Going to All Lengths (Woman's Day August 1970)

In the 1950s, Paris dictated skirt lengths.  An inch or two either way decided whether your clothes were "In" or "Out".  In the 1960s the system came under stress, as the young rushed to wear shorter and shorter skirts and the older lagged behind.  By 1970, the system fell apart altogether, as designers tried to impose longer ("midi") skirts and many women just didn't want them.

What was a girl to do?  Well, (American) Woman's Day had some suggestions (in the form of Simplicity patterns) for fashionable skirts in various styles and lengths.  These ranged from a modest miniskirt on the left, to the longer but slit midi-skirt on the right which allowed you to still flash a bit of leg.

From left to right: 

THE SHORTEST ZIP in bold acrylic plaid.  Simplicity pattern 8739... Garland's clinging pumpkin sweater...
SO LONG KNEES—hello pleats, in wool flannel, newly-colored teal.  Simplicity patter 8842... Lady Arrow's frontier shirt...

THE WRAPPED SLASH in purple tweed-printed corduroy.  Simplicity pattern 8749... Over a cat-lady body stocking, by Irene for the McCallum Boutique...

THE BUTTONED SLASH in native-striped washable wool.  Simplicity pattern 8925... With Lady Arrow tab shirt... Also divine over one of your mini-dresses, giving you a split-level costume, another new look.

And if you were going out in your new skirts, you needed something to wear over them.  Woman's Day suggested coats, cardigans, capelets and capes you could buy.  From left to right:

SPONGE-IT-CLEAN TOPPER, in canvas, wipes clean with a damp sponge.  By Gangsters by Valstar of London...

STRING-BEAN CARDIGAN in chenille knit hs the elongated good looks just right for longer skirts.  By Garland...

KNITTED CAPELET with buttons down the front and swaying fringe is updated Victoriana for boutique fanciers.  By Garland...

PONCHO CAPE in henna-colored loden cloth is a versatile coordinate, has white topstitching.  By White Stag...