Burda 01-2009-112, Corset Waist Pencil Skirt

I planned to make this in the Spring as part of a self-imposed endless combination of red, pink, and orange, but quickly discovered that one cannot wear a high-waisted pencil skirt in the heat. Major sweattage is soooo not Mad Men. I was glad when the Endless Combinations contest got me to make this for Fall/Winter instead. I got the fabric from Kashi at Metro Textiles in March for $5/yd (I bought a yard and a half). I have no idea what the fiber content is--I don't think it's entirely poly but a good portion of it is, along with a generous dose of lycra. I was hoping this would keep it from wrinkling, but no such luck. It is so hot pink. It is like 80s flourescent pink, before we called it "neon." Hot. Pink. So hot pink that I wasn't sure if it was work appropriate just because of the color. I wore it anyway, of course.

I really liked similar Burda 03-2009-104 high-waisted pencil skirt with a seamed waistband--I made it twice!--so I've had this one on the list for quite some time. There have been some gorgeous versions made, very inspiring.

The only adjustment I made to this was for swayback. The center back skirt and waistband pieces create, as per Burda's usual nonsense, a completely flat line. The spine is not built that way, even for people without a swayback. I lined up the center back waistband piece with the skirt piece at the seamlines and drew in a curved line. In sewing, I ended up taking a little bit more width out of the waistband at around the middle of the piece, and I think I also should have taken a small swayback tuck.

Other than the flat back, the draft on the skirt is very good--the corset pieces fit together nicely, and the side back seam on the waistband matches perfectly with the back dart--but the proposed finishing is dreadful. Burda just gives you a facing strip for the waistline and that's it. Terrible! Like everyone else, I fully faced the waistband, using the waistband pattern pieces, and lined the skirt in a very stretchy woven purchased at Jomar for such purposes (it's so hard to find stretch lining!).

Most people boned the waistband, and I considered doing so. I interfaced both the outer and inner waistband pieces with a medium-weigh stretch interfacing, and decided to put together the outer shell of the skirt to see if I felt it needed boning. With my firm fabric and the interfacing, I found that I didn't need boning. The waistband does not collapse even when I sit, I think due to it being so very high.

I know this is why you people muslin, but the fit isn't great. At first I was ready to curse my belly, but analyzing it more it is actually a problem in the front thigh that is causing the wrinkling. There is actually plenty of room in the belly, but the thigh pushes the fabric forward to create arrows that make it seem like it's the belly. This is good--I have no qualms about an athletic front thigh adjustment. "Athletic" is not a euphemism here, and I have worked hard for every millimeter of that muscle!

Believe it or not, even in that Schiaparelli shocking pink, this goes with several pieces in my closet. One of the reasons I was keen to make it was to go with Vogue 2859. This 1930s vintage Vogue reissue is extremely, extremely short. The only skirt I had to wear it with was the black double-knit one I made to go with it, but it is kind of vavoom for day. This look is more wearable for every day.

Unfortunately, I think I waited a little too long to make this skirt and the moment for the extremely high-waisted pencil skirt has passed. This is only a few inches below my boobs. While the look isn't "dated" in the classic sense, it looks costumey now. I could have worn this last winter with no problem, but this year I think I will always wear the top untucked over that high waist. But I'm sure I will wear it a lot--it is definitely a color that winter needs more of.

All photos are here and the pattern review is here.