The Liberation of Legs
How the anti-conservative micro mini skirt breeds confidence
Written and Modeled by Erin Galioto, Fashion Editorial Director
Photographed by Hannah Ritvo, Contributing Photographer
The ‘90s and Y2K have notoriously been responsible for the resurgence of many shocking trends throughout the 2020s. The latest craze? The impractical, barely-there micro mini skirt.
You might remember Christina Aguilera’s all-denim micro mini and tiny top moment at the 2002 MTV Music Awards or the iconic ultra-short skirts worn by Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie on “The Simple Life” (Roby, 2022). Hilton once famously said, “Skirts should be the size of a belt,” and it appears Diesel took this literally with their fall 2022 collection (Kessler, 2022). However, the micro mini trend symbolizes more than the rapidly moving trend cycle.
Since the 1920s, the shift of the hemline has represented a change in gender roles, the economy and a rebellion against social norms. The ‘20s were a period of economic growth that gave fun, sexy fashion its day in the sun. There were many short flapper dresses and iconic leggy moments like Josephine Baker’s banana skirt, and fabric rationing during World War II gradually made women’s garments skimpier. Mary Quant was dubbed the inventor of the widely popular mini skirt during the “youthquake” of the swinging ‘60s, a time when young people everywhere were “pushing boundaries and exploring sexual identity in a rapidly changing society” (Rocchi, J., Dag, S., & Williamson, L., 2022).
The extreme popularity of the short garment was highly correlated with protests surrounding youth culture and feminism at the time. “The revealing of skin and legs—whether in the 1920s or with minis in the 1960s—was very much connected to the rise of women’s visibility in the public sphere and with the feminist movement’s gains,” explains fashion historian Einav Rabinovitch-Fox (Bateman, 2021).
After the ‘60s, nearly every era experienced hemline revolutions and newness created through cuts. John Paul Gaultier showcased a collection of mini skirts for men and women on the runway in 1984, and the ‘90s introduced the controversial combination of skirts over pants (de Gray, 2022). You wouldn’t catch a red carpet in the 2000s without seeing Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears, Destiny’s Child or other A-list celebrities sport low-rise, bejeweled minis (Roby, 2022).
Yet again, the themes and protests happening today also correlate with changing fashions.“With Texas’ SB8 and the fact that the pandemic pushed many women out of the workforce into more traditional roles, it really feels like we are in the midst of a sexual backlash against women,” explains Rabinovitch-Fox (Bateman, 2021). Covering up with masks mixed with the forced regression to domestic life has led to a women’s fashion rebellion of uncovering legs and opposing acceptable daywear.
It’s no question that skin is in style, and super short silhouettes are rising in popularity even as temperatures drop. Miu Miu’s raw-hem belted micro mini surged in popularity after its debut in the spring 2022 collection. The skirt diverged from Y2K bimbo-core and looked as though it was cut from business trousers. The boyish silhouette displayed “hints of intellectualism” (Bateman, 2021). Conversely, Simone Rocha’s ‘22 micro mini skirt symbolized power in femininity with “voluminous petticoats paired alongside slick and sculptural leather jackets, a testament and tribute to the designer’s experience with motherhood” (Bateman, 2021).
In the past, the rising hemlines were a mode for women to embrace and showcase their femininity and sexuality. However, the 2022 micro mini represents owning your power differently. A symbol of feminist triumph, the mini skirt may be shocking and provocative, but it represents a defiant reclaiming and liberation of a woman’s body from society (de Gray, 2022).
The boldness of the micro mini is potent. The missing inches make the skirt hyper-sexualized and so ultra-feminine that it defies the male gaze. Those who indulge in this trend are very aware of this effect and thrive from it. In a world where horrible crimes get blamed on victims for how they choose to dress, wearing a micro mini symbolizes a woman taking her body back and challenging its radical factor and sexual connotation (Bateman, 2021).
The effect of the micro mini is similar to the “Julia Fox effect.” The model’s outrageous style, crazy life, exaggerated signature smokey eye and blunt nature tend to cause much controversy—you either love her or hate her. But even those that claim to despise her have to respect her. Fox’s eccentricity “symbolizes power, the boldness represents confidence,” and the same can be said about provocative trends like the micro mini and the daring women who delightedly take part (Tuck, 2022).
It's time to threaten the narrative that having a body is shameful and start owning and flaunting all parts of it—because why not? If you are looking to sport some serious leg yourself, take some inspiration from my 2022 runway favorites: Kim Shui’s tiny and fuzzy minis, LaQuan Smith’s asymmetric cut-out styles or Dion Lee’s leather and industrial skirts.
Sources:
Bateman, K. (2021, October 22). Why the micro-mini skirt is 2021's biggest fashion statement. W Magazine.
de Gray, E. (2022, May 24). History of the skirt and how it became short - INPI Treasures. RUNWAY MAGAZINE.
Kessler, A. (2022, February 24). Say hello to Fashion's other Cult Mini: The Diesel Belt Skirt. British Vogue.
Roby, I. (2022, August 23). The micro-mini skirt is back - here's how celebs wore it in the early 2000s. Nylon.
Roby, I. (2022, February 15). The micro-mini skirt will still be trending in the fall, according to NYFW. Nylon.
Rocchi, J., Dag, S., & Williamson, L. (2022). Everything You Need to Know About the Miniskirt From the 1960s to Now. YouTube. Vogue.
Tuck, S. (2022, April 10). The Julia Fox Effect. University Girl.