Yes, you can. It's possible to skip the first gear when you are moving a car from the halted position. However, you have to struggle slightly more in that case to match engine and the clutch. You can completely release the clutch at the first gear but will have to wait a bit when shifting to the second gear.

Is it okay to skip 1st gear?

Again, the answer is yes, but it's going to cause slightly more clutch wear. In first gear, the clutch can be completely released at a lower speed, while in second gear, it takes longer for the engine and clutch to match. It's not an ideal thing to do, but there aren't detrimental side effects either.

Is it OK to skip gears?

Like upshifting, if done properly, it is perfectly okay to skip gears while downshifting. The trick comes into play where it is much more difficult for drivers to learn to downshift properly, and when done incorrectly, it can damage your car's transmission or cause premature clutch wear.