Mini, midi, long or skort: choosing a punk skirt
What makes a skirt punk rather than just short?
Tartan and hardware. The tartan mini came out of the London punk scene of 1976 and still reads as the default punk skirt. Everything else follows from it: chains across the hip, safety-pin and D-ring detailing, asymmetric hems, and a lace-up or buckle closure instead of a plain zip.
| Length | Sits at | Layer over | Reads as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mini | Upper thigh | Opaque tights, fishnets | Punk, classic |
| Skort | Upper thigh, shorts beneath | Bare or tights | Punk, practical |
| Midi | Knee to mid-calf | Tights, tall boots | Gothic |
| Long | Ankle | Boots | Gothic, romantic |
Sizing
Skirts are sized on the waist, not the hip, and PunkRave uses Asian sizing that runs roughly one size below EU and US. Measure your natural waist and read the centimetre table on the product page. Lace-back styles give a few centimetres of adjustment.
Frequently asked
- What is a skort?
- A skirt with shorts built into the lining. It looks like a mini from the front and moves like a short, which is why it is the usual festival choice.
- What do you wear under a punk mini skirt?
- Opaque tights or fishnets are the standard pairing. Skorts need nothing underneath.
- Are tartan skirts punk or grunge?
- Both use tartan. A punk tartan skirt is short, structured and hardware-heavy; a grunge one is looser, longer and worn with flannel.
- Do PunkRave skirts run small?
- Yes, around one size below EU and US. Order from the centimetre waist measurement on the product page.