Omg! I can relate to the two dresses sooo much. I always have to pick a bra that fits with the dress so it is at least less obvious. Also doesn’t help that I have a hip size way too big as well. For A-line clothes I can size down. Now I’ve been measuring and realised my upper bust difference compared to full bust is 4-5 inches if I measure loosely. I was just blown away when I realised it’s not my body that’s the problem! It’s the commercial clothes that aren’t made for me. I have been working on trying to make a sloper with my measurements but I should probably make a fba to it as well!
I love this video. I do have melons. I started sewing recently, and although I'm very happy with my skirts and pants, every blouse I've done is wrong in one way or another, and that is so frustrating, I was ready to give up on blouses. I will try this method for sure. Thanks!
Thanks. I’m “smaller” (like a size 10) at the shoulders and a size 18-20 at the bust, melons, as you say! I managed to get a well fitting slope previously… then put on 30 pounds. 😮 Back to the start for me I guess. Thanks for the clear instructions!
I'm a bust plus size. However, I'm not the same on both sides (surgery removed many cysts from my right melon). Yes, I sometimes wear a pad in the right cup (which gets hot and wet during warm weather). Needless to say, I avoid darts. In the summer I wear loose scrub tops, loose T-shirts, and Mumus. But, I always have to be careful with the necklines; because, I have one shoulder that is an inch shorter and an inch lower than the other. V necks usually don't work for me. I have been thinking of making myself some late 1970's jumper dresses (that have yokes at the top, and small pleats under the yokes (for big melons and for movement). I'm 75 years old; and, I sometimes work outside my home where I must dress professionally. It is hard to dress professionally because of my age and lop sided figure. Surely I'm not the only woman with these physical problems? Do you have any suggestions that may help me (and other people) with these problems?
The good news: No one is symmetrical. For instance, I have one shoulder that is higher than the other, too. And, it's not at all unusual for women to have different cup sizes. So, you're in good company. Here are my thoughts off the top of my head and I invite others to join in on the conversation... *Instead of avoiding darts, use them to your advantage to point to the aspects of your figure you want to highlight. We often think of darts as either coming from the shoulder, side seam, or waist seam (a princess seam is actually a shoulder dart and a waist dart that get together over the apex) but darts can also be used to direct the eye...kind of like an arrow. The costume designers from Hollywood's golden age were experts at using design elements, such as darts, to move the viewer's eyes away from the part of the actress' figure they wanted to diminish and towards the parts of the figure they wanted to highlight. *Avoid flowy fabrics such as knits that hit your bustline and then hang free below the bustline (which actually emphasizes what you don't want to emphasize). You'll want more structured fabrics because they will help give the illusion that your figure is more symmetrical than it really is. *When drafting patterns, make a pattern for each side of your figure (e.g., left bodice front and right bodice front). If you have a pattern that requires it to be cut on the fold, just tape the two pattern pieces together and cut the entire piece out on the open fabric. Just remember to lay the pattern piece down so that the right side of the fabric corresponds to the correct sides of your body. *Think in terms of what on your figure you want to highlight (instead of what you want to diminish). This will help you choose patterns. Think of yourself as a magnificent sculpture and how you can use your clothing details to direct viewers to your best assets. (I have to go off to a meeting but I hope this at least gets the conversation started!)
I also have different sized melons. I've found that asymmetrical necklines or a different colored highlight on one side only helps hiding the difference.
Love your channel ❤
Loved the melons thumbnail! 😂
I’m currently switching from using patterns to pattern drafting because most didn’t fit my wife’s “blessed” figure (50 bust 43 waist 46 hips)
Omg! I can relate to the two dresses sooo much. I always have to pick a bra that fits with the dress so it is at least less obvious. Also doesn’t help that I have a hip size way too big as well. For A-line clothes I can size down.
Now I’ve been measuring and realised my upper bust difference compared to full bust is 4-5 inches if I measure loosely. I was just blown away when I realised it’s not my body that’s the problem! It’s the commercial clothes that aren’t made for me.
I have been working on trying to make a sloper with my measurements but I should probably make a fba to it as well!
I love this video. I do have melons. I started sewing recently, and although I'm very happy with my skirts and pants, every blouse I've done is wrong in one way or another, and that is so frustrating, I was ready to give up on blouses. I will try this method for sure.
Thanks!
Thanks. I’m “smaller” (like a size 10) at the shoulders and a size 18-20 at the bust, melons, as you say! I managed to get a well fitting slope previously… then put on 30 pounds. 😮 Back to the start for me I guess. Thanks for the clear instructions!
Yep. You get it! That difference makes all, ahem, the difference in getting things to fit! Thank you for your kind words!
I'm a bust plus size. However, I'm not the same on both sides (surgery removed many cysts from my right melon). Yes, I sometimes wear a pad in the right cup (which gets hot and wet during warm weather). Needless to say, I avoid darts. In the summer I wear loose scrub tops, loose T-shirts, and Mumus. But, I always have to be careful with the necklines; because, I have one shoulder that is an inch shorter and an inch lower than the other. V necks usually don't work for me. I have been thinking of making myself some late 1970's jumper dresses (that have yokes at the top, and small pleats under the yokes (for big melons and for movement). I'm 75 years old; and, I sometimes work outside my home where I must dress professionally. It is hard to dress professionally because of my age and lop sided figure. Surely I'm not the only woman with these physical problems? Do you have any suggestions that may help me (and other people) with these problems?
The good news: No one is symmetrical. For instance, I have one shoulder that is higher than the other, too. And, it's not at all unusual for women to have different cup sizes. So, you're in good company.
Here are my thoughts off the top of my head and I invite others to join in on the conversation...
*Instead of avoiding darts, use them to your advantage to point to the aspects of your figure you want to highlight. We often think of darts as either coming from the shoulder, side seam, or waist seam (a princess seam is actually a shoulder dart and a waist dart that get together over the apex) but darts can also be used to direct the eye...kind of like an arrow. The costume designers from Hollywood's golden age were experts at using design elements, such as darts, to move the viewer's eyes away from the part of the actress' figure they wanted to diminish and towards the parts of the figure they wanted to highlight.
*Avoid flowy fabrics such as knits that hit your bustline and then hang free below the bustline (which actually emphasizes what you don't want to emphasize). You'll want more structured fabrics because they will help give the illusion that your figure is more symmetrical than it really is.
*When drafting patterns, make a pattern for each side of your figure (e.g., left bodice front and right bodice front). If you have a pattern that requires it to be cut on the fold, just tape the two pattern pieces together and cut the entire piece out on the open fabric. Just remember to lay the pattern piece down so that the right side of the fabric corresponds to the correct sides of your body.
*Think in terms of what on your figure you want to highlight (instead of what you want to diminish). This will help you choose patterns. Think of yourself as a magnificent sculpture and how you can use your clothing details to direct viewers to your best assets.
(I have to go off to a meeting but I hope this at least gets the conversation started!)
Thank you.@@themodernretrowoman
I also have different sized melons. I've found that asymmetrical necklines or a different colored highlight on one side only helps hiding the difference.