Tennis Skirt Vs Skort? All Answers

Skort vs. Skirt: How to Choose the Right Style for You

The debate between rock and skort can be a contentious issue for many. Skirts are classic, comfortable and easy to style. The skort is considered a practical alternative, especially for those who like it sportier overall.

How did this unexpected piece of clothing come into play? According to legend, a then-popular retailer first included it in one of its seasonal catalogs in the late 1950s. Shorts were attached to the pleated skirt. At a time when more and more women were experimenting with styles that were often seen as daring and revealing, the skort added another option to their fight.

Even if you’re more of a rock type overall, you might want to give the skort a try. How to find out which style is right for you.

Review your activities for the day

A skort is much sportier than a skirt. Sure, some skirts are specifically designed to be worn while playing tennis or swimming, but the skort is a more versatile option if you run, walk, bike, play golf, or participate in any other type of physical activity. That bit of extra fabric can help you feel more comfortable when you’re jogging trails or lifting weights at the gym and want to protect your modesty. Skorts also add a fresh touch to your workout attire. They pair well with everything from sports bras to lightweight t-shirts.

On the other hand, for other environments, such as the office or a restaurant, a skirt is a more sensible choice. They’re much easier to dress up or dress down – a midi skirt, for example, looks stunning with a chic women’s blouse and a pair of pumps and is a great choice for a formal occasion, like a meeting or job interview. Both skorts and skirts can play very specific roles in different areas of your life.

Think about your comfort level

You may have the desire to wear a skirt when it’s mild outside, but you don’t necessarily want to wear something short. Or it could be that you generally feel more comfortable wearing shorts on warm days. The skort is a brilliant combination of both and those who are used to wearing shorts regularly will not even notice the difference in the way the garment feels. The only big change? Skorts offer a decidedly dressier, more gathered look than shorts alone.

But if you tend to wear skirts a lot, then a skort might be a choice for a different occasion. Skirts are practical – they’re easy to wear and come in a variety of silhouettes to suit your style and comfort preferences. You can choose a maxi if you prefer a little length and want to wear something that offers the same coverage as pants but still enjoy the freedom of movement that skirts offer. A knee-length skirt is a few inches longer than a skort, but looks a lot less sporty.

Don’t rule out the opportunity

Fashion is nothing without a spirit of adventure. Just because skorts are naturally sportier than skirts doesn’t mean you can’t wear them to a more formal occasion. It all depends on the style of the skort. Some are more sophisticated than others and easily fit into the workplace. Focus on both the design and the length if you want to make the skort a more integral part of your wardrobe.

A more modest length is essential if you want to minimize the sporty look. Other elements such as pleats and buttons give the piece a more upscale look. You can easily pair it with a silk top and cropped blazer, and throw on a pair of flats or even heels to complete the ensemble.

What if you’re more of the sporty type overall? If your preferred uniform is joggers and hoodies, then you’re probably more comfortable in shorts and skorts in general. But that doesn’t mean you can’t dress up in a great skirt when the occasion calls for it! Opt for something more structured and less fluid, such as B. A crisp khaki skirt to stay in the same realm of comfort and style as your more casual sporty bottoms.

make the choice

Ultimately, it comes down to your comfort level and style preferences. It’s easy to change up your looks from day to day. Invest in some great tops including lightweight cardigans, simple tees and dressy blouses so you can create fresh ensembles with your skirts and skorts any day of the week.

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A skort is a cross between a skirt and shorts. In recent years, this versatile piece has regained popularity. Skorts can have a fabric flap that makes the front look like a skirt while the back still looks like shorts, or the shorts can be completely hidden under the skirt. You can even find skorts with a long, flowing skirt. Skorts tend to give off a casual vibe, so either wear them as part of a fun daytime outfit or opt for a sporty look if you want to be cute and comfy while you work out!

Shorts that look like a skirt

A skort is a pair of shorts with an overlapping panel of fabric resembling a skirt covering the front and back, or a skirt with a pair of shorts tucked underneath (may also be referred to as athletic skirts).[1]

history [edit]

A field hockey player who wears a skort as part of her uniform

While some garments sold as culottes resemble short pants, skorts make them look like skirts. They differ from trousers or shorts in that they are wider at the hem than at the waist.

