Sleeveless shift dresses and bras

[SurelyYoureJokingMrFeynman]

Just how?

Thanks to eBay I have some lovely shift dresses, but flashing my bra through the arm hole isn't quite the elegant look I'm after.

I'm a 32DD and I've tried lots of different bras and a variety of dresses. Everything peeks a bit.

What do you do about this?

Wear something pretty! Not flesh coloured but coral or bright depending on the dress.

Grin and, erm, bare it?

Try using a multiway and crossing your bra straps at the back, I find it pulls them in more. Otherwise I think you can buy a strap that turns your bra into a racer back.

The dresses gape, giving a lovely sideview right inside no matter how snug the bra. The higher the boob-hoick, the greater the gape.

I'm sure Alicia Florrick never looked like this!

I know exactly what you mean. Apparently it's because the dress doesn't have a full bust adjustment, so your breasts are actually pulling the armhole forward. I had a shift dress custom made by a dressmaker, and the difference was amazing. But that had yo be a one off sadly. I've never managed to wear sleeveless dresses off the peg.

Ah, 'tis as I feared then.

I'm considering adding an armhole-infill in suitable fabric. But my sewing isn't the best and it may just be fugly.

I've also thought of adding elastic round the armhole, to pull it in. But it might just distort the whole thing.

I'm not good with my hands, so I can't just "run one up" to test.

If the problem is excess fabric at the armhole, anyone who's good at alterations should be able to add a dart to take it in. Depending on the fabric/print, it should be fairly unnoticeable once done. If you google 'armhole dart' there are some images of that kind of alteration. I don't know how much it would cost - it shouldn't be a lot, and might be worth the investment if it makes them more wearable?

Could you wear the dresses with a very light bolero if they can't be altered?

I wear a blouse/shirt underneath. Bit chilly for bare arms anyway at the moment.

Yes, I cover with cardis and jackets at the moment - which seems a crying shame for a nicely shaped dress.

An armhole dart might be just the thing for those with enough fabric. Thank you!

And I'm intrigued about how one puts a blouse underneath. Where does the collar go? The dresses tend to be slash neck, as scoop necks look dreadful on me.

It could be a quick job for a professional.

If you have a traditional haberdashers nearby you can buy short ribbons on a safety pin which fix to the shoulder seam fasten with poppers around the bra strap to keep it out of sight.

I'm reading it that it's the actual bra chest band, visible under the armpit, not the strap, LIZS .

Yep, chest band and a lovely vista of cup, if viewed from the wrong angle.

Although that bra strap tip is genius! I'm definitely doing that for necklines!

www.sewessential.co.uk/hemline-strap-retainers-white

Oh I see, could you take the shoulder seam in ?

I'll try darts first, I think.

But I don't understand how some dresses are supposed to work.

Take this: www.ebay.co.uk/itm/361855299033?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Surely that armhole's cut way too low? Or is it just me?

I you wear a shirt with proper collar, it just goes on top, like this:
myfashionslashlife.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/ss1.jpg
Or you could wear sweaters:
www.pinterest.com/pin/87960998944041339/

Depending on neckline you could also wear stuff where the collar is lower than the dress neckline, so it does not show at all.
www.cottoncashmerecathair.com/blog/2015/11/4/greyscale

Ahh, thank you.

I'm not a fashionista at all

It depends so much on the style of dress. I'm a 30J and have the same problem in anything ready made or made from patterns so took a pattern cutting course to solve the problem. The solution seemed mostly to be a much smaller armhole shaped like a D with the flat side under the arm.

I wonder if there might be enough spare cloth in the hem to make an insert for the bottom half/front of the arm hole or to cover the exposed part of a specific bra/camisole to match that dress so it's not so obvious.

Alternatively could you add a contrast fabric feature to the dress to cover the exposed part? e.g. A X shape in a broad piece of ribbon or chiffon drape if you are the crafty type. Excuse dodgy drawings (I'm more creative with needle and thread than pen and paper!)

Ooh, that's clever!

I'd been thinking something forgiving like folded chiffon in the bottom half of the armhole. But hem fabric and a talented seamstress might be better - depending as you say on the dress.

Strap traps help with this , you can sew several in to keep the dress clipped to the bra strap for its entire length which helps a lot. It is the lack of bust adjustment though as it doesn't happen with either my clothes from pepperberry or stuff I make which all has huge fba done