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The question: What do you think of women wearing the skirt/high heels/knee socks combo? I always thought that heels demanded finer hosiery. But I see this all the time on artsy types.

The answer: Which is exactly why I love it. I can see her now: the vintage-store frequenter with a blog, maybe a coffeehouse poetry reading coming up. She wants to be feminine without relinquishing her seriousness. She definitely wears glasses.

Wait, I'm seeing the skirt now: It's plaid, A-line. And the socks are clearly signalling that her underwear is plain and practical. She's combining the flirtiness of a glimpse of bare leg with the studious-private-school-uniformness of the socks with the adult privilege of the high heels. She's got it all and fights convention at the same time.

She also reserves the right to surprise you with the underwear. Basically, I want all women to be her.

Russell Smith's latest novel, Crazy Girl , was recently published. Have a fashion question? E-mail style@globeandmail.com.

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