Box Pleat Skirt – FREE sewing pattern

When you hear the word “pleats,” you might associate it with a schoolgirl skirt, but pleated skirts don’t necessarily have to be girly. I prefer them in lush, flowing fabrics, like viscose and silk for a more grown-up look. And the best thing about them is that they are a great vehicle for a gorgeous fabric – all that swishing and twirling makes the best of an amazing print.

Box pleats are the most universally flattering and, hence, the skirt I have drafted is a box pleat design. You can find the FREE pattern here. It prints out onto A4 paper to stick together at home.The pattern takes 2.75m of fabric at 150cm wide, or 3m of fabric at 112cm wide. You will also need a 20cm / 8 inch zip and a button or hooker for the waistband. It is drafted for an 84cm waist – which is approximately a UK size 14 and the length is 90cm. You can just add or remove length to suit your height and taste. The seam allowance is 1.5cm.

The main trick to pulling off a pleated skirt is to show off your waist with a belt, a tucked-in shirt or a shorter top. And while they may seem tricky to wear, once you find the right length and pleat for you, you’re onto a winning look.

If you’re petite then opt for short or midi lengths. If you’re tall then you can get away with a longer length. Narrower hips can take really wide pleats whereas pear-shapes should stick to narrower pleats for the most flattering effect. I’ve made this one as a midi length but it would look great as a maxi skirt with sandals for the hot weather.

This Stella McCartney silk skirt is really lovely, but it is just a simple pattern dependent on a beautiful fabric. And for the £950 that it costs I think you could probably make about 30 of them!