Altering a dress - could you help me please?

[ToothGah]

I have a dress (well two) that I need to alter.

The problem is that they have a side zip (under the arm) and I can't do it up all the way. I have a wide rib cage and always have this problem with side zips in lined dresses - the gap is probably two inches.

The dresses were cheap and I want to wear one for a Halloween do.

How can I alter them to make them fit around the ribs? I can sew but haven't a clue when it comes to clothes.

The dresses are made of satin and silky netting. I'll share a pic on my profile in a tick if I can find one on the website I bought them from.

TIA :)

I think you should be able to see the photos now :)

I would have thought that if you can get some similar fabric, you could add a small panel in one, or both sides.

You'd need to unpick part of the side seam, and add the panel in there.
And then re-do the zip, so it's attatched to the new panel on one side.

The panels would be like an upside-down triangle, if that makes sense? So the dress still fit on your waist, and the extra bit of fabric was just at the top.

Take the zip out and put in some kind of lacing, (haven't got a clue really), normally for back of dress but it might work

Can probably be done by adding a thin triangular pieces on either side (to balance it).

Have a google, I found a lot of guides and video when I needed to alter a dress for DD.