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The rah-rah (or ra-ra) skirt is a short flounced layered skirt that originated in
/ref> of an abbreviation for "hurrah",Merriam-Webster: Rah
/ref> which is used as a synonym for "cheering".
The rah-rah (or ra-ra) skirt is a short flounced layered skirt that originated in cheerleading
Cheerleading is an activity in which the participants (called cheerleaders) cheer for their team as a form of encouragement. It can range from chanting slogans to intense physical activity. It can be performed to motivate sports teams, to ente ...
and became a popular fashion trend among teenage girls in the early 1980s. As such it marked, as the ''Oxford Dictionary'' noted, the first successful attempt to revive the miniskirt
A miniskirt (sometimes hyphenated as mini-skirt, separated as mini skirt, or sometimes shortened to simply mini) is a skirt with its hemline well above the knees, generally at mid-thigh level, normally no longer than below the buttocks; and a ...
that had been introduced in the mid-1960s. It was created by Angela Stone
Angela may refer to:
Places
* Angela, Montana
* Angela Lake, in Volusia County, Florida
* Lake Angela, in Lyon Township, Oakland County, Michigan
* Lake Angela, the reservoir impounded by the source dam of the South Yuba River
Fiction
* Ange ...
and Gifi Fields
Gordon Ivan "Gifi" Fields (born June 1951) is a British fashion designer and businessman. He is a co-founder of the British Fashion Council and one of the creators of the rah-rah skirt.
Biography
After leaving school at the age of 16, Gifi Fiel ...
, who based the idea on creating a tutu out of heavier fabric. Later in the 1980s it was often worn with leather, denim or lace.
In the 1990s the mini came back into fashion in its own right, largely discarding the frills of the rah-rah. Eventually, the latter did return again in Britain in 2008: "Eighties look is all the ra-rave".
Examples of the rah-rah were to be seen on the covers of music albums such as ''Since Yesterday
"Since Yesterday" is a song performed by Scottish synth-pop duo Strawberry Switchblade, the lead single from their self-titled album. It became their only major hit.
Background and composition
"Since Yesterday" (primarily written by Rose McDo ...
'' by Strawberry Switchblade
Strawberry Switchblade were a Scottish new wave/ pop duo formed in Glasgow in 1981 by Jill Bryson and Rose McDowall, best known for their song "Since Yesterday" from 1985, and their flamboyant clothing with bows and polka-dots.
History Before ...
(1984).
Etymology
''Rah-rah'' is a reduplicationMerriam-Webster: Rah-rah/ref> of an abbreviation for "hurrah",Merriam-Webster: Rah
/ref> which is used as a synonym for "cheering".
History
While the rah-rah skirt first originated incheerleading
Cheerleading is an activity in which the participants (called cheerleaders) cheer for their team as a form of encouragement. It can range from chanting slogans to intense physical activity. It can be performed to motivate sports teams, to ente ...
, they were introduced to mainstream fashion in 1982. It was popular in the 1980s, until the mini skirt
A miniskirt (sometimes hyphenated as mini-skirt, separated as mini skirt, or sometimes shortened to simply mini) is a skirt with its hemline well above the knees, generally at mid-thigh level, normally no longer than below the buttocks; and a ...
went back into popularity, but it made a resurgence in 2008.
See also
*Miniskirt
A miniskirt (sometimes hyphenated as mini-skirt, separated as mini skirt, or sometimes shortened to simply mini) is a skirt with its hemline well above the knees, generally at mid-thigh level, normally no longer than below the buttocks; and a ...
Notes
1980s fashion Skirts {{clothing-stub Women's clothing