The Evolution of Hemlines Through History
Worn by both men and women in early civilizations such as Egypt and Rome, skirts and dresses gradually transformed into quintessential symbols of femininity in the Western world. For centuries, these garments reached the floor as a mark of modesty, but practicality and changing tastes occasionally nudged hemlines higher, such as with the “walking dress” and its ankle-skimming hem, which emerged by the mid-1800s. By the late 19th century, it wasn’t unheard of to see a skirt hit midcalf, a look that forecasted the more dramatic shifts that started in the early 1900s.
While we tend to think of the evolution of hemlines as a simple upward trajectory, getting shorter as society evolved and fashion became more daring, their history is much more nuanced. Hemlines have risen and fallen several times in the last 100 years. And though the popular “hemline index” theory suggests that skirt lengths rise in times of economic prosperity and fall during downturns, that’s an oversimplification of the story. Far from a one-way trend, hemlines have been a dynamic reflection of fashion, function, and symbolism through the years. Here are a few of the most significant changes in the 20th century.
1920s: The Flapper Era
The 1920s marked the first major departure from traditional floor-length skirts. Following World War I, the Roaring ’20s brought economic stability to the U.S. — and a newfound sense of empowerment and liberation for women, who had won the right to vote in 1920. Women enjoyed vibrant social lives even in the depths of Prohibition, frequenting speakeasies and private clubs and dancing the night away. It was a time when the restrictive clothing of the past just would not do; hemlines shot up, at first to just below the knee, and by the mid-1920s, even creeping above. The new dress style also did away with the tightly corseted fashions of earlier decades, ushering in a less-structured “Garçonne” look (an androgynous or “tomboy” style) that was free of curves and had dropped waists, loose fits, and a straighter silhouette.
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1940s: The “New Look”
Between 1930 and the end of World War II, hemline trends resembled a rollercoaster. After the shorter hems of the 1920s, most dress and skirt lengths plummeted back down to midcalf or the ankle during the Great Depression in the 1930s. They stayed that way until the onset of World War II, when fashion, like much of the rest of life, became dictated by rations and utility. Hemlines raised up to knee length; this look, seen on the A-line skirts worn by women in the military, not only preserved fabric, but also was practical for movement and comfort on the job, a necessity given that more women than ever were joining the workforce.
After the war, another dramatic hemline reversal happened. The introduction of designer Christian Dior’s “New Look” in 1947 brought back the long, voluminous skirts of an earlier era, with hemlines falling back to midcalf or even to the ankle. The luxurious look may have been a rejection of wartime austerity, but many also saw it as a step back toward traditional gender roles. The longer hemlines, as well as the New Look’s signature hourglass silhouette, stood in stark contrast to the more utilitarian styles of the war years. A backlash ensued, with protests happening in the U.S. and abroad. “Mr. Dior, we abhor dresses to the floor,” a sign at one American demonstration read. It wasn’t long before these progressive protesters were wearing their shortest skirts yet.
1960s: Miniskirt Revolution
After the conservative styles of the 1950s, the rebellious spirit of the ’60s ushered in radical shifts in fashion, including one of the most dramatic hemline changes in history: For the first time in American fashion, skirts rose to several inches above the knee. Miniskirts were worn by style icons such as the model Twiggy and embraced by the youth culture, which was booming like never before. In 1960, almost half the population of the U.S. was under the age of 18, while in the U.K., the burgeoning “Swinging London” scene emphasized everything youthful and modern. By the middle of the ’60s, the miniskirt was the quintessential wardrobe item for young women — both a novel trend and a powerful cultural symbol of liberation and defiance. While British designer Mary Quant is often given credit for the style — and she indeed popularized it — she always credited the youthful London street style of the time, insisting, “It was the girls in the street who did it.”
1970s: Maxi Skirt Revival
What goes up must come down again, and as the miniskirt’s dominance of ’60s fashion fizzled, an opposing trend also driven by the surging youth culture began to emerge. More and more young people began to vocalize their rejection of mainstream societal establishments and instead embraced the ideals of peace and love. They were known as hippies, and their wardrobe of choice — in addition to the burgeoning bell-bottom pants that became synonymous with the ’70s — included flowing, long-sleeved maxi dresses and skirts. Hemlines were once again at the ground, but this time it wasn’t an embodiment of buttoned-up conservatism; the maxi length reflected a laid-back, bohemian style that characterized the era. The midi skirt also attempted a comeback in the 1970s, but didn’t quite catch on — at least, not yet.
1980s: Power Dressing and Princess Di
In the 1980s, hemlines fluctuated once again — this time, trending back upward. The maxi hem of the ’70s was out, and the midi length came back as part of the broader “power dressing” phenomenon. The look — sleek, suit-inspired, and with a midcalf hem — was largely influenced by Princess Diana; the young royal captivated the public with her singular style throughout the ’80s and ’90s. More women were also entering the corporate world, and the fashion reflected growing female professionalism and authority. As the decade pressed on, hemlines crept up further still. Miniskirts also reappeared in the ’80s, often in patchy acid-washed denim or the colorful, ruffled, flouncy “rah-rah” style.
Other popular looks have come and gone since then — the midi asymmetrical handkerchief hem of the early 2000s, for one — but the rise of fast fashion, individualism over collective style, and the increasingly rapid turnover of trends mean the ’80s may well have marked the end of a single hemline trend defining an entire decade.
