Gored skirt
Transformation of the basic skirt pattern
This transformation allows controlled and precise flare to be added to a straight skirt.
By means of gores, the desired amount of fullness can be introduced at any chosen level of the skirt, from the hip down to the hem.
Many practice skirts for flamenco dance are drafted using this method, as it allows very large hem developments to be achieved without altering the fit at the waist and hips.
Gores are circular sectors incorporated into the pattern in order to generate volume or fullness at the hem, while keeping the fit of the basic pattern unchanged.
Throughout the video, we analyse how to correctly define these circular sectors, how to place them within the pattern, and what implications each decision has on the final result.
Ways of working with gores
Gores can be worked in two different ways:
- Integrated into the pattern, forming part of the main pattern pieces.
- As independent pieces, clearly identifiable.
In both cases, the process always starts from the basic straight skirt pattern, and the geometric steps involved are practically the same.
What changes is the distribution of the fullness and the final visual reading of the garment.
Calculation of the hem development
The calculation of the hem, or of the increase of the hem in relation to the base skirt, depends exclusively on two values:
• the height of the gore (radius of the circular sector)
• the angle of the circular sector
The video includes an example with three nested gores, which can be treated either as independent gores or as gores integrated into a single pattern. In this example, we show:
• the geometric definition of the circular sector applied to pattern drafting
• the placement of gores at different heights (hip, knee and mid-leg)
• the differences between integrated gores and independent gores
Practical calculation example
As explained in the video, we now calculate the hem development of the skirt shown. Let us imagine a model with the following measurements:
- Half hip circumference: 45 cm
- Back leg length: 100 cm
- Hip height: 18 cm
- Knee height: 56 cm
The hem of the base half-skirt is equal to the half hip circumference plus one centimetre:
\[ 45 + 1 = 46 \text{ cm} \]Therefore, the hem of the complete base skirt will be:
\[ \text{baseSkirtHem} = (45 + 1) \times 2 = 92 \text{ cm} \]First gore (from the hip)
The first gore runs from the hip line down to the floor, so the radius of the circular sector will be:
\[ 100 – 18 = 82 \text{ cm} \]
The angle of this gore is 21 degrees.
The additional volume it provides will be
\[ \text{goreHip} = \frac{2 \cdot \pi \cdot 82 \cdot 21}{360} = 30{,}05 \text{ cm} \]Second gore (from the knee)
The second gore runs from the knee line down to the floor.
The radius of the circular sector will be:
\[ 100 – 56 = 44 \text{ cm} \]The angle of this gore is 90 degrees.
The additional volume it provides will be:
\[ \text{goreKnee} = \frac{2 \cdot \pi \cdot 44 \cdot 90}{360} = 69{,}11 \text{ cm} \]Third gore (mid-leg)
The third gore starts from the midpoint between the knee and the floor.
The radius of the circular sector will be:
\[ \frac{100 – 56}{2} = 22 \text{ cm} \]The angle of this gore is also 90 degrees.
The additional volume it provides will be:
\[ \text{goreMidLeg} = \frac{2 \cdot \pi \cdot 22 \cdot 90}{360} = 34{,}56 \text{ cm} \]Total hem development
If each gore is nested inside the next, the three together develop:
\[ \text{totalGores} = 30{,}05 + 69{,}11 + 34{,}56 = 134 \text{ cm} \]The complete skirt incorporates this development 10 times:
• once at centre front
• once at centre back
• twice in the front darts
• four times in the back darts
• twice in the side seams
Therefore, the total flare development will be:
\[ \text{totalFlareDevelopment} = 134 \times 10 = 1340 \text{ cm} \]To obtain the total skirt flare, this development is added to the base hem:
\[ \text{totalSkirtFlare} = 92 + 1340 = 1432 \text{ cm} \]Final result
The skirt shown in the video, corresponding to a standardised size 40, has approximately:
👉 14.33 metres of flare