skirt lengths?

[Rosie]

And with regard to hemlines and making our skirts. The classic tailoring of a skirt hemline is that the back should be 0.5 inches longer than the hemline at the front. I guess that's to accomodate the butt and still have an even hemline! (Can see the logic and will check it out next time I do a hem). Personally I need an extra 2 inches in the front of the blouse to accommodate the bust as opposed to the butt! And a humungous 17" across the shoulders. So no vintage dresses for me with those measurements!

Oh, yes, just read this.

 

[Caledonia]

Absolutely. And if all we powder room ladies just might be a cross section, where did they come up with the "average"!

 

[Lady Day]

My skirts fit shorter in back too but because of my derriere . When making my own skirts, I usually just make them a bit longer in back so that I have a somewhat more even hem.

GIRL! I have 'Shelf Butt' too! If I pull my skirt up higher on my waist, things even out, but the skirt is shorter. If I just add an inch or so to the hem in the back, like you, Im golden.

LD

 

[DancingSweetie]

I have to do what's best for my body, and since I have no torso (I'm 5'6" and have a 33" inseam) I tend to look too elongated with skirts above the knees or too dumpy with calf length, so most of mine fall right below the knee, or street length.

Even capris and when I wear gauchos fall at the same line (sadly, I even have retro patterns for those from my Aunt) because of the same issue. And there's all kinds of problems with a petite torso and a tall inseam to get anything to not look out of proportion.

Elaina

Hey I have the same body! Except I'm only 5'4" so it is even worse looking. Forget about ever tucking in a blouse, that makes me look ridiculous.

 

[Elaina]

Oh I'm busty too, and because of scolosis, I have to wear a corset which makes the whole chest MUCH worse then it should be.

I think I quit tucking in shirts years and years ago. Unless I'm wearing a jacket, and then that hides a multitude of sins.

Elaina

 

[Elle]

My full skirts and dresses go to mid-knee or lower. Most of my pencil skirts hit about the top of my knee as everyone at work dresses waaaay casual, I'd feel much too out of place if they were longer.

 

[Fleur De Guerre]

I found the diagram on ebay, but couldn't afford to win it. But the photo was free.

And Fleur, I would love to have the perfect pencil skirt pattern too. Are you going to taper it or have it be more straight?

I'm going to taper it a bit. It's more flattering on me as my hips are wideish. But if I wear a pencil skirt with too much taper I end up late for work because I can't walk fast enough. Or I split the seam by taking too long strides! lol

 

[Honey Doll]

I prefer to wear my skirts just past the knee to maybe 2 inches past the knee. I find this to be the most flattering. If I go to mid-calf, I'm just swimming in it.

Never really thought about tailoring a couple inches on the back-side. If anything I suffer from no-butt-disease. I think its hereditary.

Honey Doll

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

I like to have my skirts just below the knee too. I'm only 5'1, and my legs are more like stumps. I find just below the knee to be the most flattering. Anything longer, and what legs I have look even shorter. I also look better in an "A" line skirt rather than a pencil skirt, or a skirt which is too full which tends to make me look heavier than I am.

 

[DancingSweetie]

Oh I'm busty too, and because of scolosis, I have to wear a corset which makes the whole chest MUCH worse then it should be.

I think I quit tucking in shirts years and years ago. Unless I'm wearing a jacket, and then that hides a multitude of sins.

Elaina

I too am busty, so I look like a big cube if I were to tuck in a blouse. I always thought I should have a few ribs removed to give the illusion of a longer waist.

 

[crwritt]

Where do your 40's dresses hit you? I'm making a new dress (S&S swing dress http://www.sensibility.com/pattern/) and before hemming, the skirt hits me just below mid-calf. I know I'm short, but that seems much longer than normal.

kamikat

I'm just curious as to how your dress came out, and what you thought of that pattern. Reading your post, I was inspired to order it, and have it nearly finished in a black and white linen rayon blend.
I did find that the skirt back sections were cut about 1 1/2 " shorter than the front. Good thing I needed to shorten it anyway.
I have not decided on sleeve length. I am used to sleeveless, since most of my dresses are for dancing, but I sewed up the 3/4 version for this dress. What length did you choose for the sleeves?

 

[Snookie]

Ooh, I hope you post pictures when you're done - I'd love to see it! Your fabric sounds really nice.

I try to get my skirts to fall right below my knee, right in that section where the leg is at its thinnest. I agree with Lauren's earlier comment that a shorter skirt is a more youthful look, so you can take that into consideration too.

I used to go for sleeveless/short sleeves for dance clothes for the comfort, too, but for the last couple years I've been doing the longer versions. I think it's much more period accurate.

What an odd thing about those pattern pieces. Have you looked at any pattern review sites to see if other people had the same complaint?

 

[Lady Day]

**merged threads**

I knew there were more threads on this topic, enjoy

LD

 

[crwritt]

I think I will check Sense and Sensibility"s website, I know she has a page of "Corrections" to her patterns, It may be that I overlooked it. The fit of her patterns is very good.
Here's a photo of the dress, not hemmed yet, the sleeves are just turned up to 3/4 length.

 

[Snookie]

Ooh, thats lovely! I like it alot. It does have a good fit, and I think the sleeve length is great. Perfect for a pair of gloves or a dazzling stone bracelet. Or both!

I like the skirt length on you, too. I wouldn't wear my skirts that long, but it's really flattering. I like that you hemmed it below the widest part of your calf.

Great pose, too!

 

[crwritt]

When its done, it will be a wee bit shorter, since I haven't hemmed it yet. Probably just an inch or so shorter. We're having a minor heat wave this weekend, so I will save it for cooler weather.
I like how the dress fits, it kind of accentuates the bust and slims the waist at the same time.

 

[TheSacredFemme]

Bumping this back up after a little digging!

I seem to have quite the opposite problem of the 5 foot 1 dames in this thread. While we share the same height anything much longer than an inch below the knee makes me look like a dwarf. People never notice when I'm dressed vintage but my skirts have been hemmed but I do wonder how much "tsk-ing" it would cause from someone who actually knows their stuff.

I suppose I'm not exactly a purist since I like to wear anything from the 30s-60s and do mix and match not only eras but also vintage and non-vintage. *hangs head in shame as the ladies of the lounge throw a shoe or two*

 

[St. Louis]

Sacred, from what I've been able to tell in my lurking here, most of the ladies on the Lounge mix eras, as well as vintage with modern.

I'm glad this thread was bumped up, though, because lately I've been getting into more vintage sewing and have been really wondering about hem lengths. I make anything from the early thirties through 1946 or so, give or take. At my 5'1" height (or lowth) I always have to adjust the lengths of the skirts anyway. Thing is, I'm not perfectly sure what the correct length should be for my projects. Here's what I came up with -- please tell me if you think this is wrong:

Starting about 1934, my skirt lengths are about 4" above the ankle.
1935, an inch or so shorter than that.
1936 through 1938, about mid-calf
1939, about two inches below the knee. I find this works fairly well even on my short frame b/c the skirts are so much fuller.
1940, inch below the knee.
1941-1945, just under the knee.
1946, start to creep down again. I mean my skirts, not me.

Does that seem about right? I've also noticed that middle-aged ladies (ahem) in movies from the era tend to wear their skirts a bit longer than the younger stars.

Edited to add one point: I think it's very important to shorten or lengthen the pattern in the middle of the pattern piece, not at the hem. I've discovered that a very nice full skirt can be ruined by cutting off the bottom 3 inches rather than shortening the pattern about halfway from the waistline. Of course I always copy my vintage patterns first, so experimenting with the lines doesn't harm the original pattern.