Hem and Shoe: Knee, Midi, Tea, Floor, and What Goes on Your Feet
She stands at the top of 6 marble steps at a reception, in the shoe she chose that morning, and the hem either lets her walk down or makes her hold it. Every hem is decided on stairs, in a chair, and in the shoe, never on a hanger.
A hem is not a length; it is a place on the leg. Knee, midi, tea, and floor are labels on a hanger, and the same “midi” lands on the slimmest part of one woman's calf and the widest part of another's. The fitting room rule is older than any chart: the hem lands on the slimmest visible part of the leg, just above the knee, just below it, below the widest point of the calf, or at the ankle bone, and never on the widest point. Then the shoe finishes the line, and the shoe is where most midi dresses are lost.
This guide goes hem by hem, from above the knee to the floor and then through trousers, and says for each which shoe, what changes at 5 foot 3 and at 5 foot 9, what to do about a knee or a calf you would rather not spotlight, and which day it is for. Every hem is on a real Luna garment on a real woman, photographed in the shoes we mean.
Shop the pieces in this story: Dresses, Skirts, and Pants. Complete size runs are listed first.
“The length is flattering and elongates the silhouette.”
3 rules before the hem
The slimmest point. Just above the knee, just below the knee, below the widest part of the calf, the ankle bone. A hem that stops at the widest calf makes the whole lower body read wider; a hem that clears it makes the leg read longer. On a petite woman this decides whether a midi works at all.
The shoe you will actually wear. Hem to it. A dress hemmed for a 3 inch heel and worn with flats pools; trousers hemmed for flats and worn with a heel look borrowed. If you rotate, hem for the shoe you wear 4 days in 5.
The toe. A pointed or almond toe extends the leg past the hem; a round or square toe stops it. For any hem at or below the knee, the pointed toe is worth more than an inch of heel.
Hem by hem
Above the knee
2 to 3 inches above the kneecap, no higher after 40 unless the day is a party. It lengthens the leg on a petite frame, and so the fashion for it never leaves, and it wants a disciplined shoe so the hem stays the point: a pointed flat, a slingback, a low pump, or a slim ankle boot that clears the hem by a few inches. It is the cocktail hour, the 50th birthday, the summer reception, and the creative office in a structured cloth.
The Melisa corset dress in beige flares from a boned bodice to above the knee, photographed with a pointed nude pump that runs the leg straight into the shoe. The Lesli drapes to the same place; the Laura in bronze does it for the birthday.
The knee, and just below it
At the kneecap or a finger below it: the boardroom, the courtroom, the interview, the funeral, and the cocktail dress that reads correct at 40 and at 65. It is the safest length for a petite woman and the most forgiving for a woman who dislikes her knees, who takes the hem a finger below the cap and wears a matte sheer hose in winter. The shoe: a pointed pump of 2 to 3.5 inches, a slingback, a structured loafer, or in winter a slim knee boot under a sheath so the line runs unbroken.
The Olga is the navy knee length wrap sheath in a nude pointed pump. The Jody lace cocktail dress in bordeaux is the knee for the evening, the Dora the knee for the dinner, and the Lina in black lands a finger below the knee for the woman who wants that extra inch. For a skirt, the Jody pencil skirt in bordeaux with a lace hem stops at the knee and takes a pump or, in winter, an opaque hose and a pointed flat.
The midi
Anywhere between the knee and the ankle, which is exactly the problem. A midi that ends on the widest calf shortens and thickens; a midi that ends 2 to 3 inches below the knee, or 2 inches below the widest calf, lengthens. Under 5 foot 4, that placement is the whole decision, and it may need a tailor. The midi is the length that most depends on the shoe: a pointed pump of 2 to 3.5 inches, a block heel with a clean toe, a pointed flat if the dress has structure, or an ankle boot whose shaft meets the hem or leaves a deliberate slim gap at the ankle bone, never a boot that ends at the widest calf. It is the sharp office, the fall wedding, the client dinner, the theater, and the mother of the bride at a daytime ceremony.
The Lucy jacquard midi in midnight blue is an A line that ends below the calf with a pointed pump. The Iris A line midi in blush floral, the Greta in navy, and the Rina midi in black all land on the lower calf with room to move. The Melissa in polka dot flares to the same place for a summer wedding. For a skirt, the Lola pleated skirt in black takes a pointed pump or a slim boot.
