Let's play a little game. When we say "tiered skirt", what's the first thing that comes to mind? Hippies? Flower power? Prairies? We're about to erase that perception from your mind. No, not by our mind boggling Tom Cruise like super powers (you wish!). It's far simpler than that. We're going to introduce you to the flirty skirts present at the Luella, Givenchy, and Zac Posen spring/summer 2008 runways.

If your legs aren't exactly your favorite feature, you might be tempted to sweat it out all summer in long pants to hide them. We understand -- when every actress and supermodel has thin thighs and perfectly designed calves, it can be scary to bare your own legs.

However, even if you're not up to wearing shorts, you should definitely consider a skirt for this summer -- it'll feel great to get the breeze on your legs, and you'll look ready for summer. Check out the gallery for examples of what types of skirts will look best with your legs.

We had a great weekend. We danced our butts off, sang our hearts out and probably had one too many beers at the Glow in the Dark tour in illy Philly on Saturday night. But as always, we were thinking of our dear reader's and before we went in to enjoy the likes of Rihanna, Lupe Fiasco (heart!), N.E.R.D. and the brilliant Kayne, we took a tour of tailgate heaven to see what's hot and what's not for concert gear this year.

Here is a breakdown of the ideal concert attire:

If you've ever had the desire to run free through the fields in a skirt, well, we can't help you with the running free part, but we can get your the skirt. The Utilikilt is a men's skirt made of a durable yet soft poly-cotton blend fabric. It's more like a pair of one-legged cargo pants than anything else because it has belt loops, rivets, and a lot of pockets to carry everything that a guy needs. Of course, if you're going to wear a skirt, you may as well carry matching purse for all your stuff rather than weighing down your pockets.

As you may have noticed from our diligent coverage of fall fashion week, come springtime, hemlines will be a little lower -- a reverse from the short-skirt trend we've seen over the past few seasons. As a fashion choice, I think this is a great look -- part of the move away from the brash, in-your-face 80s thing that held on for way too long.

But does it mean bad news for the stock market?

It seems that there's a popular theory amongst financial types that when hemlines drop, so does the Dow Jones Industrial Average. This, say some analysts, has held true this summer, when short skirts were very in, and the Dow hit 14,000 (which is a good thing, apparently).

Now, with stocks crashing due to the high number of foreclosures in recent weeks -- especially in conjunction with the new looks at fashion week -- some are saying this theory has proved itself yet again.

Granted, the theory is often disputed -- including by some who say that it's actually fashion that follows financial trends (and not the other way around), which makes more sense. However, it would be funny if the world were run according to the length women's skirts and dresses.

Despite being notoriously tough to walk in, the pencil skirt has been a wardrobe staple to many ladies since the 1950s. The skirt instantly creates a classically shapely silhouette, but, unfortunately, it seems to only flatter people who already have a small waist, curvy hips, and long legs, and it doesn't do much for the rest of us. In fact, everyone else is most likely better off in an A-line skirt.

There are few looks that can exist in the fetish world and be work-appropriate at the same time, but, for some reason, the pencil skirt manages to function either way. Online pin-up girls and Pulp songs glorify the restricting skirt, but Plain Jane from Accounting also likes to wear it with her cardigans. So, girls who invest in a pencil skirt have something suitable for the daytime and the nighttime with a quick swap of the top.

And as if that isn't enough to envy the lucky ladies who look good in the ultra-flattering pencil skirts, the piece is ridiculously easy to find. The tough part is getting one that feels good and fits your stride. Really, they're a pain to walk in if you buy anything even remotely too tight, so be sure to strut around about in the dressing room before making a purchase, all right? However, Victoria's Secret sells stretchy pencil skirts and, from the looks of the picture on their website, Giselle is able to move her legs quite comfortably. Hmm.

For years I was a pack rat. Because I didn't like to carry a wallet, my pants pockets were like magnets for random crap -- old receipts, cards, change, whatever. I never understood how women in skirts and dresses were able to manage. If you don't want to lug around a purse, where do you keep all you stuff?

The new iPod miniskirt may be the answer (kind of). It's nothing revolutionary, just a pair of biker shorts underneath the skirt -- but the cool part is, that the shorts have a hidden pocket, designed especially for your iPod, cell phone, or whatever else you can fit in there.

Otherwise, it's a pretty boring skirt. But if you're into the straightforward look, and want access to your tunes without carrying your MP3 player, there's an entire range of iPod-friendly women's apparel that you might want to check out.

The clothing may not be fashion-forward, but It's certainly novel, and great for when you want to be hands-free.

To wit: Monochromatic outfits are chic generally. Monochromatic white outfits are chic especially.

Naturally, I find myself coveting a simple white skirt when the weather starts to warm up. Unfortunately, I'm one of those people who can't go an afternoon without accidentally dumping something on myself. Usually coffee, sometimes wine, inevitable stains are what stand between me and my dream of a perfect white outfit.

But a cute white skirt for $32? That's worth considering. The white crochet skirt by Unit looks oh so light and breezy with a drawstring adjustable tie to keep you cool, plus crochet and pintuck detailing to make you feel dainty and feminine. Matched with a white top and silver sandals, you'll looked so pulled together that I doubt anyone will notice that Gorbachev-looking salsa stain you managed to create on the skirt's very first wear.

Good news for all the girls in Seoul -- miniskirts will soon be legalized. Back in the 1970s, when South Korea was governed by an authoritarian regime, state officials roamed the streets measuring women's skirts in search of violators of the country's stringent indecency laws. If a skirt was deemed too inappropriate, a woman could be immediately arrested.

Of course, these indecency laws haven't been enforced in quite a while. Miniskirts are about as common in South Korea as they are in South Carolina, despite the fact that the anti-miniskirt laws are still on the books. But now the South Korean government has decided to update the laws. So miniskirt wearers will soon be able to hit the streets of Seoul, legally.

I've always admired the playful, quirky styles that come out of street fashions in Japan. But the latest trend to overtake Japan has me a little confused. What is it? Well, fashionfans, it's a see-thru skirt.

Shocking isn't? Well, it's only slightly less provocative than one might think because, as it turns out, these skirts aren't actually made of translucent fabric. The bum and the undies are just printed on the material. (Phew...) Talk about taking underwear as outerwear to a totally new level!

(Note: This turns out to be an internet hoax. But I bought it long enough to actually write this post, so I thought I'd see if anyone else out there was gullible enough to believe it as well!)

Given the response to Givenchy Barbie's outfit, I understand that there is some disagreement out there over the bubble skirt look. So I'll be interested to hear what the consensus is on Tibi's Voile Bubble hem skirt, which is available at Net-a-Porter.com. I'll be honest, I love the bubble skirt. The fullness feels retro, while the bubble shape adds a much more modern flair. When balanced with a fitted top and a pair of smart-looking shoes (as shown by this emaciated mannequin), I think this skirt is truly adorable. With a black and white graphic floral design, it's flirtatious, it's fun, and given the normal price-point of items at Net-a-Porter (well over the 1K mark), it seems like a steal.

Quirky isn't always something that you find in larger sizes. The assumption seems to be that bigger sizes don't require clothing that makes you stand out. But Hannah Kopacz of Made With Love By Hannah makes unique handcrafted clothing for everyone in sizes ranging from extra-small to 3x. Hannah takes a simple a-line skirt and makes it extraordinary through her use of screen printing. These winter woods skirts are made of velveteen with an original tonal print of bare branches. The skirt sells for $68 and has a removable felt woodland creature brooch.