A History of the Mini Dress: Mary Quant and Her Story

The mini dress appeared in the mid-1960s, and its appearance caused a sensation throughout the world. It is no exaggeration to say that the mini dress is the product of the innovation of the times. It stands out in an era when the economy and society are undergoing tremendous changes. In the 1960s, the society experienced unprecedented turbulence in politics, economy, and culture. The anti-Vietnam War demonstrations, the assassination of US President Kennedy, the anti-race movement, the birth of hippies, and the avant-garde fashion trend in London, all kinds of events contributed to the 1960s society having to face the impact and baptism of new ideas and new things. Although the birth of the mini dress is not as powerful as the birth of the bikini, it shocked people at the time.

girl in byiris pink mini dress

Mary Quant: queen of the mini dress

The miniskirt was invented by Mary Quant, the queen of fashion in London, but some people say it was designed by French designer Andre Courreges. The masterpiece " History of Costume" presented that with the opening of the boutique on King's Road in London by Mary Quant, the history of fashion began. In 1955, Mary Quant cut her skirt bravely and launched a mini dress for the first time. At that time, knee-length skirts were already regarded as mini dresses, but Mary Quant bravely challenged the bottom line on the length of women's skirts and made mini dresses shorter. Of course, the appearance of the mini dress has also been criticized by conservatives, who believe that the mini dress was clearly intended to induce crime. The mini dress shocked the upper class in London, and some people wearing bowler hats used umbrellas to smash the window of Mary Quant’s shop on King’s Road. However, it is the mini dress that shows women's slender thighs and defines the fashion of the 1960s.

The mini dress came into fashion

In 1965, Mary Quant further raised the hem of the skirt to four inches above the knee. The thigh-exposed, brightly coloured, fashionable, and bold skirts appeared for the first time on the hippiest streets in London. The dress of British girls then was known as the "London style". What made Mary Quant famous was that in 1966, she wore a mini dress to the Platinum Palace to receive her knighthood. Her mini dress caused the biggest sensation. The mini dress that affirmed the liberation of the body soon surpassed the clothing industry and became one of the symbols of the women's liberation movement.

girl in byiris black mini dress

The evolution of the mini dress

Since the 1980s, the mini dress has permeated every corner of the office. Many ladies began to wear mini dresses to the workplace. In 1968, it was the heyday of its popularity in Europe and the United States. The mini dress continues to evolve. New-style short skirts fit the hips and loose hem with a bright style. The materials are random, simple, and convenient, and the most popular dress in the EU in recent years is the mini dress. Stepping into the 21st century, the mini dress has been made into short skirts with belts, which boosts innovation and creativity of dress design. It may also provide a look for pants. Due to its exposing characteristics, the general public rarely wears short skirts with belts. However, the mini dress can be worn with trousers or jeans, or even with strappy trousers. In today's society, the mini dress has become one of the symbols of fashion. The mini dress wind blowing around the world shows the vigour of girls in the 21st century.

Byiris: a new definition of the mini dress

The new fashion trend was unstoppable. Young people enthusiastically welcomed mini dresses and middle-aged people also accepted this change with amazement. A variety of different mini-style outfits came into being. Byiris is a fashion company based in Sydney where there are a lot of inspirations from nature. Byiris captures all the design ideas from the trees, floras, and the sea, providing a wide collection of mini dresses including Rosa Wrap Mini Dress, Palma Babydoll Mini Dress, Dazie Babydoll Mini Dress, etc. You can choose your favourite mini dresses here for your summer.