Simplicity 2154 - Red Pencil Skirt

 I love a good pencil skirt. 

This is an eye-searingly red pencil skirt I had made to prove this. 

This is from Simplicity 2154 -  a lovely vintage reproduction pattern with a straight forward pencil skirt. (I had initially bought it to make the adorable bow blouse, but six years later that's still not eventuated. #queenofprocrastination) 

The skirt has double darts front and back for ease of fitting which I liked. Vent at the back, side zipper. 

I cut a size 8 (which was a size down - based on the provided measurements I should have been a size 10) after eyeballing the finished hip size measurements. It fitted a smidge tight around the waist but otherwise was fine. The waistband was designed to overlap but I felt like that added extra thickness to the waist so I shortened it so the two ends met up flush and joined them with multiple hook and eyes

I doubled the waistband width as I like having a high waisted look (it gives me the false security of tummy support after a big lunch), and shortened it to above the knee. I also added a lining so that it would play nice with tights should I wear tights with it (very important). 

The only thing I am not sure how I feel about the side zipper - its as good of a place as any in this particular skirt I suppose (normally they are a definite no from me as they take away valuable side pocket real estate - but not like you can fit much of a pocket in a pencil skirt...) still...the next time I make it may consider moving it to the back like most of my other skirts...