Design your own dress online: shape, sleeves and fabric

Pick a silhouette

Most dresses belong to one of a few families. Name yours in your notes, because it tells the maker how much room and how much fabric the design needs.

• A-line: fitted at the bust, widening gradually to the hem. Easy to wear and forgiving.
• Shift or column: falls fairly straight from the shoulders, with little waist shaping.
• Fit and flare: close through the bodice and waist, then a fuller skirt.
• Wrap: crosses over at the front and ties or fastens at the side.
• Shirt dress: a collar and button front, belted or loose. Our own shirt dress is one example.
• Tiered: horizontal bands of gathered fabric that add volume as they go down, like our tiered maxi dress.

Waistline and skirt

Where the waist seam sits changes the whole look. A natural waist sits at your narrowest point; an empire line sits just under the bust and lets the skirt fall from there, which many people find comfortable and modest; a dropped waist sits at the hip for a relaxed, longer body. If you are unsure, describe where you like a waistband to sit on clothes you already own.

For the skirt, decide how full it should be and how the fullness is made. Gathers give a soft, rounded volume; pleats give a crisper, more controlled one; tiers build volume in steps; a simple A-line panel skirt has no gathers at all. Then give the length you want as a measurement from the waist or the shoulder, not just “midi”, because one person’s midi is another’s maxi.

Bodice, neckline and sleeves

The bodice is where fit matters most. Say whether you want it close to the body or relaxed, and whether you prefer darts or a looser gathered front. Our guide to ease and how loose a garment should be explains the difference a few centimetres make.

Necklines and sleeves for dresses follow the same logic as for a kameez. A square or sweetheart neckline frames the collarbone; a band collar or round neck keeps it simple. Bell sleeves add drama, full sleeves add coverage. The necklines and sleeves libraries are a good place to collect ideas, even though they are written with kameez in mind.

Fabric that suits the shape

The fabric has to do what the design asks. Floaty chiffon and georgette suit tiers, gathers and long sleeves, but usually need a lining; crisper cottons hold an A-line or shirt dress shape; heavier winter fabrics suit simpler outlines. If you choose Fabric + Stitching, tell us the feel and colour you want and we propose fabric with photos and descriptions in your quote. Remember that colours can look slightly different on screen than in daylight.

If you already own fabric, send photos and its width and length first. We confirm it suits the design, and that there is enough, before you post anything to us in Pakistan. Our fabric guides describe how the common fabrics behave.

From idea to written quote

Put it together on the custom quote form: a sketch or reference photos if you have them, a few lines naming the silhouette, waistline, skirt, neckline, sleeves and length, and your measurements. For more on the details to mention, read made-to-measure Western dresses.

We reply with one written quote that sets out the design, fabric, measurements and total, including delivery and any import charges. Once you approve and pay in full, the dress takes 5 to 7 working days to make, then ships. Ordering from America? The USA custom design page covers paying in US dollars, euros or pounds.