Sassy. Sexy. Long. Short. Tight. Loose. With a slit up the side or without. The skirt has been a part of fashion history since the beginning of fashion. Today, it’s associated with feminine style and fashion. But the jean skirt is definitely its own look, an iconic piece of fashion all by itself.
How many types of jean skirts have you worn…and which ones are you going to wear after you get a better look at this list?
FYI, thanks to AI imagery software, we’re able to create very specific fashion and hairstyle examples to illustrate the points being made. In some cases, imagery is exaggerated to hammer home the point.
Who Wears Short Skirts?
The skirt is such an ancient piece of clothing that no one really knows how old it is. The skirt was probably one of the very first pieces of clothing to ever be invented. Skirts were worn even before ancient Egypt, which depicted both men and women wearing skirts in their ancient artwork. Roman soldiers wore skirts. For most of history, everyone wore skirts. Pants were clothes that were rather strange in the ancient world.
Men continued to wear skirts and dress-like garments through the Middle Ages. All those brave, romantic knights from the medieval era wore long tunics and skirts when they weren’t jousting on the battlefield. But then, men’s fashion drastically changed.
In the late 1700s and 1800s, it became much more popular for men to wear pants. For the first time, skirts became strictly a woman’s style.
And women made the most of it. Wild creations like the hoop skirt and the bustle skirt appeared. All kinds of silhouettes and skirt shapes appeared, from thin columns to big, poofy designs. Women played around with different skirt styles and designs changed over the decades to reflect different trends. Miniskirts and poodle skirts and all sorts of styles have come along.
But jean skirts stand out for their distinct look. You can identify a jean skirt right away, thanks to the denim material used to make this item. The denim creates a look and a drape that is unlike any other material. This gives jean skirts in any style a distinct look.
Denim and Skirts
The story of jean skirts really starts with denim…and denim all started out as a mistake. Fashion trends are not something for the modern era. For almost as long as people have been wearing clothes, fashion trends have existed.
People have worn clothes as a way to show their status or rank, perhaps their role or position. In the 1700s in France, one particular blue fabric was incredibly popular. It was made in Italy, and it was all the rage, as they say.
French textile makers in Nimes, who specialized in making fabrics, were not thrilled. Instead of buying their fabrics, French people were buying this material from Italy. So the French fabric makers decided they would just learn how to make that Italian cloth.
That’s what they were trying to make, but instead, they made a mistake. Really, they kind of botched the whole thing because they didn’t end up creating that Italian fabric after all. A different fabric was created instead.
This turned out to be denim. But it became clear instantly that this wasn’t such a bad thing. The new material was durable but soft, strong but flexible. And with the indigo dye the textile makers used had an amazing blue color.
Soon, denim was the fabric that everyone wanted. The material traveled everywhere, even to the U.S. It was here that jeans were first invented, a pair of tough work pants made out of denim. The popularity of jeans opened the door for all sorts of clothing items to be made out of denim…including skirts.
Types of Jean Skirts
Nearly every kind of skirt, from the big hoop skirts to the tiny mini skirts, would appear in fashion before the denim skirt finally appeared in closets. It wasn’t until the 1970s that jean skirts made their first appearance in the fashion world and became a gigantic style trend. Different types of jean skirts immediately appeared.
Many types of skirts can be made in denim, but certain jean skirt styles appear on runways much more than others.
Front Snap
In 1975, the front snap skirt first appeared on the market. It was about knee-length and had an A-line silhouette with a shape that flared out from the hips. The snaps go all the way from waist to hem, directly down the center of the front of the skirt. This is a customizable style because some snaps at the bottom of the skirt can be left open to create a front slit.
The flaring silhouette and longer length of the front snap skirt are flattering on many body types. The flaring design helps to emphasize the hips while de-emphasizing the thighs. However, the longer length of this skirt may not work well on short bodies. The length will make the legs appear shorter.
Maxi
Maxi-length skirts go all the way to the ground and may be made in denim. A full-length denim skirt is a fairly heavy item that can be good for cold weather wear. The maxi denim dress fits at the waist and flares out from there in a full skirt design.
This is universally flattering to all body types because it emphasizes the waist but hides the hips and rear end, areas you might not want to show off.
Midi
Midi-length skirts are around calf-length and may be made in fitted or flaring designs. Midi-length skirts are made in many different designs that range from flaring and full to very fitted. This length can be fun to style because it creates a long, sweeping line from waist to the calf.
