The skirt is the second-oldest garment in human history. Dating back to the ancient times skirts were not only a sign of femininity but worn by men too. As things started to change, hemlines began to rise.
Life & Style take you back in time when skirts made their first appearance and how it has become an item of personal style, taste and the future of fashion.
You may be asking yourself, when did it begin? In the olden days straw-woven skirts were discovered in Armenia in 3,900 BC. Really? Yes, that long ago. Back then skirts have been worn by men and women from many cultures such as the lunghi, lehnga, kanga and sarong worn in Southeast Asia and South Asia, and let’s not forget the kilt worn in Ireland and Scotland.
Also, if you look at Ancient Egyptian art, you’ll see that men and women wore skirts too by the way the material was wrapped in a rectangular shape, then tied around the waist.
Today, a skirts design is all about personal style and you’ll be amazed to see how designs have come back into fashion over and over again bringing a taste of vintage and authenticity each time it’s been upgraded.
Let’s look at some of the ups and downs of skirt styles that are still apparent throughout the 20th and 21st century.
The Roaring 1920s
What do you love about the roaring 1920’s? The Great Gatsby look of course, aka the flapper style. This vintage flair is an all-time favourite no matter what time of the year or fashion era it is. We remember this decade to be a time of freedom and social progression and daring skirt lengths. The mary-jane shoes, long pearl necklaces, the dropped waist line and especially the bare legged skirts or dresses were considered shocking at the time. However, it’s a great fashion statement that’s lots of fun when you immerse into the glam life of that time.
To recreate this look in the easiest way possible try a pleated midi skirt. Its flowy and can easily imitate the flow and bounce when walking. Add a thick waist belt and tuck in an embroidered floral blouse which you can find at George. You don’t have to spend heaps of money to pull off this look, just be creative with your accessories and complete it with comfortable bow trim slingback shoes for a modern day 1920’s summer look.
Swinging 1960s
Let’s skip a few decades and enter the boom. The swinging 60’s was fun and pushed new boundaries, thanks to Mary Quant who is a fashion icon and an instrumental figure for creating the geometric prints and short skirts. She raised the hemline in 1964 to several inches above the knee, and this is when the iconic miniskirt was born, named after her favourite car, the Mini.
The sixties still provides fashion designers ample of inspiration from hair styles, to outfit accessories to everyday looks. This inescapable era have blessed us with modern trends for all occasions. Whether it’s for day or evening wear, work or summer casual days, George have a few key pieces to help you inject some 60’s style inspo into your wardrobe.
A monochrome mini skirt is timeless and chic while the stem hem adds an upgrade to the old school designs. Team it with more prints or a simple funnel neck top that’s ideal for season outfit building.
We can also thank this decade for our lovely flowy culottes that’s a summer time favourite. Or how about the loose boxy shirts and funky geometric prints that’s trendy and bold for work or evenings meals for those who want to experiment with prints and lengths. The 60’s fashion can really take your look up a notch and add some oomph to your current fashion.
Peace and Love in 1970’s
This is the decade for peace and love around the world and the new summer trend reflect exactly that. Things like bell bottoms, bohemian patterned blouse and a-line denim skirts were a park time favourite in the sun. Just think of Jenny from Forest Gump to get an idea of the famous 70’s look.
The great thing with fashion is that it always come back around again and this season George are summer lovin’ this chic vibe with their version of exaggerated sleeves and butterfly or floral prints.
Born In The 80’s
The 80’s was definitely a flamboyant decade and was referred to as ‘the time that fashion forgot’. Everyone was breaking rules and taking risks by abandoning the conventions of fashion and looking to the future for creations. It was all about block shapes, big teased hair, neon colours, sunglasses, bangles and lots of accessories were a necessity.
When you think of the 80’s Madonna is who will pop to mind. She proudly embodied candy colours, loud and obnoxious fashion styles like the ra ra aka tiered skirt. They’re retro and attention seeking that is sure to look good on the dance floor.
Which decade resonates your favourite skirt length? For more inspiration head over to George for key pieces on how to build a capsule wardrobe that will last a lifetime.
