Are you feeling self conscious about wearing a miniskirt?

2022 was the year of ultra-miniskirts and sky-high hemlines. But why is it that so many women are uncomfortable with the very idea of the mini?

The micro-miniskirt is one of the most talked about trends in 2022. In the midst of a larger revival of all things Y2K, hemlines have soared from Miu Miu to 16Arlington (also: low-rise cargo pants or baguette bags). The negative comments started rolling in after Nicole Kidman wore the viral Miu Miu two piece in Vanity Fair 2022 Hollywood issue. Some were directed at photoshopping and unrealistic body standards for women, while others were pure ageism. The overarching thought was that the 55-year old’s outfit was inappropriate.

Because there is an unspoken age limit for short skirts in society. To see the extent that women’s sartorial freedom is equated with youth, you only need to look at the shaming phrase «mutton dressed like lamb» Miniskirts are a higher priority than the hemlines. Miniskirts are more than just clothing. They’re an emblematic symbol for freedom. Mary Quant, the British designer who pioneered the style in 1960s Britain, once said that it was a symbol of freedom.

When a woman is ‘a certain age,’ a ‘move-to-midi’ can often occur. It could be personal preference or bodily changes. However, it’s fine to have an option that is both chic and wearable. It’s just an option, so long as it doesn’t become a permanent thing. It is the expectation that this will happen, which sets in motion the gradual decline that growing older seems to entail. Zadie Smith’s Intimations describes a woman who refuses to accept conventional ageing. She says that she has «not gotten older in the traditional feminine manner, that is, by becoming less visible, quieter, and less confident.»

This, along with sartorial limitations is what scares me. It’s an option, but it is not an active choice. The move away from more revealing pieces suggests that women’s bodies become less acceptable and less attractive as they age. This suggests that we are only wearing miniskirts in order to attract people. However, there could be many reasons why we wear bare legs. It could be just for fashion or enjoyment.

Style is all about the bold and the revealing. I love miniskirts, leather trousers, crop tops and bodycon. It is a realization that it all will eventually have to go to the archives. With any luck, it might be revived by a niece. As I turned 29 this year, I was conscious of the fact that I had no time to wear what I wanted. The limitations of my age and increasing modesty were becoming ever more apparent.

It’s not surprising that two of the most well-known pin-ups for short skirts after 30 are fictional: Carrie Bradshaw who was infamously criticized by her older neighbor for her ‘crazy clothes’, and Bridget Jones whose boss suggested that her skirt might be ‘off sick’. There is real inspiration to continue wearing miniskirts. This is Grece Ghanem who has been rocking them since her mid-50s. She wore a coral Baum und Pferdgarten two piece with a hemline that fell gloriously above the knee.

Maybe the younger generation will follow her example. Perhaps they’ll channel Nicole Kidman’s nonchalance as she left the Vanity Fair micro-mini shoot. It was absurd! Nicole asked, «What were you doing?» «And then, I went, eh? oh well!»

While I don’t think we should wear miniskirts all day, or any day, if we don’t want too, we should have the option at all ages.