It is not very often that we hear of a style trend that started out as a social movement, rather a response to a social movement. The midi dress is perhaps one such one fashion trend that was born that way, and sparked socio-political debates across decades.
Its history is quite boisterous, to say the least, with a major takeaway at the end.
By definition, “midi” is a dress or skirt that has a hem which hits at mid-calf – halfway between the knee and ankle, typically anything from two inches below the knees to right above the ankles.
To mini or not to mini…
It all started when its predecessor, the mini skirt/dress revolutionized American fashion. It stayed for many years and kept getting shorter in length.
By the late 60s, the mini had become an eyesore to many and a subject of disdain, to the extent of heralding a revolution in women’s fashion aesthetics and resulting in political and social chaos.
Amid the conundrum of “to wear or not to wear the mini”, the midi was born. It was something between the ultra-feminine, ankle-length dresses of the 50s and the rebellious minis of the 60s.
But it was not appealing to the already liberated women; they saw this as an unforgiving compromise.
Experts foresaw that this style will die. And so, it did. But for a brief period, before its untimely demise, the midi trend became a representation of gritty glamor for the fashion rebels.
In the legendary motion picture, “Bonnie And Clyde”, the midi dresses and skirts sported by Faye Dunaway (designed by Theodora Van Runkle) as the eponymous Bonnie, became an iconic style for women at that time.
So, what’s the takeaway?
The story behind every fashion trend has some takeaway. And the gist of midi is simple, as we have inferred. A fashion concept can never be imposed on people, nor can it be used as a retort to something. If somehow a trend has managed to even touch upon people’s emotions, it will stay with them.
That’s why perhaps the midis came back in the 80s, with a lot more flamboyance than its forerunners.
Today, they are a huge fashion statement by choice and not by rule. The 21st-century midi dresses and skirts have managed to integrate all the trappings of the retro fashion – fun, flirty, girly, yet with the subtle modesty, making it a wholesome concept, perfect for the empowered woman of today. And of course, they work great for the warmer seasons.
Our take on this classic…
Now, taking cues from this elaborate history and background of the midis, we have created a collection, where our only aim is to make you feel wholesome, free, comfortable, and have fun while dressing up.
(Image copyright: Showstopper International)
The original concept might have been a result of compromise, but the present-day trend of the midis is all about ease and positivity. And that is exactly the message our midi collection aims to drive.
