

Pleated trousers were popular before World War II fabric rationing during the war precluded the style, and flat front became the standard by necessity of cloth shortages. Utilitarian or very casual styles such as jeans and cargo pants are flat-front (without pleats at the waistband) but may have bellows pockets. When the pleats open towards the pockets they are called reverse pleats (typical of khakis and corduroy trousers) and when they open toward the zipper, they are known as forward pleats. There may be one, two, three, or no pleats, which may face either direction. Pleats just below the waistband on the front of the garment are typical of many styles of formal and casual trousers including suit trousers and khakis.
#Complete accordion method skin#
Or in this case worn with skin coloured bra and tights to avoid shining through The term is not contemporary, but is used by costume historians in reference to these styles as portrayed in the paintings of Antoine Watteau. Watteau pleats are one or two box pleats found at the back neckline of 18th century sack-back gowns and some late 19th century tea gowns in imitation of these. Both types of pleating create a bulky seam. A variation on the rolled pleat is the stacked pleat, which is rolled similarly and requires at least five inches of fabric per finished pleat. A piece of the fabric to be pleated is pinched and then rolled until it is flat against the rest of the fabric, forming a tube. Rolled pleats create tubular pleats which run the length of the fabric from top to bottom. Linen chemises or smocks pleated with this technique have been found in the 10th century Viking graves in Birka. Plissé pleats are narrow pleats made by gathering fabric with stitches, wetting the fabric, and "setting" the pleats by allowing the wet fabric to dry under weight or tension. Carl Köhler suggests that these are made by inserting one or more gores into a panel of fabric.

Organ pleats are parallel rows of softly rounded pleats resembling the pipes of a pipe organ. Knife pleats can be recognized by the way that they overlap in the seam. The pleats have a 3:1 ratio–three inches of fabric will create one inch of finished pleat. Knife pleats are used for basic gathering purposes, and form a smooth line rather than springing away from the seam they have been gathered to. They consist of a single centrally located box pleat in the rear of the kilt with knife pleats fanning out on either side. Kingussie pleats, named after the town in Scotland, are a very rarely seen type of pleat used in some Scottish kilts. They allow the garment to drape straight down when stationary while also allowing freedom of movement. Kick pleats are short pleats leading upwards from the bottom hem of garments such as skirts or coats, usually at the back. Honeycomb pleats are narrow, rolled pleats used as a foundation for smocking. The name comes from their resemblance to a pan flute.įortuny pleats are crisp pleats set in silk fabrics by designer Mariano Fortuny in the early 20th century, using a secret pleat-setting process which is still not understood.

Fluted įluted pleats or "flutings" are very small, rounded or pressed pleats used as trimmings.
#Complete accordion method full#
Cartridge pleating was resurrected in 1840s fashion to attach the increasingly full bell-shaped skirts to the fashionable narrow waist. Fabric is evenly gathered using two or more lengths of basting stitches, and the top of each pleat is whipstitched onto the waistband or armscye. During the 15th and 16th centuries, this form of pleating was popular in the garments of men and women. This type of pleating also allows the fabric of the skirt or sleeve to spring out from the seam. Cartridge pleats are used to gather a large amount of fabric into a small waistband or armscye without adding bulk to the seam.
