Button-Front Shirtdress with Belt
A women's knee-length shirtdress with a shirt collar on a stand, a sewn-on button placket down the full front, front and back yokes with buttoned flaps on the front yoke seam, long sleeves with cuffs and a tie belt worn through six belt loops.
When To Wear
- Spring and autumn, on its own or with tights and boots.
- Office days and everyday wear, belted or open over trousers.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Straight shirt bodice with bust darts, slightly widening towards the hem, drawn in at the waist by the belt.
Length: To the knee.
Collar: Turn-down shirt collar on a separate stand, topstitched 0.5 cm from the edge; a buttonhole on the stand.
Front: Front yokes; a separate placket on each front, the right one with buttonholes, buttoning from the collar stand to the hem.
Pockets: No pockets; two lined flaps are sewn into the front yoke seam, topstitched 0.5 cm from the edge and buttoned.
Sleeves: Long, set-in, with an opening at the end of the sleeve seam and buttoned cuffs.
Back: Back yoke; back cut in one piece on the fold.
Waist: Six belt loops topstitched at the waist; self-fabric belt stitched and turned, topstitched 0.1 cm from the edge, tied at the front.
Finishing: 3.5 cm hem, overlocked, turned and topstitched.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. A two-piece collar with stand, sewn-on plackets, flaps set into a yoke seam, cuffs, many buttonholes.
Fabric Recommendations
Dress fabrics made from natural or blended fibres.
Additional Supplies
- Fusible interfacing (plackets, collar, collar stand, cuffs, flaps)
- 16 buttons (placket and stand, cuffs, flaps)
Cutter's Must
- From main fabric:
- Back yoke - 1 piece
- Back - 1 piece on fold
- Front - 2 pieces
- Front yoke - 2 pieces
- Placket – 2 pieces
- Sleeve – 2 pieces
- Collar – 2 pieces
- Collar stand – 2 pieces
- Cuff – 2 pieces
- Flap – 4 pieces
- Belt – 1 piece
- Belt loop strip – 1 piece (cut into 6 loops)
- From fusible interfacing:
- Placket – 2 pieces
- Collar – 1 piece
- Collar stand – 1 piece
- Cuff – 2 pieces
- Flap – 2 pieces
Sewing Instructions
When stitching pieces, pay attention to the notches - they must match!
- Interface the pieces with fusible interfacing.
- Attach the yoke to the back, press seam allowances upwards and serge.
- Mark and stitch the bust darts on the front, press the dart depths upwards.
- Place the flap pieces right sides together and stitch along the side and bottom edges. Trim seam allowances at corners, turn the flap right side out, straighten seams and press. Topstitch 0.5 cm from the edge. Make buttonholes on the flaps.
- Stitch the front yoke to the front, inserting the flap between the pieces. Press seam allowances towards the yoke and serge.
- Stitch the side and shoulder seams, press seam allowances towards the back and serge.
- Attach the outer edge of the placket to the front, press seam allowances towards the placket. Turn the inner edge of the placket inwards and topstitch into the seam of the outer placket attachment.
- Place the upper collar and undercollar right sides together. Stitch the ends and outer edge of the collar. Trim seams. Turn the collar right side out, straighten and press. Topstitch 0.5 cm from the edge. Place the collar stand pieces right sides together, insert the finished collar between them, align notches and stitch, simultaneously stitching the ends of the collar stand. Start and end the stitching strictly at the marked line of the collar stand attachment seam. Turn the finished collar right side out and press. Attach the upper collar stand with the collar to the neckline, turn under the open edge of the lower collar stand and topstitch into the seam of the upper collar stand attachment.
- Serge the sleeve edges. Stitch the sleeve seam from the armhole to the slit mark. Press seam allowances open. Secure seam allowances along the slit 0.2 cm from the edge. Set the sleeves into the armholes, press seam allowances and serge.
- Fold the cuff in half lengthwise right side in and stitch the corners. Attach the outer side of the cuff to the sleeve. Turn under the seam allowance of the inner side and topstitch into the attachment seam.
- Serge the bottom edge of the garment, press to the wrong side and topstitch.
- Make buttonholes on the right placket and collar stand, sew buttons on the left. Make buttonholes and sew buttons on the cuffs. Sew buttons corresponding to the flap buttonholes.
- Serge one long edge of the belt loop. Fold the belt loop into three layers and topstitch along the long sides. Cut the belt loop into 6 pieces. Topstitch the belt loops at the waist according to the markings.
- Fold the belt in half lengthwise right side in and stitch, leaving an opening on the long side for turning. Turn the belt right side out, straighten and press. Topstitch the belt around the perimeter 0.1 cm from the edge.
