Every sewist reaches a point in their sewing journey when they ask the age old question:  Do I need a dress form to sew? In a word, no, you don’t.  A dress form is a valuable tool that can be used as a substitute or body double.  If the dress form matches your measurements, you can make adjustments to your garment without the inconvenience of multiple try ons.  Additionally if you want to learn how to drape, a dress form is an invaluable tool.  You can use it to work out style lines without having to make multiple mockups and waste fabric.  If you do decide that you want a dress form, do your research.  Below are a few common dress forms that you can use to kickstart your search.  

Dress Forms currently available for purchase

1.    Adjustable Dress Form

Adjustable dress forms are commonly and readily available to the home sewist.  They come in various size ranges and are sold in major craft stores and online.  As the name implies, an adjustable dress form is adjustable.  The form has a series of dials that allows you to adjust the circumference of the neck, bust, waist and hip.  They are typically attached to a basic stand that is height adjustable.  

Pros:  The adjustable form is fairly inexpensive and typically costs under $300.  The form is pretty lightweight so you can move it around with ease.  Once adjusted, the proportions of the form are fairly realistic so you’ll have a good idea of how the garment will look on you.

Cons:  The trade off for being lightweight is that the adjustable form is on the flimsy side especially once the dials are fully extended.  The shell is a hard plastic so you cannot pin into the form.  With age, the fabric covering will separate as the glue completely dries out.  

2.     Display Dress Form 

A display form is used more for exhibition of clothing rather than garment construction as they are usually ½ sized.  They are not suitable for fitting or draping, unless your intent is to sew for an extremely small yet shapely adult.

Pros:  Display forms are readily available online or in craft stores.  The pricing varies depending on the seller.

Cons: A display form is more along the lines of a mannequin and is therefore not suitable for sewing.

3.     Professional Dress Form:

A professional dress form is ideal as it is the tool of choice for sewing schools and professional dressmakers.  This form is typically half of the female body and is suitable for fitting tops, skirts and dresses.  The shoulders are collapsible in order to get a garment on and off with ease. You can pin on the form with ease which makes draping a breeze.  Some forms are available with detachable shoulders and arms.  If the form is not in your size, you can pad it out to achieve sizing that closely mimics your measurements.

Pros:  The professional dress form is mounted on a sturdy stand with wheels. It is very mobile and allows you to move it all around your sewing studio.  You can adjust the height for ease of use.

Cons:  A professional dress form is costly.  The price increases as the size of the dress form increases.  Additions like the shoulder or arms are an added expense.  Padding kits are available as a separate purchase.  The forms currently produced assume a “standard” body even in the larger sizing.  

4.     Bifurcated or Full Body Dress Form

A bifurcated or full body dress form has the same attributes of a professional dress form but it includes legs.  The arms can be acquired as an additional purchase.  You would purchase this dress form if you intend to create trousers or shorts.  

Pros: The bifurcated dress form can be used to design, drape and fit all garments including jumpsuits or boilersuits. 

Cons: As this dress form is multi-functional, it typically costs more than the standard dress form.  

5.    Custom Made Dress Form

The creme de la creme of dress forms is a custom made one.  Companies like Beatrice Forms offer a service that creates one of a kind dress form that is basically your body double.  Your body is scanned and a perfect duplicate is hand crafted based on your measurements and proportions.   If you have one hip that is slightly wonky, so will your dress form.  This is the perfect solution for those of us with less than symmetrical bodies. If you can afford it, it is a very good investment.

Pros:  A custom made dress form is your double so you don’t have to pad it out to match your proportions.  The form is pinnable so you can drape to your heart’s content.  

Cons:  It’s expensive.  As the form is custom made, you can’t just buy it and have it immediately on hand.   As I write this post, the current wait time is up to 12 weeks for the form to be completed.  

Dress forms you can make at home 

1.  Duct Tape Dress Form

A more cost effective version of a custom dress form is the duct tape form.  Yes, you can create a dress form made from duct tape to mimic your body.  Supplies needed?  Duct tape and lots of it.  You will need to wrap yourself at least a couple times in order to create sturdy mold in which to stuff polyfill or scraps or whatever you have lying around.  If you want a stand, you can make one out of PVC or just purchase one online.  Or you can just stuff it and leave it without a stand.  Coolirpa has pretty complete tutorial on how to create a DIY Duct Tape Mannequin | Under $20 Dress Form!

Pros:  It’s cheap.  You just need to cover the cost of several rolls of duct tape.  It’s hard to guess how much you’ll need but larger bodies will require more.  

Cons: You need someone to duct tape you and then cut the form off you.  There are mixed reviews regarding the effectiveness and longevity of a duct tape form.  Be prepared to use more stuffing than you actually thought you needed.  

2.   Plaster of Paris Dress Form

 You can also use a plaster cast of your body to create a plaster of Paris dress form. The process is similar to the duct tape method except your medium will be plaster of Paris.  Once you create the mold of your body, you’ll need to fill it with expanding foam to create the actual dress form.  Morgan Donner has detailed the entire casting process here DIY Dress Form // Copying My Corseted Form for Victorian Dress Sewing.

Pros:  You can create your form using supplies readily available in most big box stores or online at a reasonable cost.

Cons:  You need someone on hand to assist with the creation of the mold process.  It is a messy process so you probably should have the Plaster of Paris applied outside with an old sheet or drop cloth to catch any spills.  

3.  Bootstrap DIY Dress Form 

Another viable at home option is to sew your own dress form using a pattern from Bootstrap Fashions.  You’ll need to enter a series of measurements on the website and then purchase the pattern. The process is simple in that you are sewing the pattern together and then stuffing it with polyfill or scraps.  By adding a stand to the finished product, you have a perfectly functional dress form that mimics your measurements and proportions.  

Pros:  The dress form can be made up using a fabric that you love instead of the usual off white/cream color prevalent on most dress forms.  Using fabric on hand makes this dress form fairly affordable.

Cons:  You must ensure that your measurements are correct and that you include seam allowance if you need it to be.  You can contact Bootstrap to correct the pattern if needed but be prepared to pay an additional fee for this correction.  

Conclusion

The choices listed should give you a good working knowledge into what to look for and where to locate a suitable dress form.  Once you find one that works for your needs, you’ll have a valuable tool in your sewing arsenal.  If you decide that you don’t need one at the moment, that’s cool too. Good luck in your search and happy sewing.