Dress help!

[lamamarco]

Hi all!

So this has pretty much been a constantly evolving project. I started out with the plan to make a skirt with a shirred waist band, so I cut my fabric, and blah blah blah. It soon became apparent that no matter how much I shirred it was still going to be entirely too big for me. :[ So I did some creative pleats in the front, I can show you pictures if necessary, and plan on turning it into a dress.

But there is the problem. I can't seem to come up with a decent idea for the bodice of this dress. I spent a couple of hours tonight messing around with different fabric/options, but nothing looks quite right.... Needless to say I need some design help! Any input or ideas you have would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you! :]

Oh and here is a picture of the work in progress!

[jey]

I'm not sure if this will help - but i hope it does! 
Have you tried putting your iron onto steam and kind of hovering it above the shirring elastic? 
I made a shirred top thing once and the steam shrinks the elastic to make it tighter. 

[lamamarco]

Yeah I tried that... and a ton of other things... its destined to be a dress now.

[LiliDesign]

Heres a couple of ideas...I've seen loads of dresses which have the bodice part in a contrasting colour to the skirt - apparently that's going to be a style for winter.  So you could make a white bodice?  Or you could do it underbust dungaree style with two long straps which button on at the front and back.  Or add a denim corset style bit at the top with a sweetheart neckline.  And wear it over a t-shirt.  Hehe you don't have to listen to me!

[lamamarco]

Heres a couple of ideas...I've seen loads of dresses which have the bodice part in a contrasting colour to the skirt - apparently that's going to be a style for winter.  So you could make a white bodice?  Or you could do it underbust dungaree style with two long straps which button on at the front and back.  Or add a denim corset style bit at the top with a sweetheart neckline.  And wear it over a t-shirt.  Hehe you don't have to listen to me!

Thank you!

I was planning on using a contrasting fabric, but what type of bodice do you think would look nice? Thats the problem I am having... I can't imagine anything that will look nice.... :[

Pinafore style dresses look funny on me but they are amazingly cute!

[marieC]

Do you have more of the same fabric?  I'd go for a crossed over in the front and gathered at the shoulders bodice.  Kind of like the Sibylle dress on Burda's free pattern site.  It'd be easy enough to lay across the dressform to take a look at.

[lamamarco]

Do you have more of the same fabric?  I'd go for a crossed over in the front and gathered at the shoulders bodice.  Kind of like the Sibylle dress on Burda's free pattern site.  It'd be easy enough to lay across the dressform to take a look at.

Ohh that's a good idea! I do have more of the same fabric as a matter of fact! I think it would look nice with the denim fabric as the bodice part and a sheer-ish light fabric as the straps.... like in the Sibylle picture.

http://www.burdastyle.com/creations/show/7271

[LollyBee]

I've seen some halter dresses around with smocked waists like this one:

http://store.delias.com/item.do?categoryID=1829&itemID=49732&sizeFilter=&colorFilter=&brandFilter=#

 

[mystico_tala]

I was going to say a halter also.  That one lollybee posted was super cute.
Or maybe one with a collar?  (Like the top half on this vogue pattern).