I originally planned this post thinking I would splurge on some Halloween outfit items from Modcloth. Unfortunately, Modcloth seems to be sold out all the time and I am still trying to watch what I spend. After last months Lilly sale, I’m still recovering a little. (Ok, that makes it sound like I’m 100% broke. I’m not, I’m just saving for things). Because I didn’t buy from Modcloth, I was lead to some other great sites to create this Halloween outfit.
Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you I may make a commission if you click through and purchase.
Creating the Perfect Halloween Outfit
I was inclined to check out Etsy for unique Halloween finds. I’ve shopped at Etsy for awhile now and they have a huge selection of the most classy, quirky, and custom items I have ever seen. I absolutely love it. While looking for a Halloween top I ran across the shop Mischief Made. Guys, I am literally obsessed. Mischief Made has a great selection of fun t-shirts and sweaters. She revolves her shop around pin-up girls and I just can’t get over it. I love pin-up & Halloween so this shop is the perfect mix. She even has Halloween cardigans. I mean seriously so cute! I’m linking just a few of my favorite items from this shop below, including the pin-up witch shirt I’m wearing.
Another Day, Another Circle Skirt
Once I found this retro Halloween t-shirt, I needed to complete my outfit. In keeping with the pin-up theme I knew I wanted to have a circle skirt. I was hoping I could find something similar to Modcloths retro Halloween skirts on Amazon for cheaper but…they were all just so tacky. That was not what I was going for. So I decided why not make another circle skirt? I’ve made a handful of them now so why not one for Halloween? This time however, I decided I didn’t want an elastic waistband…oh boy. What did I get myself into. I knew I wanted this skirt to be perfect so I was sure to take my time. There were two pin-up-esque Halloween fabrics that I looked at using. I took to Instagram to have you guys help me pick which fabric to use! The orange pin-up fabric from Spoonflower just narrowly won. But honestly it goes together so well. Needless to say, I wish I could dress for Halloween longer because I adore this outfit.
Shop the Look:
Circle Skirt with Zipper Instructions
So I’ll be honest, I didn’t really follow any one set of instructions. I mostly made it up as I went from my original circle skirt DIY with an elastic band. But I’ll try my best to break it down simply, logically, and in a way that’s easy to understand.
What You’ll Need: Minimum of 2 yards of fabric, zipper, thread
- Measure your waist (where you want the skirt to sit) and divide that number by 6.28.
- Cut the Skirt – Fold your fabric into 4ths. In the corner measure your number calculated in Step 1 and mark where to cut. (Pictures and details here). Measure from the top cut the desired length of the skirt. This length is right at about 17″.
- Cut the Waist Band – This should be your waist measurement plus extra. Better to have extra length than too little! Add 7inches to be safe.
- Attach the Waist Band – Use an iron to create finished seams. Then pin the waist band to the top of the circle skirt. Leave the back (where the zipper will go) un-pinned.
- Cut & Pin Your Zipper – Cut a straight line down the back of your circle skirt where the zipper will go. Follow instructions on how to pin the zipper (or just wing it like I did. Those instructions were wayyy confusing).
- Sew the Skirt – I started with attaching the waistband, then I attached the zipper, and finished with the top seam of the waistband. I didn’t finish the bottom of the skirt yet as I’m afraid it’ll be too short.
So like I said, I mostly just made it up as I went. If you’ve made a basic circle skirt with elastic before it’s pretty simple to figure out how to add a zipper. Most importantly be sure to measure & pin twice, cut & sew once. I hope this helps and I’d love to see your circle skirt creations!
Find a more complete Circle Skirt DIY here.
