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| Midi skirt is hailed as unexpected fashion hit of summer | Midi skirt is hailed as unexpected fashion hit of summer |
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| As the British summer falls flat on its face with yet another false start, a new fashion trend is on the rise. The midi-length skirt – with a hemline which falls below the knee and is most often written off as dowdy – is on course to be the sleeper fashion hit of the summer. | As the British summer falls flat on its face with yet another false start, a new fashion trend is on the rise. The midi-length skirt – with a hemline which falls below the knee and is most often written off as dowdy – is on course to be the sleeper fashion hit of the summer. |
| Thanks to an unlikely trio of factors including the blustery weather throughout the spring, Victoria Beckham's much-photographed personal wardrobe and a glut of hipster pop stars pictured at the Coachella festival, in California the midiskirt is being hailed as the skirt of the season. | |
| The shape even scored a red carpet success earlier in the week. Fashion commentators praised the actor Carey Mulligan's appearance at the Met Ball in New York wearing a midi-length dress by Balenciaga at fashion's most high-profile event. | |
| "The midi is grownup but slightly subversive," says Katherine Ormerod, senior fashion news and features editor at the magazine Grazia, "and that is a winning combination." | |
| "It's a length that has been ignored for some time but women are rediscovering it," says Jane Shepherdson, chief executive of high street fashion retailer Whistles. | |
| Retailers across the price spectrum are seeing a steady increase in sales. At the high-end e-tailer net-a-porter.com, sales of the midi length are 10% faster than other skirt shapes. | |
| Meanwhile, insiders at the online fashion retailer Asos report that sales of the midi, which is on the front page of the site as a "right now piece", are up at least 200% on last year. | |
| Part of the midi's success lies in its appeal across the fashion generations. Women in their 20s who are tuned into the celebrity aesthetic of Solange Knowles and Rita Ora are wearing the hemline, as are fortysomething women looking for a more grown-up look for the coming summer. | |
| "It's an elegant length," says Sarah Curren of mywardrobe.com "I think you would be surprised as to who is buying them. It's as much twentysomething women as fortysomething women. The younger women see it on Victoria Beckham as her length of choice and for slightly older women it's a really flattering shape and length." | |
| Fashion commentators agree that the midi trend will outlive the summer. "Fashion at the moment is completely polarised between a hip, street aesthetic, and a minimal ultra-luxe stealth look – both of which have a place for the midiskirt," says Ormerod. | |
| Shepherdson, in common with many retailers, has a vested interest in the look lasting. In the autumn Whistles will stock a midi-length leather skirt which has already attracted a waiting list of fashion insiders. | |
| Who is wearing them? | Who is wearing them? |
| Molly Richards, 21, student | Molly Richards, 21, student |
| I got this skirt />from a stall in Camden />for £10. Midi length is the />only length for a />blustery English />summer because it />doesn't blow up in />the wind. It's />the perfect length />when you don't want />show off too much />flesh and when />you wear your socks />with them you don't />have to flash />any leg at all. /> /> /> /> | |
| Ting Zhi, 21, student | Ting Zhi, 21, student |
| I got this />from Bangkok. />It's actually />a school skirt. />I think midi-length />skirts are popular />because they />are really easy />to match with />anything and />much more />suited to the />freezing British />weather. /> /> /> /> /> /> /> /> /> /> /> | |
| Aija Koke, 20, student | Aija Koke, 20, student |
| I got this />dress from H&M. />I love that these />lengths are in />fashion because />they are the most />flattering cut on />figures and can />be worn with />anything. You />don't feel too />body-conscious />in them either. /> /> /> /> /> /> /> /> /> /> /> /> | |
| />Anastasia Achilleos, 37, facialist | |
| I got this />dress from Zara />last year. I'm />glad there are />midi-length skirts />in all the shops />right now because />they are so elegant />and easy to dress />up. You can wear />them in the day />without feeling />overdressed and />dress them up />for night-time too. /> /> /> /> /> /> /> /> | |
| Kuzivakwashe Punungwe-Mutandiro, 23, administrator | Kuzivakwashe Punungwe-Mutandiro, 23, administrator |
| The dress I'm wearing />is from Asos. Midi-length />dresses are just />easier to function in. />I think with the whole />60s Mad Men revival />there's a lot of these />styles available on />the high street. Also, />crop tops are in fashion />right now and they go />really well with />midi-length skirts and />dresses. |