When first beginning my biannual Big Analysis of the season following the catwalk shows (for new readers this is my total geek out - my very own Grand Theft Auto dark-room experience) there are obvious trends waving at me like red roses from a garden. Blooming obvious and pretty as hell that they are, these first-look trends are never, ever the whole story of a season. There are always the unexpected street trends, and the catwalk slow burners. Often these are the trends that relate to the shape of our clothes, and these matter long-term in the mechanics of how we put together an outfit.
Marc Jacobs is a designer who starts tipping the apple cart long before said apples in that cart tip over into popular culture/consumption. (Bear with me). This season he had a very definite message which he communicated like semaphore out to his audience, using each of the three collections he creatively directs.
Can you see it? I've given you a clue already, so it should not be hard.
MARC BY MARC JACOBS AW10
MARC JACOBS AW10
LOUIS VUITTON AW10
Of course, what I am talking about is the below knee hemline. I totally admire the way Marc made it the motif of each of his three collections without making them look at all samey. While Marc by Marc felt contemporary, Marc Jacobs echoed the 1920s and 30s and Louis Vuitton channelled the late 50s early 60s.
Banish thoughts that this length is frumpy.
Missoni AW10
Ferragamo AW10
There is something so elegant and new-looking to this hemline. The modest display of leg is both tantalisiing and supremely flattering. We know Marc Jacobs is into it. Missoni and Ferragamo are dabbling in it. As for me, I love it, and happily it is already catching on amongst the fashion forward. (I didn't think I would have street-evidence of this trend for months, but I do). Yesterday while enjoying a totally inspirational afternoon at Brick Lane market I spotted quite a few girls wearing the new length, asked to photograph them and dropped to my knees to snap their hemlines prompting strange looks and general amusement.
What do you think? Will you be wearing it? Thoughts please!
Photos:
Chris Moore/Catwalking.com
Melanie Rickey/Fashioneditoratlarge.com
I've been mulling over longer hemlines for a while. Statement minis are starting to feel a little tired and this seems like the perfect next step. Love the image selection, good food for thought.
ReplyDeleteIt was about time! It's the perfect elegant, feminine length. Here in Rome it will probably take a couple of more years before you actually spot the new trend in the streets, but I'll be definitely wearing it!
ReplyDeleteYes. If it covers the varicose veins, I'll wear it!
ReplyDeleteLooks wonderful and very Mad Men - 'bout time x
ReplyDeleteYes, definitely!! I've been feeling this one for a while. As Isabelle, the first commenter said, minis are starting to feel tired.
ReplyDeleteI love the elegance and element of surprise with the below the knee hemline but with all these aspirational aesthetics I just don't see it suiting someone with a fuller frame. Do you happen to have any styling tips?
ReplyDeleteI love the look of skirts that hit below the knee. So feminine.
ReplyDeleteI love the look... very Grace Kelly but have a concern that at 41, unless I get it spot on, it would end up looking frumpy on me. Am wondering if its one only for the gorgeous model types or the young and kooky?
ReplyDeleteI think this is such a great look - sooo feminine. Love it x
ReplyDeleteVery feminine. I will wear the look but in a very high waisted way. I also think the shoes are important and would have to wear the prettiest of pumps or heels and little ankle socks.
ReplyDeleteThe length is great and very feminine. But the shoes have to be so right - and I don't think the first 3 ladies photographed got their footwear right for this look, do you?
ReplyDeleteI think this length is an interesting look - but I agree with some of the comments above - the shoes need to be spot on and the upper half must be sleek and streamlined.
ReplyDeleteNope .. I will not be wearing this look . Even the models look dumpy x
ReplyDeleteThe total look of the girls photographed at Brick Lane were gorgeous in their entirety, but I wanted to hammer home the point with close-up views.
ReplyDeletePersonally, like I said, I love this one. But it will be a slow burner. Not hitting mainstream for a year or so. Not sure how I will bring it into my life, as I am not a skirt person generally. I will try to wear this as an evening look at first opportunity. At a Liberty event recently the two best dressed women in the room chose this length, but rather than it being flared, it was tapered and slimline. One of them, was wearing a Calvin Klein column dress which hit below the knee at the part of the calf that curves inward. It looked amazing and sexy,
Do not dismiss this one as not for you. Stay open minded. The things you say you don't like now, may well be the things you are wearing next year!
I will definitely wear this! I have a few skirts and dresses of this length and I think it is a great look on everybody, but as others said, the shoes are very important to make it look right.
ReplyDeleteI love this on the runways, particularly all of Marc Jacobs', but I don't think it has convincingly hit the highstreet yet, it will have to be designer and vintage for the moment - at least designer for some and vintage for me! I also think getting the exact right length (pedant) is going to be tricky, below the knees but above the mid calf mark and ideally not hitting the widest part of my calf... oh yeah, and definitely not jersey.
ReplyDeleteAlas, not for me. The uglier and frumpier a trend, the younger, prettier (and generally, slimmer) you have to be to wear it in reality. I do applaud the practicality of it though, no more neck-breaking stripper heels - yay!
ReplyDeleteI love it, although I don't think I can quite get away with the sophisticated version, I'm going to have to go with kooky. But as a teeny person height wise I'm not sure if I'll look like a 10 year old playing dress up!
ReplyDeleteI love how the brick lane girls are wearing those £5 plimsolls. It's the look that keeps running in East London...
ReplyDeleteI love the look. I love tight knee boots with it, for that shruggy seventies vibe.
Even though I admit that it is indeed very elegant, I will probably not buy a skirt with a hemline at this length.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't flatter my figure (it makes me look rather stumpy and shortlegged and emphasises my hips), so it is not for me. Pity though...