Skorts

Skorts... The name has come to mean something different every several years. However, when I was growing up in the the 50s, a skort was a very short (micro-mini) crystal or knife pleated skirt with an elasticized waist with attached bloomers of either matching or contrasting fabric. Since then, the term has been applied to any split, pants-like skirt, including a scooter skirt. These modern versions, however, do not have any of the charm, innocence or modesty of the permanently pleated original.

For this page, skort is the original garment, in all of its simplicity. Skorts, also called pop-skirts, bloomer-skirts, shorty skirts with attached panty and tennis-skirts, were quite popular at the end of the 1950s. Catalogs of the era show them in all sizes, from little girls 3-6X, all the way through misses sizes. They came in all colors, both prints and solid colors.

In a 1959 catalog, Montgomery Ward asserted ownership of the copyright on the term "skort" and featured skorts in the full range of sizes. They offered skorts; skort dresses, which were rather like tennis dresses with separate bloomers; and skort swimsuits. A veritable cornucopia of skorts... The year before, Sears claimed skorts were a Florida invention and Alden's '58 catalog describes them "as seen in Life magazine." Here are some examples:

	Sears offered these nautical look skort sets with sleeveless middy blouse in 1959		These two cute "skirtee" sets are from the Eaton's 1960 catalog.
	This charming set of three blouse and skort sets was featured in the 1960 Sears catalog.		A crystal pleated skort (bloomer skirt) and blouse set, offered in Peacock Blue, White or Black, from the '58 Sears catalog.
	A knife-pleated skort with attached solid color bloomer from the '71 Sears catalog. Also available in solid colors Pink or Lavender.		A shoulder-tie blouse tops off the "new fashion skort" from Sears in '58. The skort is also offered in a variety of bright colors and several patterns, all with matching attached elasticized pants.
	A trio of crystal pleated skorts in girls size 7-14 from Sears '60.		Sears advertised a number of these two-piece sets in 1960. These two and the one to the left below are blouse & skort sets.
	In the days before the wide use of air conditioning, coupling a plaid skort with a sleeveless top was a cute way to stay cool.		Called a "playtime favorite" by Sears in '58, these skorts came in a light blue and pink print or solid red or white. The back waistband is elasticized.
	Wards did a 10 skort layout in their '59 Summer catalog to show them in various designs.		A bloomer-skirt and top set with a convertible collar. Print skirt with attached solid bloomers. Wards '58 Spring.
	Aldens offered this red and black plaid skort in misses sizes all the way to size 18. Blouse offered separately.		This "pre-teen" sized middy and "authentic skort" was described as a hit in the '58 Aldens catalog
	"As seen in Life magazine" says Aldens about this cute navy skort in girls size 7-14.		A big rage with every gal is this '58 "skirt-all" from Aldens -- romper with button-on skirt.

Taffy's Favorite Skorts