Last Day of Self-Stitched September: Make-up Day 9 - Beetlejuice Skirt!

I'm going to be honest with you all and tell you that this skirt is a little bit out of my comfort zone.  It's a little loud for me, and also reminds me of this guy:

Everybody have the Banana Boat song in your head now?

However, within the past few months, I have been noticing and really liking the black-and-white-stripe trend that I've seen emerging in different places.  The first time it registered on my radar was when Kendra showed me this skirt (okay, not this EXACT one, but one that was literally exactly like it, but from Anthropologie).  Then the stripes started showing up other places, like on a shirt at Piperlime and a dress at Modcloth and a romper J. Crew.

Then fate stepped in, and led me to this article on the Threads magazine website about playing with the grain of fabric, and I knew this was MEANT TO BE.

And geez, after all that introduction, here it is finally:

What I made:
New Look 6003 skirt pattern
Cotton shirting fabric from Gorgeous Fabrics

When I made it:
Last weekend!  Partially during this jam session, then finished it up the next day while watching Friday Night Lights. (Panthers Win State!)

What I like about it:
You might remember yesterday that I said this is one of my favorite things I ever made.  And while that is true, it isn't necessarily because of how it looks.  A lot of what I love about is just how hard I worked on it - I had to think creatively to cut out all those stripes to be going the way I wanted, I lined it, I pressed seams I normally don't bother pressing, I handsewed.  I just really took a lot of time to make sure this looked as professionally made as I could make it and, as a result, I think I have my most "real" looking garment to date.
That being said, I really also do like the STRIPES!  And also the STRIPES GOING DIFFERENT WAYS!  And also the fact that it kind of hurts your eyes.
I've been wanting to make a skirt with a peplum for a long time also, and now I have one! (peplum = a full flounce that covers the hips)