Samantha Espiritu ’27
EE Staff Writer
In a world of social media where trends fall as quickly as they rise, it is hard to imagine that a singular piece of clothing can hold so much weight. The mini skirt, for one, is a simple piece of clothing, but it has a rich history of both poor reception and popularity since its release into mainstream fashion. From the Stone Age to science fiction to feminist riots, the mini skirt is undoubtedly iconic.
British fashion designer Mary Quant is famous for pioneering the design, drawing inspiration from London street fashion. The clothing item as we know it today was made popular during the 1960s, alongside rock music and dance crazes. The legendary Mary Quant’s London boutique, called Bazaar, raised hemlines well above the knee, where few other designers dared to climb. Quant had been hitching up her uniform skirts since she was a schoolgirl, and carried this affinity for short lengths into her designing career. While she is most famously accredited with the creation of the piece, knee-revealing hemlines can be traced all the way back to the dawn of civilization. Figures from the Stone Age depict women wearing short skirts and cropped tops, and the Ancient Egyptians are often drawn in short kilt-like pieces. Men from the Qin dynasty of China sported similar clothing as well. It shouldn’t be any surprise then, that women found their way back to short skirts after centuries of hiding their knees.
Naturally, the trendy item found its way into pop culture in the 60s and onward. Various pop culture icons like Tina Turner, Madonna, Twiggy, and Brigitte Bardot wore mini skirts for their performances and photoshoots. Interestingly, the mini skirt found much popularity in the Sci-fi genre, even before Quant’s 60s fame. The ladies of Space Patrol (1950) had short hemlines, as well as Flight to Mars (1951), Beyond the Time Barrier (1960), Star Trek: The Original Series (1966), and others. Why might a simple trend be so prevalent in this genre? Well, it makes sense given the futuristic nature of Sci-fi. The mini skirt was certainly revolutionary for the era, even being adopted as a symbol for the feminist movement.
It is tempting to assume that short skirts or anything “revealing” is inherently oppressive and anti-feminist, when in fact the progressive women of the 60s and 70s adored the mini skirt. Feminist champions such as Germaine Greer and Gloria Steinem sported and embraced the style, along with their equally passionate followers. The mini skirt was not just a piece of cloth; it was a sign of women’s newfound agency. The stiff, waist-cinching dresses and skirts of the 1950s were turned away in favor of looser, shorter skirts. Women now had the liberty to choose, to dress in comfortable clothes that allowed them to run, dance, and live freely. Mary Quant herself even said, “I liked my skirts short because I wanted to run and catch the bus to get to work.” Sure, the short hemline is aesthetically pleasing, but its practicality is equally important to acknowledge when discussing its growth in popularity. However, with popularity comes criticism.
Many did not take kindly to the new skirts. Those in older generations thought them an uncouth attempt at attracting male attention, and even greatly admired fashion designers such as Coco Chanel and Christian Dior expressed their loathing for the length. Despite the overall progress being made around the world, many countries like Kenya and South Korea went so far as to ban the mini skirts entirely. As the 60s came to a close, mini skirts took a backseat to the flowing maxi skirts favored by the hippie movement. This didn’t last long though, with pop stars like the Spice Girls bringing their knees back in the 80s. Mini skirts clearly cemented their place in mainstream fashion since their introduction, as evidenced by millions of girls sporting the articles even now.
The next time you traverse the streets, remind yourself that no trend came out of nowhere. Each piece of clothing, no matter how simple, comes with a rich history that displays how society changes through time. Exposed kneecaps were ordinary, then scandalous, then widespread once again. Of course, the changing nature of humanity will be reflected in the clothes they wear every single day. The mini skirt is a style, but it has always been so much more than that. It’s an attitude, it’s a statement, it’s a sign of the times.