Hakama Series - Andon Bakama (Skirt Style)

Andon Bakama were hakama typically worn by women in an academic setting during the 1900s or so. Modern times, they are usually worn for formal occasions such as graduation. It is also the style that just looks nice with a kimono especially for those of us with Western hips the size of Texas. 

See examples in Anime/Games: Here Comes Miss Modern, Great Ace Attorney Chronicles, Sakura Wars. 

So let's get into how to make one. Tutorial style!

Design Elements

These are things to consider before you start. 

by Chihirohowe

Skirt Length

Traditionally this is worn just below the ankle if you are wearing flat sandals, geta, or zori. It is worn above the ankle for sneakers, boots, and heels. You can adjust how high on your waist you wear it if you are going to switch between the two. 

Colors

Normally, these are a solid color, sometimes with embroidered floral patterns near the bottom. Red/Scarlet is uncommon outside of Miko. Patterned fabric is appropriate for this. 

Side Openings

The length of the opening is about 1/3 your total length measurement or at your upper thigh. I have a separate post about modesty panels and old-fashioned pockets if you prefer not to have open sides.  

How to Fasten

The normal way to fasten the hakama is with belt ties (himo). Tying the front belts around your waist first then the back ties. The waistband belt is usually 1.5" - 2" thick. The front ties should be about 4 times your waist circumference and the Back ties should be 2 times the size. 

To make things more costume-like you could use an elastic waist band or a waist band fastened with closures. 

Ties, elastic band through tube, waist band with closures. 

Measurements Needed

You need two main measurements from your body and the rest can be calculated. 

1. Waist to Ankle Measurements* (Measurement A)
2. Waist Circumference (Measurement B)

* This should go to where you want the skirt hem to fall. It can be as short or long as you want, but it should be ankle length for a traditional look. 

Fabric

You want a fabric that can hold a pleat! So a tightly woven fabric is preferable. Some suggested fabrics are: 

• Silk (Shantuang, Dupioni) 
• Cotton/Cotton Blends
• Poplin
• Linen 
• Hemp

How Much Fabric?

Pleats always add more fabric than you think, but you can figure it out. But first, figuring out length is a bit easier. 

Length:

 Your waist to ankle measurement  (measurement A) plus the hem. Then add how much you need the thickness of the belt for the front and back belt. For the belt thickness you'll multiply it by 4 to account that you'll be making a front and back belt and it's folded in half during the sewing process. 

So A + Hem + (Belt thickness * 4). 

Eg: 38" + 2" + (2" * 4) = 48" total length needed. 

Width:

Pleats need twice the fabric per pleat depth measurement. Pleat depth is how wide the pleat will be. For the front pleats that's 1" and for the back pleats it's 1.5". (Note: You can always play with these numbers for different effects. This is just what I learned!) Anyway, so each front pleat needs 2" of fabric to make a 1" pleat while each back pleat needs 3" per pleat. Traditionally there are 5 pleats in front and technically 4  in back. 

So we'll need waist circumference (Measurement B) + Front Pleats + Back pleats + Seam Allowance. 

If you're doing this with traditional pleat measurements, you'll add 10" for the front pleats and 12" for the back pleats for a total of 22 extra inches of fabric. Then add 3/4" for each seam (there are 4 seams so this will be 3"). 

So the final formula is B + 22" + 3" 

With these measurements together you will have how much width you need. In my case, to make this I'd need 57" width and 48" length. Translate that into bolt height and yards. 

57÷36 = 1.58 yards from a 58"/60" bolt. I personally would buy 2 yards because I shop for fabric online mostly.

Example layout

However, this example layout is on the Crossgrain of the fabric (which usually isn't recommended, but one of my hakama patterns does cut on the crossgrain. So it's a legit strategy.) If I wanted to cut with the grain, I would either need to get a taller bolt (They do sell 115" ones in limited colors and fabric types) or divide the skirt panels into 4 panels (front left, front right, back left and back right). This would mean I would sew a seam to get the correct measurements. But I want to make it easy for myself so crossgrain!

Sewing Instructions 

Cutting Fabric 

There is no pattern these are just big rectangles. No need to fold the fabric either. Just flat. 

Now for the front skirt panel you'll take half your waist measurement + 10" + seam allowance for the width and then you'll need your Measurement A + Hem for length. So my front panel would be a rectangle that is 27.5" wide and 40" tall. 

The Back skirt panel will be Measurement B/2 + 12" + Seam allowance (1.5"). My back panel will be 29.5".

Yes one panel will be larger than the other by a few inches. 

Cut the belts from the rest of the fabric. 

NOTE: If you plan on using an elastic waistband or a fastened waist band, cut out a rectangle for the width of the belts but only to your waist measurements + seam allowance. Use spare fabric to make ties if you want. 

Sewing Waist Band and Belt Ties

So I will explain two options, a traditional style and something more costume style. 

Traditional Style

Basic steps. 

1. Fold the belt length in half and press. 
2. Find the half way point of the belt and mark it with a pin/clip/mark. 
3. Measure 1/5th of your waist measurement to left of the center mark and place a pin/clip/mark. 
4. Make another mark 1/5th your waist measurement to the right of the center mark. 
5. Sew from left end of the belt to the left mark. Do the same on the right. 
6. Trim the seams and cut notches at the corners. 
7. Turn the belt right side out and set aside. 

Repeat these steps for the back belt. 

