Skirting the issue

A skirt is not just another outfit that you flaunt at a do or even at school. After all, not every outfit in your wardrobe has a theory dedicated to it! Right?We decode the long and short of this fashion statement... Read on
Rising skirt lengths are a symbol of youth, playfulness and women’s liberation. But who would have thought that the hemline of a skirt could be so important that analysts would look at it as a predictor of stock market direction (read the Skirt Length Theory), books being written on it and of course grooming schools minting money just by taking classes on what’s the ‘right length of the skirt according to your profession’.
Be it a bustle, peasant, hobble, pencil or a mini – skirts have come of age from the ancient times to the power decade. While this sassy piece of garment has been accepted as a staple for professional uniforms, the hemline is still an issue and varies according to profession and demands of the industry.
THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT
Namita Cambow, who along with her husband Sumit, has been designing uniforms for various corporate offices, five-star hotels and costumes for events for 10 years, says, “For every order, we get an initial brief about how they want the look to be. Basically they want smart wearable options.” Namita says that in the last decade, the predominant change has been the acceptance of western wear in the corporate and hospitality industry, whereas the advertising industry that was already open to it has just become bolder. “If we talk about skirt lengths, then roughly five years ago, the corporate and hospitality industry had full length skirts as uniforms but later they realised that full length skirts are not comfortable in everyday working, especially in jobs where you have to walk a lot,” she says adding, “But nowadays people go for knee length skirts. The very idea of a knee length skirt is more than welcome even in Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities, as even they want to move on with time.”
Along with that, Namita and Sumit have also designed uniforms for the staff, models and ushers for various companies taking part in the recently concluded 10th Auto Expo. “If we talk about the promotional sector, they have always been concerned about the look of the models, ushers and their brand ambassadors. So all they want is an outfit that’s trendy, wearable and attention grabbing. So the skirt length could vary anywhere from three to six inches above the knee. In fact, the shorter, the better. Also, they insist that the look of the outfit should be according to the look and feel of the product.”
SKIRT THAT RIGHT
If we talk about corporate offices, though the staunch guidelines of true formal business attire have been softened over the years, a skirt that is too short or too long can mess up the whole look. Neetu Seth, a teacher at a grooming academy, says, “When we train girls for interviews, we always tell them that the length of the skirt has to be just right, neither too long nor too short. While skirts, suits, stockings, and high heels were once the norm, corporate firms have slightly loosened their dress codes in recent years. But formal skirts have to be knee length. If it is too long, you look lousy and if the skirt is too short, then it looks casual.” She adds, “Corporates like to present an image of power and monetary success to their clients, and so a business-appropriate look is the key. In metropolitan cities, a skirt suit is common, and closed-toe shoes and stockings are also required. These and other particulars – including skirt length, vary from company to company.” Gurmeet Singh, who has been designing uniforms for various corporate offices, airlines and some of the leading schools of Delhi for 20 years, says, “In offices, people prefer knee-length skirts. Though the requirement of every office is different, workplace suits must be only till the knees.”
WALKING THE AIR
The airline industry is known for their smart uniforms and being an air-hostess always brings to mind a glamourous image. There have been many incidents in the past where one airline or the other has been criticised for short skirts of the hostesses that attracts the attention of male passengers. The most famous one was when an issue was raised against the uniform of Malaysian airlines, after which they had to increase the length of the skirt to the ankle. Considering how conservative our country is, and that the air-hostesses were earlier seen in crisp sarees, Vijay Mallya has certainly broken the tradition. Alisha Singh, an air-hostess for the past seven years, says, “I’ve worked with three airlines and the uniform specifications remain almost the same for all airlines in the industry, although things have changed a lot in the past seven years. Earlier, the uniform specifications for air-hostesses in the airlines in the country, used to include skirt lengths that ended just below the knee or 2-3 inches below the knee. But now, it’s always slightly above the knee. And if you have great legs, that’s a bonus and the skirt can be worn 3-4 inches above the knee.”
And it’s not that short skirts are an international trend. Many airlines around the world like the Japanese, Turkish and even Australian airline have hostesses with knee length skirts while Thai and Malaysian airlines sport ankle-length uniforms. What is very is interesting that the hemlines in most airlines have ridden up and down over the years. Like in some international airlines, hostesses had hemlines which reached mid-thigh in the ’90s, but now they have longer skirts, and on the other hand some have graduated from a long skirt in the ’60s, to a short one in the early ’70s to a knee-length one from the mid-seventies onwards.
‘TOO SHORT’ NOT A PROBLEM!
Short skirts are an issue that schools often have to grapple with. Though the schools have broadly drawn a line stating the correct length of the skirt, the girls don’t seem to care about it. In fact, they indulge in competitions on whose skirt is shorter! Akshita Mehra, a Class XII student of Airforce Bal Bharti School, says, “I am really not aware if there’s a rule regarding the length of the skirt, but I wear it around one inch above the knee. Though teachers do object when the girls wear skirts which are too short, and sometimes they even open the seam.” Sejal, a Class X student of GD Goenka Public School, says, “In our school, most of the girls wear their skirt way above the knee and the teachers don’t object at all.” But the schools have developed creative ideas to discourage girls from wearing short skirts. Ameeta Mulla Wattal, principal of Springdales School says, “We don’t have a written norm in the school, but we do prefer that the skirts shouldn’t be too short. But in a school of 2500 children, we might have only seven to eight per cent of students dressed like that. But I personally don’t have a problem with that, I just feel that the students shouldn’t be shabbily dressed.” Meanwhile, Gurmeet says that the least selling garment of his company is a school skirt. “The more international the school gets, the shorter the length of the skirt gets. Like, for instance, in British schools, the length of the skirt is five and a half inches above the knee. Girls buy their school skirts in seventh or eighth grade and keep on using it till the twelfth grade. They keep growing up and the skirt keeps getting shorter and shorter. But Birla Vidya Niketan is strict and they have knee length skirts.” Ask the girls and they’ll probably call it fash foresightedness!