tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post3814451806542950821..comments2024-03-14T16:03:32.434-04:00Comments on Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing: The Dirndl Mini: WTF?Gertiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04314542159287533507noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-59233357218306834022010-09-26T06:47:05.235-04:002010-09-26T06:47:05.235-04:00Late to this but I've been pottering about thr...Late to this but I've been pottering about through old posts. This is such a good blog!<br /><br />These skirts are just part of the whole 80s revival thing that's been around for a while. Most of my wardrobe when I was in my mid to late teens was skirts like this and short circle skirts too. I loved them with opaque tights, flat boots, batwing tops and those really wide elasticated belts :)<br /><br />I suppose it dates back to early Madonna, Carol Decker and so on. I still really like that style even if I wouldn't/couldn't wear it now.<br />But my inability to wear it doesn't mean I think they shouldn't be around for some new generation of 17 year old. <br /><br />I wonder if what makes it look a bit off now is the dedication to bare legs these days. When I wore them we always had something on, bare legs were only for really warm days. <br /><br />And I agree with Carlotta. For someone of average height with moderately long legs, 17 inches isn't indecently short although it is short - but if you have the legs for it why not.Alisonhttp://www.crikeyaphrodite.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-12868868780867588132010-07-01T12:00:14.079-04:002010-07-01T12:00:14.079-04:00I get upset at the stores in our area. My high sch...I get upset at the stores in our area. My high school daughter wears a size zero, which they rarely carry. When we do find her size, everything is either WAY to short or has no waistband so that when girls sit or bend they have a peekaboo shot at thier backsides. Either tops are cut too low, shorts are turned into bikini bottoms, pants into "peekaboos" or skirts and dresses turned into "cheekyboos" and this is all they have to offer. The kicker is: Its all against school dress codes! I have to do the majority of her shopping online just to find proper clothes. Its crazy! WE WONDER WHY WE CANT CONTROL THE SEXUAL AWARENESS IN OUR CHILDREN TODAY..... Loretta-Wasilla AlaskaLorettanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-59498173547367664572010-01-10T09:02:00.559-05:002010-01-10T09:02:00.559-05:00It's a funny thing, If I buy a skirt of this s...It's a funny thing, If I buy a skirt of this style that is supposed to be knee lengh, very often it comes down to an arkward length on my calves, so I buy these shockingly short minis instead, (often getting strange looks from other shoppers, how dare you buy that skirt belt!) The so called 17 inch minis always seem to hit a very flattering point just on the top of my knee, so I've never had a problem with them!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-197045785566830662009-10-20T20:45:00.642-04:002009-10-20T20:45:00.642-04:00I think it depends on your height and proportions....I think it depends on your height and proportions. I look very frumpy in these skirts but my younger sister is built like a celery stalk (very rectangular and skinny) and she looks good in them. She wears them short, but not so short that she can't bend over in and the gathering at the top of the skirt gives her the hips she doesn't have. I look good in skirts that hit mid thigh, or maybe an inch shorter, but that are fitted instead of poofy. Occasionally, I wear knee length skirts though (usually when I'm wearing something more vintage) but anything past the knee makes me look stumpy and odd.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-31165776560422514002009-10-11T18:10:58.933-04:002009-10-11T18:10:58.933-04:00I find these skirts to be sooooo unattractive on t...I find these skirts to be sooooo unattractive on the average female. It looks dumpy, it makes the woman/girl look mishaped and is not flattering at all. I was recently at a HS football game and a young girl was wearing this as she was walking up the bleachers. I turned my head before I got the money shot!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-34773042669871918062009-09-28T11:09:15.061-04:002009-09-28T11:09:15.061-04:00Reminds me of a girl that I worked with she had a ...Reminds me of a girl that I worked with she had a skirt that was only 8 inches! I told her that was no more than a belt.<br />I saw her wear it one night and yes she seemed to be very uncomfortable.<br />I would have never dared to wear a skirt anywhere near that length out of the house.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-37220381420136904672009-09-28T02:28:46.951-04:002009-09-28T02:28:46.951-04:00Skirts that hit mid-thigh make me look terribly wi...Skirts that hit mid-thigh make me look terribly wide. I try to stick to knee-length or just below, as I find it's more flattering to me. Also, short skirts make me nervous, I spend the whole time I'm wearing one checking that it hasn't flipped up to flash my undies =/<br /><br />Thanks for this post by the way. I've been thinking along the same vein for quite awhile.lizzlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14147861037967372844noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-18049231260472268592009-09-27T20:09:25.988-04:002009-09-27T20:09:25.988-04:00Thanks, reilly, that really is an excellent point ...Thanks, reilly, that really is an excellent point and very good food for thought for me. In fact, I think I'll do a post on it once I sort out my thoughts! Thank you for bringing it