Costume Style

1. Cut a 1" flat elastic to your waist measurement. Set aside for now.
2. Cut 2 rectangles 2/5ths your waist measurement in width and twice the desired belt thickness + 2" for a hem. One is the front waist band and the other is the back. 
3. Hem the short sides of the waist band. 
4. Fold and press a hem for the bottom and top edges. 
5. Sandwich the skirt panel between the long edges with the press hems. The edge of the skirt should meet the raw edge of the hem inside. ( see above image)
6. Stitch down the long edges through all layers of fabric. 
7. Feed the flat elastic through these "tubes". Stitch the ends of the elastic together to close the loop. 
8. Shift the seam of the elastic into the back waistband loop. 
9. Follow the steps for making the traditional belt so you can tie it as a belt around your waist.

Alternative: Instead of flat elastic, use a stretch fabric in the same color as your skirt.

Sewing Sasahida/Side Openings

Traditional Folding method

You use this method for the front and back panel of the skirt. 

1. For the skirt panel, measure down the length of the opening and make a mark. (We'll call this Point A) 
2. Along the top of the skirt panel, make a mark about 2" - 3" from the side edge. (We'll call this Point C)
3. Make another mark 1"- 1.5" from the side edge. (This is going to be Point B).
4. Take the corner and fold it toward the wrong side of the fabric until the corner meets Point C. The fold should make a curved line from Point A to Point B. The corner will be slightly below the top edge of the skirt. 
5. Using point B as the new corner, fold again toward the wrong side this time making a curved line from Point C to Point A. 
6. Turn fabric to the right side. 
7. Using point C as the corner, fold towards the right side of the fabric. Point C will be below the edge of the top of the skirt panel. 
8. Using an invisible hand stitch, sew the folded edge of  C to A onto the skirt panel. 
9. Use the same stitch to sew the folded edge point B to A. 

Note: If this is too confusing check out the video demonstration at the end of this post. 

Costume Style

1. Trim side length at a curve (Use point A to point C in the folding method above). 
2. Make or Use Bias tape in a similar color. 2 inches would be good. (See how to make bias tape).
3. Sew bias tape to the curved edges. (Here's how to sew with bias tape).

Sewing the Skirt Panels

According to my research, traditionally this is done by "feel". so long as the correct number of pleats are made. I'll do my best to show a way of folding. 

Pleating the Back Skirt

Back skirt (Not to scale!)

1. Mark your center line. I like to work along the top. 
2. The first fold comes from the left. Go about 3" left and make a mountain fold. (^) It does not have to be perfectly vertical. 
3. Bring the mountain peak fold to the center line. Pin it down.  
4. Go about 3" to the right of the center line and make a mountain fold. Again don't make it perfectly vertical. 
5. Bring the peak over past the center line by a few centimeters. It should cover the first pleat.  
6. Go to the right 3.5" from the 2nd pleat. Make a mountain fold. 
7. Bring the mountain peak to rest 1.5" away from the mountain fold of the 2nd pleat. Toward the bottom of the skirt, it should be more like 1.8" away.  
8. Go to the left 3.5" from the 2nd pleat. Make a mountain fold. 
9. Bring the mountain peak 1.5" away from the mountain fold of the 2nd pleat. Again, toward the bottom, it should be wider. 
10. Baste stitch the pleats into place along the top panel of the skirt.   

Note: The measurements I mention are because I want 1.5" pleats near the top of the skirt. You can absolutely just go by feel so long as you make the folds in the order I suggested. The first fold goes to the center line and the second fold will go over it. Right side over left side. 

Pleating the Front Skirt

Front Skirt (Not to scale)

1. Find and mark the center line. 
2. Go 2" to the right of the center line and make a Mountain fold (^). 
3. Bring the mountain fold to the center line and pin down. (Pleat 1)
4. Go 3" to the left of the center line and make a mountain fold. 
5. Bring the mountain fold 1" away from the peak of the first pleat and pin it down. (Pleat 2) 
6. Go 3" right of the first pleat you made and make a mountain fold. 
7. Bring the mountain fold 1" away from the center line. (Pleat 3)
8. Go 3" left of Pleat 2 and make a mountain fold. 
9. Bring it 1" left of the fold of Pleat 2. Pin down. (Pleat 4) 
10. Go 3" right of Pleat 3 and make a mountain fold. 
11. Bring the fold 1" to the right of Pleat 2. (Pleat 5)
12. Baste the pleats along the top of the skirt. 
13. Make adjustments to the folds and press. 

Note: The pleats should be wider near the bottom of the skirt, so the pleat folds will be at a slight angle from the top to the bottom of the skirt. Play around with it and press when you are satisfied. 

Constructing Hakama

Now you should have finished with making the belts/waistbands and skirt panels. Time to put them together. 

1. Place the front panel over the back panel with the right sides of the fabric touching. Line up the side seams from the bottome of the sasahido.
2. Stitch the left and right sides from the bottom of the skirt to the bottom of the side opening (sasahido).
3. Hem the bottom of the skirt with your preferred hemming technique. I use double fold hems. 

Attach Belts 

If you did not make a costume waistband this is the final bit of construction. 

1. The front and back belts should have an opening where you turned out the belt when you made it. 
2. Fold the edges of the opening into the belt a bit and press. 
3. Insert the skirt panel into the opening. (You may need to pick out stitches on the belt if the opening is too small.
4. You should have a sort of sandwich now with the edges of the belt chomping on the top edge of the skirt panel. 
5. Sew through all 3 layers of fabric along the folded edge of the belt. (Helps to go slow!)
6. Alternatively, you can use an invisible stitch to sew the opening closed around the skirt panel. You'll have to do the outside and inside of the belt in this case. 

Here are my results

And that should complete the Hakama! 

Video Tutorial/Sew Along

This is Billy Matsunaga's video sew along for making hakama. She uses traditional methods and definitely has a better understanding/resources. I borrowed some of my ideas from this video. Plus it can help to see someone do the folding for the sasahido and the pleats.