Shorter skirts suddenly look weird on me- why?

[Anonymous]

I am a short person and short-waisted with long legs for my height. For the last two decades I have worn skirts that just graze the top of my knee for work, and slightly shorter skirts for more casual or dressy occasions.

I keep a lot of my holiday clothing and just pull it out for the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas, so I have a lot of shorter skirts in corduroy, tartan, sequin, leather (more luxe than shiny or cheap), etc. that I wear 1x/season at most. I wear them with opaque tights and heeled boots, flat boots or loafers depending on the outfit.

Every time I’ve tried to put together an outfit with one of these skirts this year, it looks wrong. But they fit just fine. What’s happening? Is my face too old for the length? Is the length just not in style and that’s what I’m reacting to?

I’m trying to decide if I should keep these skirts until they’re in style again, or if I’ve aged out of them.

[Anonymous]

Is it your tops? Have you gained weight in the mid section?

I don’t think you age out of short skirts. Maybe you “gain weight out of short skirts” but not age.

[Anonymous]

Sounds fabulous - I wouldn’t throw them out, maybe just play with your tops, to try something different than you did prior years … like try with a chunky sweater if you haven’t

[Anonymous]

This sounds crazy, but are you looking at yourself in the same mirror you have in the past? Some mirrors give a better representation of what you really look like than others, some mirrors are slightly “off.”

You may well look just as good as you always have in these skirts, but the mirror is off. Do you have someone you trust to tell you the truth?

[Anonymous]

You've probably gained some weight/your body has shifted weight around in your mid-section which make the skirt either shorter than expected or uneven in the front and back.

(I am similar to you in that I am short with long legs and short skirts looked GREAT on me in my hey day. Too fat for that now, plus two c-sections did a number on my middle).

[Anonymous]

I'm also short and short waisted. I would guess the top.and bottom proportions have changed due to a lower bustline. Maybe try a different bra or a longer top?

[Anonymous]

Play around a bit as others suggested. Similar has happened to me before and it can even just sometimes be PMS or…something. I’d first put them away and try again in a few days or a week or 2. If still not feeling it, try again next year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You've probably gained some weight/your body has shifted weight around in your mid-section which make the skirt either shorter than expected or uneven in the front and back.

(I am similar to you in that I am short with long legs and short skirts looked GREAT on me in my hey day. Too fat for that now, plus two c-sections did a number on my middle).

OP I have a different body type but agree with the above. My weight is the same and clothes "fit" but my weight shifted from my butt to my front stomach and stuff looks weird / less flattering. It sucks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You've probably gained some weight/your body has shifted weight around in your mid-section which make the skirt either shorter than expected or uneven in the front and back.

(I am similar to you in that I am short with long legs and short skirts looked GREAT on me in my hey day. Too fat for that now, plus two c-sections did a number on my middle).

OP here. You know what? My bra size has totally changed with perimenopause hormones. I think that’s messing with my proportions and makes me look bulkier on top in a way that throws off the balance of the entire outfit. Ugh. I hate, hate hate my chest. It makes even the cutest outfits matronly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Play around a bit as others suggested. Similar has happened to me before and it can even just sometimes be PMS or…something. I’d first put them away and try again in a few days or a week or 2. If still not feeling it, try again next year.

+1 another long-legged (relatively!) short person - and I know sometime in my mid 40s my short skirts suddenly just started looking wrong. It was def gaining a few pounds - we feel every one of them when we’re this short - plus, I don’t know, just getting older. I liked longer skirts all of a sudden - and heavier fabrics.

But def don’t toss all these skirts now. Hold onto them a couple of years longer and see if next year or the year after you start liking them again!

[Anonymous]

I think it’s mostly that they aren’t in style now. Long looks more current. Or super short, but not “regular short.” I went yo the mall and walked around and it helped me realize why some of my outfits look subtly off. The stores are showing a lot of long satiny skirts paired with short boxy sweaters. I also have cute corduroy or plaid type short skirts that I wore with tights and I don’t see those now.

[Anonymous]

I don’t think you age out of short skirts. Maybe you “gain weight out of short skirts” but not age.

ITA. Miniskirts you can age out of but just at the top of the knee is appropriate for any age.

[Anonymous]

Age.

They look dated the older you get.

Plus look at your knees. They start looking weird the older you get.

Look for ones that fall just below knees if you still like shorter. A pencil shirt like that is sexier, especially with age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: I think it’s mostly that they aren’t in style now. Long looks more current. Or super short, but not “regular short.” I went yo the mall and walked around and it helped me realize why some of my outfits look subtly off. The stores are showing a lot of long satiny skirts paired with short boxy sweaters. I also have cute corduroy or plaid type short skirts that I wore with tights and I don’t see those now.

Out of fashion - exactly as you describe above.

[Anonymous]

I feel that my legs don't look good bare anymore...knees and veins not so pretty. Shorter skirts look much better if I wear tights.