The Short and Long of Skirt Lengths

MORE magazine cover
November 2011 issue

In the latest MORE magazine, an article on “The Long and Longer of It” (divided into 5 parts on web:  Wear #1, History #2, Maxi #3, Midi #4, Knee #5) reflects on the history of skirts and fashion lengths, as well as how each looks best.  In the 3 text pages of the article, the focus is on knee-length and below.  The article ignores the mini and the micro.  Currently with skirt lengths anything goes.  You see young people in anything from the super-short micro (This length is only appropriate for nightclubs yet it is impractical for that because it makes shaking one’s booty a problem because you risk too much movement of skirt up the hips.) to the floor-length maxi (This looks great anywhere but the work office by-the-way, also be aware of the trip factor if you or another steps on the hem.) skirts.  I think the resurgence of multiple skirt lengths may be in part due to the popularity of That 70’s Show.  Seeing this trend, sent me down memory lane as I was a youth during the earliest trend-setting on anything goes in skirt lengths.

The ankle-length maxi dress was very IN this past summer.  Some fashion magazines and websites are even encouraging stretching the wardrobe by wearing the maxi as a jumper over a long-sleeve shirt or turtleneck for winter.  This is reminiscent of what we did when I was a teen.  My first maxi dress was made for me by my grandmother.  She made one for every granddaughter in her teens that year and we each got a different color.  The dress was a peasant style with an elastic neckline, a high waist belt-look, and quilt-look gathered skirt.  It was definitely the flower-power hippie chic look just as that style was going out.  I wore mine often with great pride and am sure my cousins did the same.  I was also a big fan of the midi in high school, which was a mid-calve style. 

Getting off memory lane and into the closet, we all have skirts that we thought we loved when in the store, but we just don’t wear them that much.  Why could that be?  Maybe the lighting in the store was bad or we were in too much of a hurry to try it on.  Before shopping for a new skirt or dress, consider the shape and height tips from Greatest Look, The Chic Fashionista, and 29 Secrets advice blogs for choosing your best hemline length.  The best tip for fit-right shopping is to bring along a friend who will be honest with you.  A friend will tell you if something flatters or makes you look frumpy, whereas a salesclerk almost always loves everything you try on.