Size Guide

Your Skirtcraft waist size will probably not be your usual size (see below).

Get Your Waist Measurement

• Use a cloth or soft plastic measuring tape, or a piece of string.
• Measure around your waist at the point where you'd like the waistband to sit.
• Pull the tape or string as tightly as you'd like your skirt's waistband to feel.
• If you use string, mark the point on the string where the end meets it, then measure that length using a yardstick or any other measuring tool.
• Do not measure your waist directly with a metal measuring tape or a yardstick.
• Do not measure over clothes other than underwear.

Select Your Skirt Waist Size

Choose the size that matches your measurement. The Unaligned Skirt comes in these waist sizes:

• 30-31 inches (76-80 cm)
• 32-33 inches (81-85 cm)
• 34-35 inches (86-90 cm)
• 36-37 inches (91-95 cm)
• 38-39 inches (96-100 cm)
• 40-41 inches (101-105 cm)
• 42-43 inches (106-110 cm)
• 44-45 inches (111-115 cm)

Double-check Your Size

If you'd like to validate your size, or decide between two sizes, try this:

1. Take out a couple pairs of pants/trousers or skirts that fit you well. Ideally they should be of a heavier fabric like denim, and should not be stretchy.
2. Lay each one out flat. Pull the waistband from the sides so that it is lying nearly in a straight line (but not stretched).
3. Measure the waistband from left to right.
4. Compare the measurement to how the skirt sizes measure in the following table. Keep in mind that there is some variation between skirts of a given size, so your skirt's measurement may be off by up to about 3/8 inch (1 cm) from the values given.

Size	Waistband, Left to Right	Waistband, Left to Right (before first wash/shrink)
30-31	15 1/4 inches (38 3/4 cm)	15 3/4 inches (40 cm)
32-33	16 1/4 inches (41 1/4 cm)	16 3/4 inches (42 1/2 cm)
34-35	17 1/2 inches (44 1/2 cm)	18 inches (45 3/4 cm)
36-37	18 1/2 inches (47 cm)	19 inches (48 1/4 cm)
38-39	19 1/2 inches (49 1/2 cm)	20 inches (50 3/4 cm)
40-41	20 3/4 inches (52 3/4 cm)	21 1/4 inches (54 cm)
42-43	21 3/4 inches (55 1/4 cm)	22 1/4 inches (56 1/2 cm)
44-45	22 3/4 inches (57 3/4 cm)	23 1/4 inches (59 cm)

Why Our Sizing Is Different

• Sizing differs from brand to brand in general, partly due to vanity sizing.
• Some people like to wear the waistband lower on their hips, while others prefer it be closer to their natural waist. So two people with the same true waist size might want two different skirt sizes. Note: the skirt is designed to sit at what is sometimes referred to as the "jeans waist" in menswear or "low/mid rise" in womenswear.
• Since you won't be able to try on different sizes before choosing, it's critical that we have an objective sizing method that allows you to clearly figure out your correct size at home.

Skirt Length

The Unaligned Skirt is 22 1/2 inches (57 cm) long, measured on the side, from the top of the waistband to the bottom of the hem.

To test how long the skirt would be on you:

• Kneel on the floor.
• Measure the distance from the floor to where you'd like to wear the top edge of your waistband. Measure at the side of your body rather than the front or back.
• That measurement is approximately how long a skirt would need to be to reach the middle of your knees while standing.
• If the measurement is less than 22 1/2 inches (57 cm), the Unaligned Skirt will fall below the middle of your knee. If more than 22 1/2 inches (57 cm), it will fall above.
• Several people who've tested the skirt have liked it longer or shorter than mid-knee. It just depends on your preference.

We would like to offer more lengths, but the factory considers each length an additional style subject to a minimum order quantity. As of yet, we don't have sufficient demand to reach these minimums for multiple skirt lengths.

If you'd be interested in a shorter or longer skirt, please send us a message (info at skirtcraft dot com) indicating what length you'd like us to offer.

If you do some sewing and are wondering about shortening the skirt yourself: yes, it is possible. We'll post instructions later, but don't plan on doing this unless you're comfortable with a sewing machine.

Shrinking

The fabric is pre-shrunk, but there is slight additional shrinkage that occurs during the first washing. The sizing takes this into account, so all of the measurements should be correct after washing.

How to Shorten Your Skirt

If you would like your skirt to be shorter and are interested in altering it yourself, here's how to do it. Before proceeding, remember that the skirt will shrink by about 1/2 inch the first 1-2 times it is washed. Altered items cannot be returned or exchanged.

You'll need:

• A sewing machine
• Top-stitching or "jeans" thread, matching the existing visible thread color as closely as possible
• A pair of scissors, preferably heavy-duty and sharp
• Optional: An iron
• Optional: A serger, also known as an overlock sewing machine

Option A

This is the easiest approach. The drawback is it leaves layers of pocket fabric in the hem, which can make the hem hang in a more rigid and boxy way at the sides.

