Finding long skirts for young girls can represent a shopping challenge for parents. These particular clothing items are not common to certain age groups. Long skirts are elegant and modest, and many parents find themselves concerned with the trend of receding hemlines that has dominated youth fashion for decades. However, despite the elegance of long skirts, they are not always practical for certain age groups. Until a young girl has mastered the art of lifting her skirt as she walks, particularly in the outdoors, ultra-long maxi skirts act as brooms for dust and debris. For this reason, maxi skirts are virtually unknown to the manufacturers of toddler fashion, and they still remain rare within girls' sizes.
Shopping for Girls' Long Skirts
If you're looking to find long skirts for girls and prefer the in-store experience, shopping for these items may present a situation of "hit and miss". A particular designer may include a maxi skirt within his seasonal line occasionally. Your best bet is to purchase the item immediately without any expectations as to whether or not maxi skirts will frequent the next season's merchandise. Common chain stores and fashion boutiques such as Old Navy, Target, Gymboree and the Children's Place are as likely as any to carry these items. One advantage of shopping in such well known stores is that each retailer has an online website where consumers can peruse the current seasonal merchandise. More than likely, if a long skirt is not featured in the merchandise that is viewable online, it is less likely to be available in-store. Store locations must limit their inventory far more than their online shop. Viewing a retailer's online options will give you an inside glance as to what items may be available in the actual stores.
There are no known retailers that cater specifically to the concept of girls' long skirts. The phrase "long skirt" is somewhat ambiguous as some individuals may have an entirely different idea of what constitutes long than others.
How Long is "Long"?
The phrase long skirts can apply to many lengths. Some skirts are considered long if they reach slightly below the knee. Compared to many mini and micro skirt styles, a below the knee skirt might constitute long. However, for individuals who live in extremely modest communities, even a skirt that boasts a mid-calf length is still thought to be short. For such individuals, long translates to ankle length and not an inch shorter.
Parents who define long skirts as items reaching below the knee will have a far easier time accommodating such stipulations. Common department stores and clothing chains that focus on essential basics will usually carry at least a few of these styles within each seasonal line. Again, you can always check the latest collection at a particular retailer's online website, though this advice is not always useful when it comes to department stores. Department stores will provide varying inventory from store to store and a company's website is not always representative of the in-store inventory. Retailers such as Gap Kids and Old Navy are amongst the more popular names, and modest apparel is typically available year round.
The Modesty Movement
Ultra long skirts (also called "maxi" skirts") are the purview of the modesty movement. Modest communities now have their own emerging designers and many talented seamstresses have taken their talents to the Internet, showcasing their long skirts via Etsy and other mediums. More established companies such as Hannah Lise also provide modest apparel seekers with fashion options.
If you are looking to provide your little girl with a consistent repertoire of long skirts, then the realm of modest fashion represents the greatest array of choices. Since these items are rare in stores and most modest designers rely on the Internet for hosting, your selection will be limited.
Further Options
A final option available to fans of the maxi style is the seamstress. Long skirts are not popular items, but they are also not necessarily difficult to fashion for an experienced seamstress. Hiring a seamstress will fix the problems of inadequate or far-too-adequate hemlines, as many maxi skirts run overly long for the average-framed girl. Having clothes custom-made may be more expensive than the typical in-store item, but it allows for immediate quality control while eliminating the need for alterations. When it comes to long skirts, this latter consideration may become a real issue.
