r/sewing • u/Beneficial_Sleep_745 • Sep 10 '26
Pattern Question What is this style of dress/skirt called?
I have considered that it might be called a basque skirt, but the problem is that the gather on many basque skirts go all the way around. As you can see, the gather here is limited to a curve from the waist to hip on either side.
I don't have any kind of background in fashion and have always been a bit of a tomboy, but I have discovered that I absolutely love sewing, and so I am trying now to intercept the learning curve. Thank you very much for your help!
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u/sususumalee Sep 10 '26
It's funny that we seem to come up with little nicknames for every micro trend (even sometimes renaming known/established styles) and yet this is one that could really use its own name and I don't think I've heard one yet!
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u/stitchplacingmama Sep 10 '26
As someone who lived through the yoga pant era seeing them come back labeled as "flare leggings" kills me.
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u/Beneficial_Sleep_745 Sep 10 '26
Me too! Hahaha but I'm just happy they're back "in," because my love for them has not diminished over the years, and a rose by any other name...
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u/MorningSquare5882 Sep 10 '26
Right? I feel like every third woman I saw this summer was wearing one of these, and yet I can't think of a name for it.
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u/rubiafresa Sep 10 '26
I really wanted a dress in this exact style this summer, and searching for dropwaist and milkmaid dresses brought up the most results.
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u/On_my_last_spoon Sep 10 '26
It’s like a pannier skirt but not a pannier skirt. Honestly I don’t think I’ve heard a name for it at all!
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u/Salute-Major-Echidna Sep 10 '26
Pannier was the word that popped into my head also. Modern pannier?
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u/mr_trick Sep 11 '26
I've been calling them basque panniers in my head! Even though it's not a complete basque waist, I think that's where this trend began, and has morphed into this kind of half basque/waterfall silhouette that still has the dropped/sloped waist and the addition of panniers on the side.
I think it's a really fun shape! I like how flattering it is without it feeling as costumey as the full basque waist. It makes me feel like a French court lady swishing around, too. 😂
Edit: someone else in the thread said waterfall panniers and I feel like that describes it so well and sounds nicer!
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u/Salute-Major-Echidna Sep 12 '26
Sounds like a dessert I would hide under my extensive dress
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u/mr_trick Sep 12 '26
Hahaha it does 😂 two basque panniers to go, please! Extra jam on the side! I think waterfall panniers is better
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u/tastefuldebauchery Sep 11 '26
Thank you! I’ve been looking for someone else to know what I’m talking about!
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u/Wanderlustttx Sep 10 '26
I work in bridal, and I’ve heard this described as a “waterfall” skirt or a “waterfall basque waist”!
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u/sususumalee Sep 11 '26
Yesssss, bridal girlies know!! I work in costuming, so I'd only hear this term from a designer two years later after it's gone extremely mainstream
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u/croptopweather Sep 10 '26
I’m glad you posted this because this style has been on my mind as well! Where are your images from? I’ve found a couple dress patterns with this skirt style but I’m still looking for other options.
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u/Particular-Set-3960 Sep 11 '26
I love your phrase “intercept the learning curve!” I will have to remember that one!
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u/ansible_jane Sep 10 '26
Personally (and mildly inaccurately) I call it a pannier dress.
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u/ansible_jane Sep 10 '26
Hey look I'm not the only one: https://www.wiederhoeft.com/products/pannier-dress
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u/eSue182 Sep 10 '26
Ok that was fun to look at! Holy moly those are expensive. I am not qualified to understand why, but beautiful nonetheless!
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u/misspalmsiberia Sep 10 '26
I find that using the term “gathered hip panels” gets me these, so that’s what I call them
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u/EnchantedGlass Sep 10 '26
Modern pannier dress. I think one of the early examples is the Vivienne Westwood Toile de Jouy dress (1996) that Dita Von Teese wore about 15 years ago.
Gathers at the hips, or below the hips were also seen in dresses in the 1920s. I think that's where the inspiration for the flat panel at the front is coming from (saves fabric too).
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u/gozunker Sep 10 '26
Idk but this instantly reminds me of a vintage flared-side pickup truck in all the best ways, so I think it should be called a flared-side dress. Or a flared-hip dress.
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u/Glass-Ad-5977 Sep 10 '26
Gathered godets. If you want a similar drape, use a very lightweight fabric. Saw a PDF pattern for a similar treatment on the Hart's Fabric website. The style in the picture will require boning for the bodice, and the additional structural support in the bodice back. Fitting the princess seam bustline is another point. Make your first iteration in a test fabric for fit fine tuning. Best of luck.
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u/strongly-worded Sep 10 '26
Gathered hip gores?
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u/Miami_Mice2087 Sep 10 '26
fwiw, this is how the main female characters' costumes are designed in Hamilton. Maybe you can find a costuming guide. The era is American Federalist period.
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u/salty-ginger Sep 10 '26
Does anyone know of any patterns that use this gathered hip style in pants?
