I’ve been waiting for some thing on long skirts… and finally, yes ! Here it is !

But…
boo hoo hoo… isn’t there any way I can wear long skirts ?
And isn’t the mid-calf supposed to be the worst lenght of all ?

PS Saris are not separates. It’s one piece of fabric from top to toe !

You’re right eternalvoyageur, the actual “sari” is one piece of fabric from head to toe. (I was lucky enough to have worn a pukka one for an exotic evening). But there is a tiny short sleeved scooped neck ultra fitted cropped top which is worn with the sari that bares the mid riff and is separate. The sari exposes parts of your sides as you walk (especially when it keeps on slipping which mine did), and therefore gives me the impression that the outfit is made of separates. But it’s debatable that a sari can be referred to as a revealing long dress!

I’m sorry to say that I find it hard to recommend a flattering way for an ankle length skirt to be worn unless you are tall, or unless it’s part of a dress. I am an absolute stickler when it comes to the right garment lengths.

It’s all about the right cut on a skirt when it comes to mid calf lengths. You’ll want to keep it structured, preferably paneled, streamlined and stick to some type of heel. And it’s not a length that everybody can wear, but certainly a great look if worn the correct way. Those mid calf, straight pencil skirts that were around in the ’90’s are not a good look – frumpy and dumpy and this might be what you are referring to. But there were loads of new funky Winter mid calf skirts around in London last year and I indulged in a few. Fab look with boots and a tailored short jacket.

I like the mid-calf length that’s tight and well-defined, but generally, knee-length is what I stick at

ankle-length only works like the way you’ve said – if it’s an unbroken line (one pattern or colour) from the shoulders to the bottom

And it can’t be too covered up at the top either, skinny straps or something eyecatching and open at the top is required for some skin to show

Music to my ears fabulously broke. Thanks for the validation.

I was just thinking the other day about how Indian garments seem to break all the rules of western dress, yet continue to be so admired. Colors that would never “go”, lengths and looser fits, and ornamentation that would look cheap or tacky on western clothes somehow work in another cultural context. I am 1/2 Indian and I always prefer Indian women in their native garb–Indo-western fashions are really terrible.

This is an interesting point Maya. I always admire how beautiful Indian women look in Indian attire. The look just doesn’t seem to work as well on anyone who isn’t Indian or as exotic looking as an Indian lady. I looked a little silly wearing a sari but it was loads of fun and very educational. As for the colours, I’m adventurous when it comes to mixing and wearing bright colours that are “supposed” to clash. Odd thing is that clashing colours are often harmonious and I try to encourage this point daily.

Hmm I doubt you looked as silly as you think. My friend Kate showed me a picture of herself wearing one and I thought she looked adorable, and she’s white as snow

I also love to mix colors, but I guess it’s how they’re mixed that’s different. Red and turquoise happens to be one of my favorite color combinations, but I would do it in much smaller doses than most Indians would (like a turquoise bag and red shoes…as opposed to a turquoise tunic and red pants). Most people I know don’t understand the concept of colors going together as opposed to matching, and I didn’t either until I took a color theory class, so I won’t pretend it’s obvious.

You’re right Angie, a sari is somewhere in between separates and one-piece. One of the reasons that it’s so flattering is the fact that it is assymetric.

But I still don’t like tea-lenght skirts, legs are just not my strong point. Well, maybe I’d wear them with boots, they’s make my calves look better.

How does a long skirt differ from long pants visually? They are both long and cover the legs. Long pants don’t swallow up a person. How can a long skirt be any different? I love my long skirts. I think they give the illusion of length, not width. With a pair shape, I’m always striving for the look of length. Plus they cover up my fat knees and calves. I am 5′8″ so I can only speak for this height.

Good point about the asymmetrical aspect of saris eternal voyageur. And legs aren’t my strong point either, but a fab pair of knee-high boots goes a long to giving my shapeless calves a spot of shape!

Thanks for the validation Maya. I thoroughly enjoyed wearing my sari the entire evening and got lots of interesting comments because it’s odd to see a girl with Nordic features sport an exotic look.

You’ve hit the nail on the head with respect to how Indian attire mixes colours differently to Western attire. Somehow it never matches but it always works – not an easy concept to understand which is to your point.

This is an interesting question Joey. You look good in long skirts because you’re quite tall and you wear heels – fact. But you look really good in knee length skirts and you know I think that! Pants give the illusion of fabric that is “broken up” because your legs separate. Each leg becomes like a thinner and longer shape when you wear pants – much like when someone tall is wearing a long skirt. Does that make sense? The same way shorter women do not look good in wide leg pants. It’s the same effect as an ankle length skirt. The shape becomes shorter and wider.

Angelina Jolie is wearing long dresses during the day per photos. So, I think long is coming back now I need to know how to not look dowdy.

[...] Long View”: mid-calf skirts and floor grazing skirts are back. I do not like ankle length skirts, but I’m into the mid-calf length if the skirt design is funky and interesting. I was surprised [...]

I am barely five foot as it stands, and very petite.
Is there no way on earth that I might wear ankle-length skirts? I admire them so much.

I’m 5′3″. I wear ankle length and shin length skirts… sometimes mini… they all look great on me. Knee length is the worst for me… I almost never wear this length unless with boots… it makes me look shorter and the result is not usually flattering.

If you pick a skirt that fits properly you can wear almost any length though… If you’re petite, go for petite sizes with fuller or flared style skirts and wear a top that shows of your waist line if you have an hour glass figure.

Give me a break! No one for thousands upon thousands of years complained about how a long skirt ‘looked’ on a woman, whether she be tall or short!!

Unfortunately, today, too many women just plain wear clothing that doesn’t fit them at all! I am tired of seeing everyone’s middle ‘inner tubes’, cottage cheese upper arms and legs, wobbly arms and legs, and everything else that wobbles, droops, and shimmies-and, the average woman I see on the street has really crappy looking knee caps. I don’t want to see those either. There seems to be absolutely no self respect when it comes to dressing anymore.

Sorry, but none of these parts need to be seen in any weather or environment and it is completely unnecessary for any of these parts to need to be seen in warm weather either. When it’s 90 degrees out, you are just as sweaty and warm with or withour all the requisite clothing on.

So, in short, please, do the rest of us a favor who don’t want to have our eyes assaulted on a minute by minute basis and COVER IT UP! There is much to be said about leaving alot to the imagination.