DressLover - I love those pencil skirt shaped ones - I don't actually have a pencil skirt lifestyle, but if I ever do, that's what I would buy!

I haven't wrapped my brain around wearing midis yet. I just pulled myself out of wearing primarily mid-calf to ankle length skirts, which I wore for many years while I had little kids. They were the easiest to deal with for me. My husband liked them, they felt modest to me, it was easy to sit on the floor and still be covered, etc. Now they feel frumpy to me. Add in that I'm 5'1" with short legs, and I don't know how to make midis work.

In the winter I much prefer wearing skirts and dresses with knee-high boots for warmth, and I'm always read there should be space between the bottom of the skirt and the top of the boots... how can that happen with a midi? Mid-calf boots and a midi skirt sounds risky.

It's funny that I'm finally wearing "at the knee" skirts and feeling more stylish and put together, and now I'm risking looking frumpy because I won't embrace the midi. How ironic.

QM, I see where you're coming from, and I'll join you on the midi fence. I love them in theory, because in my mind a stylish midi = sexy librarian, to which I say yes please! However, I think the danger in midi skirts is that in my mind I'd be all Mad Men, but what I'd actually look like is Dowdy Church Lady.

One question: why do you want to embrace the midi skirt length if you have such negative associations with it?

Here are all the midis worn on ASOS.

http://us.asos.com/search/midi.....38;sort=-1

I used to wear midis with tall boots so there was no leg showing, and I thought that was fine with a sleek boot. Is that still a possibility? Otherwise, winter and midis are not going to work for me anyway.

Una, I like that River Island one. I plan to wear my two (vintage and quasi-vintage) midis styled exactly as you describe, with tall, sleek boots.

wow! so many wonderful contributions to the midi discussion. Sounds like so many of you are with me... not hostile toward the midi at all, but somewhere in the deep recesses of the brain (or not so deep) there are some negative connotations that are standing in the way. The fitted skirt midi is very attractive... no chance of looking compoundish with those... it's when we add flare and flowers that I really have to stop and think.

Kim, and others who share Kim's feelings, I want to reassure you that you don't need to embrace the midi trend at all! Your feelings are meaningful and I don't for a second think that you are being critical. Midis can totally look frumpy! You have a stylistic preference - that's all. Fashion and style is very subjective - and it's a reality that we must all live with each day.

Personally, I LOVE a modern and retro midi because I like refined and demure leg coverage. I am so over seeing skirts and dresses that are too tight and too short, and worn with sky scraping heels. I saw so, so, so, so much of this at NYFW a few weeks ago. Of course, I am *very* aware that this is my own subjective opinion, and not one that you need to share.

I want to reiterate that you don't need to like the new modern midi or wear it. We can still respectfully be fashion friends

Angie, can I ask if it's okay to wear a midi with tall fitted boots like my new suede ones? That would solve all of my weather and style concerns for the next nine months.

I sure hope it's okay to wear a midi with tall, sleek boots. That is one of the two ways I would personally look forward to wearing it. I like that look for winter, as it is practical as well as attractive (when done right).

Una, you can definitely wear those boots with a midi

I don't think around-the-knee lengths (above, on, below) will become "frumpy" just because midis are trending, they will still look classic.

My thoughts came back to this issue when reading Angie's post on Spring Trends and the many interesting comments. Kim is still concerned that knee-length skirts will look dated in a couple of years, and Melllls piped up with "if i wear a lower hemline, i need a higher heel. personally, for my health i am trying to make an effort to go a little lower in my heels but the result is that i have been raising my hemline."

Mells' comment is why i think that knee-length will remain strong. There are too many ladies out there who looooooove that long-legged, tall and lean look you get from a shorter skirt. And it is always possible to hem a skirt to make it shorter - good luck 'longering' a mini! I for one will be very happy if midis become more popular, because i'll be able to maybe buy a couple. If not, i'll wear them anyways But i for one will be very very surprised if everyone rushes on out to buy and wear midis - the love of the long, lean legline is too strong, and ladies know how to get it!

And Kim, i've also been struck by how surrounded you appear to be by fashion-conscious people! I live in the SF Bay Area (right outside of Walnut Creek) in the suburbs. People around here wear hems from grazing the ground alllll they way up. (This includes guys - even the hets around here love their utilikilts!)

