Styles and design · 5 October 2026 · 4 min read

Made-to-measure pencil skirts: fit, vent and length

A made-to-measure pencil skirt is cut to your own waist and hips. What to specify: length below the knee, a vent or kick pleat, lining and walking ease.

Inspiration

Why pencil skirts are hard to buy

A made-to-measure pencil skirt is cut to your own waist and hip measurements, and that is the whole point: a pencil skirt has to follow the body from waist to knee, and ready-made sizes assume one fixed difference between the two. If your waist is smaller or your hips fuller than the chart expects, the skirt that goes over your hips gapes at the waist, and the one that sits right at the waist strains across the seat.

Skirts are among the Western pieces we stitch to measure. A pencil skirt is one to ask for with a photo and the details below, which your written quote then confirms. It is the close-cut counterpart of the maxi skirt, where length and fullness do the work instead.

How the shape is built

The shaping comes from darts, usually two at the front and two at the back, which take the fabric in from hip to waist. The bigger the difference between your waist and hips, the more the darts have to remove, and on a made-to-measure skirt they are sized for you. Three measurements drive it.

Waist, where you want the top of the skirt to sit.
Hips, around the fullest part of the seat, with the tape level all the way round.
Waist to hip, the distance down your side between those two lines, so the widest part of the skirt lands at the widest part of you.

Walking and sitting ease

A pencil skirt needs a little ease, meaning room beyond your body measurement. Without it the skirt climbs when you walk and creases across the lap when you sit. Say how close you like it, and try this before you send your numbers: measure your hips standing, then again sitting on a firm chair. The seated figure is larger, and the skirt has to allow for it. Our article on ease by garment explains the idea, and the size guide shows how to take waist and hips.

Length: on, below or well below the knee

Measure from the waistband position down to where you want the hem, then sit and check what shows.

On the knee: the traditional office length, and shorter once you are seated.
Just below the knee: covers the knee when you stand and nearly covers it when you sit. A dependable choice for work.
Mid-calf: more cover and very elegant, but the longer and narrower the skirt, the more it restricts your stride, so the opening at the back becomes essential.

Vent, kick pleat or slit

A skirt that narrows toward the hem cannot be walked in without an opening, normally at the centre back. There are three kinds, and they differ in how much leg they show.

Slit: a plain open cut in the seam. Simple, but it opens fully as you walk.
Vent: one edge overlaps the other, so the opening is covered when you stand and parts only as you step.
Kick pleat: a folded pleat set into the seam with fabric behind it. It gives room to stride while nothing opens to the skin.

Lining, waist finish and fabric

For a below-the-knee or mid-calf skirt with full cover, the kick pleat is the one to ask for; say how high it should reach. A lining lets the skirt slide over tights instead of climbing them, helps stop the seat bagging with wear and keeps pale fabric opaque, which is why most pencil skirts have one. The top can be finished with a narrow waistband or with a clean faced edge, and the zip usually sits at the centre back or the side.

Choose a fabric with some body: suiting, firm cotton or a heavier crepe. A woven cloth with a little stretch is more comfortable for sitting, and very soft or thin fabric shows every line beneath. If you are sending your own, Stitching Only starts with photos so we can confirm it is suitable before you post it. Send your photo, the three measurements, the length, the kind of back opening and your lining preference through the quote form. Nothing is cut until you have approved the written quote.

Common questions

Can a pencil skirt be comfortable to sit in all day?

Yes, if it has a little ease at the hips, a lining and ideally a fabric with slight stretch. Skirts that feel tight when seated are usually cut with too little room across the seat, which made to measure avoids.

What tops go with a pencil skirt for work?

A tucked shirt or fine knit is the classic choice, and a short jacket that ends at the waist or high hip keeps the line long. A looser blouse works if it is tucked or ends above the hip.

Is a pencil skirt the same as a straight skirt?

Not quite. A straight skirt falls vertically from the hip to the hem, while a true pencil skirt tapers slightly toward the knee. The straight version is easier to walk in, and the tapered one looks sleeker.

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