Spring Summer 2012 Trend: Tail Hem

by Anna Villaruel
(Seoul, South Korea)

April 2, 2012: I love this unfinished look on skirts and dresses. It's seductive and playful. The longer "dipped" hem in the back conveys elegance, while the shorter front hints at something more revealing. The wonderful cutaway hem cover yet expose. I just adore the way it brings attention to your legs in a classy but oh-so refreshing way.

SS2012 RTW by Kevork Kiledjian
You can also find this cut on shirts and tees which have a more effortless, unfinished look - resembling an untucked or oversized top. So if you want to create a subtle fashion statement with this trend I suggest trying on a tail hem top rather than a dress. You can also find various lengths and hem styles such as side and split hem - so it's entirely up to you what you feel most comfortable in.

Get the Look:

Product info: Skirt - Top - Sandals - Bracelet

How to wear Tail Hem

You might want to weigh in the shape and length of your legs. Longer and leaner legs can handle most hem lengths.

However, in the more detailed guide to selecting the right skirt length, it is advised to avoid skirts (especially flaring skirts and a tail hem skirt being one of them) that end on the thickest part of your calves, IF you have short legs/are petite in general/or have thick legs.

If you want to look your best, you need something that hits either below your calves (but above your ankles!) or right below your ankles to really work with your body proportions. If this is not an option, you can always fix this issue by adding heels, preferably in a color that blends with your skin tone.

Now on to the styling part..

Calf and ankle long tail hem dresses and skirts are best paired with heels (2-3"). If you're going for a shorter version (above or right below the knee) then flats are fine.

You'd want to keep your outfit simple so that your focal (cutaway hem and your legs) stays in the spotlight. If the color of the garment is neutral, experiment with other neutral accessories but in trendy styles. Or print or bold-colored accessories in a simple style.

If the tail hem garment has colors or/and print I would definitely create a frame around it by adding solids and neutrals. If you have the right personal style, try a pair of shoes in a color from one of the colors on the print.

Top picks:

Product info: Orange dress - Colorblock dress


Product info: Tee - Pink skirt


Product info: Wine red dress - Teal skirt


What do you think? Do you prefer the basic or trendy "unfinished" look?