Tailored Wrap Dress
A women's above-the-knee dress with a notched collar and lapels, a wrap-over bodice joined at a waist seam, princess seams on the bodice, darts on the skirt and a concealed zipper in the centre back. Worn with a separate self-fabric tie belt.
When To Wear
- At the office instead of a suit: the collar and lapels read like a jacket.
- For daytime meetings and dinners in spring and autumn, with court shoes or ankle boots.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Fitted bodice and a straight skirt, shaped by princess seams above the waist and darts below it.
Length: Above the knee.
Collar: Notched collar with lapels: upper and lower collar, the lower collar set into the dress neckline and the upper collar into the facings. Front edges understitched 0.2 cm.
Sleeves: Long two-piece set-in sleeves with elbow and front seams.
Front: Wrap-over bodice: the right front lies over the left, matching the centre front lines, and both are caught in the waist seam, so the front does not open. The lower front is one piece cut on the fold, with darts.
Closure: Concealed zipper in the centre back seam.
Back: Upper back with princess seams, joined by a waist seam to a lower back with darts; centre back seam from neck to hem.
Waist: Waist seam hidden under a separate tie belt, cut in one piece and folded lengthwise.
Finishing: Hems of the dress and sleeves overlocked, turned up and blind-stitched.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. A notched collar with faced lapels, a concealed zipper, princess seams and a wrap-over bodice set into a waist seam.
Fabric Recommendations
Dress fabrics made from natural or blended fibres.
Additional Supplies
- Fusible interfacing (upper centre fronts, front facings, one collar piece, back neck facing)
- Concealed zipper
Cutter's Must
If the patterns have a double contour, seam allowances are included. If the contour is single, the patterns are without seam allowances. Seam allowances: all seams 1 cm. Hem allowance for the bottom of the garment – 3 cm, sleeve hem – 2 cm. Attention! First, print out the paper patterns and lay them out on the fabric width (fabric width can be from 90 cm to 150 cm) to determine how much material you will need (do not forget to account for paired and symmetrical details). When stitching pieces, pay attention to the notches - they must match!
- From main fabric:
- Upper Center Back – 2 pieces
- Upper Side Back – 2 pieces
- Upper Center Front – 2 pieces
- Upper Side Front – 2 pieces
- Collar – 2 pieces
- Lower Back – 2 pieces
- Lower Front – 1 piece (on fold)
- Upper Sleeve – 2 pieces
- Lower Sleeve – 2 pieces
- Back Neckline Facing – 1 piece
- Center Front Facing – 2 pieces
- Waistband (tie belt) – 1 piece
- From fusible interfacing:
- Upper Center Front – 2 pieces
- Center Front Facing – 2 pieces
- Collar – 1 piece
- Back Neckline Facing – 1 piece
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse interfacing to the designated pieces.
- Stitch the darts on the Lower Back, press the dart intake towards the center. Stitch the back princess seams (Upper Center Back to Upper Side Back), overlock the allowances and press towards the center. Join the upper back to the Lower Back. Overlock the allowances and press downwards. Overlock the center back edges separately. Stitch the center back seam from the top to the zipper mark and from the second zipper mark to the bottom. Press the allowances open. Insert the concealed zipper.
- Stitch the front princess seams (Upper Center Front to Upper Side Front), overlock the allowances and press towards the center. Stitch the darts on the Lower Front, press the dart intake towards the center.
- Stitch the shoulder seams of the dress, overlock the allowances and press open.
- Place the two Collar pieces (upper and lower collar) right sides together and stitch along the ends and outer edge. Start and end the stitching exactly at the marked collar attachment line. Trim the seams at the corners, clip at the mark. Turn the collar right side out, shape and press.
- Stitch the shoulder seams joining the Center Front Facings and the Back Neckline Facing, press the allowances open. Overlock the outer edge.
- Place the Center Front Facing on the Upper Center Front, right sides together, pin and stitch along the front edge and lapel. Stitch upwards to the notch indicating the end of the collar attachment. Trim the seams at the corners. Understitch the seam allowance 0.2 cm from the seam: below the lapel break – to the Center Front Facing, along the lapel – to the front. Turn the front edges right side out and shape the seams.
- Attach the lower collar to the neckline of the dress, and the upper collar to the neckline edge of the Back Neckline Facing and Center Front Facings. Press the collar attachment seam allowances open and secure them close to the seams.
- Overlap the right front over the left, matching the center front lines, and baste them together along the lower edge and the vertical edge section. Attach the Lower Front to the upper front. Overlock the allowance and press downwards.
- Stitch the side seams. Overlock the allowances and press towards the back.
- Stitch and press open the elbow seam of the sleeve (Upper Sleeve to Lower Sleeve). Overlock the allowances. Press up the sleeve hem. Stitch and press open the front seam of the sleeve. Overlock the allowances. Set the sleeve into the armhole, overlock the allowances.
- Overlock the bottom edges of the dress and sleeves. Fold the allowances to the wrong side and hem with blind stitches.
- Fold the Waistband (tie belt) piece in half lengthwise, right sides together, and stitch along the contour, leaving an opening in the middle. Trim the allowances, turn right side out and press. Sew the opening closed.
