Mini Skirts beginning in 1929!

:wow22: That's a great photo set. Wonder if Mary Quant ever saw that 1929 photo??? I'd never heard of Annette Benson either. Good grief! That frock is super-short! I'm in shock!

Thanks for posting. :)
 
That's a great photo thanks for posting it.
It turns fashion history on it's head, and the popular concept about invention of the mini skirt in the 60's:help:
 
UH... that's a sweater, not a dress. The photo is probably from her portfolio to show potential producers and directors she has great legs for dance and bathing sequences, or chorus line stage work. No dress that short was ever worn at that time.
 
I agree. That selection of photos seems to be confusing stage or screen wear, lingerie and sportswear with daywear.

You could probably go even further back to the Victorian era and find a picture of a stage performer in a short skirt, something that no respectable woman would have worn on the street! But I don't think it would equate to the mini, which was a popular fashion worn by many women in their regular day-to-day lives.

Although I do agree with Louise that Mary Quant was very probably influenced by 1920s fashions. Some of her early 60s dresses - pinafores (jumpers for US viewers!) with dropped waists and short pleated skirts, especially - are very similar to 1920s examples.

Sarah
 
Agreed: in 1929 the skirts were at their longest in many years.

They certainly are cutting fast and loose with their idea of "mini skirts". Marilyn in 1947 is wearing a bathing suit, 1950 is a tennis dress - of course they will be short - Ava Gardner in 1955 looks like she's wearing some sort of boudoir wear, perhaps a nightie. None of these would have been worn on the streets, which is why the mini skirt when it finally arrives in the '60s is so radical!

Great pics though: love Jane Birkin.

Nicole
 
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