I need some help as I am just turned 80 and hopeless.

[HappydaysArehere]

Just hoping that you stylish ladies can advice me. Just took delivery of a very nice dress, nice jersey Cotten material. It fits really well in the body but needs adjustment as it has a boat neckline which shows my bra straps. It is also slightly lower than I am used to but could fill it in with a necklace. I am asking which is the best way to go. Should I try a small pleat at the front or the back just enough to pull it in slightly? If I was young and with the bosoms I once had I would go for a strapless bra but alas those days have said goodbye. Are there any other solutions you may have encountered? Would be really pleased to get input from the modern generation. I definitely don’t want to send it back as I really like it.

Are lingerie straps the answer? Or is the neck just far to wide?

Are you any good at altering things yourself or would you take it to an alterations shop? There might be enough material in the hem turn up to take an inch and make 2 little triangular insets to put in under the outer edges of the boat neckline to bring it in and cover your straps without changing the shape of the dress. A pleat would mess with the shape too much by the sound of it

I like Hex's suggestion.

Is it a block colour or pattern? You could get ribbons wide enough to hide your bra straps in either matching or contrasting colours and pin them to your bra for an interchangeable solution, rather than doing anything permanent to what sounds like a nice dress?

Could you wear a long stretch vest top under it? I wear them under lots of things as they also give you a nice smooth line. This one's £6.99 from New Look but M & S and H & M do them too. Would love to see the dress.

Hi I have this problem too, my shoulders are very narrow! My solution is a silk camisole/vest in black or cream. The scoopneck type with wide shoulders rather than straps. Patra is good. It will fill in the gap (hopefully) but doesn't look awful if the dress slips sideways. I have a favourite breton jumper which always looks better with a discreet layer underneath. Silk is nice in this weather so hopefully you won't overheat, but of course a basic m & s cotton vest would do very well.

Have you tried a strapless bra recently? Technology has changed a lot and I find them very supportive now although I'm only a D cup.
Don't rule them out just yet and it would save you having to ruin the boat neck line which is very flattering.

Ah crosspost , nice top from rina!

I am 70 and happy to wear a vest, they are very useful, I wonder if liberty bodices will ever make a comeback

You could have little ties attached to the shoulders of the dress to attach the bra straps to the dress.

Can you stitch the boat neck tighter?.

Liberty bodice 😬 I had to wear one when i was a child, I hated it.

Thank you all so much. It is a very patterned dress so could probably work very well with a camisole or vest of some type. I hadn’t thought of that. Stitching the actual neck each side also sounds pretty good. Now that might work. I will look in M&S and see what Patra has. I bought the dress from their online selection. I will see if I can take a photo of it and attempt to upload it!!! The ribbons in contrasting colour might also work.Thank you all so much.

Done my best with the photo. It looks a lot more of a scooped neckline than it does when on actually on. It is the jersey that makes it look like that in the photo as it stretches. It has what Patra describe as a faux wrap over skirt. Looks better than the photo when on. Well I have selected a photo from my photo library and pressed “use”. But nothing has appeared on the post 🙃☹️.

Well I never. It has actually appeared. It is a midi length. 😀

I can see the photo.

I hate strapless bras, I’m flat chested so don’t need them for support but just find them uncomfortable. I’d probably go for the vest top option too - or maybe you could add some poppers to attach your bra straps and keep them out of view?

I’d be reluctant to alter the neckline as I think it could go a bit weird, especially in a jersey fabric

@HappydaysArehere
That dress would fabulous with a statement necklace

[quote IWantAllTheDogsInTheWorld]@HappydaysArehere
That dress would fabulous with a statement necklace [/quote]
Thank you I will be looking for one. I thought it would take the bareness off to some extent. Think I’m going down the vest route. Just looked on Amazon and selected one which might do.

Lovely dress - my first thought was stitching both sides of the neck a little, too.

I sew and I've done that a few times. Clothes designers who don't take bras into account when designing women's clothes are my pet hate. Up there with the ones who either put in stupid useless little pockets or omit them altogether.

When you're in M&S, look for the Light as Air underwired T-shirt bras (if you solve the bra strap showing issue on your dress) or the Sumptuously Soft strapless bra if not.

I used to wear a lot of strapless bras with outfits around 10-15 years ago but stopped because I couldn't bear the stiff uncomfortable feeling. However as a PP has said, bra technology has moved on and it's possible now to have a soft feel underwired bra. Give them a try!