Thread: panel skirts, do you have any? sizing? workability?

I'm talking about the front and back two panel kind like these by Moondance



I've always wanted to try to make a skirt like this out of a heavier silk like charmeuse..a few questions..

Do the stiffer fabrics like sari material work better, or would this work with silk?

I've never danced in one, how do they move?

I'm guessing harem pants underneath are required?

How wide are the panels?

How much room should there be for elastic or tie on?

How long are they? Ankle length?

Do you buy them with a matching choli or do you coordinate them with other separates?

any photos to share?

It would work with silk.

I have made them out of a chiffon veil before that I didn't use. The width is the measurement of where I want it on my hips, including the elastic. I have not made them with ties. The length is to my ankles. In my opionion I wouldn't say you need to wear pants or a skirt underneath. It depends on how much coverage the person is looking for. Your legs will peak out during dance even more than a cut open circle skirt. I have coordinated with harems and tribal pants. As for tops I think anything goes really.

I don't have a photo, but I can share a link that Dahlal has on their Dancer Designs page that I have used in the past.

https://www.dahlal.com/default.aspx?n=3.35

https://www.dahlal.com/default.aspx?n=3.25

The ones from Dahlal are made from voided velvet shawls / table runners. I have done this (if you want to see how they move, I'll give you teh Youtube link.) I think if you made them out of 10 mm silk, they would be fine. Anything lighter would probably not have enough hand to really hold the shape / flow, if that makes sense.

In the example from Moondance, I am going to guess that these would be very old school without something underneath. I have seen a couple of sword vids with this look with a coin costume. Very cool, but you need a lot of confidence to carry it off.

I like them to be the same length as my skirts, which mean about 1/2 and inch above the floor. It's a line of vision issue especially if I am wearing a pair of black pants beneath.

In the ones I have made, the panels were as wide as the cloth was. I put in a 3/4" casing for elastic.

Hope that helps!

{{{HUGS}}}

You could always buy one so that you have one to play around with...

I made them from chiffon, with ribbon ties to make them adjustable. Some of the ladies then chose to make their own the next year. I found the elastic didn't work at all that they bunched or slid around.

I used them for my students so that we could present a uniform look with minimal investment.

We pair with either a tank or crop top to allow people to feel comfortable in their costuming choices.
The students wear them with black pants underneath, yoga, harems, melodias, whatever they have. I wear them with pants that match my top.

My photos don't want to attach but... I'm trying.

I have two. One is non-stretch, lined velvet, and the panels hang flat. It's about 16" wide, and has elastic straps on the side (over the hips). I always wear harem pants under and a coin scarf over them. The skirt construction is similar in concept to a string bikini or a loincloth, and without the other costume pieces, it would look stripperishly tacky. It has a matching choli-style velvet top.

My other panel skirt is a mid-weight, synthetic jersey. The panels were cut fabric width (around 44"), and it is generously gathered. Originally, it had an elastic waist, but I replaced it with non-roll belting. The edges of the panels meet and are sewn together partway down the thigh, so it can be worn without harem pants underneath, but it still requires some sort of belt on top to look finished. This one is essentially the rectangular equivalent of a two-panel circle skirt. If you didn't know it was a panel skirt, you would assume it is just a gathered straight skirt with slits on both sides. I'm not sure where I heard the term, but someone referred to this style as a "curtain skirt," because it's like taking two window panels and stringing them on a waistband instead of a curtain rod.

If you want the flat style of panel skirt, you do need quite a bit of weight for it to hang properly and stay flat across the legs while you are dancing. There is the risk that those skirts can look like you made them out of table runners, so I think you need to be careful about choosing fabrics and embellishments that offset this effect (i.e., aim more for opulence than home dec and stay away from obvious upholstery fabrics). OTOH, I think the curtain style would work nicely in a heavy- or medium-weight silk, because they are more about flow than straight hang.

thank you for posting!!! I love the photos..wow it would be a bit pricey,but really pretty, to do one in velvet burnout too

I love how they layer over harems or melodias, or chiffon circle skirts..it seems I saw Isidora wear one that way once..the circle skirt had a nice swish to it underneath the panel

ok thanks everyone, gonna play with some fabric and see what happens

I do like the curtain rod idea too..

I like the flowey style that lighter weight fabric gives better than stiff. I also prefer ties with panels instead of elastic... this makes it easier for putting it on and taking it off when you have a ton of layers under and over it. I made some out of this off-white, mesh, lace fabric and they turned out really fun! Here's the link for pictures: Ivory Lace Panel Skirt Tribal Bellydance by LesediDancer on Etsy

I've made two out of lycra with ties ate the sides. I like them around ankle length or a bit short, since I wear them either over another skirt or pants. I really like how they look over another straight skirt.

Well, I'm going to try something super simple: I'm going to just safety pin the panels to my pants. By the time I add a hip scarf (also pinned, to keep a knot from being in the way) and then an Ancient Reflections belt on a wide base over it, I figure it's not going anywhere and I need to avoid all those ties.

no stills yet, but here's a video of a two panel I recently made out of a sheer fabric (two panels through elastic) to wear over coordinating harems

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKtWXqT3D7Q]YouTube - Najla Belly Dance NYC - "Inta Omri" (veil improv) - Yale Alum Spring Showcase Pt 1 - May 25, 2010[/ame]

[quote]

Originally Posted by najla86

no stills yet, but here's a video of a two panel I recently made out of a sheer fabric (two panels through elastic) to wear over coordinating harems

ooh, I like the look of that:)