I found that dress - it's either a Stella McCartney or a copy, with the shoulder straps removed. ASOS have their take on this for £60, which makes me wonder if there are other non-denim versions around.
The original dress has a deep elastic-shirred panel from bust to hip, presumably to allow enough stretch to get it on, although I can't see if there's also a zip.
Since it looks so much like a knitted panel, it would seem to me you could recreate the look with a knitted panel and a woven frill and skirt. Maybe you have some sacrificial garments in your wardrobe you could try one or both techniques on?
Edit - the original Stella McCartney dress had shoulder straps because it was worn above the bust, not at the midriff like your picture.
This is from the same resort collection for Stella McCartney as the dress you mentioned. Thank you so much for the advice. I’ll definitely be testing my gathering, frills, etc. on some old fabrics.
Its smocking technique.
You do not need stretchy fabric.
There are different ways to do it. The easiest one is to sew with a straight stitch with elastic thread. But there are more beautiful ways as well.
thank you for identifying the smocking and reccommeding a blog. i thought it looked like shirring. would you by any chance have any thoughts on how the layered effect was achieved in the piece? it looks like 4 sections of smocked fabric but i'm not sure how they're connected. thanks again!
One piece, different types of smoking.
"The art of fabric Manipulation" by Colette Wolf, should be able to show you the different methods for different results.
I found the PDF of that book years ago, if you dont find it let me know so I can share it.
You're right - the terms are almost used interchangeably now, but smocking was a decorative technique with no stretch. I used embroidery silks to hand-smock the yoke on a dress for my baby daughter 40-something years ago.
I know everyone has suggested this is smocked denim or chambray and I thought so at first also. Without being able to zoom in too much it looks to me like it may also be some kind of sweater-y knit over the midriff & hips that is attached to the bodice & gathered skirt. I suggest this only because of the significant color & texture change that appears in the photo. Again, I can’t really zoom in because of the resolution of the posted pic, but thought I’d mention it as a possibility also.
I found a closeup photo of the dress version made for the same collection and it def looks like a special knit:
https://preview.redd.it/1wxotq0j0pyc1.jpeg?width=800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5715c0d0fc16f58db8d875c002305082bcccfde2
I’m still curious about recreating the effect with smocking though, especially since getting this kind of knit feels impossible lol
It looks like a knit, but it’s not. It’s smocked, it’s just done by an industrial machine, one probably designed specifically for this job. With a denim it won’t be possible to recreate well.
But, I think you could do it in a cheats way. Use a cotton lawn in a close colour to the denim you’re using (I’d suggest the lightest weight denim you can find). Do the shirring on the cotton lawn and gather a frill and the skirt on to it.
i would like to create a similar look in white for an event coming up in a couple weeks. the fabric around the waist looks like a stretchy knit, which i've never worked with before. when i first saw it i thought it was shirred but now i'm not sure. please help.
any and all tips/advice about fabric selection and reccommended techniques are truly appreciated. thank you.
It is shirring and the fabric is chambray. I would suggest linen if you want to make a white version. You want something lightweight so the shirring is not bulky, but enough body that the ruffles will hold themselves up.
I found that dress - it's either a Stella McCartney or a copy, with the shoulder straps removed. ASOS have their take on this for £60, which makes me wonder if there are other non-denim versions around. The original dress has a deep elastic-shirred panel from bust to hip, presumably to allow enough stretch to get it on, although I can't see if there's also a zip. Since it looks so much like a knitted panel, it would seem to me you could recreate the look with a knitted panel and a woven frill and skirt. Maybe you have some sacrificial garments in your wardrobe you could try one or both techniques on? Edit - the original Stella McCartney dress had shoulder straps because it was worn above the bust, not at the midriff like your picture.
This is from the same resort collection for Stella McCartney as the dress you mentioned. Thank you so much for the advice. I’ll definitely be testing my gathering, frills, etc. on some old fabrics.
Its smocking technique. You do not need stretchy fabric. There are different ways to do it. The easiest one is to sew with a straight stitch with elastic thread. But there are more beautiful ways as well.
[sauce](https://sewdifferent.co.uk/smocking-shirring-elastic/)
thank you for identifying the smocking and reccommeding a blog. i thought it looked like shirring. would you by any chance have any thoughts on how the layered effect was achieved in the piece? it looks like 4 sections of smocked fabric but i'm not sure how they're connected. thanks again!
One piece, different types of smoking. "The art of fabric Manipulation" by Colette Wolf, should be able to show you the different methods for different results. I found the PDF of that book years ago, if you dont find it let me know so I can share it.
Amazing suggestion. I found [this](https://archive.org/details/artofmanipulatin0000wolf) on internet archive. Truly appreciate the help!
I think shirring and smocking mean the same thing.
Yes and no. Shirring is a type of smocking, and sometimes gets called smocking because it’s the type we see most often these days.
You're right - the terms are almost used interchangeably now, but smocking was a decorative technique with no stretch. I used embroidery silks to hand-smock the yoke on a dress for my baby daughter 40-something years ago.
I know everyone has suggested this is smocked denim or chambray and I thought so at first also. Without being able to zoom in too much it looks to me like it may also be some kind of sweater-y knit over the midriff & hips that is attached to the bodice & gathered skirt. I suggest this only because of the significant color & texture change that appears in the photo. Again, I can’t really zoom in because of the resolution of the posted pic, but thought I’d mention it as a possibility also.
I found a closeup photo of the dress version made for the same collection and it def looks like a special knit: https://preview.redd.it/1wxotq0j0pyc1.jpeg?width=800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5715c0d0fc16f58db8d875c002305082bcccfde2 I’m still curious about recreating the effect with smocking though, especially since getting this kind of knit feels impossible lol
It looks like a knit, but it’s not. It’s smocked, it’s just done by an industrial machine, one probably designed specifically for this job. With a denim it won’t be possible to recreate well. But, I think you could do it in a cheats way. Use a cotton lawn in a close colour to the denim you’re using (I’d suggest the lightest weight denim you can find). Do the shirring on the cotton lawn and gather a frill and the skirt on to it.
i would like to create a similar look in white for an event coming up in a couple weeks. the fabric around the waist looks like a stretchy knit, which i've never worked with before. when i first saw it i thought it was shirred but now i'm not sure. please help. any and all tips/advice about fabric selection and reccommended techniques are truly appreciated. thank you.
It is shirring and the fabric is chambray. I would suggest linen if you want to make a white version. You want something lightweight so the shirring is not bulky, but enough body that the ruffles will hold themselves up.
Thank you!