Shirt Dress with Cuffs and Flap Pockets
This sophisticated women's shirt dress pattern combines a structured silhouette with elegant details, including a distinctive front bow pleat, classic shirt collar, and functional flap pockets.
When To Wear
This tailored shirt dress is designed for versatility and professional elegance, making it an ideal choice for:
- Office & Business Settings: Its polished silhouette and smart details are perfect for professional environments and meetings.
- Smart Casual Events: Versatile enough for lunches, daytime gatherings, or sophisticated social occasions.
- Everyday Elegance: a comfortable yet chic option for a refined daily wardrobe that demands both style and comfort.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: a fitted, knee-length silhouette shaped with front and back princess seams for a tailored look.
Front Design: Features a distinctive central bow pleat on the bodice, adding a unique and elegant detail.
Neckline & Collar: a classic shirt collar with a separate collar stand, secured with a hook and eye closure at the neckline.
Closure: Concealed back zipper closure for a sleek, uninterrupted front design.
Sleeves: Three-quarter length sleeves finished with cuffs, adding a refined touch.
Pockets: Practical and stylish flap pockets are applied to the lower front, accented with buttons.
Back: Tailored back features princess seams from shoulder to hem, ensuring a flattering fit.
Length: Designed to fall around the knee, offering a contemporary and professional length.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Requires confident sewing skills, including zipper insertion, detailed collar and stand construction, creating a precise bow pleat, and assembling flap pockets.
Fabric Recommendations
Choose dressmaking fabrics made from natural or blended fibers with added elastane for comfort and a structured yet flexible drape:
- Dressmaking fabrics made from natural fibers (e.g., cotton sateen, wool crepe)
- Dressmaking fabrics made from blended fibers with elastane (e.g., stretch gabardine, stretch cotton twill)
Additional Supplies
- Fusible interfacing
- Zipper closure
- 8 buttons
- Hook and eye closure
Cutter's Must
From main fabric:
- Back center – 2 qty
- Back side – 2 qty
- Front side – 2 qty
- Front center – 1 qty
- Flap – 4 qty
- Stand – 2 qty
- Collar – 4 qty
- Sleeve – 2 qty
- Cuff – 4 qty
From fusible interfacing:
- Flap – 2 qty
- Stand – 1 qty
- Collar – 2 qty
- Cuff – 2 qty
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse fusible interfacing to the designated pieces.
- Stitch the princess seam allowances of the back, press seam allowances towards the center and overlock. Overlock the center seam allowances of the back separately on each piece. Stitch the center seam allowances of the back from the zipper mark to the bottom, press seam allowances open. Insert the zipper.
- Create a box pleat on the front, topstitch the outer and inner folds 0.1 mm from the edge. Stitch the princess seam allowances of the front, press seam allowances towards the center and overlock.
- Stitch the side and shoulder seam allowances. Press seam allowances towards the back and overlock.
- Place the upper collar and lower collar right sides together. Stitch the center seam allowances, ends, and outer edge of the collar. Trim seam allowances. Turn the collar right side out, shape, and press. Place the stand pieces right sides together, insert the prepared collar between them, align the notches, and stitch, simultaneously stitching the ends of the stand. Start and end the stitching precisely at the marked line of the stand insertion seam. Turn the prepared collar right side out and press.
- Insert the outer stand with the collar into the neckline, turn under the open edge of the inner stand, and topstitch into the insertion seam. Turn the collar ends under the pleat and secure. Sew a hook to one side of the collar and stand seam, and a loop to the other.
- Place the flap pieces right sides together and stitch along the outer contour. Clip the seam allowances at the curves, turn the flap right side out. Shape the seams and press. Overlock the upper edge.
- Place the flap onto the side front (rounded edge facing up) and attach. Turn the flap down and topstitch 0.7 cm from the attachment seam.
- Stitch the sleeve seam allowances. Press seam allowances and overlock. Insert the sleeves into the armholes, aligning the notches and easing the cap. Press seam allowances and overlock.
- Place the cuffs in pairs right sides together and stitch the outer edge. Turn right side out, shape, press. Insert the cuff into the sleeve and attach to the lower edge. Overlock seam allowances. Turn the cuff right side out.
- Overlock the bottom edge of the garment. Press the hem allowance to the wrong side and topstitch.
- Sew buttons onto the flaps and cuffs through the garment.
