How to Wear a Short Skirt Without Looking Overexposed

Last Updated: June 29, 2021

Short skirts can be cute, fashionable, versatile, and fun to wear. But how do you avoid feeling uncomfortable, overexposed, or inappropriate when baring that much skin? Learn how to dress in a short skirt and look and feel good in the situation you’re dressing for.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Choosing a Short Skirt

1
Pick a flared or a-line skirt for comfort. Try a short skirt that isn’t fitted and flares out from your body. This will prevent the discomfort and exposure of a tight skirt that tends to ride up the legs.
- While standing, most short skirts tend to have a hemline a few centimeters above the mid thigh level.
- Try a skater style skirt, a pleated skirt, or a button-down skirt in denim, velvet, or corduroy for some on-trend fashions that aren’t so tight and uncomfortable.
- Note that flowy, loose short skirts can easily blow up when a breeze comes through! You might favor a thicker denim, wool, or corduroy material for a windy day outside.
2
Choose a skirt that sits at the natural waist. Get a skirt with a waistband that’s meant to sit at your natural waist, which is the narrowest part of your torso. While it still falls at a normal length for a short skirt, you can feel a little more covered and secure with fabric covering your midsection.
- Look for an elastic waistband for extra comfort, good fit, and better ability to move around.
- Flared styles that rest at the natural waist can help elongate the body and accentuate the waist on short or curvy bodies.^{[1]
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3
Try a high-low skirt. Consider the high-low skirt as a good hybrid of a short skirt and a skirt with more coverage. Find one of these skirts, which can be quite short in the front but longer in the back, to avoid exposure when you bend over or move around.
- Pair this style easily with dressy or casual tops and shoes, and use it as an easy transition from cooler to warmer weather.^{[2]
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- You can also try a skirt that is asymmetrical from side to side, so one leg is exposed more than the other.
4
Go for a little extra length in a fitted skirt. If you choose a fitted body con skirt in a stretchy material, look for one that is slightly longer in length. Because it hugs your body, it will still feel short, but a little extra length accommodates for any riding up the material will do.
- Also look for fitted skirts that just skim the outline of your legs rather than hugging them tightly, as this will prevent it from riding up and give you a break from pulling it down all the time.
- Try a denim skirt for a fabric that won’t ride up, but note that it likely won’t be as stretchy and comfortable as a fitted knit skirt.
5
Consider a skort. Try a skirt with built-in shorts underneath for a comfortable style with no fear of exposing yourself when you move around or the wind comes up.
- Note that “skort” is the name that was originally used for a garment that had a skirt flap in the front but with shorts showing in the back, while a “scooter” had skirt panels covering shorts entirely. In modern fashion, the latter style is favored but the names are used interchangeably.
- Look out for a style that has skirt panels that fall lower than the hidden shorts so they don’t peek out accidentally.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Pairing Other Clothing with a Short Skirt

