Skirts

Introduction
Skirts are an integral part of every girl’s wardrobe. It comes in various shapes, sizes and styles. Skirts is attire which could be worn in almost all occasions- casual, formal, informal, etc. It is considered as women’s attire, but in some countries it is even worn by men, example - Scotland where it is known as kilts. Skirts cover the entire legs or part of it and are worn on the waist. They are paired with t-shirts, tops and shirts. Skirts comes in printed as well as plain form, it is eithe cone shaped or tube shaped.

Some of the main types of skirts are as follows :-

1. Pencil skirts Pencil skirts suits nearly all body shapes. It comes in shorter and longer lengths. Dark colored pencil skirt coupled with dark tone top which ends at the hips gives a slimmer look. They are straight in length just like a pencil. It could be worn for both formal and casual occasions. When matched with a simple blouse or skirt, formal sandals or boots becomes perfect attire for office. If paired with fancy and glitter tops or sweater, boots/ sandals, it transforms into casual or partywear dress.

2. Miniskirts

One of the most popular types of skirts is miniskirts and micro miniskirts. They are of very short length and end at the thigh region. It is the most sensuous skirt style. It is for the bold and daring girls. Slim and well toned legs are required to wear these skirts as there is lots of body exposure in it.
The fabrics used for miniskirts are generally stretchable, but it is not mandatory. Leather, wool, lace, velvet, denim, crochet, etc are some of the materials used to make miniskirts. Many variations in fabric usage are done in miniskirts. They can be either straight or pleated. The most popular materials used to make them are spandex and nylon. 1950’s and 60’s saw the rising popularity of miniskirts especially in United Kingdom. It’s fashion spreaded to other European countries and America like wild forest-fire. However the designer who invented these skirts is not known. Miniskirts paired with tall boots look very sexy and fashionable. Micro miniskirts are much shorter than normal miniskirt. A slight slip could reveal the groin area therefore it is worn with tights or stockings.

2. Denim skirts Denim skirts are made up of denim fabric, it is also known as jeans skirt. This skirt never goes out of fashion just like jeans pants. It is mostly worn by young and middle aged women. Jeans skirts come in various lengths and styles. The most common one is the tight fitting 5 pocket jeans skirt. Mini & micromini jeans skirts, rugged look jeans skirt, pencil denim skirt, etc are some styles of denim skirts. Denim miniskirts paired with tall boots is favorite among teenagers.

3. Prairie skirt Prairie skirts are slim from upper part but have slight flare at the bottom area. These skirts have multiple tiers or ruffles on them. They are worn along with matching petticoats. The style in which they are sewn is very comfortable to wear, therefore its simpler type was worn on daily basis by housewives of Europe around 19th century. The most preferred design in prairie skirts are floral printed fabrics. It is the daily attire of women in western countries. Another type of prairie skirt that are popular are denim prairie skirts. Earlier the average length of these skirts were used to be mid-calf, but now it has shortened with increased tiers.

4. Poodle skirt
Poodle skirts were a rage during 1950’s. It had a very unique style and look. It has umbrella style flare and looks very elegant. It was mostly used by young girls and women. Ladies used to wear with many coats of petticoats under the skirt. But now prairie skirt fashion is decreased, very few girls/women wear it.

5. Broomstick skirtBroomstick skirts maybe be long or short in length. They have crumpled/wrinkled look. These skirts are not iron pressed, in order to maintain the crumpled look. Therefore while drying them the skirts are twisted like a broom that’s helps in restoring the wrinkles of the skirt. It is worn by both young and middle aged women. Different types of fabrics especially which are thin in texture are used to make broomstick skirts. Chiffon, silk, polyester, linen, etc are some of the fabrics used. It comes in printed as well as plain form, and in various bright colours.

6. Dirndl Dirndl is a straight skirt with gatherings around the waist region. It is the traditional dress of Austria and Bavaria. They are worn on daily basis by the women. This style of skirt is confined to these two countries only. The skirts are paired with close fitting bodice, blouse with lace & very low neck, apron and boots. During the mid 90’s this style became popular in Austria, it was a matter of making fashion statement for upper class women.

7. SarongSarongs are skirts made up of plain elongated piece of fabric. It is very different from the usual skirts. It is wrapped around the body and tied at the waist area by a knot or else a pin. They are mostly worn by men and women of south Asian countries. Sarongs are made up of fabrics with bright colors and bold prints. Tie and dye sarongs are also very popular. It is even used as beachwear

Conclusion
Thus from the above description of some styles of skirts, it is become evident that skirt is a garment which comes in various forms- short, long, body hugging, flowing, loose, etc. A lot of variations could be added to the women’s wardrobe by skirts. However the selection of the style
of skirts depends upon the region, climate, occasion and personal preference.