These unflattering long skirts...

Fattening and aging, I think the fashion editor of Libelle magazine called the new skirt length for 1947... The New Look.
This is my first attempt at such a length and I don't think it is unflattering in any way. Of course, in a safe colour like black, grey, brown or blue, it might be a different matter. That would probably a bit frumpy and therefore aging... 
But I have to admit it's a whole lot of look:

I love the textured leaves/features woven into this fabric. And that vibrant colour of course. It has got a nice hand as well. It's cotton and fairly heavy but it isn't stiff like most heavier cottons are. 

Looking carefully, you will notice that this isn't such a complicated skirt at all. I had planned some flared and pleated affair but that would have 'restricted' me to a length of about 72 cm. This is 80. 

This is a simple half circle skirt with pockets which stick out from the hipline. In fact, I spend much longer on those than I usually do on a pocket arrangement. I had to figure out an angle which would make this work. Stick-out pockets are a common feature in skirts, dresses, coats and jackets from 1947 to well into the 1950's. 

On the pattern, it looks like this:

Back skirt, front skirt, pocket facing and underside of pocket. When sewing the side seam, you clip the seam allowance where the pocket angles away from the  side of the skirt.

This skirt is also a testament to just how much 50's fashion sense I have absorbed by now... 
Honestly, having been a teenager in the 1990's I have spend many years hiding wide hips. Then, when I started pattern making, I grew to appreciate how the waist-to-hip ratio at least gives me a feminine figure (cup A won't get you that) and now, influenced by all those vintage magazines, I have no problem at all at faking a bit more hip ;)

I know a feature like this won't be for everyone. But I guess the morale of this story is to pick your fashion battles. If what's 'in' today doesn't suit your body type, find a beauty ideal which does. You don't have to want to follow a look of some vintage literally to take some pointers...
Even without going into any of the standard debates, any 'ideal shape' is just one image and any woman will look more beautiful if she's happy with herself and what she's wearing... 

Ok, I didn't mean to lecture. I feel very good in this skirt although its length may make it a bit impractical. I don't think it will be great for riding a bike for example. 
I'm going to trace that coat pattern now. I hope it will make for a nice coat to wear with this skirt.