Tea length and the ankle
Between the lower calf and the ankle bone, the whole shoe is on show, so the shoe must be worth showing: a strappy sandal with a heel for an evening, a slingback or a block heel for a daytime event, a pointed pump in winter. On a petite frame keep the hem near the ankle bone rather than hovering mid calf, and add heel; on a tall frame 2 inches of heel is enough. It is the wedding reception, the formal dinner, the garden ceremony, and the mother of the bride who wants length without a train.
The Rina in black with cyclamen florals ends at the ankle bone with a pointed pump, sleeveless with a round neck; the same dress comes with red florals. The Lola wrap in a brown floral runs long with a side slit so the shoe still shows when you walk.
The floor
A gown skims the floor in the shoe you will wear to the event, which means the hem is set with the shoe on. Under 5 foot 4 that usually means a 3 to 4 inch heel; between 5 foot 4 and 5 foot 7, 2.5 to 3.5; over 5 foot 7, 2 to 3 or a flat sandal. Pooling shortens the frame and catches the heel on the stairs; an inch short shows the shoe on purpose. The shoe: a strappy sandal, a block heel, or a stiletto, and for a winter gala a closed pump.
The Iris gown in navy skims the floor in a pointed pump; the Alis in bordeaux has a slit that lets the shoe show with every step. The Rebeka in ivory and the Bruna in beige lace are the floor length for a mother of the bride, both photographed a fraction off the ground.
Trousers: where the hem meets the shoe
The ankle, no break. The hem ends at or just above the ankle bone with no fold, and the shoe is a pointed flat, a pointed pump, or a slim loafer. On a petite woman with a pointed toe in a leg tone shade this is the sharpest proportion there is. A slim ankle boot should meet the hem or leave 1 deliberate inch.
The Teodora pants in black are the slim straight ankle pant with a pointed pump; they come in navy. The Elena trousers in gray houndstooth run straight to a light break on a pump.
The wide leg. A full length wide leg grazes the top of the shoe and hides most of it; the shoe inside is a pointed pump or a slim block heel, and the hem is set to that heel. Too short and the leg stops; too long and it puddles, which is editorial rather than office. With flats, hem it a fraction shorter and keep the toe pointed.
The Agatha wide leg pants in ivory graze the shoe over a pointed pump, high waisted so the leg begins at the natural waist; they come in black. The Greta wide leg in black wraps at the front and does the same.
Height, knees, and calves
Under 5 foot 4. Above the knee, at the knee, or a midi that ends 2 to 3 inches below the knee or 2 inches below the widest calf. Ankle pants with no break and a pointed toe. Floor length only with the heel that makes it skim. 1 color from hem to shoe buys the most inches of all.
5 foot 4 to 5 foot 7. Every hem, with the placement controlled; the midi still avoids the widest calf.
Over 5 foot 8. Below the knee, midi, tea, ankle, and floor, with flats or a low heel if you like; the only rule is that a long hem grazes and does not pool. Above the knee reads younger than you may want; take it to the knee.
Knees. A finger below the kneecap, matte sheer hose in winter, a pointed shoe. Calves. Never a hem at the widest point; a midi below it or a full length trouser, an opaque hose or a boot that runs under the hem. Hosiery over 50. Sheer black or charcoal with a knee length dress at work, opaque black with anything above the knee in winter, skin tone sheer in a conservative office, always matte, never with a sandal.
Which hem for which day
| The day | The hem | The shoe |
|---|---|---|
| Boardroom, courtroom, interview | Knee or a finger below; a sharp midi below the calf | Pointed pump, slingback, structured loafer; knee boot in winter |
| Office, everyday | Knee, midi, ankle pants with no break | Pointed flat, loafer, low pump |
| Client dinner | Knee, midi | Pointed pump, block heel |
| Cocktail hour, 50th birthday | Above the knee, knee, midi | Pointed pump, strappy heel, slingback |
| Wedding guest, daytime | Midi, tea | Block heel, slingback, kitten heel |
| Wedding, black tie, gala | Floor, skimming in the event shoe | Strappy heel, stiletto, closed pump in winter |
| Mother of the bride or groom | Midi, tea, or floor set to the shoe | Block heel or kitten heel you can stand in for 6 hours |
| Funeral, memorial | Knee or below; midi | Closed pump, low block heel, sheer or opaque hose |
| Travel | Ankle pants, a midi with structure | Pointed flat, slim ankle boot |
The hem, inch by inch from the knee
Stand in the shoes you will wear, and measure from the center of the kneecap. Every inch up or down changes what the hem shows and what it does to the leg.
