Skirt length frustration when shopping!

[KeepOnCleaning]

Just a rant! I know exactly what I want and I have measured my current skirts so I know what length I need to it be. I want a new denim skirt. But I have short legs and I know that the ideal length on me will be around 17-18". I'm finding it impossible because websites so rarely give the length of a skirt. They'll call something a 'mini' or a 'midi', but these are meaningless. I know that if I want a midi length, it needs to be around 30-32" to sit in the right place on me. Some online stores will charge for returns, but if they had given me the length in advance, I would know that it won't suit me and wouldn't have ordered it. I'm finding it very frustrating trying to find a skirt specifically at the length I want, without ordering loads and hoping that one of them falls at just the right length.

Get them altered.

I feel your pain. I only buy from places that provide flat measurements for all garments. From my experience most online shops list lengths of skirts, dresses and inseam of trousers, so maybe it’s time to vote with your wallet and shop elsewhere?

Whenever I buy preloved I also scroll past sellers who don’t list flat measurements of their garments.

1. Start using websites that offer a better service. Pretty much everywhere I order clothes from gives detailed measurements for every garment, in addition to size conversion charts.

2. Is there a specific reason why you cannot get your skirts altered? (They can’t all have a placed print that’s difficult to work around?) I have one long denim skirt that has some crafty fading around the hem; it’s a tiny bit too long but I’m reluctant to lose that. But if I really needed it shortened I’d ask my alterations service to shorten it at the top, beneath the waistband.

I also feel the frustration but think it's an inevitable part of buying off the peg clothes. At least we can alter hemlines (I know that doesn't always work) - it must be harder if skirts are always too short.

I've sometimes contacted shops before ordering to check length and I now ignore Vinted sellers who don't give measurements. Sometimes though it's not just the length but where the waist sits - a high waisted skirt can be a couple of inches shorter on the leg than I expected.

I think - and I know this is getting harder - it's one of those times when there's no substitute for going to real shops and trying on before buying.

Examples ( you don’t have to like these specific skirts):

https://communityclothing.co.uk/collections/womens-skirts/products/bobbie-a-line-denim-skirt-blue

https://www.toa.st/collections/womens-skirts/products/straight-indigo-denim-skirt-indigo (Click on size chart.)

https://eu.thefrankieshop.com/products/mayenne-cargo-skirt-brown

Oh, the Vinted sellers not giving measurements is annoying.

"Length is knee length". Not on me it's not.

It also annoys me on Vinted that you can't specify length when searching, meaning I have to go through pages and pages of short and standard length jeans.

But, @Floisme there’s almost nothing in physical shops now …

A close friend of mine, clever, resourceful, stylish, a very standard height and size, and thoroughly experienced in finding great clothes both online and in person, recently found herself in need of a decent dress for a last minute event. She was away from home so couldn’t simply open her wardrobe, and it was too late to reliably order online. So she went into her nearest city; trawled there (Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, all the usual High St shops - with Cos disappeared) and then the next day the famously huge shopping mall nearby. By the end of the second day she was furious, horrified and almost in tears. Things that we (because she’d enlisted my help) found online turned out to be staggeringly poor quality in the flesh, if they were available at all. She found almost nothing but athleisure and tiny bits of shiny satin. And had to settle for the one dress that vaguely lived up to expectations and wasn’t more suitable for clubbing than a sombre occasion.

All I could feel was justified in my ceaseless argument here that unless one lives in Mayfair (with a corresponding budget), in person shopping right now is almost guaranteed to be deeply disappointing.

Oh I know @TheApocalypticiansApprentice - many upsides to online shopping but sometimes it just doesn't cut it in my opinion. I still thoroughly enjoy a city / neighbourhood with good proper shops and rarely come away empty handed.

By the way I've seen that Community Clothing skirt for real and really liked it although it wasn't in my size so can't comment on the length. Also I have a Toast skirt similar to the one in that link (but not in denim) that was a good couple of inches too long but easy enough to shorten / get altered.

My favourite is the sellers describing their items as “standard size” (in the local language). At the moment there’s no ISO standard for clothing and 38/10 i one brand can be 32/4 in another.

I always list flat measurements and I still have buyers asking me if an item is “large”. How would I know? Grab the tape and measure yourself!

They don't all have measurements though. At the moment I'm looking at specific skirts on Next, M&S, Arket, Roman, Tu, Abercrombie, Fatface, Boden. None of the skirts I'm looking at have the length so I don't know what is or isn't worth the bother of trying. They tell me that the model is 5'9" and wearing a size 8 which really isn't reflective of how it's going to look on me! Yes, there are the odd ones that have a skirt length, but the majority don't. And I don't want the extra hassle and expense of having to alter them, if there is another one I could order that will sit right on me. I actually find Vinted easier because at least if they haven't listed the length, I can message the seller and they usually respond.

See also trousers and leg length

Hmm … Well you’ve said this is just a rant. 😂 That’s a good thing because no one here can wave a magic wand and force the only shops you’re prepared to order from to provide the service you want.

I’ve offered three places that do give garment measurements. If everyone posting here suggested three more, you’d soon have quite a list - but it’s no use if you refuse to shop at any of them.

And we’ve suggested alteration. But you won’t do that either.

Your only other options are to contact your chosen sites individually to ask for specific measurements for each thing, or to contact your MP and pressurise them to raise the issue in Parliament.

🤷‍♀️

Vintage Marks Spencer St Michael via eBay, Vinted etc. is good for this - the labels often show waist, hip and length measurements.

They tell me that the model is 5'9" and wearing a size 8 which really isn't reflective of how it's going to look on me!

I'm 5'3" and a size 12/14/16. If I like something I never pay the slightest attention to this information. If the garment is made in a 12,14 or 16 then I assume it's suitable for a 12,14,16.

I don't believe in many cases this information is correct, or if it is, then I often think what the model is wearing is a version scaled to look on the model the same as it would look on an average woman.

This model is 5' 10" wearing an S. The S on me, wearing flat shoes is ankle length but doesn't drag on the pavement. This is just one example but it's vanishingly rare I have to get anything altered.

https://klements.co.uk/products/dusk-dress-in-doomed-voyage-print-sorbet-port?variant=42760402141342

There is a esprit mini skirt on ebay with measurements

OP, I clearly shop in different stores. I have not bought anything online without at least having the length provided since 2020, maybe longer.

If I really really like something and I think it’s worth the hassle I write an email and ask for flat measurements. I don’t want to return things, for environmental reasons. I assume that the brands that make me guess how their products fit don’t align with my values because they clearly don’t care about the environmental impact of returns.

Palava lists the measurements of every item.

https://palava.co/collections/all-womenswear

I also have short legs and I sympathise, OP. Very tired of trying to envisage where something will come on 5'6 me (but with short legs, normal sized torso) when it comes to knee of a 5'10 model with long legs and a short torso.

It always makes me feel like the 'if it takes one man two days to dig a hole, how long does it take a chicken to fly to Paris?' type puzzles.