The Long and Short of It: The Madcap History of the Skirt

From its simple beginnings as a unisex body wrap to its bold march forward as an iconic symbol of femininity to a haute couture fashion statement, the skirt has had a perilous journey—one day subject to accolades, the next ridicule, and even coming under fire before the Supreme Court. Cultural icon, garment of personal expression, verb or slur, the significance of the skirt is grander than merely serving as an article of clothing.

Through the years, skirts have been both liberating and restricting, inspiring and exasperating. Skirts transcend mere fashion, serving as barometers of the cultural zeitgeist. The Long and Short of It will humorously detail the evolution of the skirt and the women (and men) who wore them. Loosely divided by different skirts (the bustle, the hobble, the pencil skirt, the peasant skirt, miniskirt, etc.), the book will chronologically cover ancient times, pre-twentieth century, World War I, the flapper era, Hollywood years, World War II, rock n' roll, free love, women's lib, the Power Decade, and several others. The Long and Short of It will will feature:

• the relationship between women's salaries and their hemlines
• the history of the skirt through the changing wardrobe of America's first ladies
• religious references to the sacred nature of skirts
• nineteenth century fashion tips
• laws protecting women and their skirts
• The change in censorship of women's legs—by the length of Jane's skirt in classic Tarzan films
• crazy cases brought to court involving women's skirts—including a 2004 case of a woman lawyer barred from a courtroom by a judge—for wearing trousers

Snappy and fun, with two-color illustrations and amusing quotes and sidebars, this sassy history from famed book packagers becker&mayer! is the perfect combination of history, fashion, and culture.