A-Line Skirt
Clothing Definitions — definitions of garments and clothing terms from Apparel Search
An A-line skirt is a skirt fitted at the hips that gradually widens toward the hem, giving the impression of the shape of a capital letter A. The same term describes dresses and coats with a similar flare. This page covers the history of the silhouette, from Christian Dior's spring 1955 A-Line collection through Yves Saint Laurent's 1958 Trapeze Line, and explains its construction: no pleats or slits, shaping by seams and darts, a discreet side or back zipper, and lengths that range from mini to below the knee.
An A-line skirt is a skirt that is fitted at the hips and gradually widens towards the hem, giving the impression of the shape of a capital letter A. The term is also used to describe dresses and coats with a similar shape.
History of A-Line
A-line clothes remained popular in the 1960s and 70s, disappeared from fashion almost completely by the early 1980s and were revived by the retro trend of the late 1990s. By that time, "A-line" was used more loosely to describe any dress wider at the hips than at the bust or waist, as well as a number of flared skirt styles. "True" A-line shapes on the pattern of Dior and Saint Laurent saw a revival in the early 2000s.
A-line Style Details
When referring to dresses and coats, the term A-line generally means fitted from the shoulders to the hips and then widening to the hem, but it is also sometimes used to mean widening from the shoulders to the hem, ignoring the waist and hips.
It is often used to describe a popular style of wedding dress, which is fitted above and around the hips but flares gently to the hem, giving a streamlined and quite slim look.
| The above article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/a-line_skirt). Modified by Apparel Search October 2, 2010 |
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Choosing and Wearing an A-Line Skirt
The A-line is one of the most forgiving skirt shapes because the flare begins at the hip and falls away from the body, skimming rather than clinging. That makes it a practical choice across fabrics: a crisp cotton or linen A-line holds its bell-like outline through the day, a wool version gives a smooth, tailored line for cooler weather, and softer fabrics drape into a gentler flare. Because the silhouette has no pleats or slits built in for ease, movement comes from the width of the hem itself, so a longer A-line generally feels freer to walk in than a very short one cut close at the hip.
Length changes the character of the skirt more than almost anything else. Mini and above-knee versions read as youthful and casual, knee-length and below-knee versions suit workplaces and more formal settings, and the same shape in a dress or coat — fitted from the shoulders to the hips and widening to the hem — is a long-standing choice for wedding dresses, where it gives a streamlined, slim look while still flaring gently below the hip. When shopping, check that the skirt sits smoothly at the upper hip without pulling across the front: the fit there, shaped by the seams and darts, is what creates the clean A outline everywhere else.
Common Questions
Who first used the term A-line?
The term was first used by French couture designer Christian Dior as the label for his spring 1955 collection. Its feature item was a fingertip-length flared jacket worn over a dress with a very full, pleated skirt, described at the time as the most wanted silhouette in Paris.
How did Yves Saint Laurent change the A-line idea?
Dior's successor Yves Saint Laurent gave the A-shape its definitive expression with his Trapeze Line of spring 1958, which featured dresses flaring out dramatically from a fitted shoulder line. That version popularized the silhouette that is still understood as the A-line idea today.
How is an A-line skirt constructed?
A true A-line skirt has no visible embellishments for ease, such as pleats or slits. It is fitted to the upper hip by seams and darts, fastens discreetly with a side or back zipper, may have pockets, and is sometimes worn with a belt.