1. Wash and dry the skirt twice, machine washing with cold water and drying on tumble dry medium, or however you intend to normally dry it. This step is to ensure that any shrinking will be resolved and taken into account when deciding on the new length.
2. Decide how much shorter you'd like the skirt to be. We'll call this the Length Adjustment. For our examples, the Length Adjustment will be 3 inches.
3. Determine the fabric width you'll be removing from the hem. If you are planning to use a serger, the width should be the Length Adjustment minus 7/8 inch. If you don't plan to use a serger, the width is the Length Adjustment minus 5/8 inch. In our example, you'd want to remove 2 1/8 inches if using a serger, or remove 2 3/8 inches otherwise.
4. Use the scissors to cut off the hem edge, all the way around. The width to remove is the amount determined in the previous step. You'll notice more resistance as you cut through the extra layers of pocket fabric on the sides.
5. If you have a serger / overlock machine, serge the new raw fabric edge, removing 1/4 inch of fabric in the process. If you don't have a serger, sew a zig-zag stich as close to the edge as possible.
6. Fold the new hem edge 5/8 inch in from the edge, folding it toward the interior. In other words, the raw folded edge will be inside rather than outside the skirt. Press the new *inside* edge with the iron to make the folded edge crisp. Be sure to have the iron no higher than the Cotton setting. The reason for pressing from the inside is to prevent the iron from damaging the visible exterior of the skirt. It's easy to end up with shiny patches when pressing folds like this, since all of the iron's pressure is on a small amount of fabric.
7. Pin the folded hem in place.
8. With the top-stitching thread, sew a basic lockstitch all the way around the folded edge. This stitch should be from the exterior of the skirt and should be 1/2 inch from the folded edge. Be sure to remove pins before they reach the machine!

Option B

Only a little more complicated than Option A. The hem won't have the extra weight, and will hang properly. However, there will be one additional, visible, horizontal stitch across the side panel, near the bottom.

1. Wash and dry the skirt twice, machine washing with cold water and drying on tumble dry medium, or however you intend to normally dry it. This step is to ensure that any shrinking will be resolved and taken into account when deciding on the new length.
2. Decide how much shorter you'd like the skirt to be. We'll call this the Length Adjustment. For our examples, the Length Adjustment will be 3 inches.
3. Locate the bottoms of the lower pockets from the inside of the skirt, about 1 inch from the hem edge. Notice that there are two layers of fabric that form each pocket bag, and these are not visible from the outside of the skirt. These layers are attached at either side by the skirt's main side-panel seams. Make two vertical cuts upward from the bottom edge of the pocket. Each cut should be just 1/4 inch inside the seam. The length of the cuts should be the Length Adjustment plus 1/2 inch. In our example, the cuts would be 3 1/2 inches.
4. If you're using a serger, serge the pocket layers between the two cuts, all the way across. The width of fabric removed should be equal to the Length Adjustment, and this will leave behind 1/2 inch of the cuts. The extra cut length was just to allow the serger to get in there.
5. If you're not using a serger, sew a zig-zag stich across the two interior pocket layers between the cuts. As with the serger, there should be 1/2 inch of cuts left behind. Cut across the pocket layers just below the zig-zag stitch, causing the portion between the cuts to be removed.
6. From the outside of the skirt, with the top-stitching thread (or plain if you prefer) sew a plain lockstitch from left to right across each side panel. The stitch should run across the full width of the pocket, starting and ending in the primary seams that form the side edges of the pocket. It should be 1/4 - 1/2 inch above the tops of the cuts. It forms the bottom edge of the usable pocket interior. Take care to make this stich very straight since it's visible. Putting a strip of masking tape in place as a guide for the stich can simplify this.
7. Determine the fabric width you'll be removing from the hem. If you are planning to use a serger, the width should be the Length Adjustment, minus 7/8 inch. If you don't plan to use a serger, the width is the Length Adjustment minus 5/8 inch. In our example, you'll want to remove 2 1/8 inches if using a serger, or remove 2 3/8 inches otherwise.
8. Use the scissors to cut off the hem edge, all the way around. Remove the width of fabric determined in the previous step. You'll notice more resistance as you cut through the extra layers of pocket fabric on the sides.
9. If you have a serger / overlock machine, serge the new raw fabric edge, removing 1/4 inch of fabric. If you don't have a serger, sew a zig-zag stich as close to the edge as possible.
10. Fold the new hem edge 5/8 inch in from the edge, folding it toward the interior. In other words, the raw folded edge will be inside rather than outside the skirt. Press the new *inside* edge with the iron to make the folded edge crisp. Be sure to have the iron no higher than the Cotton setting. The reason for pressing from the inside is to prevent the iron from damaging the visible exterior of the skirt. It's easy to end up with shiny patches when pressing folds like this, since all of the iron's pressure is on a small amount of fabric.
11. Pin the folded hem in place.
12. With the top-stitching thread, sew a basic lockstitch all the way around the folded edge. This stitch should be from the exterior of the skirt and should be 1/2 inch from the folded edge. Be sure to remove pins before they reach the machine!

Shipping

We typically ship within 48 hours of receiving an order. All orders are shipped via United States Postal Service.

• US orders use Priority Mail and typically take 1-3 days after you receive notification of shipment.
• Non-US orders use the First Class Package International service and typically take 7-21 days after you receive notification of shipment.

Exchanges and Returns Policy

We accept size exchanges and returns with the following conditions:

• The product must be unworn, unwashed, and in the same condition as it was when you received it.
• The return shipment to us must be postmarked within 30 days of your receipt of the original shipment.
• Size exchanges are only accepted if we have the new size in stock. Contact us at [info at skirtcraft dot com] to check availability.
• For returns, we'll refund the amount you paid for the product, including the original shipping amount.
• You are responsible for the cost of shipping the exchanged or returned item back to us.