Shirt dress pattern construction
Deutsch
The shirt dress is an absolute classic. The fashion all-rounder is derived from the so-called shirt blouse for ladies (blouse with collar and button facing in the style of men’s fashion). The shirt dress was launched by Chanel in 1916 and developed from the pattern of a smock dress. Since then it can be found in many different variations on the international catwalks. It is wonderfully uncomplicated and fits almost every figure and every occasion. With the right styling you can wear it in the office as well as to cocktail parties. With a continuous button placket, in a figure-hugging silhouette, or casually as an oversize shirt: shirt blouse dresses come in the most varied dress shapes, so that there is something for every taste and every type. Shirt dresses with a striped pattern or in a military look, in khaki and beige are particularly chic. But there are also no limits for designers when it comes to the choice of fabric. The pattern of the shirt blouse dress can be sewn in light cotton, denim or fine leather.
Pattern construction shirt dress
Template: Basic Dress Pattern in Size 40
Dress – Front and Back Pattern
Mark the finished length at the centre back with 60 cm to 65 cm. Draw the back waist dart as shown in the illustration. Transfer the front waist dart from the basic pattern. Lengthen the dart middle lines to the hem and extend the hem 4 cm to the left and right. Extend the hem 4 cm at the sideseam. Raise the hem 1.5 cm at the sideseam and draw the new hemline. Mark the hip yoke 11 cm below the waist at the sideseam and draw the pointed hip yoke as shown. Add 1.5 cm parallel to the front for the buttonstand and mark the button positions. Lower the neckline 0.5 cm at the centre back and 1 cm at the shoulder. Mark the beginning of the lapel break at the front as shown in the illustration. Draw the lapel break 2 cm away from the lowered shoulder point. Measure the lowered back neckline. Extend the lapel break upwards and transfer the back neckline length from the neck point to the extended lapel break. Draw a circular arc with pivot point Z over the extended lapel break.
Further instructions for the pattern construction for shirt blouse dresses and a pattern with trousers basic pattern can be found in the Rundschau für Internationale Damenmode 9/2017
Mark pivot point Z around 3 cm to 4 cm below the shoulder. Measure 4.5 cm for the collar roll along the circular arc to the right. Draw the collar seam to the neckline and draw the collar back perpendicular to the collar seam. Complete the collar shape and the lapel as shown. Mark the front yoke 15 cm above the bust point. Draw the front and back panel seam according to the illustration. Equalize the seam lengths. Draw the patch pocket and the pocket flaps as shown. Mark the begin of the inverted pleat 6 cm below the hip yoke. Draw the pleat backing 7 cm wide and mark the opening at the hem 4 cm wide to each side.
Dress – Sleeve
Copy a matching one-piece sleeve in size 40. Mark the sleeve 16 cm long at the sleeve seams. Draw the sleeve cuff as shown.
Dress – Finished Pattern
Copy all pattern pieces. Trace a copy of the collar and the front facing. Copy the pleat backing. Trace a copy of the sleeve cuff and mirror the cuff. Close the darts on the front and back skirt. Place the skirt pieces together at the hem. Close the bust dart on the yoke pattern. Blend the seamlines. Mark the grainline.
Further instructions for pattern constructions and sewing patterns for dresses can be found in our online shop.
