Some skirts are modelled after the style of jeans, with a front fly, belt loops and back pockets. Others are constructed more like other types of skirts, with a column of front button, closures on the side or back or elastic waists. Like jeans, denim skirts vary in shades of blue, ranging from very pale to very dark, or occasionally in other colors. During winter and colder months, denim skirts are often worn with leggings or tights.
History
In the 1960s, hippies first came up with the idea of recycling old denim jeans into long denim skirts,[1][2] by opening the inseams, and inserting pieces of triangular denim (or any other fabric) in the front and, unless a tall slit in back is preferred, also in the back of the opened-up trousers.[3]
Denim skirts were first introduced in mainstream fashion lines in the 1970s.[citation needed] In the 1980s, denim miniskirts—with a pencil skirt silhouette—became a popular teenage fashion. They were initially in darker blues, but eventually pinstripes (light blue on darker blue, red on black) and acid wash. The trend faded in the late 1980s when knit miniskirts were dominant.[citation needed]
Denim miniskirts re-emerged in the latter portion of the 1990s. Marnie Bjornson, a well-known figure in the Reykjavik style scene, is credited with reinvigorating the denim skirt in 1996.[4] The same year, Pamela Anderson wore a light washed denim skirt in a promotional photo shoot for the film Barb Wire.[5][6] The denim miniskirt of the early 21st century was shorter than its 1980s counterpart.[2][7]
In the late part of the 2000s to early 2010s, it was popular for short denim skirts to be worn with capri length leggings and ballet flats sometimes with socks or sometimes sneakers with socks or Sperrys boat shoes.[citation needed]
Gallery
Back view of a longer denim skirt showing jeans styling, 2012
Amanda Françozo in a denim skirt, 2005
Luscious Lopez on the set of Girls Day Out, 2007
A man in a band, wearing a skirt and playing a saxophone, 2005
^Cain, Chelsea. 2004. The Hippie Handbook: how to tie-dye a T-shirt, flash a peace sign, and other essential skills for the carefree life. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, pp. 46-49: How to make a skirt out of a pair of old jeans.
O’Sullivan, Joanne. 2004. Hippie Crafts: creating a hip new look using groovy ‘60s crafts. Asheville, NC, New York: Lark Books, A Division of Sterling Publishing Co. 1st edition. ISBN1-57990-603-6 (pbk), pp. 18-19: Forever in Blue Jeans Skirt (Designer: Joan Morris)