Off-Shoulder Pleated Mermaid Dress

Off-Shoulder Pleated Mermaid Dress

A floor-length women's mermaid dress with an off-the-shoulder band of horizontal pleats, princess seams at the front and back, and a concealed zip in the centre back seam. The band is cut in two layers and held in place with elastic at the sides.

When To Wear

• Evening events, formal parties and weddings as a guest.
• With heeled shoes and a wrap or stole over the bare shoulders.

Key Design Features

Silhouette: Mermaid: close-fitting through the bodice, waist and hips, flaring from about knee level.

Length: Floor length; hem overlocked, turned up and topstitched 0.5 cm from the edge.

Neckline: Off-the-shoulder band (trimming) sitting across the upper arms. The upper layer is folded into horizontal pleats at the front; the two layers are stitched together along the top edge, and elastic is topstitched along the sides after a fitting. The band is sewn to the top edge of the dress and the seam allowance is topstitched onto it 0.5 cm from the seam.

Sleeves: Sleeveless; the short armhole edges below the band are finished with bias binding folded in half.

Front: Centre front panel with princess seams running the full length to the hem.

Back: Centre back seam and full-length princess seams; the band also has a centre back seam.

Closure: Concealed zip in the centre back seam, running through the band.

Level Of Difficulty

Intermediate. Pleating and fitting a two-layer band with elastic, long princess seams shaped for a mermaid flare, and a concealed zip that crosses the band seam.

Fabric Recommendations

Dress: fabrics made of natural or blended fibres. Band: fabric with added stretch (elastane) fibres.

Additional Supplies

• Concealed zip, 25 cm
• Bias binding (armholes)
• Elastic (band sides)
• Stretch fabric for the band