Originally referred to as “pant skirts,” skorts were designed to provide more freedom during activities (such as playing sports, gardening, cleaning, or riding a bike) and to evoke the look of a skirt. At first, skorts were not considered appropriate to be worn in non-sporting activities.[2]

Montgomery Ward, in their 1959 spring/summer catalog, claimed to have invented the garment they called the skort. It was a short knife- or accordion-pleated skirt with attached bloomers underneath. Years later, the term would be applied to a pair of shorts with a flap of fabric in the front (and often in the back as well), giving the garment the appearance of a skirt. In recent years, the term skort has been given to any skirt with attached shorts.

Predecessor[ edit ]

The origins of skorts can be traced to earlier garments such as bloomers and culottes, which grew in popularity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, despite general public disapproval of women wearing trousers.[3] In 1911 Paul Poiret produced several designs which were a combination of skirts and trousers and they became known as jupe-culottes or as harem pants. Similar to skorts, culottes include various styles that can appear as hybrids between pants and skirts.[5] Skorts are characterized by their construction as shorts with fabric over them to make them appear as a skirt.

women’s sport[edit]

Skorts are popular in sports such as field hockey, tennis, golf, bowling, and camogie, and are often part of girls’ athletic uniforms.

The first known skort-like clothing worn as tennis attire was worn by Spanish player Lilí Álvarez, who wore a pair of culottes shaped to resemble a skirt during her 1931 Wimbledon match.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

While skorts are currently very popular in fashion, some continue to see them as a compromise between comfort and femininity. Growing up, Sandy Sánchez, a New York City-based copywriter, was never comfortable wearing skirts or shorts because they showed off her legs. It took her a long time to land on the skort as a garment that showed her legs and that she was comfortable in. After years of saving and researching vintage skorts, she developed a fondness for ’90s Liz Claiborne numbers. “I was able to move comfortably while still wearing something really cute,” she says. “I love wearing skorts when I’m working out, walking a lot, or just wanting to feel comfortable,” says Sánchez.

When the sport of lawn tennis was invented in the 19th century, fashion dictated that women wore corsets and long skirts, which of course meant extreme movement was severely restricted. Full-length white, cotton, and linen dresses soon took over, but these still did not lend themselves to athletic games. It was Suzanne Lenglen who started today’s practical tennis wear trend, as she wore shorter, calf-length skirts and short-sleeved tops while winning tournaments with an athletic style unprecedented in the early 20th century.

Dress styles continued to evolve until they were short and fashionable as well as practical by the 1960s. Two-handed backhands were unheard of at the time, allowing players to hold a spare ball in their non-racquet hand during a rally and no ball storage was required. When the two-handed backhand became popular in the 1970s, a spare ball had to be placed somewhere during play. Plastic ball clips have been tried for a while, but the modern solution is to wear spandex ball shorts under a skirt or dress.

It is unusual for tennis dresses to include built-in shorts. While such a combination is practical, it is considered more stylish if the dress and prom shorts are separate items of clothing. Therefore, a tennis dress is usually purchased without shorts built in, but it is exceptionally uncommon for a player to not wear one with shorts.

Do tennis dresses have pockets?

Tennis dress design in 2020 is big business. Manufacturers pay leading players to show off their latest styles at major televised tournaments in hopes that amateur enthusiasts will buy them in large numbers. Today’s clothes are light, comfortable and cool, and are made of materials that quickly wick sweat away from the body.

Unfortunately, it has been considered unfashionable for some time to build pockets into the tennis dress itself, so these are almost unknown today.

It’s probably not just a matter of fashion, as putting a ball in a pocket attached to a loose-fitting dress would no doubt be distracting when rallying.

Nevertheless, bags have not always been missing. When teenage Tracy Austin burst onto the scene in the late 1970s, she wore homemade dungarees, some of which contained extremely useful looking pockets!

What players can wear under their dress or skirt

In the past there were rules related to considerations of modesty, the limits of which were gradually tested by players and designers like Gussie Moran and Ted Tinling until they became far less restrictive. Nowadays gamers can wear pretty much anything they like under their dress or skirt.

In practice, they almost always wear spandex ball shorts with a pocket. These are convenient and practical. The only real complication comes at Wimbledon, where all clothing is expected to be predominantly white, including underpants.

Leggings are allowed in cold conditions like the French Open 2020.

How do female players hold tennis balls?

On a first serve, most players prefer to have a second ball so as not to lose their rhythm on a second serve. It’s possible to hold a second ball in your non-racquet hand when hitting a one-handed backhand, but this is rare among female players today – and in any case, some hands wouldn’t be big enough to hold two balls by the start of the point .

