Editors note: This opinion-piece does not represent the opinion of Beaver’s Digest but rather it reflects the personal opinions and observations of the writer
I hate pants— there, I said it. If given the choice between jeans and a skirt, 90% of the time I’m choosing the skirt.
Amongst women today, I’ve noticed that skirts get a bad rep. They’re seen as outdated or impractical. A lot of people in my generation have forgotten that skirts carry real historical weight.
Skirts and their corresponding eras (political, social, economic) are inextricably linked. Skirts aren’t just skirts.
Here at Oregon State University, we have the Historic and Cultural Textiles and Apparel Collection—a literal archive of these stories sewn into the seams of real garments.
Fashion has always been quietly (or not-so-quietly) responding to what’s happening in the world, so this begs the question: if history keeps showing up in our closets, what might today’s trends be saying about the young skirt wearers of today?
For some context, before the 1950s, western society had already seen a real yo-yo effect with their hemline trends. From the liberated, post-war shorter hemlines of the 1920s, to the Depression-era return to longer, curvier silhouettes, to WWII rationing and the rise of women working consistently for the first time, skirt lengths swung with society’s ups and downs.
The transition between the late 40s and early 50s is fascinating in terms of women’s liberation and proof, I think, that women are psychic. Christian Dior (ever heard of him?) pushed longer, fuller skirts in the late 40s that didn’t immediately pick up traction for two reasons:
one, those still reeling from the war were used to fighting for scraps of fabric and were jarred by the extravance. Two, some women feared these lower hemlines would push back women’s rights earned during the war to work outside the home, and guess what… they were completely right.
1950s America saw an upswing in a want for “traditional American values”. In this desire came the McCarthy hearings and a push for women to stay at home while her husband worked, all to create the “ideal American family”. What else did this desire bring about? Longer skirts.
The 1960s saw a sexual revolution, Jackie Kennedy, and the early formation of the hippie movement, all of which clashed against each other. The 1960s “youthquake” embraced the mini-skirt, a symbol for a generation flush with disposable income and cultural rebellion.
Freedoms expand: skirts get shorter. Freedoms tighten: hemlines lengthen. That is putting it broadly as there are many factors at play, socially, economically, politically, etc.
After the revolutionary rise of the mini in the ’60s, the 1970s kept riding the wave of social change, but this is the first real time we see variety. Skirts came in every length, from prairie maxis to disco minis, reflecting the growing sense of individuality and cultural fragmentation.
As feminism gained traction and personal expression bloomed, skirts reflected that choice, the freedom to choose how much skin to show was a freedom worth having.
In the 1980s the tone shifted. More women entered male-dominated workplaces, but they were expected to dress the part. Hemlines dropped again to the knees or below. Skirts became stiffer, sharper, and more controlled, which made for an odd combination of masculine-inspired suits and longer skirts.
To get a closer look at the 80s, I spoke with Madeline Krueger, a fourth year apparel design major at Oregon State who worked directly with 1980s collection pieces for a curated fashion display.
“When we were given our fashion era for our group project (the 1980s) we decided to theme our display ‘9 to 5′.” Krueger said. “This was kind of an homage to not only the iconic Dolly Parton movie, but also how women flooded into the workforce in the 80s.”
Krueger also had thoughts on the silhouettes she noticed themed her display.
“The silhouette was made to emulate the broader/ straighter male figure, to remind women they had as much right to the workspace as men did,” Krueger told me. “All this while still holding true to women’s clothing history and femininity.”
By the time the ’90s rolled around, minimalism reigned. Skirts got slinkier, shorter, and often paired with oversized tops or grunge-inspired accessories. It was fashion’s way of shrugging off the flash of the ’80s and leaning into a stylish indifference.
We’re still too early into the 2000s to say with certainty what trends (fashion or otherwise) will define this era. What I do know is that fashion has never moved in a straight line.
Generations before us have pushed back on the skirt, just as others embraced it as a symbol of progress.
Hemlines have risen, fallen, and looped back again depending on who had power, what freedoms were expanding or contracting, and how women felt about their place in the world. And that’s the power skirts have always had, quietly reflecting who we are, and where we stand.
