Anecdote about skirts initially creates embarrassment, needless, cringeworthy even (12)
I believe the answer is:
reminiscence
'anecdote' is the definition.
(an anecdote is a remembered story)
'about skirts initially creates embarrassment needless cringeworthy even' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite understand how this works, but
'about' could be 're' ('re' means regarding or about) and 're' is found in the answer.
'skirts' could be 'minis' (mini skirts) and 'minis' is located in the answer.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).
(Other definitions for reminiscence that I've seen before include "Memory" , "Recall of past times" , "Enjoyable recollection" , "Memoir" , "It recalls happenings" .)