3 inches above the kneecap. Shows the whole knee and 3 inches of thigh. The shortest a dress goes past 40 without the sit test failing, and the sit test is this: sit, and the hem may ride up 2 to 3 inches, so a hem 3 inches above the knee standing is 6 inches above it seated. A party hem, a 50th birthday, a beach wedding, not a boardroom.
1 inch above the kneecap. Shows the knee, seated shows the lower thigh. The office hem for a woman under 40 and a good leg; over 40, 1 inch lower.
The kneecap, and 1 inch below it. Covers the knee seated, shows it standing only as a line. The hem of the boardroom, the courtroom, the interview, and a funeral; the hem that photographs a leg at its longest, because it ends where the leg narrows above the calf. Most Luna knee length sheaths are cut here.
2 to 4 inches below the kneecap. Covers the knee entirely. Beware: on most women the widest inch of the calf sits 4 to 5 inches below the knee, so a hem in this band on a short leg ends on it. It is the right hem if you dislike your knees and your calf is slim or your leg long; otherwise go up 2 inches or down 4.
6 to 8 inches below the kneecap, the true midi. Covers the widest calf and ends below it, where the leg narrows again. Shows the ankle and the whole shoe. The dinner and wedding hem, and the hem that needs a 2 to 3 inch heel or a pointed flat with a low vamp, because a round toe or an ankle strap at this length cuts the foot off from the leg. On a woman under 5 foot 4 the midi must end at the slimmest inch of the lower calf, not the fullest, which usually means 1 to 2 inches shorter than the same dress on a taller woman.
2 to 3 inches above the ankle bone, tea length. Covers the calf, shows the ankle. The reception, the formal daytime wedding, a summer gala. The shoe is fully visible and must be part of the outfit: a slingback, a strappy sandal, a pointed pump.
The ankle bone. Shows the foot only. The evening dress that is not a gown; a flat is acceptable here on a tall woman, a 2 inch heel on everyone else.
1/2 inch from the floor, in the shoe. The gown. Set the hem with the shoe on; it skims the floor without catching the toe, and the shoe shows only when you walk. An inch longer and you hold it on every stair; an inch shorter and the shoe is the point.
The slit. A slit that ends 2 inches above the knee is a walking slit and belongs at the office. A slit to mid thigh is an evening; seated, it opens 4 inches further than standing, so sit in the mirror before you decide. On a pencil skirt, a back vent of 6 to 8 inches is what lets you climb stairs; with less, the skirt twists.
Trousers, in inches. An ankle pant ends 1 inch above the ankle bone, no break, and reads sharpest with a pointed flat or a pump on a petite woman; add 1/2 inch if you wear it with a boot, so nothing shows between. A straight trouser breaks 1/2 inch on the shoe. A wide leg is hemmed to 1/2 inch above the floor in the shoe you wear 4 days in 5, and it will be too long for the flat and right for the heel, so choose the shoe first. Hemming costs $15 to $30; a lined or vented hem $25 to $45; a hem with a lace edge or a border print cannot be shortened at the bottom and must be taken up at the waist, which costs more and is worth asking about before you buy.
The boot and the hem. A knee boot wants a hem at the knee or 2 inches above, or a midi that covers the top of the boot by 2 inches; the gap between a boot top and a hem is the 1 inch nobody wants. An ankle boot wants an ankle pant, a straight pant, or a midi; never a knee length skirt with bare shin between, except in summer in a sandal.
Hosiery. With a knee length or a below knee hem in winter, a sheer 10 to 15 denier close to your skin tone, matte. With a midi and a pump, the same or bare. With an evening hem, bare unless the venue is a church or the temperature is below 40. Opaque black tights belong with a black or midnight hem and a boot, and with nothing else.
