Guide Note

Mini skirts are skirts usually worn 8-10 inches above the knee. The mini skirt became extremely popular in the 1960s, although popularity declines in the 1970s.

Fast Facts

1. Made from: Cotton, denim, wool, knits and other fabrics
2. Price range: $5-$250
3. Come in many different designs, colors, and styles
4. Inspired by the British car, the Mini
5. Followed up by the micro mini skirt

André Courrèges developed the miniskirt in the early 1960s, although some say Helen Rose invented the mini skirt for the costumes used in the movie, Forbidden Planet, in 1956.

In 1966, Mary Quant began to make short skirts seven inches above the knee. They had been around for several years before but Quant brought them into the fashion spotlight. A mini skirt fad soon followed, thought to be the result of young women looking for something fresh and the new thinking of feminine independence.

In the 1970s, the mini skirt popularity faded, as women wanted to be respected for their mental capabilities rather than their beauty. In the 1990s the mini skirt came back, often seen on popular sitcoms Friends and Sex in the City. Women began to realize they could have both respect for intelligence and beauty.

• American Eagle
• Old Navy
• Gap
• BabyPhat
• Calvin Klein
• Ralph Lauren
• Tommy Hilfiger
• Newport News
• Xhilaration