I love tap pants. You might think that is because I live in Wellington – one of the windiest cities in the world, where the Southerly gales lift your skirts over your head if you are lucky.  If you aren’t lucky they are lifting your feet over your head! Or you might think it is because I am into vintage clothing, and dress like an early 20th century fashion plate half the time. My love of tap pants goes back much further than this, to my childhood. I’m kama’aina – Hawaiian born and raised.  And in Hawaii, people love shorts.  People love shorts so much that little girls wear shorts under their skirts, and bigger girls do too. You know those emails that go around that go “You know you are from _____ if…?”.  The one for Hawaii says “You know you are from Hawaii if you always wear shorts under your skirts.” Yep.  Tap pants are a part of my culture! These are my favourite tap pants – they work perfectly under any skirt, …

Whatever you call them, I think they are the best thing ever.  Especially if you do a lot of dancing and want to wear fun swirly skirts and still stay modest, or live in a city like Wellington, where every gust of wind puts your dignity at risk unless you wear trousers every single day. Don’t wear skirts?  Still the best thing ever – wear them as comfortable but sexy pajamas. I just love tap pants and wear them all the time.  That’s why one of my very first classes at Made Marion is a tap pants class – every lady needs her own super cute, super easy, super everything tap pants! I’ll be teaching students to make two types of tap pants – a very easy post-1940s version with an elastic waist, and an earlier 1920s onwards version with a side placket.  Silk, ribbons and lace insets optional. Here are a few of my favourite historical tap pants, and tomorrow I’ll show you what my versions look like. First off, my very favourite set …