Dresses and skirts

Dresses and skirts are commonly associated with women’s clothing. Aside from the Scottish kilt (that doesn’t seem to get a lot of wear in the West) these garments are predominately worn by women. The evolution of dresses and skirts has been one of daring changes considering the trends from a100 years ago.

During the turn of the century dresses and skirts were long and modest. However, the Roaring Twenties offered a shocking new look that was really ahead of its time. If you consider that most dresses and skirts were typically worn down to the ankle up until the beginning of the 1920’s.

The hemlines of these garments rose to knee length in a matter of a handful of years. It seemed as if ladies suddenly woke up one morning and decided that dresses and skirts should be lifted to new heights. This new approach to dress design turned fashion on its ear and it started a whole new era for women. Not only were women entering the voting booths, they were freeing their legs of cumbersome dresses and skirts as well.

The knee-length hemline from the 1920’s stayed in place for about 30 years or so. The conservative 1950’s were followed by a great decade of revolution. This decade brought the miniskirt into the limelight and this new hemline caused quite a fashion stir during its time. Hemlines rose to unheard of heights during this decade and many of us typically think of the sixties when we think of the mini.

Some may make the connection to advocacy for women’s rights and the rising hemline. Considering what was going on in the country during the 1920’s and the 1960’s, we may look at the rising hemlines of dresses and skirts as a kind of symbolic revolutionary representation.

Hemlines have had their ups and downs. During the 1990’s the trend was to wear pretty long dresses and skirts. Many ladies even wore garments that reached the ankle, making the exit from the 20th century ironically cyclical in nature. We entered the century with ankle-long dresses and skirts and we exited with the same length hemline in fashion.

Today’s dresses and skirts offer a great variety. We have seen the Bohemian chic trend that presents garments that hover around the calf. Other dresses and skirts are dangerously short, especially in the past few years. These trends seem to coexist pretty peacefully.

Women have more fashion choices than ever before. Dresses and skirts come in a variety of lengths, colors and styles. You can find garments that will suit every occasion as well as your every mood.

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