Mini
The mini jean skirt was one of the first types of jean skirts to hit the style scene. Mini skirts were very popular in the 1970s when the jean skirt was first introduced. This is a short length and may even become short enough to be considered a micro mini. It’s a popular length for jean skirts and may be very fitted or somewhat flaring.
Mini skirts are flattering on all body types because showing a little skin is always a head-turning look. The long sweep of the leg looks good with any footwear, and this look really emphasizes your lower half.
Patch
The patch denim skirt is made up of many different shades of denim in a patchwork design. Any type of denim skirt can be made in a patch design to show off different shades and washes of denim. The patch design is made to look like different squares of denim were sewn together.
Pencil
The slim pencil skirt fits close to the legs, hugging the body all the way to just above or just below the knee. This style of the jean skirt first appeared in 1980. Pencil skirts fit at the natural waist and fit close to the curves all the way down.
This is a very flattering silhouette because it shows off your waist, your hips, your bottom, and your thighs. This makes the waist look smaller, and the lower half of the body look curvier. You can’t run too fast in a pencil skirt…but you may just stop traffic!
Peplum
Peplum skirts are like a pencil skirt and a ruffle skirt combined. They sit at the natural waist and hug the hips in a pencil skirt design all the way to the knee. There’s a ruffle of fabric around the waist that comes out over the hips.
This is a flattering silhouette because it slims the legs and adds volume to the hips, which creates a look of curviness. Peplum skirts are a classic silhouette that looks great in denim.
Ruffle
Ruffle jean skirts were a hot item in the 1980s. Made with two or three tiers of ruffles, these skirts have a lot of volume and a wide silhouette. Ruffle skirt styles are usually short, around knee-length, or shorter.
Straight
The straight skirt is made to flow straight down the body from the hips. This style is not loose or tight, so it’s flattering for all body types. It hides the hips and rear end well while still showcasing the waist. Straight skirt styles are made in all lengths.
This style was the first to be made in denim in the 1970s. These early jean skirts were made with front pockets that mimicked the classic style of blue jean pants worn at the time.
Wrap
Wrap jean skirts are made to wrap around the body. They can be any length, from midi to maxi length. The wrap style is flattering on all bodies, and it’s incredibly forgiving because it simply wraps around you, meaning that the fit adjusts to your size.
Types of Jean Skirts
There are many different types of jean skirts even with all the different designs and styles you can find when you’re out shopping. Denim is made in all different washes and colors and weights, so there are a ton of options when you want to try a jean skirt. Play around with wearing different types of jean skirts to which style and looks you like best, not to mention which denim washes and colors you find to be most flattering on you.
FAQs
There are lots of different types of denim skirts to wear out there and lots of things to know about this style that has become a classic in just a few decades. Get the answers to the most common questions about jean skirts and get to know a little more about this amazing piece of casual fashion and how to make it work for you.
Can you wear jean skirts in winter?
Want to wear a jean skirt in winter? There are many ways to wear a jean skirt even in cold weather. You can always layer the look by wearing thick leggings or even jeans under your skirt.
Try a full-length skirt to keep your legs warm even without pants. Tall boots and a short skirt with thick leggings are a great winter look, too.
Are jean skirts still in style?
Jean skirts were definitely a hot look in the 1970s, even in the 1980s. They were cute in the 1990s, too. But are they still in style, even in modern fashion? Yes! Denim skirts are still seen everywhere, and designers are still playing around with this design.
You’ll see jean skirts on all the hot celebrities and fashionable people on social media. If you’re looking for style ideas, follow some of these people to get some inspiration for your jean skirt looks. You’ll see all the latest looks in denim and get plenty of ideas for how you can copy their designer style while spending a lot less!
What should you wear with jean skirts?
There are lots of ways to wear a jean skirt. Try pairing your denim skirt with a white T-shirt or a sleeveless white blouse for a casual, classic look. A denim skirt with a tank top can be a sexy look if the tank is tucked in or a more bohemian look if the tank is left out and worn with a longer denim skirt style.
A cropped top and a long skirt show a little unexpected skin, and a button-up blouse with a mini skirt puts the focus on your legs.
Accessories like straw handbags, wedge heels, and tennis shoes pair beautifully with denim skirts in all styles. Cropped jackets in denim or leather are a great way to add another layer. Mix and match different pieces and try different outfits to have fun playing around with different jean skirt looks.
Sources:
SewGuide – History of Skirts
WhoWhatWear – The 8 Denim-Skirt Outfits Fashion Girls Will Wear This Fall