Every few seasons the fashion industry announces the rise of a new “hot” skirtlength. The skirt had to be SHORT in the sixties, and LONG for grungy nineties youngsters. In 2010 however, anything is possible. An endless array of options to suit your needs is awesome of course, but it makes it harder for any trend to feel new and fresh. Everything’s been done before, fashion is a neverending (re)cycle… Yet somehow, somewhere between the Olsen led grunge pack of floor grazing maxi clad hipsters and the daily portion of pretty young things in mini skirts, the medium lenghts ended up being considered dowdy and old fashioned instead of fashion forward.
But then there was Mad Men, and the whole new minimalism and fourties-fifties trend. Suddenly skirts with lengths between ankle and knee reclaimed the stage, and it felt FRESH and I was sold. The thing I love the most about all these fall-winter trends is that they are so modest. Camel, retro, minimalism, mid calf skirts: all of the trends are understated, classy and timeless, and this makes them easily adaptable to your own particular taste and style. This way, you can be trendy without losing a single drop of your own uniqueness.
Our chictopians demonstrate the variety of looks you can achieve with the new length.
Basic Beauty – Rubysue wears her thrifted, vintage style mid calf skirt with a cozy scarf and a classic denim jacket, putting together a look that is trendy without being trendy. Timeless, young and girly. The_cricket’s look is slightly seventies, but mostly just absolutely beautiful, soft and feminine in a way you can’t pin to a certain time and space. Daisygirl89 immediately stood out to me in her gorgeously basic outfit, showing us you can look absolutely breathtaking without prints, without showing skin and without wearing tight clothes. Very inspiring! Take a cue from these ladies and choose basic pieces to create an interesting, understated silhouette with your midi or maxi skirt.
Rocker Elegance – Deathbyplatforms always looks fierce, but I love her fierceness even more when the edge is softened by that lovely ankle skirt. Sexy rocker elegance. Classytrash spices up her basic tanktop and camel-kaki skirt with a studded belt and leather jacket. A perfectly wearable daytime look with some edge. Stylenomad is another example of how you can look utterly stunning with a lot of skirt and a bit of rock through her crucifix and studded glads. Just wear your long skirt with some rocker classics like a band T, rocker accessories in the form of some studded action and shine like these lovely ladies.
Ladylike Length – Aphrodite and fashionchalet wear their longer skirts with platform wedges. I personally feel like these two items were MADE for each other. Longer skirts can stumpify your appearance, but going all out in 7 inch stilettos take away from the freshness of the skirtlength because a finer heel immediately throws it back to the fourties and fifties. A chunky shoe gives you a statuesque silhouette and some much needed height. Both Aphrodite and Fashionchalet look ready for a perfectly glamorous night out on the town! Play up the elegance of the length with lace (also demonstrated by Katrina ), jewelry, blouses and mature colors.
Bohemien Quirk – Perhaps the trendiest way to wear the new skirtlength, but some days you just feel like standing out, right? Val wears her whole lotta look, looking damn fine without giving a damn. NaomiDee shines slightly more subtle in this gorgeous celebrity boho ensemble. Franco_Fernandez IS a rockstar, and she dresses accordingly.
To conclude my ode to the maxi/midi skirt, this really is a length that looks good on anyone. For the shorter girls out there that are always told to stay away from maxi dresses: F*** that, embrace your length. If you really want to look longer, try to keep the silhouette simple and your colors similar to elongate your body. The column skirt is the shape for you. Feeling bottom heavy? Try a fuller, more flowy skirt to cover your insecurities. Don’t worry too much about whether it flatters you. Just wear the damned thing with pride and people will only see how amazing you are, not the fact that your calfs show your reluctance to visit the gym regularly.
