The “longuette” is the French term that refers to those pencil skirts that are usually slim-fitting, straight, narrow cut and rigorously fall below the knee. It is a common creed that  only very tall women can afford to wear them, nevertheless the last worldwide Fashion Weeks have sentenced that they will be adamantly back in fashion for spring 2015. 

Spring, indeed is knocking on our doors, and with it are colorful, floral patterns, on dresses and skirts, and needless to say on longuettes! At the New York Fashion Week Michael Kors presented Pre-Raphaelites-inspired pencil skirts that seemed to be contaminated by the flared structure that was so popular in the 50s. Dolce&Gabbana’s design also falls under the spell of the Bebop-Peggy Lee era, through a cascade of gigantic polka dots; that are also adopted by Valentino’s multicolored creations.

Pencil skirts nowadays can be fun even when they have a more casual style, such as the ones made by APC and Miu Miu, or the plissé version by Burberry. But if you want to opt for a luscious sensual longuette, better stick to the sheer effect proposed by Alice Olivia through the use of black tulle. 

Just like Mary Quant’s mini skirt revolutionized fashion during the swinging sixties, the pencil skirt represented a true innovation when Christian Dior first introduced it in his Autumn-Winter collection in 1954. Longuettes became popular very quickly, especially for office wear, to overcome the austere economic climate given by the Cold War. Shorter strides were forcefully imposed on ladies, because of the way the skirt envelops the female curves. This triggers women to move with major grace. These nifty evergreen wardrobe must haves, represent a timeless classic that differentiate a girl from a woman. No wonder Aretha Franklin was wearing a longuette when she sung “A Natural Woman.”