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MINI MARVELS
After Yasmin Le Bon, 54, revealed she won't be retiring her short skirts any time soon, we asked four readers of the same age what they think about embracing shrinking hemlines
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- Cigdem Tanrioglu
EMBRACE shrinking hemlines in your fifties – like Yasmin Le Bon. The Eighties supermodel, now 54, will not be retiring her short skirts.
Yasmin said: “I wear more miniskirts now than I did in my 20s. The older you get, the more you need to hang on to your rock ’n’ roll.”
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Married to Duran Duran singer Simon Le Bon, with whom she has three children, Yasmin became a gran last June when daughter Saffron, 27, gave birth to son Jacob.
But after returning to the catwalk at New York Fashion Week, she said she “doesn’t want to look like a grandma on the runway.”
CIGDEM TANRIOGLU styles four readers the same age as Yasmin to prove you do not need to be a model to rock a short skirt.
And Sun Deputy Fashion Editor CLEMMIE FIELDSEND tells why it should be staple kit for women of all ages.
Lesley Layton
SINGLE Lesley works in retail. She has a 12-year-old son and a daughter aged 15, who she lives with in Marlow, Bucks. She says:
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- Pink rollneck, £49.50, Marks & Spencer - buy now
- Blue blazer, £65, River Island - buy now
- Skirt, £12, Prettylittlething.com - buy now
- Shoes, £35, Next - buy now
"I’ve never been afraid of shorter hemlines. I frequently wear shorts and love to pop on a glam minidress on a night out.
"Usually I’d save them for a special occasion but after seeing how easy it is to wear a miniskirt during the day, I would definitely ditch my jeans for a mini-style more often.
"There is no need to dull down your style and look dowdy just because you’re getting older. I love wearing my shorts and minidresses. There is no way being 54 is going to stop me from putting them on.
"If anything, I feel more confident in a shorter hemline – it suits my figure better and makes me look great, which can only be a good thing."
Abi Lulham
THE events company director is a mother of two and lives in Twickenham, South West London, with her 17-year-old son and daughter, 13. Ali, who is single, says:
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- Cream top, £45, Marks & Spencer - buy now
- Pink blazer, £35, Marks & Spencer - buy now
- Skirt, £35, River Island - buy now
- Shoes, £60, River Island - buy now
"I feel great in this outfit. It’s really nice wearing a miniskirt styled like this – the blazer makes it feel sophisticated.
"I used to love wearing miniskirts when I was younger and still wear them now. There’s no need to stop buying a particular piece of clothing just because I’m a bit older.
"I may add a pair of tights on the days I don’t feel one hundred per cent, but otherwise I’m going to show off. I think it’s a piece of clothing that has outlasted trends.
"Women shouldn’t be afraid to wear shorter skirts, you just have to do it with confidence and that will show through."
Virge Gilchrist
THE actress, who is single, lives in Richmond, South West London, and has sons aged 20 and 23. She says:
- Orange top, £20, Dorothy Perkins - buy now
- Yellow skirt, £25, Dorothy Perkins - buy now
- Shoes, £45, Marks & Spencer - buy now
"I think if you’ve worn miniskirts in the past, there’s no need to hang them up past a certain age. Yasmin is known for her amazing legs, so it makes sense for her to flaunt them – even if she is a grandmother.
"I usually associate mini skirts with being in my twenties or being on holiday, but it feels great to wear one now. Why not wear one? They never really go out of fashion.
"They’ve been popular since the Sixties and I can’t see them falling from favour any time soon – they certainly don’t have an expiry date.
"Good on Yasmin for saying that she’s wearing hers into her fifties – hopefully it will encourage many other women to do so too."
Sharon Johnson
THE business developer has two sons and three daughters, who range in age from 16 to 30. She is single and lives in Stockport, Gtr Manchester. Sharon says:
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- Red spot shirt, £35, Topshop - buy now
- Green skirt, £36, Oasis - buy now
- Shoes, £25, Marks & Spencer - buy now
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"I do love wearing miniskirts, with a pair of heels – especially if my legs are looking tanned.
"I don’t think you should have to cover up as you age. Just because you are getting older doesn’t mean you have to look like a granny.
"Yasmin is a perfect example of someone who is still sexy in her fifties without looking tacky. She’s a real style icon and always looks great in her miniskirts.
"I feel a bit bare without tights today because it’s so cold outside, but why not wear a miniskirt once it warms up? I’ll definitely be getting my legs out and nobody can stop me."
It's a feminist statement and wardrobe essential
THE miniskirt is an item every woman should own, writes Sun Deputy Fashion Editor CLEMMIE FIELDSEND.
From school discos to first dates, it has been our faithful friend for life’s biggest moments – so we shouldn’t ditch it as we hit 50.
When I was 16, I owned a black miniskirt that gave me magic powers.I couldn’t have made it through my school years without it.
It made me feel amazing, whatever I wore it with – whether with trainers on a trip to the park to meet mates, or my too-high heels I could barely walk in.
In my black mini, I could walk tall. And miniskirts are still one of the staples of my wardrobe – a regular at work and at play. Just because you’re in your fifties doesn’t mean that you lose the right to free your knees, so we certainly shouldn’t ditch our life-long comrade.
I have taken a vow to always remember how good I felt in my black number.
It was a teenage confidence crutch, a feminist statement and an iconic wardrobe essential – quite an achievement for one small piece of material.
Thank you, magic mini – I salute you.
Nail this season’s must-have mini skirt trend with our top high street picks