It seems that people around here are fairly style and fashion conscious, yet at the same time it's very difficult to spot any type of unanimous take on trends. I'm trying to imagine everyone around here getting so on board with one hem length that one or another sticks out as dated and i can't do it! Do you mind if i ask you to tell us a little about your "audience"? You've got me so curious!!! (i've lived in the Bay Area my whole life, so i'm provincial that way Thank you!!! steph

ha- I didn't realize I was putting across the impression that I'm living in the fashion forward capitol of the world. I guess you have helped me put it into perspective. No, I'm not surrounded by a ton of fashion forwardness or trendiness. So no, nobody is going to have an apoplexy if my hemline isn't of the most up to date. BUT, I also don't base what *I* wear on what those in my circle are wearing either. I'm not surrounded by a bunch of slobs by any stretch... I'd say my "audience" is decently to fairly well put together and strives to not spend a bunch on clothes but still like to keep their wardrobes fairly current (atleast in the correct decade)
I guess part of it is my all or nothing mentality. If I'm going to diet, I rid my house of every last speck of junk. If I eat one cookie, I may as well eat the whole package. I guess I've brought that mindset into my style journey and probably over think things.

Thanks for bringing me back down to earth here in Silicon Valley Ironically, we are the least tech-forward family in town.... until about 6 months ago we were still using Tracfone We watch our TV through Nexflix streaming through our wii and my kids constantly remind me that my "ipod" is an imposter but hey, I'm gonna darn well look stylish about it!

I feel pretty confident that around the knee length skirts will never go out of style because they are so universally flattering...and the mini skirt? Maybe not universally flattering, but it's been around for decades and has never been explicitly out of style.

I think the midi is a trend that will "go out" and "come back in" because it's *not* easy to wear. I am very petite and my legs/calves are not the smallest part of me. As you've all mentioned, I'd have to wear high heels with a midi which makes it impractical for everyday. If I found a midi that was very special and that I loved, I would get it...but why go out of my way to buy a midi that has a more flattering to me knee length version?

Hullo Neighbor!!!! (waves out window in southwesterly direction) Thank you for your good-natured reply I truly didn't want to rib you, but i did wonder. And i am not well traveled AT ALL So what do i know?

"I guess part of it is my all or nothing mentality..." heehee, my mom and husband are both Virgos so i have a little familiarity with this trait. I suppose it just comes down to if the trait is working for you or not. It sounds like your audience won't be to worried about your skirt length. But i know with myself that i can get tired of certain silhouettes, details, colors and so on and really feel a need to change at times. And trying new things now and again is good for avoiding ossification!

Maybe just give it a little time, and if/when you see a midi that really does it for you you can work on how to style it? If nothing else if you're swooning over the pattern, design, incredible silk or whatever it'll be a lot more fun!!!

Happy Friday! steph

hi bran888!!! my feeling is that your viewpoint is pretty popular.

"...but why go out of my way to buy a midi that has a more flattering to me knee length version? " i can see most women going through the same thought process and passing over the midi. But i've been wrong before! steph

@ jonesy--speaking as a shortie, above the knee to me is a mini, below the knee is a midi, calf-length is cult-escapee.

i just don't have the leg real estate to spare like those blessed with height.

Some things just take longer to embrace... don't fight it. I HATED leggings until I'd seen so many good examples here on YLF that I finally gave them a shot and now I love them. I was a late adopter and that was just fine, because leggings were/are a long-lived trend. I think midis will be around for a while so just keep looking at pictures of them in magazines and here at YLF and at some point your "eye will adjust."

Mac -- it's true. You're right. It took me a few seasons to get used to skinny jeans, and now my wardrobe wouldn't function without them. And I really hated them at first! I kept thinking, nooooo, 80s revival, it's burning my eyeballs! But the eye adjusts, and people figure out how to style them. It could be true for midi skirts too.

BJ, your description "speaking as a shortie, above the knee to me is a mini, below the knee is a midi, calf-length is cult-escapee" completely resonates with me as a fellow shortie

Which is why I put myself on Team Anything Right Around The Knee Be It Just Above Or Just Below; I plan to just go ahead and call "right above" lengths mini, and "right below" lengths midi on me. For myself, my skirts vary by about 2.5" above/below the knee; even though it's not as dramatic as it would be on someone with lots of leg length, that's still 5" of difference. Which is, like, 8% of my total height

Queen Mum, I'm so glad you brought this topic up, because I think many of us need Midi awareness. I'm not much of a skirt wearer and I think a long midi on my 5'3" frame overwhelms me and not in a good way. I think I just feel frumpy.

