It's unlikely that you missed it, but in the past year
eclectic ethnic has swept the nation with a phenomenal speed, reaching a
peak in summer 2005 with the ultra feminine Gypsy Boho skirt.
In 2005, women began to wear skirts for the first time in years.
This revived 1970's tiered 'Hippy Skirt' has been a worldwide success and
because of the easy fit with mostly elasticated waist/drawstring and lots of
hip room it is ultra comfortable. In addition this makes it very easy to manufacture
with one size often adjusting to fit many.
Ethnic touches had been around for some time in the
noughties, but no one could have truly forecast just how they would come
together to culminate in the huge and how universally adopted Gypsy
Boho Look. Yet now, with fall 2005 upon us we find the time has come to move forward. This is
easily achievable with the Rich Russian Look which will take you through the
transition from Boho to Babushka with ease.
After a decade of trousers or trouser suits, women of every age group
have now successfully completed their skirt training! Skirts now easily compete
with jeans, trousers, cropped pants and shorts for attention. So if you've loved Boho don't despair, with just a few key
wardrobe additions you will move smoothly through to the newer Russian Look.
Boho gypsy skirts have swept the world. Global
communication means that fashion ideas translate quickly from one country to
another. Never mind imports, this skirt is as easy to make in Manchester as
in India or in San Francisco.
Whilst pondering on the popularity of gypsy skirt in UK this
year and how my forum readers really went overboard for skirts in general
this year, I recently came across this Press Report about skirts of 2005 at
PR Web. This was the first time though that I had read that it has no
name. In the UK we mainly call it a gypsy skirt. But I have to
say, I do recognise other confusing terms here such as Boho, tiered, peasant
and crinkled all terms most used in UK. So with gypsy that makes about
5 terms I've been using to describe it on various occasions.
I've checked out some mass market retailers in UK and most describe it as a
Gypsy skirt, or as a Boho skirt or as a tiered skirt.
Strictly speaking most skirts are named according to the
cut such as flare, straight, box pleat, accordion pleat, panel, princess
seamed, wrap over, circular and so on.
So it follows that technically
such a skirt should really be called a long or short tiered skirt or a
flounced skirt.
Just to make sure we are all visualising the same skirt this
is how I think of Boho skirts, although teens have worn them as much shorter minis
with just 2 tiers.
Boho Images from Topshop and Evans - Courtesy
Arcadia
What hope is there to get an accurate name now so many names are
circulating? Very little. Just look at my listing in the
coats and cloaks
section of names used for the same basic item of a cover up coat or jacket.
It's already a lost cause as far as I am concerned and
variety of description is what
makes the naming language of dress rich and interesting - a bonus for
fiction authors who
love to use costume description to make one character stand out from
another!!!
I could if required make an argument that inspiration for
this skirt style stems from Laura Ashley and her late 1960s-1970s long floral cotton
tiered skirts or just as easily cite Spanish dancers with castanets as the inspiration!
But to me this summer 2005 will always be the summer of the Gypsy Boho
skirt. Oops the same skirt line also appeared in the 50s when the film
Carmen was popular. Here is my elder sister wearing such a dress circa
1958.
Tiered, Flouncy,
Bouncy, or Boho? The 'Skirt With No Name' has become a linguistic wonder
since, unlike most mass-merchandized products with apparent global appeal -
it has no name.
San Diego, Calif. (PRWEB) August 5, 2005 - The 'Skirt With No Name' has
become a linguistic wonder since, unlike most mass-merchandized products
with apparent global appeal - it has no name, or rather none generally
accepted by the consumers, who have come up with a plethora of names to
describe it.
"It's as if Motorola has introduced a new model of its popular 'Moto' phones
or Toyota a new Lexus sedan only to have the consumer ignore the names
bestowed upon them by their respective marketers and insist upon using their
own particular favorite," said Paul J J Payack, President and the WordMan for
the Global Language Monitor.
Preliminary analysis using the Global Language Monitor’s (www.LanguageMonitor.com)
proprietary Predictive Quantities Indicator (PQI), have come up with the top
names used to describe the apparel. Using this analysis, 'tiered' seems to
have settled in as the most popular description followed by 'peasant',
'gypsy,' and 'flouncy'. The PQI tracks specified words and phrases in the
global print and electronic media and on the Internet. The words and phrases
are tracked in relation to their frequency, contextual usage and appearance.
Apparently the skirt is selling well around the globe. It has been suggested
that the skirt originated in Mexico, was inspired by the burgeoning Bollywood studios, is a throwback to California '60s Hippie Culture, or the
sudden 'coolness' of all things Gypsy.
"There has been a global groundswell of demand for The Nameless Skirt, after
having been by-passed on the runways of Milan, Paris and New York," said
Millie Lorenzo Payack, Director and Fashion Correspondent of The Global
Language Monitor, "And the fact that the 'tiered skirt' comes in such an
unusually large number of variations that might be worn to work, dinner or
dancing seems to account for the wide variation of names accorded the
product".
The complete list of names, and commentary, associated with the skirt
follow.
1. Tiered - Though it's not always tiered only adds to the confusion
surrounding the name.
2. Peasant (sometimes Pioneer) - Throwback to California '60s Hippie
Culture.
3. Gypsy - A tribute to the current popularity of All Things Gypsy.
4. Flouncy - A favourite of teenage girls who favour the short, circle cut. (From 'flounce' meaning fringe, frill, trim, edging, and furbelow.)
5. Boho - The 'Oh so cool' description (from Bohemian).
6. Crinkled - Actually meaning 'crinkle' as in 'wrinkle'.
7. Voile - Many 'high-end' shops favor the French mystique.
8. Gauze - A thin or transparent fabric with a loose, open weave.
9. Bollywood - As in 'Hollywood,' the Mumbai-based film industry in India.
10. Indian - As in Bollywood, though some associate with a Native American
influence.
About the Global Language Monitor
California-based Global Language Monitor analyzes and catalogues the latest
trends in word usage and word choices, and their impact on the various
aspects of culture. A worldwide assemblage of linguists, professional
wordsmiths and bibliophiles, supports the GLM to help monitor the latest
trends in the evolution (and demise) of language, word usage and word
choices. End of Press Report.
Sewing Pattern for a Tiered Peasant Boho Gypsy Flounced Skirt!
If this look still interests you, you can make a similar skirt in
the gypsy style using this Simplicity sewing pattern with tiers.
Image of pattern courtesy of
Simplicity.com
Ω
Boho Skirt
Update June 2006
This Boho skirt won't go away. I still see it everywhere although some
of the frills now walk vertically up the skirt's side! I think it won't die
for a couple of years yet because it's a useful skirt and in a drab
understated colour can be perfect for sightseeing, holiday wear, beaches,
sitting on the floor or just relaxing. It may even be the go anywhere
skirt version of jeans. It is often easy launder by being wrinkled and
crinkled allowing you to wash it and tie it in a knot to dry. That's a
far easier life for skirt than one in pristine pressed linen demands. It's the perfect
modern travel skirt and doesn't have to be a man made fibre either.
If
you like it, I say why shouldn't you continue to buy variations of the Boho skirt.
It can be a wardrobe staple for holidays
especially. But please do ditch the circular disc belt of 2005.
Just revise the skirt name and if you need to refer to it, call it the
classic folkloric look!
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