Short hemlines and warm weather usually work hand-in-hand. But as warm weather lures out our barely tan legs, denim cutoffs and floral sundresses, you leave your miniskirts behind in your storage closet of mothballs and North Face puffer jackets.

From the runways to street style, designers and consumers are experimenting with full-length dresses and skirts that hit anywhere between the knee and calf. Maxi-length bottoms that drape to the floor have been around for several seasons already, but recently designers have started to experiment with hemlines that are reminiscent of the ’60s and ’70s.

‘They’re retro-inspired, but they’re not a literal reworking of any one era,’ said Anne Slowey, fashion news director of Elle magazine, on nola.com. ‘It’s not ultra sexual, and it’s not ultra feminine. It’s a middle ground.’

As opposed to the traditional methods of trends trickling down from the catwalk to the consumer, retro-looking skirts are now starting from the consumer and moving upward to the runways.

The growing obsession with vintage wear and consignment shops — further fueled by street-style bloggers — inspired the trend of longer hemlines. Our generation has adopted such a medley of vintage inspirations that contemporary style has become a complete melting pot — and high-end designers can’t do anything but stir it.

Certainly the skirts from the past can’t necessarily translate completely to the present because body shapes were different, as were designing techniques. To upgrade the look of the full-length skirt, many designers have taken on experimenting with pleats, lace and sheer mesh material, making these designs and fabrics the biggest items to incorporate into your spring wardrobe.

Even though most bloggers and designers are pushing for longer lengths and less leg action, the average consumer — people like you and me — may still need some time to adjust. Models can easily pull off the look, but for the majority of people, longer hemlines are the borderline between chic and frumpy.

If the shin-length skirt is ‘not done right, it can be incredibly dowdy,’ Slowey said. ‘You have to be realistic about your body shape.’

The biggest success to this trend is really to give yourself time to experiment and know what looks good on your body and what doesn’t. The decision between a calf-length versus a shin-length skirt can make the difference between looking fashionable or like you’re from a convent.

Try out high waist, pleats and different colors. Doing so will help you figure out what kind of long hemline will go best with your body type. Wearing a loose top as opposed to a chunky sweater will set the difference between refined and grungy. Adding a belt to the skirt can cinch your waist and add noticeable difference to the fit of the skirt upon your hips.

After seasons of women flaunting their mile-long legs and toned behinds, fashion is finally taking a stand saying it’s OK to be modest. With the various ways to style up — or down — long skirts, I don’t see this trend going away anytime soon. There is still so much that can be done. Invest now.

Vicki Ho is a senior public relations major. Her column appears every Thursday, and she can be reached at vho@syr.edu.

Published on April 13, 2011 at 12:00 pm