3 Reasons Why Your Skirt Block Doesn't Fit (And How To Fix It)

If you're new to fitting then skirt block fitting is a great place to start. You'll learn about key fitting concepts including balance, dart shaping, fullness distribution and posture adjustments like swayback adjustments.

The skills and knowledge that you gain through skirt fitting carry forwards to more complex garments like fitting bodices and trousers.

What Is Skirt Block Balance?

The number one reason why skirt blocks don't fit properly is because the balance isn't correct for the body wearing it.

"Balance" simply refers to how the garment hangs.

If the skirt is swinging forwards, backwards or collapsing in at the side seams then there is a balance issue. Try reducing or increasing the length of the centre front, centre back or side seams to change the balance (the way it hangs) and bring it back to hanging straight down the body.

💡Top Tip: You can adjust the balance of your skirt at the waist or the hips

Dart Position On Skirt Blocks Is Key

The darts on your skirt block do more than just make the waist smaller. The position of the dart apex controls where the shaping sits, and the width of the dart controls how big the 3D shape of your garment is.

A really common skirt fitting issue that I see is that skirt darts aren't correct, and if the darts aren't correct then they're going to create more problems than they solve!

Make sure that the apex (pointy bit) of your darts are sitting over the fullest part of your body. For example, if the widest part of your hips is lower down than "average" then your darts will need to be longer than "average"

If your skirt block is drafted with standard dart widths then make sure you're assessing the shape over your body. If you have a flatter seat than "average" then you're going to need smaller darts, and if you have a fuller seat than "average" then you're going to need wider darts.

💡Top Tip: Wide darts create a large 3D shape, narrower darts create a small 3D shape...think about how your body is shaped and how your skirt block darts might need to be shaped (learn more about darts here)

The Waist Controls The Lower Skirt

Everything hangs from your waist, so if the waist of your skirt block isn't sitting on the natural waist of your body then all the other positions (hip, darts etc.) also won't be sitting in the right place.

The third common skirt fitting issue that I see on skirt blocks is that the waist is too big for the body. When that happens the garment drops down to a wider point of the body instead of sitting at the narrowest point.

The knock on effect of this is that all the carefully drafted hip shaping also drops down the body and sits below the fullest part of the hip.

💡Top Tip: Pin the waist in to reduce the waist circumference, but experiment with pinning at the side seams and through the darts to distribute the fullness that you're taking out.

Struggling to fit your own skirt?

I've got a brand new online course inside my membership, teaching you how to draft your custom skirt block using your own unique measurements.
We're not just stopping at the drafting though, you'll also learn how to fit your skirt to your unique body with 10 different fitting tutorials showing you how to recognise and correct common skirt fitting issues.

We're looking at balance, body circumference, dart positions, shaping issues, and posture related adjustments like a swayback.

Sign up to my membership for full access now.

Quick Questions

What does "balance" mean when fitting a skirt block?

Balance is how the skirt hangs on the body. If it's swinging forwards, swinging backwards, or collapsing in at the side seams, the balance is off. You fix it by shortening or lengthening the centre front, centre back or side seams, at either the waist or the hip.

How do I know if my darts are in the right place?

Check where the apex sits. It needs to sit over the fullest part of your body. If your hips are fuller lower down than "average," your darts need to be longer than "average" too.

Does dart width actually matter?

Yes. Width controls the size of the 3D shape the dart creates. A flatter body needs a narrower dart, a fuller body needs a wider one. Standard dart widths are just a starting point, not a rule.

Why does my skirt sit lower than my actual waist?

Usually because the waist of the block is too big. The skirt drops to find a wider point on your body instead of sitting at your natural waist, and it takes all your carefully drafted hip shaping down with it.

What's a swayback adjustment, and does it affect skirts?

It does. A swayback adjustment shortens the centre back to account for a more pronounced curve of the spine. Without it, you'll often see fabric pooling or folding at the centre back waist, even if everything else about the fit is correct.