As hemlines rise and fall, as palettes change with seasons, they tell stories that transcend the fabric's confines, weaving tales of a world in perpetual motion.
" That hemline was three inches above Lori's knee, " Dad said. " What's a woman thinking when she puts on a dress like that" ? Mother nodded absently while chopping a carrot. She was used to this particular lecture.
It's where the dress ends – that would be the " hemline." So, when people talk about dresses and skirts that women wear, they may talk about how the hemline has been going up – means the skirts have been getting shorter.