The Return of the Miniskirt
The Return of the Miniskirt
By: Briley Rakow
The miniskirt has been through many eras of fashion, beginning as a rebellious choice by designers and pop culture icons and eventually making its way into everyday wear. Arguably one of the most daring clothing pieces to ever rise to prominence, the miniskirt has once again taken the main stage in fashion this year.
Miu Miu Spring/Summer 2022 Ready-to-Wear.
Before the 1960s, hemlines were typically longer and more modest. Full skirts that hit below the knee were the height of fashion, but miniskirts still saw appearances in certain performance wear. During the 1920s, with flapper dresses bringing shorter hemlines to the marketplace, dancers such as Josephine Baker took the stage wearing miniskirts as a part of their costumes. Baker was perhaps the most noteworthy of these, shocking crows with a miniskirt made of bananas at a show in Paris.
The credit for who truly created the miniskirt belongs to Mary Quant, a British designer who named her new high-hemmed skirts after her favorite car, the Mini. Other designers followed suit, releasing skirts and dresses with hems several inches above the knee. Popular figures like Twiggy and model Jean Shrimpton began sporting the miniskirt, making it a staple look.
The miniskirt saw further development in the late 1970s, with rockstars like Debbie Harry regularly wearing them to perform. Leather miniskirts were worn by many punk artists of the time, but coming into the 1980s, these edgier looks were replaced with pleated miniskirts first popularized by cheerleaders.
The evolution of the iconic piece continued into the 1990s, becoming more popular for working women who were inspired by television shows whose characters donned the miniskirt. Julia Roberts, in her classic role in Pretty Woman, wore miniskirts with thigh-high boots, continuing the entertainment industry’s influence over the popularity of the piece.
Movies and television moved into the background in the 2000s, as pop stars like Britney Spears popularized the miniskirt with crop tops for everyday wear. In every material from denim to knitwear, miniskirts remained popular in streetwear throughout the 2000s. With the ever-revolving cycle of trends putting a bit more focus on eras where the miniskirt was uber-popular, such as the 1960s and early 2000s, it has once again risen to popularity. Designers have begun debuting a new take on the miniskirt known as the micro-mini. Just as the miniskirt was risky in the 1960s, the higher hemline of the micro-mini is the modern take on rebellious fashion.
Very few trends have stood the test of time as well as the miniskirt. From the supermodels of the 1960s to modern stars like Hailey Beiber and Hunter Schafer, the miniskirt has been the clothing piece of choice for icons through the ages. For more fashion history content, keep reading umsquaremagazine.com and follow us on Instagram @um.squaremagazine.
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