks and Spencer, Primark, New Look and H&M and rated their skirts on price, quality and fit. The prices ranged from £14 up to £30 - and there’s one brand that has really won me over, making me the proud owner of three of their satin skirts.
Mirror Choice Best High Street Satin Midaxi Skirt - New Look
I got my first New Look satin midaxi skirt in August this year after hunting high and low for a version of this trend that was as affordable as it was stylish, without compromising on quality. Anyone who knows me knows I love a tortoise shell print, and have my nails manicured in the pattern most months, so quickly became one of my most worn pieces of the year in around four weeks.
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The and was a great transitional fashion purchase. With it being unseasonably warm, I could pair it with tshirts for a casual look, or dress it up with a bodysuit and heels. Meanwhile as the weather took a turn, rollnecks and chunky boots were the way forward.
Reporter Bethan Shufflebotham in New Look's tortoise midaxi skirtA few weeks later, I picked up a of the skirt and a , both £15 each from the . I thought this to be incredible value for money, and have been equally as well-worn as my initial purchase.
But it transpires that these satin midaxi skirts are something of an addiction. They go so well with everything that it makes you want them in every style and colour imaginable - and New Look has them.
Online, they have currently 107 options for ‘satin midaxi skirt’, which range from £15 to £32.99. While the budget options are incredible for everyday, I’ve found that my black one was quick to pull, and personally found the quality of the mid-range skirts priced at £25.99 to be the best.
In store, I tried on the Dark Green Satin Bias Cut Midaxi Skirt, though there are eight other colours to choose from in this style, including red, gold and navy, all of which feel perfect for the festive season and beyond. They look so glossy in real life, with a beautiful texture to the fabric, and even on the hanger, the bias cut gave it a gorgeous fluidity - I previously tried on the burgundy version here.
The £25.99 New Look skirt comes in an array of colours and I'm just as obsessed as other shoppersOver on the New Look website, the skirt has been praised by wearers who describe the skirt as ‘flattering’, adding that it ‘looks more expensive’ than its £25.99 price tag suggests. And having seen and felt it, I’d have to agree, the quality is much more premium than has come to be expected with high street style in recent years, feeling soft against the skin and not at all rough or rigid.
My favourite feature though - along with many of the other 80+ shoppers that have left reviews on the New Look website - has to be the super stretchy elasticated waist, making it ideal for days when you feel a little bloated or self conscious. My weight fluctuates between dress sizes and so I often lean towards styles with an elastic waistband to avoid having to buy things in two sizes. It also makes it super comfortable to wear, and hides a multitude of ‘sins’, so to speak, making it the perfect addition to my wardrobe.
Online, one five-star review read: “Great skirt, elasticated waist is brilliant and true to size, very flattering on.” Another added: “90's style making the comeback! Absolutely love it. I tried to order size 18 but they were sold out. I tried size 20 and glad I did. Elastic waist and smooth material hides my bumps.”
With a third commenting: “Flattering shape, lovely colour and elasticated waistband so easy to wear and comfortable.” One shopper did say it ‘takes a bit of fiddling to sit right’, but loved the length and material, rating it four stars. I thought it was quite easy to put on and mine didn’t require any titivating, however I do know how easy it is for elastic waistbands to twist - though it’s usually a simple fix.
The dark green version of the New Look skirt is £25.99I tried the skirt on with a black bodysuit and pair of cowboy boots, which offers a comfortable and casual autumn look, but these affordable skirts are effortlessly elevated for any occasion, be it the office, dinner dates, drinks and more. One said: “Wearing this skirt right now. Bringing it into Autumn with an oversized jumper and knee high boots,” while another added: “Love these satin skirts. Got the burgundy and just ordered navy.”
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Heading into town to try on midaxi skirts in each of the retailers, I may have had some initial bias that New Look would be the best, however, I did go in with an open mind that another retailer could win me over. But it’s safe to say that for their variety, quality, price and fit, New Look is a sure winner - though one other store did convince me to buy one of their skirts too, coming in close second.
You can buy the New Look £25.99 satin midaxi skirt here.
High Street Satin Midaxi Skirt Alternatives
In order to definitively declare New Look’s satin midaxi skirts the best, I also tried on similar styles in Marks and Spencer and - and some were decidedly disappointing. That said, there was only one other retailer that convinced me to part with my cash after falling in love with their offering.
Close second behind New Look was which cost £27.99 - so a little more than our favourite New Look skirts, but the same price as the aforementioned tortoise shell version. There were only four left on the rail and it’s sold out online, so has clearly been popular with shoppers, too.
I loved this H&M skirt so much it came home with meThe feel of this skirt was so incredibly soft, the slightly longer length was gorgeous and the fluted effect provided a beautiful silhouette. For me this was a much more premium skirt and as such I don’t think I’d dress it down, instead saving it for things like a trip to the theatre or a date night look, so I’d not get quite as much wear out of it as the New Look ones, but I was convinced to buy it after trying it on because it made me feel amazing. It’s just a shame it’s not available online - though they
At the other end of the scale, my least favourite skirt came from Primark, whose comes in black and khaki. I found this to actually be more of a midi length if you wear it on your waist like I do, and it’s a bit of an awkward in-between kind of style that’s neither here nor there.
Primark's £14 khaki skirtThe tie waist made it feel far too casual and like too much was going on, combining utility style elements with a piece that certainly didn’t need it, and the front centre seam made it look inexpensive. Maybe I’m too much of a millennial to pull it off.
Waistbands play a huge part of the overall look of a satin skirt, and for me to make it look flattering. An inch thick waistband, like and offerings, is perfect because the top lies flat and offers a figure skimming look, but thinner bands make the top of the skirts stick outward and look less flattering.
River Island's £30 chocolate midaxi skirtwas not my favourite, however I did love the colour of this skirt as I’ve been and opting for more neutral colours in my wardrobe. The length was great but at I didn’t think the quality was reflected in the price and thought £25-28 would have been a better match in line with other retailers.
Finally, I tried on the lime midaxi slip skirt from Marks and Spencer, as seen on Sienna Miller in their new campaign. I immediately loved the colour - I wear a lot of lime green anyway, so this would slot straight into my existing wardrobe. Its elasticated waist made it comfortable to wear and did a great job at hiding my tummy.
M&S's £35 skirt as seen on Sienna MillerThe length I found to be really flattering and offered a feminine silhouette. At £35, some people have complained about the price point, while others have said it looks more expensive than the tag would suggest. For me, there are definitely cheaper options available that look and feel just as good. New Look actually has a similar one for under £30 here.
New Look's variety of skirts means that there is something for everyone, their waistbands are generous and stretchy making them comfortable to wear, and the price is very reasonable for the quality, which is why I've made them my Mirror Choice. That said, I'll be keeping a close eye on H&M's skirts in future too.
Will you be switching out your trousers for a satin midaxi skirt? Or have you already got one you love? Let us know in the comments below.
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