A Skirt History Lesson!

by Marshain Ageless Style, Fashionon August 20, 2026August 20, 2026

Y’all, it’s been a week! Last week, the skies opened up and decided Indiana needed a bit of shower. In fact, Indiana needed several days of showers. Communities near me are flooded, and folks have been evacuated by boat! A street I used to drive from the Fashion Mall to my oldest son’s house has completely washed away! It’s unbelievable because we just don’t get flooding like that. We have tornadoes and such, but flooding like this is different. Today, though, is the third Thursday of the month which means it’s time for another Ageless Style challenge. This month, we are styling “Skirts or Shorts” chosen by Amy. Last month, Mireille selected “Summer Layers.” In the past we have worn Summer Layers, Polka Dots, and Stripes, Scarves, and many other ideas. If you’re curious, you can find some of my looks here, here, here, and here. Next month’s prompt is Pop of Color if you’d like to join us! Please do visit the other hostesses of the link party (oh, yes, there’s a link party) at their various sites!

Downton Abbey…

If you were a fan of “Downton Abbey,” it was hard to miss the changing hemlines. As the years passed (on the series), the hemlines began to rise. In the beginning, Lady Grantham and the Dowager Countess wore gowns with small trains. Do you remember the episode when Lady Sybil wore those harem pants? They were fabulous, I thought! Within a few seasons, the hemlines were much shorter, showing – insert gasp – ankles! By the time the series ended, the women were wearing what we would call today a midi skirt. So, how did the midi skirt come about?

Other thoughts…

Today, we can wear any length skirt we want any time we want. You’ll see people wearing mini, midi, and maxi skirts all year round. If you’re really smart, you can even make the same skirt work in all four seasons. How, you ask? Change out your accessories, wear or not wear tights, and the right footwear, and those skirts will work quadruple time for you. Depending on where you live, a wool skirt in the heat of summer may not work. But, then, if you’re working in one of those overly air conditioned offices, a wool skirt may be just the ticket. Now that I think about it, a finely knit merino wool skirt could definitely be worn in summer. Linen in winter? Why not? If we’ve thrown out the rules about white pants after Labor Day, than why wouldn’t we wear linen skirts in the winter? I think the only thing that holds us back from what we wear is us! Because, let’s face it. Nobody is truly looking at you and “grading” what you’re wearing. And, if they are, it’s their problem, not yours. So, you go right ahead and wear that tutu any daggone season you want!

A little history…

Like the ladies of Downton Abbey, women wore floor length skirts at the beginning of the 20^th century. This was due to modesty which is so funny to me. I mean…just how sexy is an ankle…wait, don’t answer that! Anyway, by the 1920s, women’s skirts had raised to mid-calf. Remember those scandalous flapper girls? This was the beginning of the midi skirt. Women were beginning to experience more freedoms. That freedom began to extend to their clothing. You know those beautiful waspy waistlines of the early 20^th century? Sure, the women then were smaller, but they were also heavily corseted. Then, along came Coco Chanel who said, “Pfft” to the corset and began designing clothing with less structure. While Chanel’s personal life may have been less than stellar, we can’t deny the influence she had on fashion. Those early midi skirts were straight and worn with straight, loose-fitting shirts. The emphasis was not on the body at all.

A little more skirt history…

By the 1930s, hemlines dipped for a bit, but midis hadn’t disappeared completely. Waistlines were higher, and the profile of the dresses and skirts was even more fluid than the 20s. Of course, we aren’t necessarily talking about the everyday woman. This applied more to the women who could afford to change out their wardrobes with changing trends. Female figures began to be shown a bit more gracefully, walking that fine line between sensuality and discretion. Of course, the 1940s brought big changes to the fashion world, especially skirts. They became shorter simply because materials were limited due to World War II. When the war changed, fabric (and money) were still a bit on the scarce side. But along came Christian Dior with his “New Look.” This featured a calf-length full skirt, a very cinched waist and soft shoulders. We actually have a gorgeous Dior dress currently on display at the museum. The curator said when the dress (which has several gussets made up of several yards of fabric) was spread out, it made a huge circle of luscious fabric. Not everyone was happy with Dior, but I’m pretty sure those who had the money were very happy to purchase these beautiful items…romantic, feminine, and voluminous.

Even more…

Midi skirts blossomed in the 1950s. The fashion houses created designs with full skirts. Those skirts had stiff underskirts which created volume. Women wanted to emulate Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly as they wore these sophisticated and beautiful creations. Wearing a midi skirt represented beauty based on size, poise, and grace. Along came the 1960s! Woohoo! Fashion was about to embark on one heck of a roller coaster ride! It’s kinda weird to think how something as mundane as a skirt could become the symbol of a cultural and sexual revolution. But, that’s exactly what the mini skirt did! Knees became the in thing to show! Just think what the Grantham ladies would say about those! Did midi skirts disappear? Well, they took backstage. But, instead of disappearing, they adapted. They became more linear and sported those wild and fun geometric patterns. The 60s were about change and freedom so women wore what they wanted.

