History of Women’s Skirt

Today we have a history lesson, dedicated to a surprising historical truth: the first passionate admirers of the skirt were men.

And rightly so!

Why shouldn’t women be able to wear trousers for the last two centuries, if men could wear skirts?

Here’s the story…

If there is one type of clothing that has had a rich history throughout the ages, it is definitely the skirt. From the woven straw skirt of 3900 BC in Armenia, to the range of maxi, midi, and mini skirts…and everything in between available nowadays, skirts dominate the women’s wardrobe.

Although it began as standard clothing for both men and women throughout ancient cultures like Asia and Egypt, the skirt became a wardrobe essential for women in Western Europe and the Americas.

The beginnings are in ancient Egypt, where the first “skirts” were actually worn by men. These simple garments were similar to the sheath skirt, tied at the waist, called the shendyt. This skirt was made of local materials, mostly linen.

A material that was light and airy, ideal for the hot and humid Egyptian weather.

The wealthiest and most influential people wore lighter and thinner skirts, while the workers mostly wore linen wraps. The material from which the skirts were made actually determined social status among men. The lower the position in society, the cheaper the fabric used to make a skirt.

During the Middle Ages, with advances in weaving and tailoring, men began to wear tailored trousers and tights. During this period, dresses for women were still the main choice of clothing. Tailored to follow the lines of the body to below the waist with a separate, flared skirt stitched to the bodice, dresses were worn by women all the time until the end of the 19th century. Created to cover the entire body along with corsets, they were essential in a woman’s wardrobe.

However, this began to change in the late 1890s when women adopted a more active lifestyle, including cycling.

The invention of cars also had a huge impact on women’s fashion. In 1900, the length of women’s skirts decreased to allow for easier driving.

To this day, the skirt remains an essential part of a woman’s wardrobe!

From a short skirt to a maxi skirt, a skirt can work wonders for every woman. It can complement the figure, hide insecurities, and highlight the parts of our body that we love.

The choice is entirely ours in finding our own style!

Today, the question isn’t “Are you wearing a skirt?” but rather:

“Are you wearing a 3/4 length skirt?”