How to Make a Pin Skirt

Safety-pin fashion hits the mainstream

Punk fashion roared onto the scene in the 1970s, shocking people with its refashioned outfits of destroyed fabrics held together by safety pins and chains. Accessories were made of padlocks and chains. Razor blades were worn as pendants. These deconstructed outfits were meant to attract attention--and they did. Create your own stir by deconstructing a skirt from your own closet and reconstructing it with the help of some safety pins.

Things You'll Need

• Straight skirt
• Scissors
• Safety pins

Instructions

1. Put on your skirt and decide where you want to slash it. Keep in min: unless you wear a slip or leggings under your skirt you will be showing skin through the slashes that are held together by safety pins.

2. 

   Cut through both layers at the same time.

   Lay the skirt flat and cut it apart. You could cut it straight across a few times, following the hem line. For an edgier look, slash the skirt apart on an angle from hip to hem. Be sure to keep the waist band intact or you'll have to hold that together with a pin, which could be uncomfortable.

3. Spread the slashed section of your skirt apart, but keep it in line with the section above.

4. Pin each section together, leaving a gap between each piece of fabric.

5. Put on your skirt and adjust safety pins as necessary.

Tips & Warnings

• Make two pin skirts at once. Cut along the same lines and separate, then pin a slice from one skirt on to the other.

References

• 1970's Punk Fashion
• "Generation T Beyond Fashion"; Megan Nicolay; 2009
• "99 Ways To Cut, Sew Trim & Tie Your T-Shirt into Something Special"; Style Clinic; 2006