However, some of the links shown above, like the longer pencil skirt, or dresses are something I consider doable and stylish. Anything full gets into the territory Chewy mentioned and which had me laughing big time, because I went right to that image of the Duggars' television show. The ASOS full skirt shown with the denim top was cute, but I'm not sure I'd wear it. I wish I had some answers, but most of my skirts and dresses are at-the-knee or a bit above. I have one Levi denim dress, which is on the longer side and I plan to wear my white Doc. Marten's boots with it. When it gets cooler here and I decide to wear it, I'll post a photo for you to see. The skirt actually was a true midi and I had the length cut off and hemmed to just below my knee. Now, having said all this, I would probably wear boots with midi lengths.

Kim, you've posted the thoughts that have been in my mind for awhile now.

I work at Midi Ground Zero...namely, an elementary school. I can absolutely see how midis can be worn well, but it seems to take so much more work when a pencil skirt makes me feel fab with much less effort:)

I just bought a wrap dress that Angie says is in midi territory. It was originally headed straight to the tailor for hemming, but I'm going to try wearing it long for a bit to see if I change my mind. An easy way to test drive a new length:)

ah yes, the dowdy midi=elementary teacher's uniform

homeschool moms used to proudly declare the denim jumper as the homeschool mom's uniform :-0

Kim thanks for starting this thread. I have enjoyed reading everyone's thoughts. I have to confess I am not a midi lover. My first WIW post was a midi that had been an orphan in my closet for ever. You all very kindly gave me the ok on that outfit but I have not worn it since and infact a week ago gave it to my mum. Now here's the thing, my mum wears midi skirts and has done so for probably the last 20 years. Mum is always dressed very well and smartly, but our styles are quite different, so a midi to me creates an association of an older woman and a somewhat dowdy look, a little like your church ladies Kim. Having said this, I love a pencil or straight skirt midi (just past the knee, similar to those Rute has posted recently), but I just cannot see myself wearing an "a" line or flowy styled midi. On me I just dont like the silhouette. Midis may not have been "in fashion" or "on trend" for the past couple of years but women have still been wearing them! Look around and you will see some women looking amazing in a variety of hemlines and skirt shapes, and you will see others that dont quite get it right. I am quite comfortable wearing what I know looks best for my body type even if it's not the current trend. And remember, the midi trend is not the only trend out there:). May I say that while the more traditional midi is not for me, I have seem some of you ladies totally rock the look already....Janet, Aida to name two. There are plenty of styles out there to keep us all happy

Deborah... what you said here, I think, is the crux of my struggle:

" Midis may not have been "in fashion" or "on trend" for the past couple of years but women have still been wearing them!"

And therein lies the problem. Yesterday they were dowdy, today they are the hottest thing since sliced bread. I'm realizing that the trick (for me) is to find my midi sweet spot and style them in a way that is new and fresh. Simple enough, but the fact that we were all so adamant about people shortening their dresses a year or so ago has brainwashed me and now I need to retrain my thought process.

I am going to blog about this topic, Kim. Your feelings are very warranted. It's important to remember that midis have been reincarnated - like all fashion rebirths!

can't wait to read your blog post Angie.
sigh... if only the length of our dresses were really our biggest concern in life

What a great thread, thanks for starting it Queen Mum.

I am in the group that will not be embracing the midi trend. As a short person, getting the "right" length with skirts and dresses is already a challenge. Trying to figure out the lower length that will work for the new midi look is a process I am just not interested in doing. And if that leaves me out in the cold with exposed legs and shorter hemlines, that's fine with me. It took me long enough to figure out a hemline that works for me as is. Now I don't want to mess with it. *tee hee*

Queen Mum, I'm feeling this way about shirt lengths and pants/jeans. For awhile it's been about shirt hems long enough to cover the crotch. Now with the 70's influence, tucking in and shorter shirt lengths especially, with skinnies, seems off to me.

Kim, I doubt if my skirt/dress lengths are going to go much lower than an inch and a half below my knee.

Angie, looking forward to your blog post

I'm embracing this new trend as I feel I need to cover my knees more now that I'm getting older, although I still have few real nice items in my closet. I'm also very inspired by the lady look that was presented on the catwalks (see some of my favorite looks at: http://40plusstyle.com/my-favo.....llections/).

But I prefer to keep the lengths just under or on top of the knee. I think the way to not make this frumpy or too stiff or boring is too have a fun element somewhere in your outfit, like an asymetric top line, a belt, a visible zipper or some draping as you will see on some of the images.

I have a good example of such a dress as well which I should show sometime. No photos just yet....