the skirts were an italian size 34 or less..I cannot even remember how it felt to wear something so tiny! but I have to say it was somehow reassuring that I did not have to use ALL the width from BOTH to reach my new size! the black on the side panels is quite slimming all the same, even though I creased them at the bottom to make an interesting and "unexpected" shape in the A line which I really love. the panels are different lenghts with untidy hems (half on purpose half sewing machine ineptitude..)