Updated 11-16-2021
How to Wear Short Skirts and Be Modest
As a fix-it girl, I love the idea of how to wear short skirts and still be modest. First, I’d like to point out that I DO NOT think this skirt of mine is too short. Yet it makes me giggle because since I’ve retired, my “feel comfortable” hemline has gotten shorter and shorter.
Quote of the day: “Make mistakes, because if you are making mistakes then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You’re doing things you’ve never done before and, more importantly, you’re doing something.” Neil Gaiman
So even if you think it was a mistake to buy a short skirt. Or you’ve found one from years ago in your closet, why not try to figure out a fix? Even if it’s a mistake, at least you’re following Neil’s advice in the quote above.
I thought of this idea after Nancy was talking about the skirt she took on our cruise. She’s always considered it a tad too short, yet I didn’t think of that looking at that blog post.
For reference, this is the skirt from my first Fashom box. I have used this service three times now and have enjoyed so many of my pieces from my stylist. I hope you try it out because it’s so budget-friendly. If you use my link you get $10 off (and since your first styling fee is waived, that $10 can go towards an item)! There’s a whole post dedicated to making this venture more successful too.
Does it Matter About How Much Leg is Showing?
I think our perception of shortness depends on a ton on how much exposed skin is showing. For example, one of my favorite outfits of Nancy’s years ago, was when she wore a short skirt and OTK boots. Since you only see a sliver of bare skin in Nancy’s outfit, the outfit seems modest.
So I experimented with both my over-the-knee, black boots, and my knee-high tall, burgundy boots. Both only show a little exposed leg (as opposed to the layering photo at the bottom of this post). And especially since the rest of my body is very covered, this works as a great way to be more modest.
Insider tip: This is the perfect reason to embrace OTK boots. I always like the idea of showing some skin between the boots and skirt. However, if you live in a colder climate, feel free to wear them so there is no skin exposed. Just like Charlotte has in the past. Then you don’t have to worry about the color of your tights.
Here’s another example of taller boots and a shorter skirt. And another option here.
Tights Make Everything Better
A good pair of opaque tights is worth its weight in gold. Not only do they keep you warm in the colder weather, but they cover you up. Since I even matched my boots to the tights and background color of the skirt, you don’t really “see” the hem of the skirt.
Insider tip: For those of you in the really cold areas, did you know there are fleece lined tights?
Leggings are Ageless
I wore black leggings on the left and grey leggings on the right. It’s a good reminder that leggings and tights can sometimes be interchangeable because they look very similar.
What is the difference between leggings and tights? For me, it’s the weight of the item. Your tights are in no way, shape, or form are meant to be worn without coverage over them. Whereas leggings could be worn to work out. Sure, you may not feel comfortable having your tush uncovered in your leggings, but they should be thick enough, that it would be okay.
A Skirt over Your Jeans?
Many women wear jeans under a dress or skirt and they look fabulous. We tried it many years ago on the blog and I didn’t consider it terribly successful. Granted, it all depends on the dress/skirt and your jeans. I always said I needed for us to try it again.
Again, I wore a black layer to match the color of the skirt. Many of our skinny jeans are very similar to both tights and leggings. So this is a fabulous trick to feel more modest in short skirts.
Insider tip: Since we are okay with leggings and tights under skirts, then the trick with your jeans is to have them be that same silhouette. Pick tight jeans to wear instead of wide-leg pants.
In fact, this idea of how to wear short skirts over jeans could be one of the fixes for the post Are my Pants too Tight?
How to Wear Short Skirts By Layering Another Skirt or Dress
I’m wearing a black dress under the embroidered skirt. From far away, I doubt you would even notice the different layers.
The other times we have layered over a dress on the blog, we didn’t have the dress hanging out from under the skirt. Yet, why not see it? Just think if this was a black dress, you probably wouldn’t even notice the different shaped hemlines.
In fact, my mom has used this trick of how to wear short skirts on the blog twice before. The first time was when she wore a black skirt under her striped dress. Make sure to look closely to see that it’s not all one piece. Then the second time she wore a charcoal grey skirt under the same striped dress.
I created an entire blog post about different shapes of skirts over a dress and talked about the myths and associated with this idea.
Insider tip: We tend to have the same colors in our closets. So this might work with lots of combinations. Take the time to try your skirt over all of your dresses and other skirts. Even if you don’t think it will work, you could be pleasantly surprised.
Other Ideas of How to Wear a Short Skirt
Considering I have a sewing expert at my disposal, I’ve learned a couple of tricks from my mother.
1- Let out the hem. That’s one way to get a little more material to cover you.
2- Add some matching material to the hem. My mom has used this trick on one of my dresses in the past. You would never look at that dress and think it wasn’t made that way, I bet.
3-Wear a dress extender. We have experimented with this on the blog before. If I had a black one, I would have tried that with this skirt too.
So tell me, does this seem like too much work to think about how to wear short skirts? I know many women don’t want to have to “fix” their clothing. Yet, I consider this a fun challenge. Besides, there might be a wonderful “short” skirt below that you might have to have. And now that I’ve shown these solutions, you’ll feel better about buying it.
Insider tip: BTW, don’t be swayed by terms like mini skirt. Remember to look at the measurements. Just because it looks short on the model, most models are tall. And if you’re not, it could be the correct length.
Photo credit: Rob Filogomo
Thank you
I say thank you all the time, but I really mean it. I appreciate all of your wonderful support and help, so thank you. If you have ever wondered what more you can do besides reading the blog, here are some ideas.
Pinterest is a powerful way for others to get inspiration and discover new blogs. I’d be so honored if you share my images on your boards.
Following me on other social sites to gives you totally different outfits and perspectives about life (and it makes my day when you comment). It’s not all the same posts that you see here on the blog. You can find me on these platforms: Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and You-Tube.
As my goal to show my appreciation for your support, I have started a FUN 411 feature to add some value to your day in most emails. Sometimes it’s a funny piece, sometimes is a great sale or trick! On top of that, there is a monthly giveaway for email subscribers only. Many times I also include some sneak peeks about what’s going on in our personal lives that I don’t share here on the blog. Just add your email address to the box that says email below.
This post may contain affiliate links. When you shop through my links and side bar ads, it helps support my business (at no additional cost to you) so thank you!
