hobble skirt

American  

noun

1. a woman's skirt that is very narrow at the bottom, causing the wearer to walk with short, mincing steps.

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hobble skirt British  

noun

1. a long skirt, popular between 1910 and 1914, cut so narrow at the ankles that it hindered walking

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Etymology

Origin of hobble skirt

First recorded in 1910–15

Example Sentences

Its heyday was in the early years of the last century when its founder, Paul Poiret, was credited with freeing women from the corset, while also inventing the hobble skirt.

From Washington Post • Mar. 7, 2018

Each holds a green glass hobble skirt bottle in their right hand, one branded in English script, the next in Arabic, another in Thai.

From Slate • May 18, 2015

The hobble skirt was everywhere, usually split to the knee to leave the wearers some power of locomotion.

From Time Magazine Archive

Hasn't that same broken record been grinding away ever since legs first emerged from the hobble skirt?

From Time Magazine Archive

Ten years ago, Myrtilla mine, The hobble skirt engaged my pen.

From Something Else Again by Adams, Franklin P. (Franklin Pierce)