A woman modelling a miniskirt

The miniskirt (often hyphenated as mini-skirt) is a skirt with a hemline well above the knees (generally 20 cm—about 8 inches—or more above knee level). The mini was the defining fashion symbol of "Swinging London" in the 1960s. Download high resolution version (592x800, 114 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (592x800, 114 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... A skirt is a traditionally feminine tube- or cone-shaped garment which is worn from the waist and covers the legs. ... Swinging London is a catchall term applied to a variety of dynamic cultural trends in the United Kingdom (centred in London) in the second half of the 1960s. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from 1960 to 1969. ...

Origin

After World War I, hemlines had risen rapidly. By the mid-1920s, dresses worn by young "flappers" were often above the knee which was only allowed by the abandonment of the constraining corsetry of Victorian and Edwardian times. The miniskirt's existence in the 1960s was generally credited to the fashion designer Mary Quant, who was inspired by the Mini automobile, although the French designer André Courrèges is also often cited as its inventor (the French referred to it as la mini-jupe), and there is disagreement as to who invented it first. Some give the credit to Helen Rose, who made some miniskirts for actress Anne Francis in the 1956 science fiction movie, Forbidden Planet. [1] “The Great War ” redirects here. ... The 1920s is sometimes referred to as the Jazz Age or the Roaring Twenties, usually applied to America. ... The term flapper, which became common slang in the 1920s, referred to a new breed of young women who wore short skirts, bobbed their hair and flaunted their disdain for what was then considered decent behavior. ... A corsetmaker is a specialist tailor who makes corsets. ... Windsor Castle in Modern Times by Landseer depicts the Queen and the Prince Consort at home in the 1840s. ... The Edwardian period or Edwardian era in the United Kingdom is the period 1901 to 1910, the reign of King Edward VII. It is sometimes extended to include the period to the start of World War I in 1914 or even the end of the war in 1918. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from 1960 to 1969. ... Brief introduction on the history of fashion design and designers Fashion design is the art dedicated to the creation of wearing apparel and lifestyle. ... Mary Quant OBE FCSD (born February 11, 1934 in Kent, England) is an English fashion designer, one of the many designers who took credit for inventing the miniskirt and hot pants. ... For the new MINI, see MINI (BMW). ... “Car” and “Cars” redirect here. ... André Courrèges (born 1923) is a French fashion designer, known for his ultra-modern designs. ... Anne Francis Anne Francis (born September 16, 1930, in Ossining, New York) is an American actress, famous for her role in the science fiction film classic Forbidden Planet (1956) and as private detective Honey West in the television series Honey West (1965-1966). ... A car from 1956 Year 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Science fiction is a form of speculative fiction principally dealing with the impact of imagined science and technology, or both, upon society and persons as individuals. ... This article is about the 1956 film. ...

Recently, Marit Allen, a Vogue "Young Ideas" editor at the time, has stated that "John Bates, in particular, has always been completely unappreciated for his contribution to the innovation and creativity he brought to the London design scene." He bared the midriff, used transparent vinyl and, Marit Allen asserts, was responsible for "the raising of the hemline. It was John Bates, rather than Mary Quant or Courrèges, who was responsible for the miniskirt." Bates' costumes and accessories for Diana Rigg, as Emma Peel in the ABC-TV series, The Avengers, from 1965–7, helped to define "Mod style". [2]. As The Avengers' filmed episodes were made several months before screening, Avengers producer Brian Clemens confirmed in interviews that the miniskirt designed by Bates was a "gamble", since they did not know if it would catch on in public or be seen as a fashion failure by the time the episodes aired. However, Emma Peel's fashions were accepted by the public and even spawned a line of replicas of her clothes for public sale. Another more "immediate" proponent of the miniskirt on television was Cathy McGowan, who introduced the weekly British rock music show, Ready Steady Go! (1964-6). For other meanings, see vogue. ... John Bates was a fashion designer who was part of the boutique scene that blossomed in London in the 1960s. ... Dame Enid Diana Elizabeth Rigg DBE (born 20 July 1938) is an English actress. ... Image:AvengersBook1. ... This article is about the American broadcast network. ... The Avengers is a British 1960s television series featuring secret agents in a fantasy 1960s Britain. ... Year 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. ... Cathy McGowan on Ready Steady Go! (Rediffusion TV, 1965) Cathy McGowan (born 1945) was a British broadcaster and journalist, best remembered as the presenter from 1964-6 of Rediffusion television’s groundbreaking rock music show Ready Steady Go! // Ready Steady Go! (RSG) was first broadcast in August 1963, its launch... For other uses, see Rock music (disambiguation). ... RSG! studio floor with Manfred Mann performing. ... Also Nintendo emulator: 1964 (emulator). ... Year 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ...

