Thelonglimbedlady

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Tall Summer Edit: How to befriend the mini-skirt

Some love it, some hate it, some just find them downright uncomfortable. Read on to find out how you can find the right mini-skirt that'll love and respect your long legs.

A lot of us Tall Girls have now become estranged from the mini-skirt. They were all the rage back in the 60s and then in the 2000s so they featured a lot for me during my teen years. The pleated mini skirt, when I was growing up, was a form of rebellion rather than a fashion statement. I remember those days of rolling up my school skirt all too fondly. Only downside: pleated minis are not so forgiving if you have any kind of bum. They still look cute but the difference in length between the front and back always bugged me a bit. Today's society is all about ass but if you're not so peachy in the back you can still rock the hell out of the pleated mini! I'm a firm believer in working with whatever you've got in the moment.

The mini skater skirt was like the pleated mini's more chilled out cousin. Much easier to move around in, this skirt supported me in some of through some of my biggest efforts to be a cute teen; because if you're skirt didn't fly when you twirled, who really were you? 

The end of my teen years saw the bodycon roll through where it was all about showing off that peach! Although still alive and kicking today, I'm a bit skeptical about buying bodycon anything. I like to be comfortable in my clothes so being in a skirt that rides up every time I move, can drive me a bit mad. However knitted and heavier fabric body-con mini's (with minimal Lycra) don't move as much in my experience. 

But whatever kind of mini you're into now, here are some tips you can follow to buy the kind of mini skirt that you can look and feel great in!

Tip 1: Static mini's are the one.
Mini-skirts are short enough without them getting shorter with every step we take. This is why I personally stopped wearing thin lycra bodycons. I spent enough of my first two years of uni in them to know that when you move so do they. I'm over walking down the road fighting with my skirt. If it won't stay (mostly) put then it's not worth your effort Tall Girls.

Tip 2: Comfort is key.
I agree with the phrase beauty is pain when I'm getting my eyebrows threaded or my bikini waxed but when it comes to clothes, nuh-uh. Find a mini that sits on your waist, hips or wherever comfortably. One that's bearable even after dinner. I used to squeeze myself into skirts that were 'a little too tight' all the time but why am I spending money to be uncomfortable. If it doesn't come in your size girl love it and let it go. There will be others.

Tip 3: Let it cover your hmm hmm.
The biggest bane of a Tall Girl's shopping experience when it comes to short skirts is the mini being a little too mini for them. The temptation is so real to just 'screw it and buy it anyway', because you'll 'make it work later'. But lets be real, if its uncomfortably short in front of the fitting room mirror then it will be outside too. How short you go is totally up to you but get a length you'll feel comfortable in. Otherwise it'll come home and fall into the abyss that is your wardrobe and never make it out again.

Got any of your own mini-skirt dos and don'ts or horror stories? Comment below!

My skirt is an A-line mini that I bought from NewLook three years ago. I paired it with this blue ruffled top from TopShop and some ancient Chelsea Boots (about 4 years old). 

 

Outfit details:

  • Sleeveless Frill Hem Vest Top by Topshop - £22. I wore a size 8.
  •  A-Line Plaid Skirt by NewLook (no longer sold). I wore a size 8.
  • Cream Satchel by River Island - £28. (No longer sold but they do have some others here).
  • Black chelsea boots by NewLook. Very similar pair can be bought here - £27.99