Ball shorts are the solution for most players. They have a sewn-in pocket that allows you to store a ball without causing discomfort during play.

Can female tennis players wear shorts?

Wearing shorts for tennis instead of a dress or skirt was pioneered by Alice Marble in the 1920s. Since that time, shorts have never been the most popular style of clothing, but some leading players have preferred them. For example, they have been worn at major events by Martina Navratilova, Mary Pierce and more recently by Yelena Ostapenko and Victoria Azarenka.

These shorts were generally fairly slim fitting, which meant they didn’t always have pockets incorporated, so they didn’t necessarily offer a solution to the ball storage problem. Ball shorts can still be worn underneath if they are loose enough.

Final Thoughts

The history of women’s tennis clothing reflects its changing position in society. Originating from a time when players were forced to wear something extremely uncomfortable and impractical, tennis clothing has evolved into a variety of practical and stylish options.

Tennis dresses today allow women to feel fashionable and feminine without being restricted in their movements. They are usually paired with underpants, which can be as modest as the player desires and allow for convenient storage of the spare ball.

The return of tennis rock is well underway in 2022. A sportswear favorite for decades, the pleated silhouette brings mini-sized fun to every serve and volley. Then, for Spring/Summer 2022, designers like Dior, Tory Burch and Bottega Veneta slowly introduced them into their collections, creating tennis skirt outfits for all our warm-weather adventures.

These high-fashion versions are more versatile than their on-court predecessors. It girls celebrate this more mundane twist, pairing them with everything from baggy Gucci sweaters (à la Shelby Ying Hyde) to quirky vests (Sofia Coelho). Whichever version of the trend suits you, arm yourself with the best tennis skirt outfits of the moment – and scour your closet for pieces that could be the perfect complement to your new favorite below-the-waist piece.

11. Lululemon Pace Rival mid-rise skirt

The graduated seam on this court-ready skort gives the illusion of fun ruffles without the added fabric. But what really got us in love with the Pace Rival skirt is the fact that it has three pockets – one at the back waist and one on the outside of each leg on the shorts lining – so you don’t even really need a pocket take along. You can just tuck all your essentials into your skirt and walk out the door.

Buy ($78)

Size range 0 to 14

Summer is back and with it another constant of the season: outdoor sports. With the onset of Wimbledon and US Open, the most influential championships to take place in the summer months, it is inevitable to note that the orderly and dynamic style of tennis has influenced summer fashion, for both men and women. Bare legs on a red background under a pleated mini skirt, a pair of sneakers and a peaked cap are the perfect accessories for a fresh and cool match, just like Zendaya in Luca Guadagnino’s upcoming Challengers.

Z on the set of Challengers!!

But even off the court, the tennis mini skirt is making its way into wardrobes and becoming one of the trends of the moment, so much so that it also inspires many SS22 collections thanks to the Old Money trend that’s all the rage on TikTok: by Miu Miu with his very popular set on Bottega Veneta, from Dior to Lacoste. The tennis mini skirt is a really light piece of clothing that almost seems undressable and immediately gives a street and easy chic touch to all the looks in which it is the protagonist. The pleats, introduced to ensure smoother mobility thanks to a larger space in the hip area, wrap the body during the game and guarantee comfort to the legs even when seated. The garment is now a symbol of female empowerment on the pitch, but it used to be a symbol of social status and nss G-Club wants to tell you how it evolved.

It all starts in Victorian England around the 1860s when tennis became a hyped sport for the aristocracy. The sports uniform of the period reflected the fashions of the time: maxi skirts and heavy flannel skirts, worn together with long-sleeved and high-necked blouses, had to be white due to their color, which honored the wealth and social status of aristocratic players, and extremely common instances of mud catching. The epic turning point came in the 1920s when Alice Marble first wore shorts on the tennis court and Suzanne, “the divine”, Lenglen walked the court wearing an unusual knee-length skirt with a matching silk scarf on her head, designed by the The French Designer Jean Patou. In 1933, Lacoste and his famous crocodile come to life and begin to dominate the tennis apparel industry with premium cotton twill fabrics and the “Polo” shirt.