Mary Quant and Jean Shrimpton

Mary Quant ran a popular clothes shop in the Kings Road, Chelsea, London called Bazaar, from which she sold her own designs. In the late 1950s she began experimenting with shorter skirts, which resulted in the miniskirt in 1965—one of the defining fashions of the decade. Drawing of a self-service store. ... Kings Road is a major east-west street in Londons Chelsea. ... Statue of Thomas More on Cheyne Walk. ... The 1950s decade refers to the years 1950 to 1959 inclusive. ... For other uses, see Fashion (disambiguation). ...

Owing to Quant's position in the heart of fashionable "Swinging London", the miniskirt was able to spread beyond a simple street fashion into a major international trend. Its acceptance was greatly boosted by Jean Shrimpton's wearing a short white shift dress, made by Colin Rolfe, on 30 October 1965 at Derby Day, first day of the annual Melbourne Cup Carnival in Australia, where it caused a sensation. According to Shrimpton, who claimed that the brevity of the skirt was due mainly to Rolfe's having insufficient material, the ensuring controversy was as much as anything to do with her having dispensed with a hat and gloves, seen as the essential accessories in such conservative society.^[1] Swinging London is a catchall term applied to a variety of dynamic cultural trends in the United Kingdom (centred in London) in the second half of the 1960s. ... Jean Shrimpton (born 7 November 1942 in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire) is a former English Supermodel (before the term was used) and actress, who graduated from Lucie Claytons modelling school at the age of 17 in 1960. ... The Melbourne Cup is Australias major annual thoroughbred horse race. ...

Development

Minidresses worn at wedding in South East England, c.1972

The miniskirt was further popularised by André Courrèges, who developed it separately and incorporated it into his Mod look, for spring/summer 1965. His miniskirts were less body-hugging, and worn with the white "Courrèges boots" that became a trademark. By introducing the miniskirt into the haute couture of the fashion industry, Courrèges gave it a greater degree of respectability than might otherwise have been expected of a street fashion. Image File history File links Mini-skirts_at_wedding_-_c1972. ... Image File history File links Mini-skirts_at_wedding_-_c1972. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Nancy Sinatra wearing Go-Go boots on the cover of Boots: Nancy Sinatras All-Time Hits Go-Go boots were originally created in the 1960s with the intention that they should be worn while dancing. ... Haute couture (French for high sewing or high dressmaking; IPA: ) refers to the creation of exclusive custom-fitted fashions. ...

The miniskirt was followed up in the late 1960s by the even shorter micro skirt, which has been referred to derogatorily as a belt or pelmet. Upper garments, such as rugby shirts, were sometimes adapted as mini-dresses. Tights or panty-hose became highly fashionable, in place of stockings, specifically because the rise in hemlines meant that stocking tops would be visible. Mary Quant cited this development in defence of the miniskirt: "In European countries where they ban mini-skirts in the streets and say they're an invitation to rape, they don't understand about stocking tights underneath".^[2] The miniskirt was followed up in the mid-1960s by the even shorter micro skirt, which covers not much more than the intimate parts with the underpants. ... Bold textA belt is a flexible band, typically made of leather or heavy cloth, and worn around the waist. ... A pelmet is a decorative framework used to hide curtain railings. ... A stocking is a close-fitting, variously elastic garment covering the foot and lower part of the leg, but usually not intended to conceal the leg. ... A stocking is a close-fitting, variously elastic garment covering the foot and lower part of the leg, but usually not intended to conceal the leg. ...

1970s

During the mid-1970s, the fashion industry largely returned to longer skirts such as the midi and the maxi. Journalist Christopher Booker gave two reasons for this reaction: firstly, that "there was almost nowhere else to go ... the mini-skirts could go no higher"; and secondly, in his view, "dressed up in mini-skirts and shiny PVC macs, given such impersonal names as 'dolly birds', girls had been transformed into throwaway plastic objects".^[3] Certainly this lengthening of hemlines coincided with the growth of the feminist movement. However, in the 1960s the mini had been regarded as a symbol of liberation, and it was worn by some, such as Germaine Greer and, in the following decade, Gloria Steinem [3], who became known for their promotion of women's issues. Greer herself wrote in 1969 that: The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, also called The Seventies. ... Christopher Booker (born 1938) is an English journalist and editor. ... Polyvinyl chloride Polyvinyl chloride, (IUPAC Polychloroethene) commonly abbreviated PVC, is a widely used thermoplastic polymer. ... Mackintosh shop, Burlington Arcade, London. ... Feminism is a social theory and political movement primarily informed and motivated by the experience of women. ... Germaine Greer (born January 29, 1939) is an Australian-born writer, broadcaster and retired academic, widely regarded as one of the most significant feminist voices of the 20th century. ... Gloria Steinem at news conference, Womens Action Alliance, January 12, 1972 Gloria Marie Steinem (born March 25, 1934) is an American feminist icon, journalist and womens rights advocate. ... Also: 1969 (number) 1969 (movie) 1969 (Stargate SG-1) episode. ...

