Oh, simple leopard print pencil skirt, I love how you go with almost everything in my closet.
Sigh. Pencil skirt bliss. To tell you the truth, I’ve never even owned a pencil skirt before. I had never found one that didn’t make my legs look stumpy and I had always suspected that maybe it was a bad look for the short-legged. Turns out it was just a matter of making one that fits. I’m going to need a few more of these. Details of the material and construction are here and here.
Oh, and I’ve had a few questions about these shoes in the past- they’re BCBG Girls (which is not actually a children’s line), bizarrely comfortable for a near-stiletto heel, and I bought them about two years ago. I don’t think they make them anymore, but these look similar (the black patent view).
The Selfish Seamstress 
41 comments
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August 2, 2010 at 8:09 am
Trudy Callan
You look amazing. I love how versatile your skirt is and can be worn with many different tops. I want a leopard pencil skirt now. Thanks for the inspiration.
I’ve got the photos up now from my latest skirt. It turned out really cute. Stop by if you get a chance.
Trudy
http://sewingwithtrudy.blogspot.com/2010/08/photo-shoot-of-retro-skirt.html
August 2, 2010 at 8:25 am
Amanda S.
Awesome skirt! I made a leopard pencil skirt last winter as well and love how it goes with just about EVERYTHING. Great shoes too.
August 2, 2010 at 8:29 am
Sara
i’m not really an animal print kind of gal, but your skirt is making me change my mind. i know what you mean about pencil skirts–the right length is the key.
August 2, 2010 at 12:17 pm
selfishseamstress
Length is part of it, but it’s easy for me to shorten an RTW skirt– I think all along it was something about the contours as well as the width at the hem. Give the animal print a shot- I’m a fairly recent convert myself :) Good luck!
August 2, 2010 at 8:32 am
Darci
Gorgeous! Want! (and going to make!)
Swoon.
August 2, 2010 at 8:58 am
VickiM
Oh yes, me too. Although I don’t have any leopard print in my stash right now, which means a field trip to rue St.-Hubert (hello from Montreal!).
August 2, 2010 at 12:18 pm
selfishseamstress
Bonjour!! Incidentally, I picked up a great leopard fabric on Rue St. Hubert at Sam’s. I don’t know if they have any more of it left, but it’s super nice. You can read about it here:
https://selfishseamstress.wordpress.com/2010/04/27/leopard-love/
August 2, 2010 at 9:19 am
Emmy
Gorgeous!
God damn it, I wish I wasn’t too pear-shaped to wear print skirts.
August 2, 2010 at 9:19 am
Rebecca
Love your skirt! It looks great on you! I have problems with pencil skirts because I am short and I have no hips. I think you mentioned the lack of hips problem in one of your last posts. Do you have to shave off the hip curve too? :(
August 2, 2010 at 12:20 pm
selfishseamstress
Hmm. It isn’t exactly that I don’t have hips. It’s more that I don’t have a defined waist. So, the hip is there, but the difference between waist and hip isn’t. Oddly enough, I didn’t have to make any fit edits to the hip or waist of this skirt (other than the drafting changes). The fabric I’m using has a little stretch to it, so that might be helping in getting a good fit.
August 2, 2010 at 9:45 am
Meredith P
Niiiice!
August 2, 2010 at 10:33 am
Virginia
http://www.6pm.com/nine-west-bitterend-black-leather
I own these shoes they look like yours
August 2, 2010 at 10:37 am
Ruth
I’m gonna steal your wardrobe and use my grow ray on it.
August 2, 2010 at 11:00 am
sima
stunning!
August 2, 2010 at 11:00 am
Thelma Horton
Great-looking skirt Elaine; I’ve had a piece of leopard print in my stash for awhile to make a jacket. But, I really like the way you’ve put it together, I now think sewing a jacket would limit the fabric’s versatility.
Thanks for sharing,
Thelma
http://www.sew-it-yourself.com
August 2, 2010 at 11:12 am
lazystitcher
Gorgeous – everyone needs a little leopard print in their lives!
August 2, 2010 at 11:16 am
Elizabeth
Love your new skirt. I think your pencil skirt is very flattering. and you’re right, it does go with everything!
August 2, 2010 at 12:21 pm
selfishseamstress
I was in large part inspired by your pencil skirts, you know ;) Envy is a great motivator!
