SKIRTS

Andrea Wenzl

Wrap Skirt
A skirt, open
from waist to
hem, that wraps
around the body
and fastens with
buttons or ties,
usually lapped
across the front
or back.

Trumpet
Straight skirt that
flares at the hem like
an inverted trumpet.
The flair is created
either by cutting
greater fullness at the
hem or by attaching a
large circular flounce.

Culottes
Skirt divided into two
sections so that it is
actually a pair of
pants but looks like a
skirt when not in
motion. Also called
split skirt, pant skirt,
divided skirt, scooter
skirt, or skort.
French culotte: knee
breeches; des
culottes: trousers.

Kilt
Scottish skirt made
in wraparound style.
Center front is plain
with knife pleats
starting at side front
and wrapping
around to other side
or front. Hanging
end may be fringed
and fastened with a
large decorative
safety pin.

Accordion Pleats
Skirt made from a full
circle of fabric with
pressed-in pleats that
are wider at the hem
and taper to waistline,
giving a flare to skirt.
When the body is in
motion, pleats flare at
the hem like the bellows
of a half-open accordion.
Introduced in late
1880s by Loie Fuller for
skirt dancing.

Dirndl
Full, gathered
skirt. The style
derives from
Tyrolean peasant
costume
originating, and
still worn, in the
Austrian and
Bavarian alps.

Gored
Skirt that fits
through the
waistline and flares
at the hem. May
be made of from
four to twenty-four
shaped sections.

Flared

Circle
Skirt made by cutting
a semicircle out of a
piece of fabric folded
length-wise. The
selvages are then
joined to make a full
circle. Popular for
skating and general
wear in the 1930s, it
has remained a basic
type of skirt,
becoming very
popular in mid-80s.

Handkerchief
Skirt with
hemline cut to
fall in points as
if made of
handkerchiefs.

Peasant
Full gathered skirt that may be
trimmed with bands of
embroidery; plain gathered
skirt; or skirt worn with an
embroidered apron. In the
1960s referred to skirt
decorated with bands of
embroidery rather than style of
skirt. Adopted from national
costume of European countries.
Also: Skirt made of tiers in
varying lengths, placed one on
top of the other. In some areas,
this may be referred to as a
peasant skirt or a layered skirt.

Sarong
Wrapped skirt,
usually made of bold
floral-print cotton,
used as beach coverups. Popular after
actress Dorothy
Lamour wore one in
film Hurricane, late
1930s.

Straight
Any slim skirt
without fullness.

A-Line
Slightly flared skirt
introduced in the
early 1960s. In
silhouette, it
appears like letter
A.

Yoked
Skirt with small
fitted piece,
sometimes
straight, pointed,
or scalloped
attached at
waistband. Lower
part of skirt
attached to yoke
may be gathered
or gored.

Inverted Pleat
Skirt made by
bringing two
folds of fabric to
a center line in
front and/or
back. May be cut
straight at sides
or be slightly
flared. Has been
a basic type of
skirt since 1920s.

Box Pleat
Two flat folds
meeting
underneath to
form box pleats
that extend
around the waist,
alternating with
inverted pleats.
Popular in 1940s
and 1950s.

Pegged
Basic skirt cut full
at the waistline
with darts,
gathers, or small
un-pressed pleats
used at the
waistline. From
hips to hem skirt
tapers inward
becoming very
narrow at the hem.