The mini skirt…

Now, we can’t really talk about the 60s without talking about the mini skirt. It really hit its stride during that decade, but many ascribe the birth of the mini skirt to Josephine Baker and her banana skirt in the 1920s. Of course, it was quite scandalous and was a part of her show. Women wouldn’t embrace the mini for several decades. Remember how I said the midi had taken a bit of a backseat to the mini in the 60s? Well, there’s a bit of history there. The fashion industry began looking for something to replace the mini and introduced the Midi (notice the capital M) in 1968. But, the industry probably was surprised by the reaction of women at that time. Opinion polls were actually conducted about wearing Mini vs Midi. The polls showed that as many as 8 out of 10 women were hanging onto their mini skirts. Girls liked showing off their legs (and GoGo boots). It should also be mentioned the “hippie” movement had its own answer with the more ethnic maxi skirt. It would seem the midi was a good compromise, right?

Midi vs Mini…

Women were so incensed by the thought of losing their mini skirts, they took to the streets to protest the loss of that garment. There was even a grassroots organization, GAMS (Girls Against More Skirt), which protested with signs saying “Keep the Mini on the Market.” Young women and girls began realizing the power of their voices (and wallets). So, what’s the fashion world to do? As we all know, fashion depends on styles constantly changing this way or that. But, the midi just wasn’t going well, and few were buying them. Another problem associated with buying midis was the need to buy new shoes and coats to go with this new silhouette. So, what happened? The fashion world caved! Manufacturers and retailers began making and selling mini skirts once again. Did that mean the disappearance of the midi skirt? Nope, they remained on the racks. The midi skirt got a bit of a life when Bonnie and Clyde was released in 1967. Faye Dunaway appeared in sleek and sexy 30s-era midi skirts which helped to keep the midi relevant for a bit longer.

The 70s…

Ah, the 1970s! I loved the 70s! It was an era of anything goes. I was a teenager for most of the 70s and remember wearing both minis and midis. We wore midi skirts that were more boho and featured natural fabrics. I had a wrap skirt bought at Pier 1. It was reversible and featured an elephant print. It was made from cotton and still fits. I don’t remember what I wore with it, though. After Nigel and I married, I had a denim midi skirt and a pair of the coolest cognac leather boots. I wore them together all the time. I wasn’t the only one wearing a version of this during the 70s. Women, buoyed by the beginnings of the Women’s Liberation movement, began to experiment with their looks even more than they did in the earlier decades of the century. Make no mistake, mini skirts were still around. But, the coat problem was solved when women wore midi length coats over their minis.

Finally…

By the 80s, the midi skirt became even straighter, almost a pencil style. The fabrics were more technical, and colors were bolder. This was the advent of the female executive who wanted to be professional yet feminine. The midi skirt remained elegant and practical. In the 90s, women wore very clean lines, most often showcasing neutral colors, quality materials, and formal simplicity. Designers in the 2000s began to experiment with midis. They were pleated, flared, asymmetrical, paired with vintage or contemporary prints. The midi skirt has endured because it has been able to adapt to trends and become an evergreen garment. It is timeless, elegant, and contemporary.

The outfit…

In this week’s Fashion Files, I wrote I’d bought another Ink + Alloy skirt. I then realized I’d never shown this on the blog. It’s no longer available. I think the colors are cinnamon and rust, but I don’t remember. The skirt is one of those one size kinds. The website says the waist stretches to 39″ though I’m not sure what that would look like. And, of course, it has pockets! You can adjust the gathers which is important. You don’t want a lot of them on the sides. Believe it or not, the tee is from Loft! I’d bought it very early this spring. The colors in it match the colors in my skirt exactly. Nigel had physical therapy today, and one of the ladies in the waiting room complimented me on my outfit. Then, another said she really liked the patterns going together though she could never do that. I was happy to be complimented, but it makes me sad when women (or anyone for that matter) says they just couldn’t do that. Anyone can mix patterns. You just have to take the chance…if it’s something you truly want to do! I never used to do it, either, so I do understand her trepidation.

The Lewk!

Now, I know this necklace is a little over the top for this outfit. But, so many of the strands included the colors of the skirt and tee. I decided to channel my inner Iris Apfel and go for it! I have no idea where I bought it. I have to tell you, this thing is heavy. It takes me forever to get it clasped. I finally resorted to bending over the vanity, resting the necklace on it, and getting the clasp done! The pink quartz earrings are from J Jill. I added my Miz Mooz Farrah flats in this gorgeous dusky pink to complete my tonal outfit!

Wrap it up, Marsha!

This was a fun walk down a Fashion Memory Lane. I always love to learn new things. My skirt isn’t technically a midi skirt, but I’m only 5’1″. If you’re much taller than that, I think this would definitely be a midi skirt on you. So, can we talk? Were you a fan of mini skirts? What skirt catches your eye most? Were you aware Dior’s dresses were a bit controversial? Please leave me a comment or two, and we can talk. I promise to respond as quickly as I can.

Thank you!

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Where you can find me:

Linking up with Nancy’s Fashion Style, Fine-Whatever , Is This Mutton, Shelbee on the Edge, Chez Mireile, Suzy Turner, and Away from the Blue as well as Deb’s World . I also link up with I do deClaire, Mummabstylish, Style Splash and Elegantly Dressed and Stylish as well as the Senior Salon Pit Stop and Slices of Life. Please check out these wonderful ladies and their blogs! I also am a co-host for Ageless Style on the third Thursday of the month and Songful Style on the last Monday of the month as well as the Global Writing Challenge on the second Thursday. I now co-host Fashion Files with Amy at Coffee and Cocktails at the Casa every Tuesday. I co-host Traffic Jam Weekend every Thursday with Melynda, Lisa, Cat, and Rena. I also host 10 on the 10th on the 10th of the month! I do hope you’ll check out all of these blogs and link parties!

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