J Crew Pencil Skirt Clone

Hi everyone!

I got some beautiful and pricey wool from my local textile shop Darrell Thomas and I want to make a classy pencil skirt.  I'm having a lot of trouble finding premade patterns so I was thinking of drafting my one based on this J Crew skirt:



I have drafted very simply A line skirt patterns before, and while I don't think this will be overly challenging I want it to be perfect so I thought I'd rely on everyone's expertise.

Question:  Does it appear to you to have a separate waistband or to have an attached yoke that folded over and sewn?
Question:  The back view picture kind of makes it look it there are separate side panels but I'm not sure.  What do you think?
Question:  I like the look of the darts being carried up to the waistband but I'm not sure how to achieve this.

Any tips at all would be a big help.  I'm somewhat self-taught so my technical know-how is slightly lacking.  Thanks!

I would have a separate waistband and skirt piece.  But, to make the waistband, piece 3 pieces together to achieve the dart-like seam and insert the dart as usual in the main skirt body.  Line up the seam with the darts when you attach the waistband to the skirt body.