1.   Astrid smoothed her skirt over her hips and sat down.

2.   Liz smoothed her skirt and sat down.

3.   Averting her gaze, Shiona sat down in one of the armchairs, smoothing the skirt of her dress over her knees.

4.   She looked straight back at him and, smoothing the skirt of her blue wool suit, crossed her legs elegantly at the ankles.

5.   What did we wish to be called instead, they asked, lowering their voices, smoothing their skirts and arching a pinky over their tea.