My Anthro Inspired Skirt


I am so glad I made a goal this year (ooh, good thing I finally started since the year’s almost over) to sew more for myself.  I feel like it’s my “roots” of sewing.  When I was a teenager, I think I made pretty much every dress or skirt in my closet.  I’m not saying they were all fashionable, I’m just saying I sewed them.  Then as I got older, got married, and had kids, I sewed almost exclusively for my sons.  Now that my youngest is past the baby stage (am I actually willing to admit that?), I feel like my sewing world has opened up again!
It’s been so much fun sewing for myself again. 
I made a skirt last week –as if I could have stopped myself after seeing all your Copycat Challenge entries– inspired by Anthropologie’s Easy Keeper Skirt.
Here’s the Anthro skirt, a mere $138: 
And here’s my version, approximately $20: 

I was SO tempted to not give the back of the skirt any layers.  I actually didn’t even notice them on Anthro’s version until I was ready to get started drafting my skirt.  I would have left them out, especially since they’re not super visible with all the plaid, but knew it would bug me forever if I cheated.  So I’d really appreciate it if you’d take a moment and notice that there are four layers on the bottom back of the skirt, since no one else probably ever will.  Thank you :).

I’m not going to lie, this skirt took a lot of drafting to get it just right. I used a basic Simplicity high waisted pencil skirt pattern, and then traced it and drafted all the changes from there. Like the Anthro inspired dress I made recently, I used the rolled hem on my serger to finish off all the curved edges. I think this skirt may have been a nightmare (and extremely heavy and thick since there’s a total of 8 “hems” on the skirt front) if I tried to do the edges differently.

One of my favorite things about the design of Anthro’s skirt was that the front of the skirt is cut on the bias, making the plaid go diagonally, and the back of the skirt is cut on the grain.  It gives the skirt a little something extra, but you don’t even notice why.  As expensive as Anthro clothing is, I think there’s a reason why they can charge so much.  They obviously have awesome designers.

Now the question is what skirt or dress to make next? I have a couple of ideas floating around in my head, but I’d love to hear your suggestions.  You know it doesn’t take much to change my mind :).


I’ll be linking up to a few of my favorite linky parties!

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25 Comments

  1. Oh I had this same skirt on my list of things I wanted to try to replicate. Yours looks great!!! And good to know about the back layers… had no idea as I’d only seen pics and hadn’t looked that closely.

  2. Love it! I went shopping at Anthro this week with 3 screeming kids. Bad idea! Thanks for reminding me there is another way to get that fabulous look.

  3. Great JOB!!! Especially working with plaid. Where do you get your basic pattern slopers. I used to have some for a class I took, but no longer have them.

  4. Okay this skirt is so amazing!! You should really sell these I would buy one, ah I love it!
    I have been looking for a dress pattern, I have made one dress before in high school but not since then, and really want to make another one. Know of any good patterns?

  5. Awesome job, Abby. Especially those back ruffles. :)

    But, honestly, it looks professional. If you hadn’t said you made it I never would have guessed. It looks wonderful.

    Man, it’s always hard to tell someone they’ve done an excellent job making something without saying, “it looks store bought!” and, if you’ve just made something, isn’t it almost kind of a diss to hear that it looks like someone else made it and not you? Compliments are tricky business, but hopefully this came through the way I meant it. :)

  6. um…that looks EXACTLY like the anthro skirt. you’re amazing! your skirt looks even better than the original not to mention you’re prettier than the model!

  7. I love that!! Lately I have been making a few skirts to wear to work, it is so much fun!! Good job, I like your version better.

  8. Oh my goodness Abby! I can’t believe this! You need to post a step by step tutorial. Amazing! You’ve inspired me to try and get to my sad little sewing machine again cause I badly need skirts that fit ME right…so maybe I need to consider making them myself! The fact that you can make something up yourself (without a pattern)…. is so beyond my abilities though!

  9. I love it! I prefer your purple, personally! That was a lot of p’s in one sentence…

    I think I need to give up shopping for skirts and just make one, dangit!

  10. I was so busy the week of your challenge, I never even saw this!

    LOVE IT!!

    SO MUCH!!

    Especially the amazing back layers :)

  11. Wow, this skirt is impressive! Perfect for fall. All that work was definitely worth it, it looks great.

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