Fashion and comfort land on the pitch and start playing a game that evolves year after year on the principles of performance and freedom of movement. Skirts became shorter and shorter and in 1949 the scandal happened: Gussie Moran wore lace shorts under her tennis miniskirt and all the Wimbledon photographers took to the floor to capture such a moment. The look, designer of the great British tennis uniform innovator Ted Linglin, is the first of many: he will design the most iconic green and blue sequined PVC two-piece uniform for Billie Jean King, the tennis pro and LGBT advocate who fought against the first woman against men as documented in the 2017 film Battle of the Sexes. While uniforms gravitated toward eccentricity in the ’70s, they exploded into a frenzy between the ’80s and ’90s, but still, between cosmic one-piece suits and denim shorts, the tennis miniskirts remained en vogue. Spandex, PVC, and other synthetic materials allowed designers to experiment with fabrics to create the highest-performing tennis apparel items ever. Shortly thereafter, Nike and Adidas were popping up all over the place at Wimbledon, supported by the William Sisters and many other professionals. Known for her striking on-court outfits, Serena Williams wore lace and leopard prints that break British Championship rules, but always loves a good traditional tennis miniskirt: in 2016 she wore a Nike ensemble, featuring a white sleeveless top and a classic White pleated mini skirt and a 2018 collaboration between Nike and Off-white entirely dedicated to the female champion.

Light, versatile, essential and easy to combine. The only precautions that need to be taken are the length, the color and the fabric. Technical mini skirts are usually very, very short, delicious in their white few inches of fabric. The trick is to pair them with white culottes or with tight shorts. In many models, the trousers are already “integrated” for maximum comfort on and off the pitch. Once you have found the length you want to wear the mini tennis casually, simply rely on your own sense of color and taste: white goes well with pastel colors, while black goes perfectly with neutral and bright color combinations. The fabric makes it more or less sporty: there are variants in cotton twill, in eco-leather or in denim, in satin fabric and so on. Logo maxi shirt, top and chain, a nice pair of statement socks and the coolest sneakers, and you are ready to go out with a timeless classic with a street twist, a cardigan often with a V-neck, boots and all – bag be confused with an off-site student.

As the trend wanes on social media, particularly the Instagram feeds, nss G-Club has selected a mini tennis mini skirt buyer’s guide to wear on the court and more importantly, outdoors.

As POPSUGAR editors, we independently select and write about things we love and think you will love too. If you purchase a product recommended by us, we may receive an affiliate commission, which in turn supports our work.

It feels like it’s been a hot minute since every rock variant has been at the top of my wish list. So I’m excited to welcome the tennis skirt into the game and I’m ready to find my match. (I promise, now the tennis puns will stop.) While hiding in place, it feels like I’ve run through a few Instagram fashion trends pretty quickly. Tracksuits became little ribbed loungewear sets — of course, Kim Kardashian’s Skims got one out as soon as possible — and now it seems everyone is upgrading their look at home even further with the resurgence of tennis skirts.

Is this a subtle way for all of us to honor Wimbledon as the tennis tournament was canceled this year? Or maybe it’s a nod to that ’90s schoolgirl moment that Cher Horowitz would approve of. Anyway, Cardi B and her daughter Kulture are fans as they matched in Burberry’s plaid iteration. Ever since then, I’ve felt like I spot a tennis skirt on every feed I land on. Styled with sports bras, logo socks and chunky sneakers, oversized hoodies and even cowboy boots, these are now a direct replacement for sweatpants in warm weather.

Seriously, for every pair of sweatpants you see, I dare you to mentally replace them with a tennis skirt and tell me that the outfit somehow doesn’t work anymore. The tennis skirt adds a touch of athleisure to any outfit and, as long as the fabric isn’t too stiff, it’s also great for lolling around in. Doing some shopping or walking in the park has never looked so good, as tennis skirts naturally offer a little more sparkle than your everyday joggers. Read on for some clever ways to wear one, then shop my favorite pieces, most of which are under $100.

We have independently selected these offers and products because we love them and we think you might like them at these prices. E! has affiliate relationships, so we may earn a commission if you buy something through our links. Items are sold by the retailer, not E!.

The tennis skirt trend is gaining momentum, thanks to stars like Kendall Jenner, Melissa Gorga and Hannah Ann Sluss showing off how to wear the iconic silhouette outside of a tennis match. Lately, the internet has been buzzing with another new athleisure obsession: gym clothes. And that’s what we’re here for!

No wonder tennis skirts and training dresses are taking over. Both styles not only offer more comfort and breathability than leggings, but also allow you to go from the gym to lunch with friends in no time. Whether you wear them for sporting purposes or not, these trendy fits need to be in your closet ASAP! Plus, you can always throw on a graphic tee or denim jacket to spice up your tennis skirt or workout dress.

