Miniskirt

A miniskirt (sometimes hyphenated as "mini-skirt") is a skirt with a hemline well above the knees, generally at mid-thigh level, normally no longer than 10 cm (4 in) below the buttocks; and a minidress is a dress with such a hemline. A micro-miniskirt or microskirt is a miniskirt with its hemline at the upper thigh, at or just below crotch level.

The sudden surge in the popular acceptance of miniskirts took place and peaked in the "Swinging London" of the 1960s, and has continued to be commonplace among many women, especially teenagers, preteens, and young adults. Before that time, short skirts were only seen in sport and dance clothing, such as skirts worn by female tennis players, figure skaters, cheerleaders, and dancers.

Pre-1960

While very short skirts have existed for a long time, they were generally not called "mini" until after the 1960s. Instances of clothing resembling miniskirts have been identified by archaeologists and historians as far back as c.1390-1370 BCE. This is the date of the Egtved Girl, a Nordic Bronze Age burial of a young girl who was wearing a short woollen skirt with bronze ornaments that has been compared to a miniskirt.