August 2, 2010 at 11:21 am
kathleen
As a person WITH hips, I don’t think we can classify lack of hips as a “problem”. Or as my mother would say, that’s a high class problem, dear.
Beautiful skirt – now make a tiger one .
August 2, 2010 at 12:24 pm
selfishseamstress
Hehehe. You know, for some reason, tiger is a little lower on my animal print hierarchy. It basically goes leopard/cheetah/jaguar followed by giraffe followed by python/crocodile/alligator followed by zebra, and then maybe tiger after that. But it might just be that I haven’t seen the right tiger fabric just yet.
As for hips, I’m sort of average in the hip department. I neither lack them nor have them in great abundance. The lack of a waist is the bigger fit issue.
August 2, 2010 at 11:35 am
Peter
Are you saying that THAT is “almost everything” in your closet? Are you living out of a suitcase?
August 2, 2010 at 12:13 pm
selfishseamstress
Um, no, I don’t think I am “saying” that. Where did you get that from?
Ah, Negative Nancy, I was wondering when you were going to show up with your sack of nitpicks. Between “oogly,” “be-atch,” “too long,” “too low,” “unsophisticated,” “funeral at noon,” and “living out of a suitcase,” you sure aren’t finding very much to like around here these days, huh? I never thought *I* would be the one to say it but isn’t that enough nitpicking for one week? ;)
August 2, 2010 at 1:18 pm
Peter
Just call me a “nit wit!” Wait — that doesn’t sound so good…
August 2, 2010 at 11:39 am
Samina
The skirt is gorgeous, you are gorgeous & the skirt is gorgeous on you. I would have never thought that an animal print could look that chic. I’m off to feel frumpy & un-chic now.
August 2, 2010 at 12:02 pm
amy barthel
cute 4 ways!
August 2, 2010 at 12:22 pm
Hana - Marmota
Ta-da! It actually makes your legs look long! Congratulations.
August 2, 2010 at 1:46 pm
Kihli
It looks really good. I used to think – like you – that pencil skirts are very not flattering on short legs, but now that I see yours.. perhaps I should give it a try, too.
I like the combination with the blue top best!
August 2, 2010 at 1:53 pm
Jenny
You and your skirt are so frickin cute… I don’t think I can stand you anymore! But I just can’t look away…
August 2, 2010 at 2:09 pm
Angela
Your skirt is fantastic! I love how it goes with so many different tops! Love the shoes, too!
August 2, 2010 at 2:44 pm
Sherry
Well, seeing you in this it is hard to believe you haven’t owned a pencil skirt before! It looks great on you – lovely length and fit.
Now you can whip up a few more in other fabrics/colours!
August 2, 2010 at 4:04 pm
Gail
Think about it. The leopard in the wild has to blend into its environment to hunt effectively. This is my theory about why animal prints make great wardrobe builders.
August 2, 2010 at 4:45 pm
mari
The skirt and you look great. I do love those shoes on you. They are really fantastic with that skirt. I would have never thought of a leopard prnt as a wardrobe basic, but what the heck. It is fantastic. Congrats.
Mari
August 2, 2010 at 7:23 pm
Kathi
It looks great on you with all of the different styles of shirts! Excellent!!
August 3, 2010 at 2:00 am
Marie-Christine
I just realized that I’ve been wearing my grey leopard pants for nearly 10 years.. Yes, they do go with absolutely everything. And polyester helps that longevity :-).
Feel better now? You should, it looks great on you.
August 3, 2010 at 4:26 am
senaSews
Great skirt and perfect fit. Love how the skirt looks classy and stylish at the same time.
August 8, 2010 at 4:57 pm
Andrea
Fabulous! Maybe now I’ll be motivated to finish my leopard skirt. I’ll bet it will look great with your new green top as well. :)
August 9, 2010 at 2:30 pm
amber
That is so amazingly chic and I’m green with envy!
August 10, 2010 at 8:38 am
The Slapdash Sewist
It really does go with everything, and such a flattering fit! I never thought of leopard as a neutral. Every time I show the boyfriend a pattern illustrated in leopard print he comments on it. I can’t tell if he likes or doesn’t like it, but I suspect the former. I should try to find some of this.
August 11, 2010 at 7:55 am
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August 24, 2010 at 1:04 pm
Tasia
Fabulous! Even though I’m late to the party on this post, this skirt is awesome. I LOVE your multiple-outfit photo collage too, really shows off the versatility of the skirt! Who knew animal print was so easy to wear?
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