Thoughts for Tuesday, v.3: The Irony of Midi Skirts

We've seen it all over the runways these past few seasons - the mid-length skirt. Rebellious, isn't it? After all, it's a sure departure from the mini skirts my age group favors. On a recent post showcasing my favorite outfits from other bloggers, a reader commented stating she wished she could pull off long skirts.

In my head, I said the same thing. I'm considerably short, and many "experts" advise petite girls against wearing longer lengths. Midi skirts may come to an awkward, unflattering length; while maxi skirts may drag on the ground and make one seem a tiny but frumpy cat lady. Or so we're told.

I've worn both - a pleated white skirt with a bubble hem, and a simple, body-hugging maxi dress. I've received compliments on both, and I didn't fidget throughout the day or feel the need to wear shorts underneath to prevent exposure. It was comfortable. However, nearly every compliment was accompanied with an "...oh, but I could never pull that off". And then there's the "what is she wearing?!" glares from my peers. Yeah, you know the ones.

So enters the irony of the midi skirt. Perhaps not as trendy or beach-friendly as its longer counterpart, it offers a middle ground, as the name implies. No one would dare call a girl wearing a calve-grazing skirt a whore (nothing I condone, for the record), though one wearing a super-short skirt may be subjected to such. Instead, it's cute in a womanly sort of way, and comparatively modest.

In theory, it's safe. When mini skirts came about, they were rebellious, daring, etc. But I think we can agree upon the monotony produced by tons and tons of denim mini skirts from mall favorites, no? With this being said, and for the sake of my argument, midi-skirts are more daring among a younger set. And as we know, any young person going against the grain puts herself (or himself) at a supposed target for insecure peers.

We can accept or reject comments from peers, but many times, such acknowledgments can result in self-consciousness. I've long told myself that anyone who cares about what I wear isn't worth my time, but still, there's that voice suggesting I can't pull it off even though I have and I most certainly can again.

Going against the grain just gets one noticed - positively or negatively - even if the object isn't too far from the original norm.

xox Catherine

PS Please excuse any spelling or grammatical errors. I'm tired and my attention is scattered in a million different places. On a positive note, I took the plunge and bought a D3000. Expect outfit post tomorrow if I decide against taking my frustrations out on clay, or if I miraculously don't end up covered.