up.Gertiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04314542159287533507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-8233375504670136882009-09-27T17:54:10.864-04:002009-09-27T17:54:10.864-04:00Can I just say, I'm a little surprised at the ...Can I just say, I'm a little surprised at the word slutty being thrown around, especially with previous posts by Gertie about feminism? I may prefer a longer skirt, but that is a terrible word to use towards anyone, and a mini does not a 'slut' make.reillyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12776283905130149324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-26615963619589621072009-09-26T14:07:24.605-04:002009-09-26T14:07:24.605-04:00novemberjuliet has a good point about fashion you ...novemberjuliet has a good point about fashion you can't sit down in! I noticed there's an impossibly glamorous picture of one of these short poufy (pleated) skirts on the Sartorialist this week, but she's not even attempting to fully sit down it in, she's kind of sharing her weight with a motorbike. Of course the look really works there, balanced by equal volume in her top and hair.<br /><br />As another tall girl, long in the hips, I feel like these would look goofy on me, like one of those tiny little-girl tutus. But I like the short skirt with opaque or even some patterned tights look when done right- although I think I might have passed the point of no return generation-wise in terms of fully understanding or pulling off that trend. (You know that feeling of being aware when you can no longer fully deconstruct the reference points in trendy looks, especially if they are drawing on some other generation's perception of a fashion era that you lived through?) <br /><br />I have been thinking about shorter skirt proportions recently though, even if not poofy ones. I got wooed by these 40s patterns I have with all the models wearing these hidden-platform looking shoes that look so good with the styles-- that I let myself get carried away and bought an absurdly delicious pair (yes, they make me 6'2", but I spent my 20s in flats; for my 30s height-self-consciousness has taken back seat to shoe fun). But I'm so conditioned to that heavy-bottomed shoe look going with higher skirts (& tights or leggings) that in a weird way to my eye they make my knee skirts look kind of frumpily long. Anyway first time I had thought of doing more of a range of lengths with the fall skirts on the agenda this year. Toying with the idea, but overall the knee length is just so flattering and timeless.Hillarynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-24610395250405447342009-09-26T13:53:15.537-04:002009-09-26T13:53:15.537-04:00I wouldn't wear one now, but in my younger col...I wouldn't wear one now, but in my younger college days I had a twirly miniskirt I loved...a lovely navy blue rough silk number that was so much fun to wear. I can attest, however, that there is a practical reason to choose close-fitting minis over poufy ones: the memory of crossing a busy street on campus and then discovering that the back of my beloved skirt was stuck in my tights waistband somehow is still vivid, some 15 years later. Flowy fabric, short skirts, Massachusetts winters and static cling: not a good combo!Pattern Junkiehttp://patternjunkie.typepad.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-68922563329363124192009-09-26T12:20:16.408-04:002009-09-26T12:20:16.408-04:00While I agree about shape and proportions, and whi...While I agree about shape and proportions, and while I myself would't wear a skirt that short, I can assure you all that my 19 year old younger sister does, and pulls it off! Some of her skirts are shorter than 17 inches, and she's 168 cm with long legs (she got the legs, I got the bad eye sight. Not fair.) The trick is what one wears underneith, she wears thick tights that one basically could use as pants. No modesty problem, really. And it looks good! The short, puffy style suits her.Erikahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08762815696807107905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-25377420894878825892009-09-26T09:40:40.278-04:002009-09-26T09:40:40.278-04:00Does this mean the economy is really tanking, or t...Does this mean the economy is really tanking, or that big butts are in style?<br />Either way....khttp://dottedyellowline.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-55656123764814793182009-09-26T09:23:06.825-04:002009-09-26T09:23:06.825-04:00Some fashion designers really have no clue. This s...Some fashion designers really have no clue. This skirt sort of remind me of the bulky knitted off white mini skirt I saw on a runway picture. Think swadling your hips in a couple of kilos worth of blobby wool. Who looks good in that? Who buys these things?<br /><br />Vibeke in OsloAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-54141831051334504982009-09-26T05:53:27.247-04:002009-09-26T05:53:27.247-04:00I have short stumpy legs so I like my skirts a bit...I have short stumpy legs so I like my skirts a bit above my knees to make them look longer. But 17 Inches would be up around my bum. Thats ridiculous! Particularly with a pouffy skirt, how could you bend over? <br />By the way, I've been away from blogging the past week and have just been catching up on your posts, that snuggie post made me laugh so hard! Those things are ridiculous!Josephine Franceshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15467403316039394846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-20069860872177559292009-09-26T04:38:05.868-04:002009-09-26T04:38:05.868-04:00Ooooh, sorry about the puritan word! In french I m...Ooooh, sorry about the puritan word! In french I mostly use 'puritain' in kind jokes about skirts length and necklines depth, but it must have another background in English (plus I might have misunderstood the word 'modesty')...