When the economy is in a recession, overall demand for goods and services is low  If overall demand for goods and services is low, bank interest rates are also low
Ttherefore, if bank interest rates are not low, the economy is not in a recession
If you want to put in pleats, you will have to double the amount of material for the skirt, and that means you will have none left for the top, so if you put in pleats you will not be able to make the top.