Mini Skirts Forever!
MINI SKIRTS FOREVER!
MINI SKIRTS ARE FOR EVERYONE!
Mini skirts forever and mini skirts for everyone! At Babes Rage, we love considering how fashion makes an impact. If you’re a babe who enjoys a higher hemline, you know that mini skirts still make an impression. To this day, while we look at fashion history from our favorite era, we note that in many ways not much has changed societally since mini skirts (and go go boots) rose to the forefront of fashion trends in the mid-60s.Â
On one hand, mini skirts symbolize freedom and empowerment. However, to this day dressing how one chooses (in higher hemlines for example), comes with judgments and can even be dangerous depending on who and where you are. Why?Â
Shouldn’t babes everywhere be free to dress how they choose without having to cater to other’s expectations? Or worse case scenario, worry about safety?
Babes Rage celebrates the 60s and 70s casting a spotlight on trends from our favorite era. Let’s consider how fashion trends from the past changed society. Let’s also take it a step further, making sure everyone is included in the fun. Mini skirts are forever and mini skirts are for everyone! Â
IMAGINE A WORLD WITHOUT MINI SKIRTS
Origination of the mini skirt is credited to designer Mary Quant who named the iconic fashion game-changer after her favorite car, the Mini Cooper.
While Quant insists the mini skirt largely evolved in conjunction with street fashion trends, Quant’s designs popularized the mini through her signature hallmark 60s style.Â
The mini skirt was born from street fashion, where the collective of ragin’ babes reigns supreme. Babes make the rules. And they wanted shorter skirts! Because not only do mini skirts look groovy, they feel groovy too! Imagine a world without mini skirts. You feel sad, don’t you?
For an excellent article on what mini skirts meant during the 60s and how short skirts remain relevant, check out: How to To Show Rebellion? Wear A Miniskirt.Â
Here’s a highlight from the article which shows the impact of mini skirts: ‘What you choose to wear, describes the core of your personality. If you are brave enough to wear a mini, you are free and empowered. V&A Curator, Stephanie Woods spoke to BBC Designed on how high hemlines didn’t stop women from being in charge of their sexual preferences. She said that, “As more women entered the workforce, gaining their own independent wealth, and women began to gain more autonomy over their own bodies with the introduction of the contraceptive pill.” That was how the women during 1960s presented themselves when they adorned a mini.’
Mini skirts meant something then and still mean something now.Â
DON'T BETRAY THE MINI
Mini skirts aren’t everyone’s taste. But at the peak of mini skirt popularity, when fashion designer Christian Dior failed to include higher hemlines in their 1966 collection, a group of babes called Women from the British Society for the Protection of Mini Skirts took to the streets to make their voices heard. While perhaps leaning more towards an endearing theatrical happening than an outcry, the “Mini Skirts Forever” protest is a real historical event.Â
On September 12, 1966, there was a protest outside the House of Dior against the “unfair” or lack of mini skirt representation in the 1966 Dior fashion collection. Thankfully, there are images from the protest now preserved as an iconic moment and memorable phrase. Mini skirts forever!
In our own World, we wanted to recreate the message of that moment for fun.Â
More broadly though, we want to express that fashion is for everyone. And that includes mini skirts! If a babe is wearing something, it means they like the way they look and feel. And that’s definitely something worth fighting for.Â
Amelia Bearhardt is wearing our Kansas Mojo Graphic Tee.Â
3 Comments
nikki-theresa
I love your blog, and this article, and I’m kind of glad mini skirts are still kind of hot button issue – minis are loaded with meaning!
When I was a young teen in the early 2000’s all I wanted was a distressed denim, low rise, micro mini skirt from Hollister. This was when we all wanted to copy how Britney, Christina and Paris dressed. I wanted one so badly because it represented a vision of myself as the girl I hoped to become. If I had that skirt I would go to the wildest parties, meet the hottest boys, and have outrageous adventures! I had to buy one behind my mother’s back because she would never let me wear anything like that. The frayed hem barely reached the top of my thigh and the waist sat way down on my hips below my belly. I was really excited!! The style at the time was to wear little crop tops with your low rise jeans, or skirts. If you ever wore one of these skirts, you’ll remember that wearing it meant you were committed to exposing a lot more than you were covering. The first time I sneaked out in my skirt I was actually so nervous i was sick to my stomach!! I didn’t go to a lot of parties, or meet many boys, but that skirt put me in touch with my rebellious side. When I wore that skirt I knew it was trashy, but it showed I was the kind of girl who didn’t give a fuck about old, conventional, “good taste.” I loved that skirt so much – it didn’t give me confidence, but it absolutely allowed me to discover it!
Years later, I found Hollister micro minis on ebay and DePop really cheap, so have a little collection of them. I’ve worn them into my late 20’s, and wondered if I would wear them at 30. Well, last summer I still wore them a few times! Those little skirts are very effective at getting male attention (I’m not ashamed one bit to say how very much I enjoy that!). They still make feel like a rebellious badass, but I really hope other women notice that they can wear anything at all, anything they want – minis are forever, and for everyone!!
Jenny
Hi Nikki-Theresa,
Thank you for the lovely comment. I love what you wrote about your experience wearing minis and how the fashion made you feel like a rebel! Fashion is so cool like that! The statement you wrote: “I wanted one so badly because it represented a vision of myself as the girl I hoped to become” fascinates me so much in terms of what fashion statements represent and the waves it can make in history!
-Jenny
nikki-theresa
Hi Jenny!!
I’m so happy you liked my comment!! Your post really inspired me to share how that little mini skirt was so important to wear going into my teen years. One of the best things about being a Babe is wearing provocative fashions – it’s fun to wear something kind of risque, but it’s amazing how it makes you find new confidence, girl power, and a value of one’s self. I love how your blog shows the history of women challenging the mainstream and claiming their identity and self worth on their own terms.
Keep raging Babe!
nikki