How short is too short?

Discussion of fashion elements and looks that are traditionally considered somewhat "femme" but are presented in a masculine context. This is NOT about transvestism or crossdressing.
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phathack
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Re: How short is too short?

Post by phathack »

Eborian wrote: Sat Oct 18, 2025 12:31 pm Too short is anything that would reveal your underwear.
I bought a couple of really short skirts and I wear them with Leggings or Yoga Shorts with a 3" inseam which will just visible peak out below the skirt.
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skirtyscot
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Re: How short is too short?

Post by skirtyscot »

I have quite a few skirts that are about 18", and a few that are a little shorter. A couple are slightly less than 17", and that's my limit.

Those are mostly for the tights season, which is quite long in Scotland. In summer I prefer something longer, to keep out of sight those things that ought to be kept out of sight, and to keep the sun off my pale sunburnable skin. Anything from 21" to maxi. But I have a few shorter ones, for variety.

In the office, 18" feels a bit short, and most are 20" - 26". The weather is getting colder and I've just broken out the pencil skirt collection. Who needs short?
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denimini
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Re: How short is too short?

Post by denimini »

phathack wrote: Tue Oct 21, 2025 4:43 pm I bought a couple of really short skirts and I wear them with Leggings or Yoga Shorts with a 3" inseam which will just visible peak out below the skirt.
I think that Yoga shorts are OK to be visible considering they are mostly worn with no overlayer. I sometime wear bike shorts under a mini skirt when riding my bike in town. No cause for compaint as most are worn without a skirt over them. If someone thinks it is my underwear ....... well that is just their imagination.
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Susie
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Re: How short is too short?

Post by Susie »

when considering the length, don't just view yourself standing up - skirts move: lean over / sit down / stretch up / lie down (skirts can suddeny reveal a bulge when you do this)

have fun and feel comfortable
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SkirtsDad
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Re: How short is too short?

Post by SkirtsDad »

Too short for whom? Or too short for what?

i think shortness and whether a skirt could be deemed too short depends very much on the style of the skirt, the activity you need to perform in it, and the location/audience.

I have 9" skirts that I feel comfortable wearing out because they sit on the hips more than the waist. Whereas the hemline of some of my high waisted skirts, that are technically around 5 or 6 inches longer than my shorter skirts, is virtually at the same point. The style also has a bearing on wearability. I have tight denim skirts that don't always stay quite quite they ought to be if I'm not standing, so perhaps not ideal if I need to sit or pick something off the floor, except at home, however a flowy pleated skirt is typically fine in these circumstances. Whether I'm working for a customer or if I'm out a the pub would also be an influencing factor.

In summary, too short for me is related to many factors and therefore not really quantifiable.
LiuBang
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Re: How short is too short?

Post by LiuBang »

For me I would never wear any skirt shorter than top of the knee length. Even if I'm wearing leggings underneath I still would never wear a miniskirt.

I want my skirts to be conservative and office-appropriate. Besides, I'm really a no-frills, modest guy.
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TonautBrom
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Re: How short is too short?

Post by TonautBrom »

LiuBang wrote: Tue May 05, 2026 10:14 pm For me I would never wear any skirt shorter than top of the knee length. Even if I'm wearing leggings underneath I still would never wear a miniskirt.

I want my skirts to be conservative and office-appropriate. Besides, I'm really a no-frills, modest guy.
This is it. Why would you wear a frilly skirt if you wouldn’t wear a frilly shirt?
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Myopic Bookworm
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Re: How short is too short?

Post by Myopic Bookworm »

LiuBang wrote: Tue May 05, 2026 10:14 pm For me I would never wear any skirt shorter than top of the knee length. Even if I'm wearing leggings underneath I still would never wear a miniskirt.

I want my skirts to be conservative and office-appropriate. Besides, I'm really a no-frills, modest guy.
I don't like frills, and I wouldn't wear a miniskirt to the office, but neither would most women: it's not office wear. (I remember, some years ago, reading an online whinge from some guy who had been reprimanded for wearing an 18 inch miniskirt to the office and freaking out his colleagues. Silly man!) I do have one very short and rather tight miniskirt, but I have never worn it outside the house.

Since I work from home, I can wear a miniskirt whenever I like (always with either tights or black underwear). If I do have to visit my boss's office, I would generally veer towards the boys' side and wear a kilt.
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Re: How short is too short?

Post by LiuBang »

Eborian wrote: Sat Oct 18, 2025 12:31 pm Too short is anything that would reveal your underwear.
So no kilts for you?
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Myopic Bookworm
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Re: How short is too short?

Post by Myopic Bookworm »

When I was a student, a female friend casually commented that if you are going to wear skirts, you have to accept that - once in a while - you're going to flash your underwear. Just make sure you're always wearing decent underwear! (I once had a near disaster involving a kilt and a pair of underpants with inadequate elastic.)
LiuBang
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Re: How short is too short?

Post by LiuBang »

Myopic Bookworm wrote: Thu May 07, 2026 8:50 pm When I was a student, a female friend casually commented that if you are going to wear skirts, you have to accept that - once in a while - you're going to flash your underwear. Just make sure you're always wearing decent underwear! (I once had a near disaster involving a kilt and a pair of underpants with inadequate elastic.)
No underwear exposure with underwear! But yes, you're 100% right when it comes to short skirts!

When I wore a kilt, I wore it with swim briefs. Sure, swim briefs are even skimpier than regular underwear. But ironically, they're more modest 'cuz swim briefs have better elastic! Plus flashing swim briefs is less embarrassing than flashing regular undies.

I actually didn't care if someone accidentally saw my briefs. I was like, "laugh all you want when I have a Marilyn Monroe moment, but I don't care, because I'm wearing a sassy, classy skirt that is 10x more elegant than pants."
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phathack
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Re: How short is too short?

Post by phathack »

There was a look that the club girls were into about 10 years back.
I Mini Skirt over Long Bike Shorts. The Shorts were about 1 inch above the knee and the skirt was about mid thigh or 2 or 3 inches shorter than the shorts.
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