Sign In
I really like the look of an A-line skirt on my body. Its classic 60s silhouette works well with all of the tops and sweaters in my wardrobe.
I've been wanting a white, everyday skirt that’s really comfortable, goes with almost everything in my closet, and can be worn all spring and summer.
So, I made the Colette Ginger skirt!
Before I get into my project details, I want to discuss sizing. This is an older Colette pattern, and it's available up to size 18, which is not our current size range.
If you want to make an A-line skirt like this and you need additional sizing, there's the Sawyer skirt and the Everly skirt. Our friends at Style Arc have a pattern called the Mary-Ann skirt that also has a center front seam.
I made version 3 of the Ginger skirt, which is cut on the bias. It's really intended to be made with a striped fabric so that you get a really cool chevron effect at the center front.
This pattern is intended to be an above-the-knee length, but I shortened it into a mini skirt, and I'll talk more about that later if you want to do the same.
My Fabric
Now I want to talk about my fabric.
I used a Lady McElroy Dakota Corduroy. It's 4 1/2 wale cotton corduroy in ivory.
I got this fabric from Stonemountain & Daughter Fabrics in Berkeley CA—my old stomping grounds. If you're ever nearby, be sure to stop in. Their staff is so friendly and helpful! And if you're a Seamwork member, you get a special discount code for 15% off. They ship worldwide.
I chose this corduroy because I had this idea of creating this bias-cut skirt with a subtle chevron but doing it in a textural stripe rather than a printed or woven stripe. If you want some tips for sewing with corduroy, watch my video, and I’ll share everything I learned.
You don't usually think of corduroy as being a warm weather fabric, but I think it works really well for spring when the temperatures are still a bit cool. Here’s how I’m planning to wear the Ginger skirt this spring.
White Linen T-shirt + Ginger Skirt + Cropped Sweater
If it's warmer, I'll wear this white linen T-shirt with my Ginger skirt. If it's cooler, I can put on this cropped sweater. I love cotton sweaters. They're comfortable and add just the right amount of warmth.
I like this outfit with flat clogs from Lotta. I only like to wear flats or low heels with a short skirt.
Chambray Shirt + Flat Slides + Pink Bandana
An A-line skirt looks good with a button-up, and chambray is sort of classic and minimal. I'd wear it either tucked in or tied at the waist.
You could also wear a linen or cotton shirt, whatever you already have in your wardrobe.
I'm wearing this with flat slides from Nissolo to keep it clean and give it a minimal look. I also have a soft pink bandana that looks good with a button-up.
Pink Knit Long-sleeve Top + Red Shoes
The next look is a pink long-sleeve top and red shoes. I love a pink and red combo to add some spring color.
If you want to make a long-sleeve tee like this, check out the Seamwork Alice.
The shoes are red suede mules from Banana Republic.
Romantic Black Eyelet Top + Black Flat Espadrilles
Next is a romantic black eyelet top and my black, flat espadrilles.
This is just a really pretty look that's easy to wear. I have a lot of lacy and romantic black tops in my wardrobe, and I think the white of the skirt really offsets them nicely. It makes it a little bit more graphic.
The espadrilles are pretty and coordinate with the black top. I got them on Etsy from somebody who lives in Spain. If you want to make your own espadrilles, Robin wrote a really great tutorial here.
Callen + Black Loafers
Last is my Callen sweater and some black loafers.
I think any striped top looks great with an A-line skirt for that 60s French vibe. I chose some menswear-inspired loafers from Sam Edelman for a look that's just really classic and comfortable. My bag is from Coach.
I made a project video about Callen if you want to get even more styling ideas.
Personally, I like to wear things on repeat. I like getting a lot of use out of what I have and finding different ways to style things I already own with a staple piece.
It’s so nice to sew something that you know you'll wear at least once a week.
So what about you? Have you ever sewn something you couldn't stop wearing? Comment and let me know!