1
Wear loose shirts or sweaters. Pair a short skirt with tops that cover more skin in loose, comfortable fabric. You can pull on some comfy sweaters for fall and winter, or keep the material light and thin for warmer weather while still feeling a little more covered up.
- If you feel a little uncomfortable with how much skin you’re showing with a short skirt, look for tops with higher necklines and sleeves to cover up more skin on top.
- Pick longer, drapey styles in a top to provide contrast from a structured or fitted skirt. Wear more structured tops that fall right at the waistline to contrast a looser a-line or flowing skirt.
- Try wearing a short skirt with a fitted tank and then donning a long, sheer top that covers the tank and skirt completely for a fun and unique look that is totally covered up while still showing off the skirt underneath.^{[3]
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2
Layer over the skirt. Add sweaters, cardigans, jackets, and wraps to your outfit so that they can fall over your skirt. This will help break up the short line of the skirt and allow you to feel more covered and secure.
- Try wearing a long coat or cardigan over a short skirt. Keep it unfastened in the front so you can still show off your skirt and bare legs while being covered in the back.^{[4]
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3
Wear tights or leggings underneath. Pull on a pair of tights underneath a short skirt to cover up your legs a little more for warmth or modesty. Wear a thicker legging for more coverage or for a colder climate.
- Try a neutral color like black, white, or a shade that matches your skin tone for tights that go well with any outfit. Or, bring a pop of color to a more muted outfit with bright colored or patterned tights.
- You can experiment with the opacity of tights, too. If you’d still like to show some skin, opt for a sheer variety. If you’d like to cover up more, go for opaque ones.
- Textured tights, like fishnet, lace, or ribbed can help keep a form-fitting skirt from riding up.
4
Hide spandex underneath. Consider wearing small spandex shorts meant for sports or biking underneath any short skirt you wear. They’ll make you feel a little more secure and prepared for a surprise breeze or other revealing accident.
- Make sure spandex shorts are short enough that they won’t show underneath your skirt intentionally.
- Get spandex shorts in a neutral color like black, or even match them to the color of your skirt if possible.
5
Wear flat, comfortable shoes. Wear a short skirt with flats, sneakers, booties, or tall boots rather than high heels. Heels accentuate the length of the leg, which can make you feel like you’re showing even more skin than you are, not to mention that they can be uncomfortable and add to a feeling of vulnerability and exposure.
- Casual sneakers and flats help downplay the short length of a skirt. Add other casual pieces of clothing to your skirt outfit to achieve a similar effect.^{[5]
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- Try a taller leather riding boot, cowboy boot, or even a thigh-high boot to cover up more skin while still showing off your short skirt.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Moving in a Short Skirt

1
Walk on even surfaces. Try to walk carefully and on even surfaces when wearing a short skirt. Avoid the skirt riding up or moving around too much by taking smaller steps.
- Avoid wearing high heels, as these will only make it harder to walk when you have to manage both a short skirt and the risk of tripping or falling on uneven surfaces.
- Remember the weather and check for a windy day before you don a flowing skirt to walk around outside in. For a day you know you’ll spend walking outdoors, you might want to wear a more structured skirt that skims the body with a heavy material that will stay put.
- Try not to keep tugging at your skirt, even if it may feel too short. It will only draw unnecessary attention. Try to hold yourself confidently while wearing them.
- If you are a school student, try to avoid all physical activities such as running or jumping.
2
Bend at the knees when bending over. If you have to bend down or move to sit down, make sure to bend from your knees, keeping the hemline of your skirt level rather than making the back come up with your forward movement.
- Also try holding the back of your skirt close to your body before you bend over. This is especially useful before sitting down, as it keeps the skirt down and flat rather than hiked up or rumpled underneath you.
3
Keep your knees together while sitting. Press your legs and especially your knees together whenever you’re sitting in a skirt to avoid exposing yourself.
- Try crossing your legs or tucking one ankle behind the other to help keep legs closed comfortably when sitting in a chair.
- If you have to sit on the floor, sit on your shins with your legs folded straight under you.
- While sitting in a short skirt, almost the entirety of your thighs will be exposed and this will be even more obvious when you're wearing a tight miniskirt. As a countermeasure, you can place a purse, jacket, or other clothing item or accessory over your lap when sitting to help avoid the risk of others seeing up your skirt.^{[6]
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Expert Q&A

Question

What tops go with short skirts?

Tannya Bernadette
Professional Stylist
Tannya Bernadette is the Founder of The Closet Edit, a Seattle-based personal styling service. She has been in the fashion industry for over 10 years and has been recognized as Ann Taylor’s LOFT brand ambassador and Seattle Southside’s official Rockstar Stylist. Tannya received her BA in Fashion Marketing and Business from The Art Institutes.

Tannya Bernadette

Professional Stylist

Expert Answer

Pair a short skirt with a long-sleeve or quarter-sleeve top. By showing less skin on your upper body, it'll balance out the shortness of the skirt!
Question

What if you don't want to impress someone and just want to look cute, not sexy?

Community Answer

Check out at 1960s fashion - miniskirts can look really cute with long socks and boots.
Question

Is this feminist friendly or are you saying I shouldn't wear a short skirt?

Shelbysays

Community Answer

Short skirts are totally feminist friendly. Dress how you want and don't listen to people who try to force you to dress how they want you to.