Suppose you needed to know the age of a term such as this. How would you go about it online without resorting to paid-subscription sites, such as search old magazine and newspaper stories

For usages in news publications, use Google's News-Archive search. You can use the "timeline" feature to order the results chronologically.

For usages in blogs, use Google's Blog Search.

I cannot comment on how broad are the coverages of these services.

Since I don't do those sorts of things, I have no idea. Sorry, Dale.

nerd: Thank you most kindly for those links; exactly what I need

k: No apology required. But if you could describe the bubble-mini skirt I'd be much obliged--thanks

I wasn't sure what a bubble hem was, so I've been looking. This write-up on the Elle Mag. sight seems to imply that it is a sleek sort of under-turning of the hem that allows the waist to be very tight and still have volume in the bottom of the skirt. Judging from pictures here and here make it just seem like a flared hemline. This one though seems to really talk most about the voluminous silhouette. Take your pick.

Ah! It's some kind of short skirt, is it? I approve of that. Short skirts = an upturn in the economy (vide Desmond Morris). Plus they look rather nice when almost covering the right legs.

quote:

look rather nice when almost covering the right legs.

What's wrong with the left legs?

Cater: Thank you for those links

Any further legitimate defs welcome--thanks all

Here's a little different picture of a bubble mini.

quote:

Here's a little different picture of a bubble mini.

Or do you mean a different picture of a little mini? Because little it surely is - back to the 60s - hurrah!