A Very Vintage Life: The Classic Pencil Skirt

I recently made a 1940s inspired pencil skirt and it got me thinking about how pencil skirts have changed over time. Lets have a look at the vintage pencil skirt and the pencil skirts of today.

So here is the one I made....

The two things I like most is 1) the fit is not figure hugging but simply skims the hips and therefore it is not only flattering but also comfortable and 2) the length is to mid calf. It is modest and again flattering. It also feels very feminine to wear. I took my inspiration from the 1940's. It is a classic pencil skirt that can be worn with anything and to anywhere.

The 1940's Pencil Skirt

Christian Dior invented the first pencil skirt in 1940. It was a shortened adaption of the 1910 hobble skirt.
After the shapeless style clothes of the 20's women wanted to embrace the curves of the pencil skirt.
Earlier versions of the pencil skirt were initially part of a women's suit.
The pencil skirt made the corset popular again. Women wanted to accentuate their curves.

For me though I love the elegance of the 1940s pencil skirt. It skims the hips, is a modest but flattering length, makes you look slim and moves gracefully with the figure instead of restricting it.

So what about pencil skirts today...

The Modern Pencil Skirt

I love Fashion and how creative it can be. Pencil skirts have changed so much. To think that they started with a bit of rope tied round the skirt of the first woman to fly in a plane and now they are made in all shapes, materials, designs, lengths and for those who have that killer figure it looks great.

In my experience, however, I find that pencil skirts today don't fit properly. I have brought a few pencil skirts from shops and I have to squeeze in them, they don't compliment my figure and they are difficult to walk in. On the other hand the ones I have from vintage shops fit perfectly.