While in many cases a full tablecloth will be the best option when you are creating a look for your next function, there is also a time and place for table skirting. This differs from a conventional tablecloth in that it covers the entirety of the height of the table, reaching to the floor. It may not cover the top of the table, however, unlike a tablecloth. The primary function of table skirts is decorative, and this is why you will often see them in splashy colors or more exciting materials than traditional tablecloths, including metallics or even raffia.
Yet the table skirt can also serve a highly practical purpose, when used as a means to cover what's underneath the table. For example, banquet tables are designed to be quickly folded and unfolded, and may feature scaffolding underneath that is less than elegant. With table skirting taped on to hide the underside of the table, guests will not be distracted by any spare moveable parts, scaffolding, or shelves underneath the long tables. The same technique can be applied to end tables or coffee tables, when you want to use them for storage but don't want people to see what lies beneath.
However, table skirting is usually designed with festivities in mind more than for serving any sort of practical purpose. Plastic or tinsel are cheap forms of skirting that may not be appropriate for an elegant dinner party, for example, but they will be the perfect touch when you are decorating for a dance party or buffet table. It's always important to keep the occasion in mind when you are shopping for table linens, to ensure that you are able to keep your purchases appropriate. Thinking about whether you plan on only using the skirting one time, or on multiple occasions, is also a good way to narrow down your options.
Before you purchase table skirting, it's a good idea to measure your tables carefully and find out how much of it you will need. It's also important to determine what the rest of your decorating scheme is going to look like, so that you can be sure to choose a color or theme that will fit into it. When applied appropriately, the skirting should also match your placemats, napkins, napkin rings, and any other centerpiece that you have on the table, so that everything can come together in a cohesive sort of look.
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