It’s not long nor is it short, the tea length skirts falls between the middle of the knee and above the ankle. It can be flirty, conservative, classy or elegant. How would you like to accentuate this mid-length hemline?

The Skirt: it remains the one most talked about garment. Sometimes for its twirl, a few times for its frills, occasionally for the blouse and footwear it is teamed up with, and always for its length. Yes, the skirting issue the skirt never manages to escape is the length, be it on the tennis court or on the runway. Both critics and fashionistas don’t spare the skirt for its length, whether it is the floor-touching hems, or the thigh-grazing mini. And, as though the trouble between the long and short was not enough, now there is a skirt length which smartly falls right between the two. This one is called the tea length skirt and yes it can be worn at not just tea parties, but also to fashion dos, causerati events, sunny picnics, formal meets, play dates and more. Why? Well, because it is chic, sexy, flirty and elegant.

Now just like most other trends in vogue today the tea length skirt too, is a whiff from the past. In the ‘70s, women sported these skirts with élan and ease. Back then, slipping into a tea length skirt was a favorite comfortable choice for many women just like a pair of denims is today. And now that the fad is back, it is being worn to create a different look and feel. The Boho-chic fanatics are teaming it up with bomber jackets, the classic lovers with a lace blouse, the business-like with a collar neck shirt and the funky fans with a loose cardigan. Needless to say that the re-emergence of the tea length skirts has got the ladies with petite frames excited, giving them a chance to accentuate their slender frames, but the very charm of this length lies in the fact that it can flatter any body type.

So how do you start wardrobe hunting? To begin with, identify a skirt that falls a little over your knees. Think, a maxi dress chopped off three to five inches from below, and that’s your tea length skirt i.e. a length that hits the mid-calf. Next, you need to decide if you wish to play with its length or look, or both. Adorn it in its simplest form with a plain blouse, say a printed or sold color skirt with a plain blouse. The key word here is pairing. If you want the extra length appearance then tuck in your shirt/blouse and complete the look with a pair of heels. Our personal favorite footwear choice for these skirts is of course a pair of flats. An elegant plain black skirt with a navy blouse and brown strappy flats works best for formal meetings. A bold color skirt with a neutral blouse and flat slippers for a fun look, a busy pattern skirt with a cardigan and flat boots for the grunge look, a linen skirt with a blouse and shrug teamed up with pointy ballerinas for a sexy feel are just a few options to try. The go-to designers and brands would be M & S, Marc Jacobs, Fendi, Debenhams, etc. The best bit about these skirts, also sometimes referred to as champagne skirts, is that it allows you to show off your footwear.

So, if it’s the conservative style of the 20th century that appeals to you, then romance this mid-length hemline. It’s modest and modern, casual and fun, formal and feminine… and it’s almost on every shelf in the fashion world. Here’s to the old world charm!