The Coolest Cut This Season, There’s A Knee-Length Skirt Out There For Everyone

After seasons of extremes (mini and maxi, both of which are still apt choices) knee-length skirts are returning to favour, and I’m finding a great deal of joy in this middle ground.

Not traditionally considered the most “flattering cut”, that is part of the charm they’re a bit tricky, challenge the eye, and due to their very nature help an outfit look a little off (which, in my opinion, is what often makes an ensemble sing).

Of course, what’s knee-length on one person may be a midi on someone else, so for the sake of ease, I’m expanding this to include skirts that hit somewhere in the vicinity of the knee.

The proportions of a knee-length skirt create a very satisfying visual balance, giving you room below and above to layer and play, while still providing plenty of real estate to show off a jazzy print or interesting cut something Miuccia Prada has demonstrated for decades (her designs even enjoyed their very own exhibition in 2006).

Skirts that fall right on the kneecap are striking. Slightly lower, and more of a midi, can be a bit more forgiving (and easier to wear) while still revealing a flash of the calf. A little higher, and ending the skirt just above the knee-cap is a practical alternative to a mini that still offers plenty of leg.

Skirts are a great canvas for print, something Miuccia Prada has demonstrated for decades; her skirts even enjoyed their own exhibition, Waist Down, from 2004.

Regular knee-length skirt wearers include Vogue editor Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, internet person Emma Chamberlain, designer Thom Browne, and models Paloma Elsesser and Bella Hadid regularly; the latter frequently goings the utility route (cargo skirts, denim and vintage Prada Sport) a burgeoning trend in the category.

Locally, renowned skirt wearer and Viva contributor Chloe Hill has some sage advice. “Figuring out skirt styles you feel most comfortable in and that work for your body and wardrobe can make shopping for a skirt so much easier. For me, a midi skirt is a really easy piece to pair with boots and a sweater or T-shirt and always feels chic.”

Vintage is a good place to start, with this knee-length cut popular in the 1990s and early 2000s (I have second-hand skirts from Marilyn Sainty and Prada, both worn fortnightly) and there are an increasing number of new options floating around now too, spanning office-appropriate neutrals from the likes of Helen Cherry and Cue, breezy cotton numbers from Kowtow; as well as some very timely, very good, archival-revivals from Zambesi including draped jersey, pleated linen, and bias suiting.

On a lighter note, with summer upon us, vibrant, hyper-saturated colours and dizzying prints can screech “Holiday!” and the simplicity of a knee-length skirt presents so many outfit opportunities for warm-weather dressing; pair with a swimsuit and shirt, or layer tube top and singlet.

Party skirts deploy the cut of the garment to grand effect with flimsy silks, jangling sequins and clingy jersey, and out-there textures all looking equally magnetic on the dance floor. The queen of party skirts, whatever the hour, is of course Carrie Bradshaw, hailing taxis in Norma Kamali.

However, the best mode of transport for skirts is, in my opinion, walking. Nothing looks better than a well-cut skirt in full stride whether it's pleats on a city sidewalk, or gauzy cotton on the beach.

Viva Shops

Summer calls for shorter hems, and there’s nothing easier — nor with more opportunity — than a knee-length skirt.

For something in crêpe: Acne Studios skirt, approx. $616, from Mytheresa.

For a classic denim skirt: R.M. Williams skirt $229.

For a splurge: Gucci skirt $3275

For something simple: American Vintage skirt, $240, from Ballantynes.

For something candy-sweet: Kowtow skirt $239.

Pleats, please: Thom Browne skirt, approx. $2757, from Farfetch.

For something perfect for a weekend stroll: Tommy Hilfiger skirt, $229, from Smith and Caughey's.

For something comfy: Proenza Schouler skirt, $639, from Superette.

For something tropical: Louisa Ballou skirt, approx. $785, from Mytheresa.

For a tube skirt: Marc Jacobs skirt, $815, from Smith and Caughey's.

For a little sunshine: Taifun skirt, $169, from Smith and Caughey's.

For something silky: Theory skirt, $650, from Muse.

For an asymmetrical hem: Weekend by Max Mara skirt, $1049, from Smith and Caughey's.

For something to swish in: Zara skirt $76.

For something flared: Prada skirt $2170.