Project Planning: Anthropologie-inspired skirt

It seems like when I'm shopping for clothes, I'll often find things that would be just right- if only one or two details were changed. Lately I'm seeing a lot of really short skirts which are not my cup of tea, but sometimes it's color, neckline, strap width, whatever. Maybe I'm just picky, but that's probably better for my budget. Sometimes, the issues can be fixed with a little tailoring, like pants with too-wide legs, or sleeves that are too long or wide. Sometimes, though, there's just nothing for it, and I have to either buy the item and live with it, or pass on it completely.

Skirt available at Anthropologie

One of those items is the Decade-by-Decade skirt by Tracy Reese, available at Anthropologie. I love the high-waisted, full-but-not-too-full cut, and the gorgeous retro-inspired floral print. The thing is, I'm just don't wear much green. I would like to start, but I think that a $140 skirt is not a good "try something new" buy. All too often in the past, I've bought things that I love but that don't quite work for me or that are too far out of my fashion comfort zone. Usually it ends up that I have to force myself to wear them, which I rarely do, and they sit in my closet for a while before I get rid of them. It's an exercise in frustration, not to mention a waste of money.

Now that I'm sewing again, though, I can stop this vicious cycle! I've already found a pattern, BurdaStyle's Linda circle skirt, and fabric, Amy Butler's Water Bouquet. The original skirt is cotton, but it's got a bit of a sheen to it and it has more drape than the quilting-weight cotton I'm planning to use. So, I'll have to see if there's anything I can do to give the Amy Butler fabric some of that drape. I'm also undecided as to whether I want to add the topstitched center seam from the original skirt to my version- that would require altering the pattern, although hopefully it wouldn't be too complicated.

Images from here and here

This project will probably have to wait until after our move, but I think I can have it ready in time for spring. Plus, since it looks like we'll be getting a bigger apartment, I may even get to make this skirt in a real, dedicated sewing space, instead of at the dining table!