The women kept on dancing while their long skirts crept up, and their girdles dissolved, and their nipples burst through like hyacinth tips and their clothes withered away to the mere wisps and ghosts of draperies to adorn and glorify ...^[4]. The word girdle originally meant a belt (or metaphorically speaking, something which confines or encloses, as in Tolkiens Girdle of Melian). ...

Indeed, miniskirts never entirely went away and, for example, were often worn by Deborah Harry, of the group Blondie, during the "new wave" of the late 70s. The song (I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea (1978) by new wave artist, Elvis Costello, contained the line, "There's no place here for the mini-skirt waddle". Debbie Harry on the cover of her collection Most of All: Best Of Deborah Harry (born July 1, 1945) is a Miami-born American rock and roll musician who originally gained fame as the frontwoman for New Wave band Blondie, which originated in the late 1970s and achieved commercial success... Blondie is the name of an American rock band that first gained fame in the late 1970s, and which has sold over 40 million records. ... Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ... Elvis Costello (born Declan Patrick McManus August 25, 1954) is an English musician, singer, and songwriter. ...

1980s and 90s

In the 1980s, short skirts began to re-emerge, notably in the form of "rah-rahs", which were modelled on those worn by female cheerleaders at sporting and other events. In the mid-80s the "puffball" skirt enjoyed short term popularity, being worn by, among others, the Princess of Wales and singers Pepsi and Shirlie.^[5] Many women began to incorporate the miniskirt into their business attire, a trend which grew during the remainder of the century. Films and television series made in the mid-1990s (Friends, Sex and the City, Ally McBeal, for example) show how ubiquitous the mini had become again. In the BBC TV series Keeping Up Appearances (1990-5) the snobbish Hyacinth Bucket was frequently outraged by the brevity of her sister Rose's skirts. The 1980s refers to the years from 1980 to 1989. ... Strawberry Switchblade in polka dot rah-rah dresses, 1984 (from cover of 7 single, Since Yesterday) The rah-rah (or ra-ra) skirt was a short flounced skirt that became popular in about 1982 and remained fashionable, mostly among teenage girls, for several years. ... Diana, Princess of Wales (Diana Frances Mountbatten-Windsor, née Spencer) (1 July 1961–31 August 1997), commonly, but incorrectly, known as Princess Diana, was for fifteen years the wife of HRH The Prince Charles, Prince of Wales. ... Pepsi & Shirlie were a British pop duo who released two albums, All Right Now, in 1987 and Changes in 1991. ... For the band, see 1990s (band). ... For friendship, see friendship. ... Sex and the City is a popular American cable television program. ... For the character, see Ally McBeal (character). ... Keeping Up Appearances is a British sitcom starring Patricia Routledge as social-climbing snob Hyacinth Bucket. ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ... Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced, the character claims, as Bouquet) is the main character in the BBC sitcom Keeping Up Appearances (1990 to 1995), played by Patricia Routledge. ... Rose is a fictional character in the British comedy television series Keeping Up Appearances. She is portrayed by two actresses, Shirley Stelfox and Mary Millar. ...

21st century

Around the turn of the 21st century, hipster trousers became highly fashionable for women. The micro has been reworked as an even less substantial beltskirt, which is more an evocation of the idea of a skirt than something that covers anything substantial. It may perhaps also provide rhythm for the hipline^{[citation needed]}. Due to its revealing nature, the beltskirt is rarely worn in public. Miniskirts are also seen worn over trousers or jeans, or with leggings that provide coverage of each leg from above the knee. Although "floaty" skirts were most closely associated with the boho look of the mid noughties, short skirts also featured in some outfits and in London, for example, minis were more widespread during the hot summer of 2006 than for several years, a trend that continued through the mild autumn and winter and into the following summer.
20XX redirects here. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Jeans are trousers traditionally made from denim, but may also be made from a variety of fabrics not including corduroy. ... Girl wearing modern leggings Leggings are any of several sorts of fitted clothing to cover the legs. ... Short floaty skirt, 2005 Boho-chic was a style of female fashion (c. ... This article is about the decade starting at the beginning of 2000 and ending at the end of 2009. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Notes

Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... Oz Number 3 Oz was a satirical humour magazine first published between 1963–69 in Sydney, Australia and, in its second and more famous incarnation, from 1967 to 1973 in London, England. ...

Further reading

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Miniskirts

• Quant, Mary (1996). Quant by Quant. London: Cassell.