Today I am stepping way from my comfort zone and styling the boldest print in my entire closet. I wore it recently when I attended a Cirque De Soleil show, which was an incredible experience. I figured if there was any occasion to experiment with my style, it was this evening. I realize that it isn’t the ideal season to feature floral mini skirts and mini dresses, but I do believe that you should buy what you love and when you find your perfect dress, skirt, or whatever, you should buy it, as long as you’ll wear it next summer or spring.

It is so much better to buy your dream summer dress, even when its snowing outside, than to buy a handful of random sweaters that don’t resonate with your signature style. Buy what you love, regardless of the season, as long as the piece is one you see yourself wearing time and time again. With that said, Zimmerman is my go-to for summer and spring dresses and stunning floral prints.

I already had this Zimmerman pleated skirt in my closet, and immediately knew I would wear it to the show. I just had to find the right top to go with it. I have very few white blouses, so finding the perfect one for this skirt was quite challenging. This was a reminder to me that I need to invest in basics before splurging on eye-catching pieces. The Outnet styled the skirt with an emerald camisole. I searched high and low for this exact one, but every green cami I found was slightly the wrong shade. The skirt is already such a punch of color that I prefer a more subdued top or blouse. The skirt has pure white in it, so any cream or ivory blouses I found also looked a bit off. I even tried to pull out the peach in the skirt, but I do think that the bolder the skirt, the simpler the top should be.

Styling tip: Before you buy a statement piece, think what basics you already own that you can pair with it. High quality basics make your wardrobe work, and a few statement pieces sprinkled in keep your closet fresh.

I also own the dress in this same print from Zimmerman. I just loved the floral so much. With a floral this bold, I actually think the dress version is easier to style. Because the colors in the skirt are so bold and vivid, it was such a challenge to match. I actually don’t go for yellow, but because the dress is a more casual style in a fun print and gorgeous fabric, it is a killer dress.

Usually, though, a skirt option is more versatile than a dress. The advantage to a flirty skirt like this is that you can make it casual with white sleek sneakers, or super dressy and leg-lengthening with nude heels.

The Outnet has an amazing selection of Zimmerman, and several pieces with this same print, even a blouse. That may be the most wearable version; you can style it with white denim or trousers.

Eventually, I found a gorgeous lace blouse from the brand Bardot from Nordstrom. I would definitely suggest their blouses for a romantic, but feminine silhouette. They offer everything from date night dresses, to eyelet tops, to fully sheer, sexy lace tops. It’s tricky to style mini skirts as it gets colder, but cotton, long-sleeved tops make it more weather-appropriate, especially since the Cirque de Soleil show was on ice!