Below we’ve rounded up our favorite training dresses and tennis skirts from brands like Alo, Outdoor Voices, Girlfriend Collective, Amazon and more!

Today, the skort—a skirt-and-shorts portmanteau—is most commonly associated with female tennis players scurrying across a tennis court, spandex-like bike shorts beneath an A-line mini that flaps in the wind and serves two purposes: modesty, so one Woman can spread her legs without showing the world, while maintaining a sense of traditional femininity.

But the history of the skort doesn’t begin with tennis. Instead, the skort’s true path to mainstream acceptance can be traced back to a fad that hit America hard in the late 1890s: bicycling.

“The Bicycle – The Great Dress Reformer of the 19th-Century,” by Puck, August 7, 1895. Library of Congress/ LC-DIG-ppmsca-29031

The first skorts were actually called “pant skirts,” a chunky but apt name that describes the outfit’s dual identity. While non-Western cultures had long experimented with draped trousers for women—the salwar of South Asia, the ankle-ruffled Jodhpurish trousers of the Amazons—pants were considered virulently masculine in many more conservative cultures, and are still considered virulently masculine for women to wear themselves co-opt.

But in the 1890s, cycling rose from mere spectacle to sport, and a trendy one at that. The design was an immense improvement over the previous “Boneshaker” design, allowing the rider to balance more comfortably on two similarly sized, air-filled wheels and a metal chain that kept the wheels in motion. On these new and improved bicycles, a woman could propel herself around independently—a fact that puzzled and appalled both men and women who couldn’t understand why early feminists like Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton were so enthusiastic about racing around in two Wheels.

A Woman Riding a Bicycle, 1897. Library of Congress/ LC-USZ62-93792

And as anyone who’s ridden a bike knows, a piece of clothing between the ankle and the metal chain that makes the wheels whirr begs for a fall. That meant the flowery fashions of the Victorian era were particularly ill-equipped for a ride around town. A 2014 article in the Atlantic Notes, this ushered in the first radicalized statement in women’s fashion, with bare ankles and baggy pants that caused the socially respectable to gasp in shock, which they saw as utter inappropriateness and impunity to social norms.

These days, putting on pants under a skirt might seem almost conservative, but Keren Ben-Horin, a fashion historian and author of She’s Got Legs: A History of Hemlines and Fashion, says that the “pant pants” that cycling demanded were women who made for a stunning statement of independence. “It was very forward,” says Ben-Horin. “And it was only worn as athletic wear, not street wear.”

In fact, the first skorts were the first athleisure products, although they had nothing to do with the sleek, moisture-wicking, body-defining outfits we associate with Lululemon yoga pants. The first skorts were wide-legged trousers under a placket, which was double-breasted to hide the fact that there were trousers under the skirt. “They weren’t bifurcated garments, and the pants part wasn’t really shorts,” says Deirdre Clemente, a professor of history at the University of Las Vegas who specializes in the fashion industry. “They were more like a skirt with a flat front and they were very roomy.”

A stereograph, c. 1899, labeled “Sew buttons on yourself, I’m going for a walk!” Library of Congress / LC-USZ62-50832

But these garments were revolutionary at the time in that they emphasized a voluminous butt (usually created with a corset and cage) and flat front. “Big boobs, big sleeves, big butt,” says Ben-Horin. The trouser pants reversed this concept. “It raised a lot of questions,” Ben-Horin points out, “about what it means to be a woman, what it means to behave properly, what it means to be a woman who wears pants. This violated men’s power and a man’s role in society by wearing what was considered masculine; If you wear pants, you are violating this assertion of power men.”

As with many fashion trends, the French were the first to make skorts cool. It was World War I and women were redefining fashion and utility, challenging the Victorian era’s emphasis on ruffles and impractical layers amid the newfangled idea that clothing should prioritize freedom of movement. More importantly, the time’s fascination with Orientalism: Westerners were fascinated by the spoils of colonialism and what they considered “exotic” – namely, harem pants, dense and intricate embroidery, and more flowing lines that allowed a woman to to walk and not to falter. wobble unsteadily in a literal cage. Parisian couture houses began to feature heavily embroidered culottes, which could be worn at home or as a costume, and were seen more as whimsical relics of distant lands than as a practical thing to wear on errands.

