A black pencil skirt is the most basic, easy-to-style piece. Your wardrobe is incomplete without one. It can go from day to night, formal to casual, and dressy to glam, with just a few changes. Mine's from Zara. It's the perfect blend of stretch, comfort and elegance. It has a full zipper at the back which makes it super-easy to wear. From top left, this is how I've styled it 7 different ways:

1. A loose, slouchy blouse, and black pumps are great for a semi-casual day look.
2. A simple, classy white shirt goes great with a black pencil skirt. I added tall boots to turn it up a notch.
3. A sleeveless top, thin silver bangles and white pumps make this look perfect for a night on the town with the girls.
4. A dressier style, I wore a delicate blouse, a semi-wide belt, and Mary Jane pumps. I added the blue bag for a pop of colour.
5. This billowy blouse was great to make this look playful. I love the combination of tall tan boots with the black of the skirt.
6. This is a very grown-up, elegant, yet cheery look. A masculine blouse looks amazing with a pencil skirt as the skirt is feminine and fitting, sharply contrasting to the slouchiness of the top.
7. For this look I wore a floral blouse, pink pumps and knotted a thin blue belt on top of the skirt. Perfect for the office!

The best thing about a pencil skirt is that it suits almost all body types. It even adds curves to straight bodies like mine, and a black one slims the silhouette. Choose one that stops just above the knee, in a thick material that's easy to get on and off, and you have a piece that you can style a million ways. Ok, not a million, but you know what I mean. xxx