A brief history of the Rah-rah skirt

The Rah-rah skirt was a big style hit of the early 1980's, and became a massive fashion staple for women of all ages throughout that era. In this article, we will discuss the Rah-rah skirt's rise to fame, and discover why it became such a popular item of clothing during the 80's.

Origins and growth of the Rah-rah skirt

Overview The Rah-rah skirt was first designed to be worn by cheerleaders across the USA.
In fact, the short length and flouncy nature of the skirt meant that it gave a dramatic visual effect during the lifts and gymnastic manoeuvres that the teams would perform as part of their routine. It quickly became a popular fashion statement during the early 1980's and teenage girls by far and wide could be found sporting a brightly coloured Rah-rah skirt on any given occasion. Many fashion designers at the time, described the Rah-rah skirt as being the new revival of the mini skirt, which had been so popular during the 1960's. The Rah-rah skirt survived throughout the majority of the 1980's, until it was ousted by the reintroduction of the mini skirt in the early 1990's. In spite of having managed to last a decade in the world's ever-changing fashion scene, the Rah-rah skirt became known as a staple piece of the 80's female fashion wardrobe - which was mostly due to its many famous fans.

Famous fans and the big comeback of the Rah-rah skirt

The basics The Rah-rah was made famous during the 1980's by big names such as, Madonna and Cyndi Lauper, who took the girlish edge off the Rah-rah skirt by wearing it with a combination of lace, denim and leather. Madonna made the black Rah-rah skirt very popular after she teamed it with
3/4-length leggings and a whole lot of lace in her "Lucky Star" video, whilst Cyndi Lauper put a new stamp of the typical Rah-rah skirt of the time by layering several net versions of the skirt, and teaming this with a tight corset and plenty of brightly coloured jewellery. The Rah-rah skirt made a big comeback in 2008, as the 80's trends of flouncy skirts, big hair and leggings flooded the high street once again.
Today, some modern versions of the Rah-rah skirt can still be found on the High Street, but these are more structured, slightly longer and high-waisted versions of the original 1980's skirt.
Final word Great modern twists on the traditional Rah-rah skirt can be found at retailers such as New Look, Forever 21 and Asos.
They are best worn with knee-high socks and ankle boots to take the emphasis away from the overly girlish nature of the skirt and give a more up-to-date edge to the look.