Left, Irene Castle dances with her husband Vernon; right, Irene Castle in trousers, c. 1915. Library of Congress/ LC-USZ62-120466/ LC-DIG-ggbain-21768

In an ironic twist, dancing brought the male-straddling skort into the mainstream. Ben-Horin attributes the popularity of the culottes to Irene Castle, who – along with her husband Vernon – is credited with bringing ballroom dancing into fashion after the First World War. Castles’ dance prowess was hugely popular in silent film, and quickly involved whirls that required complex footwork. Those Victorian era frou-frou dresses were a hindrance and basically useless. Castle is credited with not only ushering in the flapper era with her bob and her slinky, shin-skimming dresses, but also has a penchant for “split skirts,” or a skirt that’s parted like harem pants, with pleats delineating the Cover front it looks like any other dress on the outside. This freedom of movement, combined with the flapper-era trend, was enough to persuade upper-crust women to don pants under their skirts.

Clemente says the rise of skort also overshadowed the rise of synthetic fabrics like rayon, which had just been invented. “It enabled mass production for women,” she says. Women’s fashion used to be very tailor-driven, but the skort was an off-the-rack purchase for dancing and could be produced cheaply thanks to chemical fibres. Rayon also absorbed dyes better, introducing colors that moved away from the drab, dull beige hues that dominated the Victorian era and allowed women to express themselves in more vibrant tones.

That led to a trickle-down effect from women to girls: Clemente says that rayon’s unique ability to be used in skorts led to college-age women starting to use a variation of the skort as gym class uniforms adopting what admins reassured with the look of the skirt, while allowing female athletes to run and jump without the restrictions of a skirt. “It was the first time you really saw the purchasing power of young women,” says Clemente. “These women under 30 were navigating social norms and dictating purchases. And with viscose, they could buy two of something their mother would only buy one of.”

If cycling made the skort accessible and dancing made it appropriate, then tennis eventually made the garment something a woman could wear outdoors on the street. Wimbledon 1931 changed the course of sports fashion history for women – and made the skort a superstar. “Wimbledon has always been fertile ground for women’s clothing issues and conversations,” says Ben-Horin.

That Spanish tennis player Lili Alvarez appeared on court at Wimbledon in 1931 wearing trousers draped with a layer of fabric to create the illusion of a skirt. Created by Italian designer Elsa Schiaparelli, the outfit had previously been worn at the French Open, but its debut at conservative Wimbledon left several members of the audience gasping. “Some said it was lewd, shocking,” Ben-Horin says of newspaper reports commenting on Alvarez’s take on femininity in court. “But Lili said it was much more comfortable because she could spread her legs. Even though it looks like a skirt, it still caused a stir.”*

Lili Alvarez wearing a skort, 1931. Public domain

“The skort was marginalized after 1930,” says Clemente, noting that society had moved to seeing women in cropped pants, making the front and pretension of a skirt unnecessary. “They were still very popular with tennis players, but they lost their notoriety.” But Alvarez single-handedly allowed women to wear pants to work — if a woman could strut around in court in baggy pants flaunted as a skirt, then the company of a woman wearing pants was fine. And Alvarez’s version of the skort helped democratize the garment — previously, its audience was exclusively white, wealthy, and able to afford the casual sports it offered them. Now the skort was a practical item, something a woman could wear while jogging or a girl to soccer practice.

But the skort has been relegated to the world of sport rather than popular fashion, and Clemente has a theory as to why. “Skorts represent the compromise between the offensive – shorts – and the polite – the skirt,” she says. “Skorts had a formal element of traditional dress, but you also got these modern elements of movement and freedom. Shorts were associated with masculinity, but once they became socially acceptable, it was no longer necessary for women to wear a skort.”

It took another world war and a few more decades of hem-wandering for the skort as we know it—an above-the-knee contraption with an A-line cut and bike shorts underneath—to really take off. In the 1960s, the skort resurfaced thanks to miniskirts and the counterculture revolution. “It was very fashionable, for free-spirited women,” says Ben-Horin. “It never really became a fad, but a statement of freedom of movement.”

A woman in a tennis outfit, photographed by Toni Frissell for Harper’s Bazaar, 1947. Library of Congress/ LC-DIG-ppmsca-01949

“One thing about the skort was that it appealed to both men and women,” says Clemente. “Femininity is something that men have forced upon us. Men have defined what is feminine and what is non-feminine. The skort lets women maintain their femininity, but also women who define femininity for themselves.”

