Tartan Invaded Trends - Autumn Must Have: The Pleated Skirt

Our Tartan Invaded Trends blog post series aims to bring Tartan to the forefront of fashion, illustrating how subtly including hints of tartan in your outfit can be as on trend as the latest fashion trends themselves! In this blog post we check out the Autumn must have, the pleated skirt.

Pleats are all over the catwalk this Autumn and although we see them return time after time this year the key to this look is the fabric. Leather, flirty light polyester, metallic for a bit of shimmer and of course wool wonderful wool.

The length is up to you and we are seeing lots of maxi and mini versions with everything in between. The skirt is the statement and instead of dark colours this season is all about bold prints and colours.

Pleating, correctly termed "Plisse" is an antique technique to alter the shape of the fabric, where folds are created in order to create symmetrical stripes; a geometrical pattern, that turns a bi-dimensional surface into a tri-dimensional decoration.

The Egyptians were the first to pleat their garments and due to the time taken to create the pleats this style became a symbol of wealth and power. Pleating a natural fabric such as silk, cotton or wool isn't easy and only since the invention of machines and synthetic fabrics have pleats moved from a luxury to something we can all wear. Natural fabrics tend to revert to their original shape when exposed to warmth or humidity unlike synthetic textiles. The Greeks used to pleat their linen tunics and pin them on the shoulders, securing them at the waist with a belt. Every time they washed their tunic the pleats would come out and the lengthy pleating process had to begin all over again. Couture garments are still often hand pleated and we can of course hand pleat your kilt but it does mean it takes several days to make and the price is double that of those finished by machine.

Thanks to International Pleating in NYC for the fab sketches!

There are lots of pleating styles and some clever designers combine several methods into one garment, however you rarely see this in mass produced items as it is complicated and time consuming. The basic types of pleats are the side pleat (also known as a knife pleat), box pleat and less common in clothing the accordion pleat. Box pleats have a bulkier look as they are usually made on a 3 to 1 ratio. Side or knife pleats all point in the same direction and are pressed giving a smoother finish. However the look of pleats can be changed dramatically by the way they are stitched, the size of the pleat and the type of fabric used.

For the Goddess of Thighs and Hips

• Choose narrow knife, cartridge, accordion pleats. These will lengthen your body and flatter your shape without bulking them up. A-line skirts look great as they flare over the hips.

• Avoid wider pleats and kilts - with wider panels comes wider butts. Go for something longer in length as shorter styles will draw attention to your upper legs.

For the Curvy Queen Bothered by the Belly

• Choose high waisted and longer lengths. A-line skirts work best as these again lengthen your body and draw attention away from your tummy. Pleats will flow over your mid-section, give structure and camouflage your belly as well as emphasize your legs.

• Avoid short lengths as this will draw attention and widen your mid-section.

For the Bustier Beauty

• Choose something that sits just below the waist as this balances out the chest. Wide pleats can also help to add balance to your shape.

• Avoid high waisted as this will emphasise the chest. Buy hey, if you’ve got it flaunt it.

For the Square in Shape but Not in Nature

• Choose something with a defined waist. Flared with wide pleats and wide panels. This will emphasise your hips and thighs. A mini kilt will look fantastic on you – I’m so jealous.

• Avoid box pleat as this can emphasise a squarish figure.

For the Hourglass Princess

• Choose A-line as this will emphasise you narrow waist. Any pleat size will look good as they will flow over your curves.

• Avoid - the mini kilt as this will draw attention to your thighs.

Ways to Style Your Pleated Skirt

If our top tips haven't convinced you that that the pleated skirt can work on any body shape, perhaps our guide on how to wear and make the most of this versatile skirt style style in any season will seal the deal!

Relaxed Street Style

Combining your pleated skirt with an over-sized sweater or t-shirt and trainers – think white Converse, not muddy Adidas – will give you an up-to-date look whilst ensuring maximum comfort, perfect for popping out to the shops.

Quirky & Cute

Contrasting your pleated skirt with a solid colour sweater such as the green one below gives a quirky and cute look that doesn’t veer into childish. Top it off with a hat and leather shoes for the complete manic pixie dream girl look!

Restrained Rebellion

Throw a leather jacket on top of your pleated skirt for a bohemian look that isn’t going to raise any eyebrows at the office. An A-line skirt in this outfit would work well too, but I feel the pleats add a little airiness that the A-line misses.

One for the Office

Tucking a neutral toned blouse or denim shirt into your pleated skirt will give you a look that demands respect but doesn’t shout for attention, definitely one for the office. Top it all off with your favourite heels for a look that really means business.

Soft But Serious

Slipping your pleated skirt over a pair of tights will give you a look that’s feminine without being too girly but also perfect for the cooler weather. Layer up your top half with a sweater, blazer and scarf and you will beat the winter blues without having to resort to the dreaded hoodie!

Plain fabric and tartan combine for the look Clueless did so well all those years ago - cheeky but chic schoolgirl. Here we overdid the look with a school tie and blazer but you can tone it down by using plain colours on top for a more grown up look.

Spring Sunshine

Contrast a brightly coloured pleated skirt with a dark sweater to really make yourself stand out. This look combines a classic silhouette with bold modern colours. Bare legs are best here, so save this look for spring.

On the catwalk

From left to right Balmain, Dior, Guy Laroche, Loewe, Kenzo, Suno, Marco de Vincenzo, Marc by Marc Jacobs all hot off the catwalk and a clear indicator that you need some pleats in your wardrobe this Autumn.

Your style?

So are you going to dare to add some pleats to your wardrobe or do you already have a vast array collected over the years? The joy of the pleated skirt is that is doesn't really ever go out of fashion, particularly if you are prepared to take the hem up and down a bit. Quality pleating is of course the key to a gorgeous skirt or kilt and ours are still made using traditional methods to guarantee this. We don't mass produce as we make everything one by one to your measurements in your own tartan. It doesn't get much better than that, does it!

Should you need any further advice or assistance with measuring for your very own beautiful tartan pleated skirt, our experienced staff are on hand, both in person at our Edinburgh Store or virtually via Video-Call and would be delighted to help.