The mini-skirt is a staple in wardrobes everywhere, while it is recognised as a fashion piece, the cultural significance behind it should not be ignored. The mini-skirt rose to popularity in the Sixties and is often viewed as an ‘era defining’ look of the time, synonymous with woman’s liberation and developments socially during what is often referred to as the ‘Swinging Sixties’.
The invention of the mini-skirt is largely attributed to British fashion designer Mary Quant, who was an instrumental figure in the 1960s London-based Mod and youth fashion movements, and played a prominent role in London swinging Sixties culture Quant was influenced by an emergence in London street style, as well as a wider cultural shift towards the breakdown of previous societal expectations, which was a recurring theme throughout the sixties.
However, fashion is never just ‘fashion’ and shouldn’t be viewed as such. Each look, piece and trend hold a level of cultural significance which offers insight into cultural norms of the period. The sixties were a decade rich with evolvement and social progress, a time which emphasised modernity and change. This social progression is reflected through the bold fashion of the era. The trend of rising hemlines rose to popularity in the mid-sixties and demonstrated a vast contrast to fashion in previous decades, which boasted a more conservative style of women’s clothing. This attitude to fashion is reflective of developing attitudes towards women, notably seen first with the development of the pill in 1960 and then later with the legalisation of abortion in the UK in 1967.
The influence of youth is a trope regularly associated with the sixties, thanks to the 1940s baby boom, there was a high proportion of youth by the early sixties. Many of these viewed the sixties as somewhat of a ‘golden era’, post WW2 and the Cold War, the sixties were rife with the feeling of a new beginning. This attitude is seen with the bold fashion choices, representing a new beginning in the world of fashion, that would still be influential sixty years later and counting. As Quant herself stated “the sixties mini was the most self-indulgent, optimistic, ‘look at me isn’t life wonderful’ fashion ever devised. It expressed the sixties, the emancipation of the women, the pill and rock n roll. It was the beginning of woman’s liberation”. The popularity of the mini-skirt throughout the sixtes in undeniable, highlighted by the Vogue archives which show the mention of mini-skirts was highest in the 1960s, showcasing the act of rebellion against previous societal norms that many people partook in during the sixties. The fashion of the era highlighted the need for progression and the desire to rebel that was seeing seen more frequently, demonstrating that the mini-skirt was synonymous with sixties counterculture.
The sixties were an unprecedented time for women, with second wave feminism and the invention of the pill, free love and woman’s liberation. This sense of liberation was undoubtably represented through the fashion of the era, as the mini-skirt stood as a strong symbol of social, cultural and political freedom. Strong parallels can be recognised between the popularity of the mini-skirt among women and the sexual revolution of the 1960s. Many women viewed wearing the mini-skirt an act of liberation and empowerment, highlighting its cultural influence. The invention and acceptance of the birth control pill in 1960 allowed women a sense of control over their body and sexuality that was not seen before, and this liberation is inextricably linked to the fashion trends at the time. It gave women a new-found freedom of expression, and the space to make bold choices and statements throughout their fashion.