Hello ladies,
Tess and her short skirt
Believe it or not watching Strictly Come Dancing has inspired me to write about skirt length. Not the professional or celebrity dancers with their wonderful costumes spinning around the Wembley dance floor. It was the presenter Tess Daly that caught my eye. She is beautiful, a mum of two children and sexy with long legs. Tonight she was wearing a 60’s style mini hip dress. Although Tess looked stunning tonight I found there were moments when the dress seemed to be a tiny bit too short especially when she lifted her arms.
So how would you choose the right length? What is the right length?
Different body shapes suit different style skirts and even style personality.
Choosing the right hemline for your body is important no matter what the current style might be. Different body types are suited to different styles of skirt, and even though you may want to wear a mini like Tess whether or not it will work on you depends on what you are personally suited for. Finding the right skirt length for your age and body type is an important part of looking your best.
There are a few body types that are easy to figure out by identifying some of your body’s main features such as bust, waist, hip size and shoulder width.
If your body is pretty straight up and down or your bust, waist, and hip measurements are all similar you fall into the category of straight or boyish frame. You should try a skirt that will help create some curves. The best options are skirts with structure like A-Line, pleated or poofy skirts, or flowy skirts made of substantial fabric. If you are tall a floor length skirt of any material would work best.
What about curvy or hourglass frame. You might have a generous chest and a defined waist with rounded hips and a bit of a bottom. Women with hourglass frames are often smaller in height so stay away from a skirt that is going to overpower your small frame. Avoid floor length skirts, unless you are tall enough to carry it off. Also don’t wear anything cut at the calf. This cut does nothing for petite women, as it makes the legs seem much shorter than they really are. Find a skirt that will accentuate your curves and give a nice shape while drawing attention away from anything you don’t like about your hips and thighs. A slightly flared A-line skirt that’s cut at the knee or slightly above, will give the illusion of reducing your behind, evening out your frame, and still leave just enough leg showing.
Next is the pear shape. Your shoulders are narrower than your hips and you might wear a size smaller on your top half compared to the bottom. Remember that darker colors on the bottom are minimizing, and can be nicely balanced by a light colored top. Keep the frills and details for the top half of your body and a smooth, tailored skirt will do the trick nicely for the lower body. Top tip stay away from large prints and big pleats.
The apple shaped curvy woman will have a fully rounded body with a less defined waist. You must avoid shapeless, baggy skirts and drawstring waists whenever possible. Pleats will only look wrong as they will create a bulky look. Prints can emphasize things you might not be too pleased with but be careful they can be tricky and should be used selectively. When choosing a colour blue, deep purple and black are slimming. To create a nice profile try a flared a-line skirt that is cut at or just below the knee, or a long tailored skirt with two darts at the waist to help keep your stomach in check.
So back to Tess did she have the right skirt for her body shape? The jury is still out. What do you think ?
short mini dress
Judit's style advice 