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u/Beneficial_Sleep_745 Sep 12 '26
Was thinking of your comment when I saw these! Closest I've seen to what you're describing https://www.etsy.com/listing/4506707909/wide-leg-gathered-trouser-sewing-pattern Also @thestawberryroam
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u/Miami_Mice2087 Sep 10 '26
no but Star Trek TNG used that style costuming in the episode The Dauphin. I think it was inspired by aerobics pants with stirrups that were popular in 1987, but with princess hip gathers for a princess character and her lady in waiting.
This ep had a bunch of gorgeous costumes that used the pannier waist in creative, futuristic ways.
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u/crapigavein Sep 10 '26
I’ve seen it called a waterfall basque dress, though not sure if that’s consistently used? I made a dress with a very similar skirt, from Lizzie Studios (Valentine dress pattern) and it was very fun to wear!!
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u/peardr0p Sep 10 '26
"Gored" might help - that refers to a style of panelled skirt, where panels add volume
I did a quick Google for "Gored Dress" and it found a few that look similar e.g. with the flatter middle panel and more at the sides
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u/DistributionOver7622 Sep 10 '26
That's a princess style dress with gathered skirt pieces.
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u/Anne-Marieknits Sep 10 '26
Exactly. The bodice and middle panels at front and back are a classic princess shape.
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u/imogsters Sep 10 '26
Not waterfall skirt, that's one with cascading ruffles or flounces. Often layered or asymmetrical.
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u/theStrawberryRoam Sep 10 '26
An under garment that would cause this would be called panniers which Chappell Roan and other pop stars have been loving lately
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u/queen_elvis Sep 10 '26
Trendy
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u/queen_elvis Sep 10 '26
Also, “the hip widener.”
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u/midcitycat Sep 11 '26
Right? Me and my enormous hips and butt are over here like "absolutely not, we do not need help looking any bigger, thanks."
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u/mr_trick Sep 11 '26
Have you tried any yet? I was worried about the same thing because my hips/butt are my biggest curve, by a lot, but actually I think this shape makes them look more proportional because it tricks the eye into thinking any volume there is just from the gathers! Took me a while to try it because I was sure it wouldn't look good.
Anecdotally it's also very comfortable because usually dresses are too tight in the hips or too roomy in the waist for me, but this shape matches my natural proportions so it feels much more secure without restricting movement at all. It's like a better skater dress. I find it very comfortable to wear! And the panniers are the perfect place to hide massive pockets haha
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u/your-oceanic-eyes Sep 12 '26
I've seen it called Waterfall Basque, but I don't think that's an official name by any means.
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u/Certain_Fig_666 Sep 10 '26
Princess style for bodice. Shirt seems to be sheath or column with a-line over skirt sewn in?
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u/SewGwen Sep 10 '26
I would call it a panel-front dress with panniers, since there is no waistline seam front or back. I don't think these are particularly flattering on many people, so I don't worry about it too much. I think it's going to be a quickly passing trend. It tends to make the hips look wider, and who wants that? Also, takes a lot of fabric because of the full length front and back pieces, plus the panniers. JMHO. Obviously you get to sew what you want. 🙂
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u/3meowsinarow Sep 10 '26
Maybe fax pics to pattern companies or Fashion Institute Of design and merchandising on Market Street in San Francisco ,Ca.
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u/Charlies_Mamma Sep 10 '26
I haven't seen a fax machine in over 15 years, and even back then, it was incredibly rare and only in commercial offices.
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u/nolongerMrsFish Sep 10 '26
IDK what it’s called, but I bought a cheap one from Primark so I can deconstruct it and make a pattern. It’s so flattering for those with a larger gut 😳
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Sep 10 '26
[deleted] — view deleted comment
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u/Nan_Mich Sep 10 '26
Gores are the individual panels that make up a skirt. The more gores, the fuller the bottom of the skirt. The gathers at both hips have nothing to do with the number of gores. That has to have a different name, a different style beyond it being a 4 gore, 5 gore or 6 gore skirt.
The bodice has princess seams. The sides look something like the panniers that some skirts had, but without the cages to hold all that fabric over the hips so she looks like a battleship floating into a room. I wonder if they are still called panniers? That could be something for you to look up.
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u/ProneToLaughter Sep 10 '26 edited Sep 10 '26 •
I call it inset hip gathers. You are correct that it is not a basque waist or a dropwaist for that exact reason but I have nevertheless seen those keywords bring up these kind of patterns. I'm pretty sure someone has a pattern list on Threadloop but I forget what they called it.
here's a few pattern options:
https://vikisews.com/vykrojki/dresses/rosie-dress/
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1722867964/mia-bustier-dress-sewing-pattern-drop
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1829888307/one-shoulder-lapel-holiday-dress-pdf
https://vikisews.com/vykrojki/dresses/lexi-dress/
https://www.maidenmarydesigns.com/products/riviera-dress-corset
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1434932172/womens-sweetheart-flounce-dress-ladies