One of the greatest fashion revolutions of the 20th century is based on a traditional garment originally worn by ancient Greeks and Romans-the tunic. For centuries men wore this together with leggings or tights as their working garb. In the 1950's, however, when it appeared as women's wear in the exciting shape of the miniskirt- it was seen as an outrage because it exposed the female thigh. (oh my!)
The British Designer Mary Quant started sewing clothes out of frustration over the stuffy teenage fashions of the 1950's. She created comfortable, loose smocks without bodices, petticoats, or frills. In 1958 she designed her first super-short shift dresses which seemed more like children's clothes than for adults.
This English "child's" dress was adopted in a very different manner in France. Pierre Carin, one of the most avant-garde fashion designers at that time, created mini-length, angularly cut shift dresses that, instead, had something robot-like about them. His miniskirts- still by no means generally accepted-sometimes resembeled medieval surcoats, held up in the center front by straps.
I just think they're cute!
Source- Icons of Fashion, The 20th Century, Prestel
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