The miniskirt under moral evaluation

Authors

• Ulla Tuovinen Turun yliopisto

Abstract

The paper discusses Finnish reactions to a new trend in women’s fashion, viz. mini-length skirts and dresses, in the late 1960s. More specifically, it focuses on the analysis of 76 letters that readers mailed to the editors of the newspaper Helsingin Sanomat and the magazines Apu, Suomen Kuvalehti and Me Naiset in 1966–68. These writings have been chosen because they all bring moral considerations to bear on women’s fashion. They are analysed with reference to the drastic changes that were taking place in Finnish society at the time, and also with reference to Stanley Cohen’s definition of moral panics. Although the shortening of women’s skirts did give rise to some moral concern, there was no full-blown moral panic in Cohen’s sense. Journalists adopted a neutral tone and the majority of the readers’ letters, too, were moderate or noncommittal. Although some writers condemned miniskirts in very patronising tones as sinful and improper, most writers took a more nuanced view towards them: a length that was deemed suitable for young women was not regarded as suitable for mature women; what was fine for lay occasions was not fine for church, and what was proper for leisure time was not proper for work. Some writers worried more about the effects of narrow-minded moralisation on young people and on society than about the effects that women’s bare legs might have.