That’s the thing about the skort: its quiet rebellion might lead some to think it’s masquerading as a skirt, offering traditional modesty to its wearer. The skort’s ability to rise above the boxes of masculinity and femininity, being pant and skirt in one, means it can be more than a cute portmanteau most importantly. Kickstarting the women’s sports revolution in America would have been almost impossible without the skort. Without the skort, gender roles in fashion – a man should wear trousers and a woman should wear a skirt – would have been difficult to break down. Without the skort, some of today’s biggest trends for the lower body – baggy trousers, knee-length skirts, religiously observant and modest fashion, and of course athleisure – would have been almost impossible and even more difficult to imagine selling to a mass audience.

“Skorts are incredibly important,” says Clemente of the garment’s role in feminism. Don’t be fooled by its indecisiveness to be neither shorts nor skirt: the skort is revolutionary.

*Update: The article originally said Lili Alvarez didn’t wear stockings at Wimbledon in 1931. She wore stockings, but her opponent didn’t.

Current examples on the web

There are many print options for women like the satin skort for $69 or the ruched pants for $79.50 and the matching cropped top with a tropical print for $49.50. — Allyson Portee, Forbes, July 1, 2022

Her matching skirt was crafted from the same holographic metallic material and featured a sporty wrap skirt tie detail to accentuate the mini at her waist. — Seventeen, June 14, 2022

The Upside combines the skort, tennis skirt and shorts into a pleated jersey hybrid that works like all three. — Arden Fanning Andrews, Vogue, June 8, 2022

According to Conforti, it’s inspired by the brand’s best-selling skort and supports high-intensity exercise. — Halie Lesavage, Harper’s BAZAAR, May 19, 2022

Pliskova wears a galaxy-print cami tank top or racerback, both worn with a skort. —Tim Newcomb, Forbes, May 18, 2022

Imagine a skort that looks like a skirt, or a convertible bag that can be worn as a backpack or crossbody. — Claire Harmeyer, PEOPLE.com, March 17, 2022

With a flattering high fit, an asymmetric wrap front and oversized button closure, the plaid skort’s design is anything but ordinary. — Claire Harmeyer, PEOPLE.com, February 25, 2022

Prada top, Prada top, $2,750, skort, $1,750, and skirt, $1,830, Prada.com, Simone Rocha crown, $520, and shoes, $1,185, SimoneRocha.com. — WSJ, February 6, 2022

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A common fear among women is not knowing what to wear on the golf course. Unlike their male counterparts, women’s golf wear does not reflect business casual attire. Therefore, a woman needs to know what golf attire is made of and where to find it before stepping onto the course.

Women have to dress more conservatively on the golf course than in the office. Even then, some of the available golf fashion is not suitable for the golf course (particularly depending on the exclusivity of the club)!

As an avid golfer, I have found golf brands and styles that work for me. I particularly like the golf lines from Lizzy Driver, Schriffen, Jofit, Sport Haley and GGblue, just to name a few. But golf clothing is expensive. Almost double the price of tennis wear and casual wear, which often puts women off playing golf.

Ladies, don’t worry! It is possible to find clothing that is golf course appropriate and comfortable without looking any further than your own closet.

Below are 7 secrets to dressing right on the golf course!

Pants: Colored khakis or capris are the best choices for pants, but black sweatpants are an acceptable substitute when the only other option is jeans. FYI – BLUE JEANS ARE NEVER ALLOWED ON A GOLF COURSE – No Exceptions! Tops: Collared shirts are the safest choice. This could be a long sleeve workout shirt or a more formal shirt to wear around town. Shoes: If you’re not ready to buy golf shoes, just wear your running shoes. They don’t offer the same stability, but if you’re just starting out you might not notice the difference. Skirts: If you’re wearing a short tennis skirt, wear tights or spandex underneath. If it’s too warm for tights, wear a longer skirt. The acceptable skirt length for most golf courses is that it is past your fingertips when standing upright. Clubs like Cypress Point, Augusta, and San Francisco want your skirt below the knee (no exceptions). One last thing, if you’re going to a more exclusive course, wear pants or buy a golf outfit. While buying a new outfit is not ideal, the golf club has the authority to send you home for improper attire. You could potentially embarrass the member of the club who invited you to play and risk not being invited back. If you’re looking for a cheap entry-level outfit, check out stores like Marshalls or TJ Maxx. They always have golf clothing at a great price. When in doubt, wear what you wore to the office to class and just change out your shoes. If it’s business appropriate, it should be golf appropriate!

Written by contributing author Jenn Harris of High Heel Golfer.

