Can you help me save this dress?

[NeedSomeComfy]

A few years ago I bought the dress in the attached image. It’s silk and hung beautifully. It is fairly low cut I’ve always been small chested, but back then with a push up bra I managed to fill it out respectably.
A few years later, a bit of weight loss and years of breastfeeding have shrunk my boobs down to almost nothing, which combined with a rather protuberant sternum means when I put it on now the chest area just shows a great expanse of skin and bone, and is just not flattering. It was an expensive dress for me and I would be sad to never wear it again, but as it is I don’t see myself being comfortable in it.
I was wondering if it would work to put a triangle of fabric across the chest area to cover up a lot of it and show less skin. Do you think it could work? If so, would you use silk, and what colour would you choose? Or is there another solution that I haven’t thought of to make it more wearable again?
Thanks for any suggestions!

I have very little in the way of boobs and prominent sternum, I wear low cut and v-neck clothes and think it looks very elegant, so I'd say change your perception rather than the dress!

@IncrediblyGood You have a good point! In this dress in particular I do feel it looks a bit empty at the front with nothing to fill it, but maybe I do have a bit of an unnecessary hang up about my chest and sternum in general.

I agree with this. I think having very little in the way of boobs looks elegant and clothes hang well.

I am a 34 f and really dislike my boobs.

what about a large necklace / scarf?

I have a beautiful fabric necklace. It’s hard to describe but it’s strings of fabric interspersed with large amber stones.

As I say, hard to describe, but it’s lovely, and gives good coverage.

Alternatively how about some sort of delicate scarf wrapped around your neck with the two ends hanging in front?

I'm also flat-chested and always have been. I'm afraid that I tend to avoid styles like that with shaping in the boob area for the cleavage I don't have, as I find the ‘cups’ look sad when they're empty and deflated. I don't think adding a triangle of fabric in the V is going to fix that problem, but if you sewed carefully you could unpick if it didn't work and you needed to pass the dress on. I'd use silk and match one of the greens or oranges from the print, or perhaps lace in the cream from the dress if you can find some that's wide enough.

Could you take some volume out of the boob area instead? I think you’d have to redo the seams at the base of the boob area that provide the shaping and that will mess with the hemline… Not something to attempt unless you're fairly confident in your skills, but a dressmaker might do it. (I’d ask my mum, who would sigh, disclaim all responsibility, measure carefully, mock it up in a remnant to experiment and frown in deep concentration if it came to cutting the silk rather than just unpicking… naturally I'd be the one doing the unpicking.)

I agree with other posters that low cut with small / no boobs can look really good. But I can also understand that, if you feel self conscious, then it's going to stop you enjoying the dress.

I think the danger with sewing in a triangle of fabric is that it could draw even more attention to your chest, so it would need to be done really well.

I've had vintage dresses with an additional panel across the chest, sometimes in the same fabric as the dress or sometimes in white lace or silk. You can still find these kinds of panels at vintage fairs and online. This is just a random one I found when I googled 'vintage modesty panel' so I'm not saying this particular one is the best choice for your dress - it's just to show you what I mean.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/266733335954

Or could it be remade into a skirt?

Oh and have you tried it over a white T shirt?? The 90s are back after all!!

What about putting a t shirt under it, a lovely quality fitted white t shirt might be worth a try.

Statement necklace, something that really fills that expanse - an example.
https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/527166625/statement-necklacewow-statement-necklace?ls=s&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=statement+necklace&ref=sr_gallery-1-1&organic_search_click=1&loc=1&local_signal_search=1&content_source=22478cf9-d357-4bd6-b6ab-1a0d2d09c730%253A0b96feebd7e275485e3a1dff1685bb8b7e057a9f&logging_key=22478cf9-d357-4bd6-b6ab-1a0d2d09c730%3A0b96feebd7e275485e3a1dff1685bb8b7e057a9f

Another one.
https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1661605176/statement-red-necklacebohemian-red?ls=a&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=statement+necklace&ref=sc_gallery-1-10&pro=1&sts=1&plkey=d6ec658c4f9ab5a9df01c34f441c7dca5efdcfa1%3A1661605176

Loads of examples on Etsy - search statement necklace. You could have a few at these prices to ring the changes!
https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1365021193/art-nouveau-necklace-chunky-statement?ls=a&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=statement+necklace&ref=sc_gallery-1-16&pro=1&plkey=26beee4c66a99cd4d30c164db1adaacb40a82edf%3A1365021193

Something like this?
https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/889753166/embroidered-guipure-lace-neckline?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_uk_en_gb_d-craft_supplies_and_tools&utm_custom1=k_EAIaIQobChMIvPW_jKCwjgMVj5RQBh0WvBWyEAQYAyABEgKmTPD_BwE_k&utm_content=go_22208592629_177652885907_732084656622_pla-295462056867_c__889753166engb_5540872255&utm_custom2=22208592629&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22208592629&gbraid=0AAAAADutTMe_vmZrqrpxwqVWegIlwzPz7&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvPW_jKCwjgMVj5RQBh0WvBWyEAQYAyABEgKmTPD_BwE

Thanks for all the replies! I was hoping to wear it to a wedding so a white tshirt wouldn’t be very appropriate, although for more normal wear it’s a good idea.
I am really liking the idea of a scarf or a statement necklace! Will definitely look into all those options.
I’m certainly not a good enough seamstress to be able to fix up the chest gape myself but maybe with a stick on padded bra it might be enough to not leave them too saggy.

Search for decollatage modesty panel, there's loads of different ones on Etsy. Like this:

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/927930820/modesty-panel-lace-cleavage-cover-hide

Maybe a close fitting silky top underneath.

It's a beautiful dress so I'd investigate getting it altered

Seriously, just take it to a decent seamstress / alterations service and ask them what they could do to make it perfect on you. Be prepared to pay a reasonable amount.

Trinny Woodall, who is fairly flat-chested, often wears dresses with a deep V the other way around, and it does work. Maybe give that a try?

Oops, sorry, didn't realise it has a deep V back too.

I sew and could easily alter it along the lines of fhis

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4K7nI-pfVG8&pp=ygUNI2xvd25lY2tkcmVzcw%3D%3D

If you don’t sew then take it to a seamstress.

This!

The video is a bit long, but basically you join up the V so that the point isn't so low. I'd experiment with a few small safety pins to join up the ends of each of the red lines are in my expertly drawn image .

Then get someone who can do a neat job to sew it, assuming it looks ok.

Apologies, that didn't quite read right.

Thanks to @SaintGermain for the link to the video, which does give a possible solution.

Good luck @NeedSomeComfy, hope you wear the dress.

I am of the recently lost a lot of weight and now have no boobs and a prominent sternum and am loving it camp. But understand you don't feel the same way.

I would get a tight fitting camisole for underneath, or maybe a lacy bodysuit so that there are fewer bumps.

I have recently discovered the Stripe and Stare square bras which have a little bit of lace on top and might work?

You could “reduce the shoulders”, so they sit higher up, sew in some cups for shape, and add a dart to or reduce the arm hole. I did a dressmaking course to learn how to do this.

I have a similar bias cut dress with cups and and it does sit oddly!

I’ve done all of this and more on various dress as I have an “athletic” chest shape and small shoulder but I’m a size 16 and have 34e boobs. I still have a gap at the top of the cup of many dresses

you can try variations of this with buy gathering the material up but silk is so fragile so avoid pins - I would take it to a good alterations shop and they will be able to help you. I wouldn’t sew silks

I would not put a panel in as it will look odd.

I wouldn't reduce the shoulders as it shifts everything else up.

Sew in white or cream lace or-buy a modesty panel.