This guide provides an introduction to professional dress forms, explaining their features, sizing, and the process of customizing them to match an individual’s body measurements. It covers the different types of dress forms available, how to select the appropriate size, and the two methods for padding and adjusting the dress form to create a personalized body double.
Instructional Steps:
- Understand the features of professional dress forms, including reference lines, collapsible shoulders, adjustable height, and a cage for skirt draping.
- Select the appropriate dress form size, ensuring the smallest measurement (bust, waist, or hips) is slightly smaller than your own measurements.
- Choose between two methods for customizing the dress form:
a. Detailed method: Remove the outer cover, sculpt the inner form to your measurements, and create a zippered outer cover.
b. Padding method: Use semi-circular batting pieces pinned and covered with a tight jersey dress to pad the dress form to your measurements.
- Identify and mark reference lines (center front, side seams, center back, neckline, shoulder line, and armhole) on your dress form for accurate draping.
- Follow the provided PDF guide to properly diagnose and locate the reference lines on your dress form.
- Proceed with draping and fitting garments on your customized dress form, which now represents your personalized body double.