Skorts, named for the combination of skirts and shorts, were fashionable garments created in the sixties but more recently adopted in sportswear to meet the needs of a female athlete.

According to Wikipedia, “A skort is a pair of shorts with a panel of fabric resembling a skirt covering the front, or a skirt with built-in shorts hidden underneath”.

“Montgomery Ward claimed in their 1959 spring/summer catalog to have invented the garment they called a skort. It was a short knife- or accordion-pleated skirt with attached bloomers underneath. Years later, the term would be applied to a pair of shorts with a flap of fabric in the front (and often in the back as well), giving the garment the appearance of a skirt. In recent years, the term skort has come to mean any skirt with attached shorts.”

Skorts offer more freedom for activities like biking, hiking, hockey, tennis and golf. They evoke the look of skirts with a functional addition of “bike” shorts underneath to maintain an element of modesty and comfort.

Golf fashion has changed dramatically over the centuries. From the very modest and totally impractical fashion that includes long corset skirts and high-necked dresses, to high-waisted trousers and jackets, to more fitted pants and shorts.

We’ve seen the skirt evolve in recent years in shorter, softer fabric, prettier designs, and with the requisite short built in.

Hockey, netball, and tennis players first adopted the skort, and now golfers love it too.

The skort offers comfort and functionality while still keeping the skirt fashionable. While many golfers still like to wear shorts or cropped trousers in the summer, the skort is enjoying increasing popularity due to shorter skirt lengths.

Skorts allow golfers to wear a variety of lengths and styles. While the straight skort will remain a staple in every golfer’s wardrobe, we know more and more women are opting for a variety of styles and fits.

The skorts are also becoming more practical as the shorts have pockets for balls, t-shirts and gloves.

Like our friends in the tennis world, we now wear everything from flips and pleats to ruffles and slits, even wrap or asymmetric designs come through.

Some of our favorite sporty skort styles

ruffle skort

Made fashionable on the tennis court for a pretty and feminine look. Layers are flattering and cover the built-in shorts.

Pros – Feminine, pretty, hides lumps and imperfections due to layers.

Cons – needs to be shorter to work.

flip skort

Double layered skort with pretty flip bottoms. Flattering style and flattens out with the outer layer while offering a pretty “flip” bottom.

Pros – Flattering style with double layers and slightly longer length possible with flip bottom.

Cons – Bottom flip area can flap a bit in the wind.

pleated skort

These can be box pleats, accordion pleats or event pleats – but all provide that feminine look while maintaining a sporty style of skirt.

Benefits – Provides extra movement and shape with the pleats, particularly in the back of the skort.

Cons – Wind can affect the skort but luckily you should have a fitted pair of built in shorts underneath!

straight skort

The staple of all skorts and one that every girl should own. These can be long or short with or without slits on the side.

Pros – Classic in style yet functional, can be worn in a longer length for those not brave enough to go shorter. Suitable for those traditional golf courses or if you want to switch from golf to shops!

Cons – there aren’t any other than saying some golfers only own straight skorts – maybe it’s time to try something else.

If you want to look great and feel athletic yet feminine, the skort is a great option for stepping out on the golf course in style.

There are so many styles, fabrics, lengths and colors but our biggest tip is to choose a style that suits you, your body shape and your needs. Be a little bold and try one of the more creative designs like the ruffle or flip skort and you might be surprised at how good it feels to wear.

Helen and Shannan

Redbelly Golf

Australian golfers Shannan Webber and Helen Haynes founded the exciting women’s golf clothing brand Red Belly Golf, named after the many iconic red-bellied black snakes found on their home course. Their mission is to bring modern and unique golf apparel to fairways around the world. Based on the prestigious Stonecutters Ridge Golf estate in western Sydney, golf enthusiasts have combined their love of golf with fashion – the result is a feminine and sporty collection.

Shannan comes from a large golfing family. Her young son is an avid and aspiring golfer who inspired her to create a junior range. Shannan is the creative driving force behind the style of the collections.

Helen has been playing golf for over 20 years and started the game shortly after a kidney transplant ended her promising tennis career. Golf gave her the motivation to get fit and healthy again, to travel the world and to introduce her to her professional golfer husband.

Helen and Shannan have created an outstanding clothing brand for women who love golf and want to look great and feel more confident. They are proud of their Aussie designs and hope the collection will attract more women to the great game of golf.

Visit Red Belly Golf online at www.redbellygolf.com and follow Helen and Shannan on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter