How to Make a Loincloth Skirt

Loincloths can be transformed into a stylish, comfortable skirt.

Loincloths are also known as breechcloths. These simple garments are designed to cover the crotch area utilizing a single piece of cloth and a belt. This straightforward construction can also be altered slightly to create a skirt with the trailing ends of the loincloth style. A few sewing skills and the right belt are required to create the ideal loincloth skirt and can be worn for a costume party or on a hot day.

Things You'll Need

• 2 yards of thick cotton cloth
• Thick belt
• Pins
• Sewing machine
• Sewing notions

Instructions

1. Place the 2 yards of cotton cloth in between your legs lengthwise with the wrong side of the fabric facing upwards. Pull the two long ends of the fabric up and place over the top of your shoulders. Tie a belt around your waist to hold the center of the cloth in place over your crotch and buttocks. Release the two long tail ends of the cotton fabric. You should now have a snugly fitting area on the crotch with a tail hanging in the front and a tail hanging in the back.

2. Adjust the fabric hemmed in by the belt so that it's evenly distributed and fans out to the sides of your hips and covers the front and back of your legs. Pull the long tails wide so that the front panel and the back panel meet on each side of your body. Pin these two panels together on each side using fabric pins.

3. Undo the belt and step out of the forming loincloth skirt. Sew along the pinned edges using a sewing machine. Be careful not to sew above the top pin where the cloth will hit the belt on your body. Flip up 1/2 inch of the raw edge of the fabric at the bottom of the skirt to create the hem. Pin in place. Sew along the bottom of the skirt to hide the raw edges from sight.

4. Turn the loincloth skirt right side out to hide the new hem edge and the sewn skirt edges. Step through the two leg holes. Place the belt around your waist and release the skirt portion of the loincloth.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a darker cloth to ensure that you're fully covered.

References

• Rick's Ultra Light Hiking Page: Wearing a Breechclout for Hiking
• Aztec History: Ancient Aztec Clothing
• Native Languages of the Americas: Breechcloth