It’s almost like dinner theater. Someone at the restaurant is in a super short skirt. It’s too short, so she spends the evening trying to strategically cover her legs with her napkin or the tablecloth.
Short hemlines can be stylish. Or mortifying.
“Sometimes too short is just that, too short,” said Melissa Ryan, a trend correspondent for Macy’s.
More women risk a hemline mistake this season. Short hemlines became popular last fall and continue to be big this spring and summer. Ryan says this season is inspired by ’60s style, so the mini is back.
1. THINK LEGS, NOT AGE: Anyone can wear a mini — it’s not about age and body type, experts say. But toned legs are a must to successfully pull off the look. “Not necessarily stick legs but toned, firm legs,” Ryan said.
2. SIT BEFORE YOU BUY: Even the best-looking legs need a bit of coverage. When shopping for short shorts or miniskirts, Ryan recommends sitting down in the dressing room. You should be able to sit comfortably and cross your legs.
“Pick up your purse, use those mirrors. Those mirrors are your friends,” Ryan said.
3. SHUN LEATHER: Also consider fabric and color. Ryan says leather miniskirts, for example, come with a vixen vibe.
“Leather miniskirts, quite honestly, never a good idea. It’s not 1982 anymore,” she said.
4. WATCH THE BABYDOLL LOOK: Ryan said many of the cuts for this season would look silly on a mature woman.
“Some of the dress silhouettes out there are very young. … The jumper or the baby doll may be for someone in their early 20s,” Ryan said.
5. BEWARE OF BLACK: Color also can make the wrong impression, says Jenny Stadler, co-owner of Wolfbait & B-Girls, a Logan Square boutique.
Black, for example, doesn’t draw attention so the focus lands on the legs.
“I think black naturally looks like you’re relying on the body for the statement,” Stadler said.
6. THINK CONTRAST: Pairing a short hemline with the right top can move a look away from trashy toward classy. Stadler recommends dressing up a denim mini with a metallic tunic or pairing a miniskirt with tights.
“There has to be contrast and texture that looks rich and demure, not reckless and cheap,” Stadler said.
7. AVOID HIGHS AND LOWS: Watch the low necklines if the hemline is high. Don’t show a lot of skin on both top and bottom. Stadler says it’s one or the other.
8. CONSIDER FLATS: Flat shoes can take the edge off of a short hemline. “Once you put heels on, your body moves in a sexual way, as opposed to flats,” Stadler said.
9. THE OFFICE: DON’T: Even if a short hemline is paired with demure flats, it’s probably still not office-appropriate. Ryan says super-short hemlines are just for the weekend.
“A lot of people try to push the boundaries and end up being reprimanded or looking foolish,” she said.
10. THOU SHALT CHECK WIND SPEED: Women also may find themselves feeling foolish on windy days if they’re wearing the ’60s-inspired trapeze or swing skirts. “Keep in mind these are silhouettes where an ‘L’ running by can blow it straight up,” Ryan said.
