Show Me Your Shins

Its business in the front, part in the back.  Yes, you know what I am speaking of.  The infamous mullet has made another appearance, this time in a lower region.  No not that!  It's in the hemlines, get your mind out of the gutter...  This new silhouette has been seen all over the runway (I thought I made it up, but I guess not) in the collections of Michael Kors, Bebe, and Emilio Pucci.  Here is my own take on the mullet hem along with a series of vague steps, but don't plan on seeing me with the actual haircut (well, I guess anything is possible...).

Images via style.com

To make this wonky hemlined skirt, you will need:

• 1 yard of chiffon
• 1/4 yard of other fabric for waistband (i used black cotton)
• Skirt hook and eyes 
• sewing machine & thread
• circle skirt pattern (or you can make your own)

I cut out the (one half of the skirt) pattern the given length and the second piece a little longer.  There should be two separate pieces, one long for the back and the short piece for the front.  If you don't have a pattern handy, just cut out a half circle with the diameter slightly bigger than the diameter of your actual waist.  If you know an easier way to explain this, let me know.

Here is the back piece, the lower hem is extended past the original hem.  Sew the two pieces together together at the side seams to make the skirt.  I used a french seam finish for the sides to give a nice finish, here is a tutorial on the art of the fancy (so they think) european technique....  http://www.sewneau.com/how.to/french.seam.html

Hem the edges of the skirt. I rolled the hem under 1/4 inch and then 1/2 inch to hide the raw edges.  Then sew two rows of a basting seam at the top (waist).

This is the part when it might get a little confusing.  To make the waistband, I cut a strip of cotton blended fabric with a width of six inches and a length of your waist (where you want the skirt to fall), plus about three inches (in the length, so for me that would be 6x34 for the waistband dimensions) to allow for seam allowances and the overlapping extension.  Fold the piece in half and sew the edge to form a tube.  Then turn the tube inside out and iron.  I topstitched the band so it would lay nicely.

If the skirt is too big for the waistband, simply gather the two rows of basting done in the previous step.  If the waistband is too long, simply cut that shorter to fit the waist of the skirt.  Then right sides together, stitch the waistband to the actual skirt.

If you actually want to be able to put this skirt on, you'll need to cut a slit in the back.  I cut 4 inches from the top and then turned in the sides and sewed to hide the raw edges.

Here's another view of the completed waistband... If the sewn, cotton waistband is too difficult try using elastic inside the tube/casing.  I didn't because I guess I didn't think about it until...now, actually.

Go ahead and sew on the skirt hook and eyes at the edge of the waistband and where it should meet on the other side in order to stay on securely (you know what I mean, right?). If the rows of basting are still visible, take them out with a seam ripper.  Now, that would be just tacky.

And here is the completed skirt! I layered it over my fantastic metallic (wow, that kind of rhymed!) leggings from the previous Black Milk post, you want it don't you?  I bet you never thought you would say you were lovin' the mullet.

I'm sure there are plenty of easier ways to create this skirt, good luck finding one of them.  Unless I want everyone to get a nice view when the wind blows, I'll layer leggings underneath the sheer skirt.  (Finally, I've discovered a way to layer!)  In the summer, (if that ever arrives) this skirt would make a mean pairing with some lacy bike shorts.  LOVE the way heart and bleeker blogger wears these.  Yum, biker mullet chic, yes please.