<br />About the proportions, I wonder if it's not Muccia Prada's fault. In one of her Miu-Miu collections, the models wore short poofy skirts, with a very high waist. By modifying the impression of where their hips were, it made the models extra-long legs. This look was quite easy to reproduce with a low budget, and I saw it several times on european fashion blogs. Maybe these dirndl minis are an evolution of those?Carlottanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-12719065696979350102009-09-26T02:58:35.675-04:002009-09-26T02:58:35.675-04:00You don't sound like a cranky old fuddy duddy ...You don't sound like a cranky old fuddy duddy to me - I'm exactly the same! I won't wear a skirt if my knees show.<br />-Andi xAndi B. Goodehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02332787961396491990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-85345018153325098482009-09-26T02:47:20.535-04:002009-09-26T02:47:20.535-04:00Carlotta, I think the "puritanness" migh...Carlotta, I think the "puritanness" might depend on the length of your legs. 17" on me comes about five inches above the knee, and that's really as short a skirt as I feel comfortable wearing. I'm 5' 6 and have pretty long legs. But if I were any taller, a 17" skirt would be bordering on innappropriate.<br /><br />On the other hand, the sweet ladies here who are 5'2 have the opposite problem... and this is precisely why making our own clothes is such a good idea!Janellenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-44112642054430024462009-09-26T00:14:11.143-04:002009-09-26T00:14:11.143-04:00Sigh, I'll really be happy when skirt lengths ...Sigh, I'll really be happy when skirt lengths start to creep back down again. I'm so disappointed in anthro, I would have taken them for being a little less slutty. I guess they had to jump on the bandwagon too.Ms. B @ Millie Deelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08017849348031677122noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-30551991662507961202009-09-25T22:04:27.869-04:002009-09-25T22:04:27.869-04:00Rachel: Wear tap pants, put weights in the hem an...Rachel: Wear tap pants, put weights in the hem and go dancing! weeee! I was gonna wear a pencil skirt but now I might wear a spinny skirt to go out dancing tonight. such a dilemma!<br /><br />My problem with the short skirts is it's unsanitary (for me and them)! I hate sitting on city bus seats or in a movie theatre in shorts let alone a short skirt!Miss Subhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06807393272869913743noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-22601646744050791142009-09-25T21:04:51.814-04:002009-09-25T21:04:51.814-04:00As one who is 5' 2 1/2" and one who carri...As one who is 5' 2 1/2" and one who carries all of my weight between my bum and knees, the thought of a mini gathered skirt is rather horrific, although 20 1/2" might put me close to my knees...<br /><br />I keep all of my hems at the top of my knee which seems to cut me at a flattering place while not making me look too stumpy. :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-59883880930356348292009-09-25T19:30:52.486-04:002009-09-25T19:30:52.486-04:00I'm 5'10.5 and as a tall girl, I have to a...I'm 5'10.5 and as a tall girl, I have to agree! Its hard enough for me to find modest skirts amongst skirts that are at least ATTEMPTING to be modest... let alone this new trend of hems just below your butt cheeks. My best friend is getting married soon and really wanted the bridesmaids to wear these dresses from Anthro... I loved the dress but the whole thing was only 32" long! If I were to wear that people would be passing out as I walked down the aisle!Katiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06139639212344356290noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-8740223742011295342009-09-25T17:14:11.875-04:002009-09-25T17:14:11.875-04:00Well, I know they're not supposed to be worn t...Well, I know they're not supposed to be worn this way, but I'm only 5'2" so those 'mini' dirndles would hit just above my knee, making them almost perfect for me. 20.5" would about do the trick. HA to all retailers out there that chronically make things too long for me.<br /><br />I dunno, it seems to feed off of that 'dresses so short you can't bend over' trend that's been playing out the past couple years as well, the babydoll or smock top look which produces equal amount of scandal.jessicahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14891339427334605978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-35240463083050637232009-09-25T17:04:51.091-04:002009-09-25T17:04:51.091-04:00I love Myrna advice! I am teaching a 18 year old f...I love Myrna advice! I am teaching a 18 year old fashion design student how to sew...yes...can you believe no experience. Anyway, we are starting with a skirt and it can't be short enough for her...how can you be comfortable! And the wind can just whip up the dirdl mini...oh my!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-6985947774779750122009-09-25T16:05:59.287-04:002009-09-25T16:05:59.287-04:00Funny, I was just perusing Anthropologie's web...Funny, I was just perusing Anthropologie's website last night, and I was noticing the same thing about the pouffy short skirts. I totally agree with you - the only form that dirndl skirt looks flattering on is the skirt stand. :-) And I'm definitely not puritanical...though most of my skirts hit at an inch or two above or below the knee, on occasion, I'll wear one five or six inches shorter - always paired with a conservatively cut shirt or blouse. My personal style rule (as a 40-something year old) is I will show my legs *or* some cleavage, but never both at the same time.Christinehttp://knitsewwhat.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com