The questions women ask before they invest
Best pencil skirt hem at 5 foot 4? The kneecap or 1 inch above; a pencil below the knee on a petite woman ends on the calf and takes 2 inches off the leg. The Jody pencil skirt is cut to the knee.
Knee or midi for office dresses after 40? Knee for the boardroom and a full day in chairs; midi for a dinner, a wedding, a day on your feet. If you buy 1 dress, the knee.
Where should tailored trousers break? 1/2 inch on the shoe for a straight leg; no break for an ankle pant; 1/2 inch from the floor for a wide leg, set in the shoe you wear most. The Teodora is the no break ankle pant; the Agatha and the Greta are the wide legs.
Should ankle pants be shorter for heels or flats? The same length, 1 inch above the ankle bone; that is the point of an ankle pant. It is the wide leg that changes with the shoe.
Trench length for a petite woman over 50? The knee, or 1 inch above. The Rea jacquard trench is cut to the knee; the Kim long trench is for 5 foot 7 and over.
Can a midi work for a short woman in a corporate office? Yes, if it ends at the slimmest inch of the lower calf and the shoe is pointed with a low vamp, and if the top is fitted or tucked so the proportion reads as 1/3 to 2/3.
Coat length if I mostly wear dresses to work? Either a knee length coat over a knee length dress, as a column, or a shorter coat over a midi so the dress shows below it. The dress can be longer than the coat. Decide the 2 together so the hems do not end in the same band.
Skirt length rules for a board presentation? The kneecap standing, which is the lower thigh seated, with a pointed pump and, in winter, a sheer hose. The room is looking at the screen; the hem should give it no reason not to.
Is tea length right for a formal work dinner? Yes, in a rich cloth with a heel; it is the evening hem that is not a gown and the most flattering hem on a woman over 50 in a photograph, because it shows the ankle and nothing else.
Can a below knee pencil skirt work at 5 foot 2? Only if the calf is slim and the hem ends below the widest inch of it, with a pointed pump. For most women at 5 foot 2, the knee.
Frequently asked questions
What shoes go with a midi dress? A pointed pump of 2 to 3.5 inches, a block heel with a clean toe, a pointed flat if the dress has structure, or an ankle boot whose shaft meets the hem or leaves a slim deliberate gap at the ankle bone. Never a boot that stops at the widest calf.
What skirt length is best for a woman over 50? The knee or a finger below it for the office and a memorial, a midi that ends below the widest calf for dinner and weddings. Above the knee belongs to a party in a structured cloth. The hem lands on the slimmest part of the leg whatever the label says.
How long should a midi be on a petite woman? 2 to 3 inches below the knee, or 2 inches below the widest part of the calf, with a pointed shoe. A midi that stops on the calf shortens her; a tailor can move it, and the dress is worth the visit.
How long should pants be with loafers or flats? At or just above the ankle bone with no break, so the shoe shows cleanly. A pointed toe extends the line; a heavy sole stops it. A wide leg with flats is hemmed a fraction shorter than with a heel.
How long should a gown be? Skimming the floor in the shoe you will wear, set with the shoe on. Under 5 foot 4 that usually means a 3 to 4 inch heel; over 5 foot 7, 2 to 3 or a flat sandal. Pooling shortens and trips.
Should tights be sheer or opaque with a dress in winter? Sheer black or charcoal with a knee length dress at work, opaque with anything shorter, skin tone sheer in a conservative office, matte in every case, and never with an open shoe.
The Fitting Room at Home
Order the 2 sizes that bracket your shoulder. Run the 6 tests in your own mirror, in the shoes and the blazer you will wear. Keep the one that passes and send the other back within 30 days, self serve, no questions. If you would rather be told, send your 3 numbers, shoulder, bust, and hip, and the day it is for, to connect@lunafashionhouse.com; a person who knows the cut replies within 1 business day with the size and the piece.
Find the slimmest point, hem to the shoe you wear, and point the toe. Then choose the day. See every hem in Dresses, Skirts, and Pants, complete size runs first, with 30 days to stand in front of your own mirror in your own shoes.
