Rebecca Taylor

The customers at Sloan Boutique in Charlotte, North Carolina, are of two camps: those who will, and those who won’t… try on the store’s latest crop of miniskirts, that is.

“A lot of women come in and say they’ve worn them when they were popular last time, and they don’t want to wear them again,” relates Jill Sloan, co-owner, along with sister Courtney, of the hip shop. “But our younger customers are wearing miniskirts for the first time.”

The miniskirt was first popularized in the mid-1960s, during the height of the sexual revolution, although there’s still a controversy regarding whether it was Mary Quant or Andre Cour-reges who invented the short skirt. It reappeared during the 1980s with a body-hugging version popularized by Madonna, who paired it with lace tights and ankle boots. And in the 1990s,working-girl characters played by Heather Locklear and Calista Flockhart on, respectively, Melrose Place and Ally McBeal, wore scandalously short skirts, with matching suit jackets, to the office.

This time around, what’s old is new again as miniskirts have assimilated some of the current fashion trends. Designers are incorporating the low-waisted trend made so popular with jeans and trousers into their mini designs, meaning that although the new minis are a shorter length—typically between 14 and 17 inches—they are still considered respectable because they hang lower on the hips.

Sloan reports that her boutique is stocking versions that have cargo details and buckles. But the bestseller is a miniskirt from Michael Kors, which comes in white and turquoise cotton, with embroidered flowers. “It’s very Mexican-looking,” she says.

Jeff Mahshie, creative director for Chaiken, says the miniskirt is the perfect follow-up to the pencil skirt, which has reigned for the past few seasons. At Chaiken, the designers are pushing the envelope with novelty styles, such as striped velvet, bleached cashmere and a double-belted pleated denim skirt.

“That’s what makes it look new and appeal to us,” says Mahshie. “We didn’t do any really straightforward, basic looks. If our customer wants an item, it should be luxurious, novel and impulsive.”

Impulse, indeed, is key for the miniskirt’s biggest fan: young women with the confidence—and figures—to pull it off. According to the Cotton Incorporated Lifestyle MonitorTM, female consumers ages 16 to 24 are more likely to buy clothing on impulse than any other demographic. Of those surveyed by the Monitor, 34% of 16- to 24-year olds said they were most likely to buy clothing on impulse, while only 24% of women their mothers’ age, 35 to 55, would do so.

People were certainly buying on impulse at one of designer Alice Roi’s recent sample sales. “I put out all my old and new minis, and they went like hotcakes,” recalls Roi with surprise.

Roi has become famous in fashionista circles for her “pouf” skirt, a skirt that is gathered, with a puffy, turned-under hem.

“I did two versions, one was a mini and the other one was a little longer, for evening wear,” she says. “The mini sold and the evening version did not. I think that’s an indication of where things are headed.”

Roi’s summer and fall collections also include mini suits with a cropped, short-sleeved jacket and a matching A-line miniskirt, a mini flounce skirt with a thick, three-inch waistband, and evening minis in taffeta and velvet. “In the past, the miniskirt was seen as novel, and almost risky,” says Roi. “Now, it’s more of a statement; it means you follow fashion and you’re a trendsetter.”

Wearing a miniskirt “isn’t as big of a deal as it was in the past,” affirms Connie Maynard, vice president of sales, girls and juniors at Union Bay, where minis are currently the most popular skirt length.

“You’re seeing a lot more miniskirts out there, both in the media and with people wearing them on the streets,” says Maynard. At Union Bay, popular designs include cargo styling, utility details such as belts and zippers, stretch and rigid denim versions, wide waists, drawstrings, and corduroy fabrications. “Texture is particularly important,” relates Maynard. But can they be worn to work? This might determine whether or not young women jump on the miniskirt’s latest revival. According to the Monitor, 52% of female consumers ages 16 to 24 say that their work and weekend wardrobes have pieces that overlap, while 58% in the 25- to 35-year-old age group affirm their wardrobes do double time.

Designers say there’s a way to pull it off, particularly for women in creative fields.

“We have incorporated the miniskirt length into our suitings, and are selling a lot of jackets with our miniskirts,“ says designer Rebecca Taylor. “You can do a feminine, pretty little suit, perhaps with a jacket that has a frilled peplum, or is a little more structured. Women who are not comfortable showing their legs can wear some great hosiery or leggings.” Mahshie agrees. “In fashion, pretty much anything goes if you work in a creative job,” he says. “In the fall, you can wear a miniskirt with opaque stockings and tall boots. Keep it all in dark colors. If you’re going to wear a mini with a heel, then you should be covered up on top—wear it with a turtleneck or a shirt and jacket.”

So no matter where it’s worn or with what, one thing’s for certain – this small skirt will continue to make a big fashion statement.