Princess Line - Dresspatternmaking (2024)

FAQs

What is a princess line in fashion? ›

Princess line or princess dress describes a woman's fitted dress or other garment cut in long panels without a horizontal join or separation at the waist. Instead of relying on darts to shape the garment, the fit is achieved with long seams (princess seams) and shaped pattern pieces.

Princess line is the name commonly given to panel lines that go through bust point, absorbing the dart value into the panel line. The panel line commonly curves from the armhole, down to the waistline through bust point, or from the center of the shoulder down through bust point to the waistline.

Princess Line is not so much a 'Once Upon a Time,' but the feminine silhouette of a woman's fitted dress popularly associated with Charles Frederick Worth who introduced the silhouette in 1870s. He named it after the elegant Princess Alexandra of Denmark.

princess style, in dress design, style of women's clothing characterized by garments that are closely fitted to the waistline, which is unbroken by a seam.

Princess seams are vertical seams placed between the side seam and the center front of the bodice and can also be used on the back panel. Princess seams can begin either at the shoulder or the armhole and continue down to the waist.

Princess seams are distinct from darts in that they form a continuous line and are a full seam. Darts, on the other hand, are folds sewn into the clothing to shape the resultant garment. An illustration of princess seams on a bodice.

A dress or top with a seam-line that runs from the armhole to the hem, or the shoulder and the hem, where the bust and waist darts are incorporated into this seam.

Check if the princess seam curve's apex is in line with the body's actual breast apex. If apexes don't line up, the fit is off and the garment as-is won't look good on the body. If they don't line up horizontally, the pattern curve will need to be raised or lowered.

Viennese Seam

It resembles the Princess Seam in appearance. It is a curved seam that links the front panels of apparel, emphasizing a curved figure of the body. However, unlike the Princess Seam, it starts at the armhole, not the shoulder.

How to draft a princess line? ›

Option #1 : Drafting princess panels from shoulder seam

Draw a straight line through the centre of both darts. 3. You will be separating the pattern into two pieces, and eliminating the darts all together - creating a 'side panel' and 'centre front panel' that are sewn together to create the shaping over the bust.

The simplest way to do this is to add 3/8″ to the side seam of the side front and side back pieces (2 front sides + 2 back sides = 3/8 + 3/8 + 3/8 + 3/8 = 1 ½”).

It is an ideal choice for most body shapes. It is a great style for the woman with a triangle shape, that is, a smaller bust and somewhat large hips. The one body shape that does not adapt as easily to the A-line is the inverted triangle – that is, a large bust and slim hips.

A dress or top with a seam-line that runs from the armhole to the hem, or the shoulder and the hem, where the bust and waist darts are incorporated into this seam.