What is an empire line kameez or dress?

Who finds it comfortable

A fuller bust can wear this cut too, with a little more care than the groups below. The bodice must be deep enough for the seam to sit completely under the bust and not ride up onto it, and the skirt should be flared more than gathered, so the fabric does not hang forward from the bust like a tent.

• Anyone who dislikes a waistband: nothing grips the natural waist, so sitting, eating and long days are easy.
• A fuller tummy: the fabric falls from above the middle, which answers the common question of whether an empire waist suits a tummy. It does, provided the skirt has drape.
• Pregnancy and after: the shape leaves room below the bust. Our guide to maternity kurtas covers the adjustments.
• Petite frames: the long run from under the bust to the hem makes the lower body look longer.
• A smaller bust: the seam and gathers add a little shape at the chest.

Empire line, peplum or yoke?

All three have a horizontal seam on the upper body, and the height of that seam is what tells them apart.

• Empire line: seam directly under the bust, long skirt below.
• Peplum: seam at the natural waist, with a short flare that ends around the hip. A peplum defines the waist, while an empire line skips it. We compare the two for a fuller middle in does a peplum hide a tummy.
• Yoke: a flat panel across the shoulders and upper chest, ending above the bust. The body is gathered or joined below it, and nothing is marked at the ribcage. See yokes and panels.
• Anarkali: a close bodice that ends at a seam under the bust or at the waist, with a very full skirt below. When the seam is under the bust, it is an empire line with far more flare. Our kalidar frock guide explains how that differs from a panelled frock.

Getting the proportions right

Small changes to the seam and the skirt make a large difference to how this cut looks.

• Seam position: directly beneath the bust, level all the way round. Too high and it cuts across the bust. Too low and it drifts into the space between bust and waist, where it marks nothing.
• Amount of gather: a little fullness looks graceful. A great deal, especially at the centre front, can give a maternity look when you did not want one. Moving the gathers towards the sides and back keeps the front flatter.
• Fabric: the skirt needs drape. Lawn, chiffon, georgette, viscose and crepe fall close. Stiff cotton or organza stands out in a bell.
• Bodice: it carries the fit, so it is often lined or cut in a slightly firmer fabric than the skirt.
• Trousers: a flared skirt wants a slim leg below it, such as cigarette pants or a churidar.

Measurements and ordering

Three numbers place the seam: your full bust, your under-bust measured snugly around the ribcage, and the distance from the top of your shoulder, over the bust, to the point directly beneath it. Our dress measuring guide shows how to take them.

An empire line is a design to describe or show us, since the quote form has no box for it. Send a photo with those measurements through Send Your Design, say how full you want the skirt, and ask for a quote. We confirm in the written quote what is possible on your fabric and design.