About Short Skirts
Skirts are garments that hang from the waist in a cone or tube shape. Some skirts, such as the kilt in Scotland, are designed for men, but most skirts are worn by women. For most of history, women's skirts covered the legs completely in all but the most primitive cultures. But from 1915 to 1965, skirts varied between short and long until the miniskirt became popular. Skirts now are popular in all lengths, for different types of women and different occasions.
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Identification
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Skirts can be made from one piece of material or many. Some are fitted at the waist and made fuller below the waist with darts or pleats. Most skirts are made of light- or medium-weight material like cotton, jersey or denim. Short skirts are those with hemlines above the knee.
Time Frame
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From 1915 to 1930, skirts became shorter, no longer covering the ankle. In the 1930s, hemlines became longer again, but during the war in the 1940s, restrictions on fabric caused skirts to become shorter to use less material. In the 1950s, longer skirts were popular again, and then the 1960s brought skirts so short that they barely covered one's undergarments. Since pants became popular in the 1970s, lengths of skirts have varied from very short to floor length.
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History
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Designer Mary Quant was credited with introducing the first short dress in 1966 and creating the micromini, but John Bates was responsible for shorter hemlines. A French designer, Andre Courrieges, inspired Mary Quant when he created short skirts that were popular in 1965 by making them looser and pairing them with white boots. Today, Vuitton and Chanel, along with other designers, have developed new versions of very short skirts.
Types
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Short skirts come in many different types. Skirts are considered short if the hem is above the knee. They can be straight, bell-shaped, A-line, full, pleated or circle-shaped. Miniskirts are thigh-length skirts, while microminis are shorter. Rah-rah skirts are short, tiered skirts worn in the early 1980s, while jean skirts made of denim have been popular off and on from the 1970s to the present.
Considerations
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It seems that short skirts would be more common in warmer climates and summertime, but they are worn just as much in cold weather as warm. Some are worn over leotards or with tights or leggings, and short skirts can look good when paired with sweaters, ruffled and lacy blouses, or T-shirts. Any color and pattern is acceptable, according to one's own taste and style.
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