salvaging a dress

theoretica

Try a pin or brooch to fasten the V together and pin through fastening it to your bra so it can't slip.

maman

I think sewing the crossover bit together will help plus you could use two small safety pins to attach it to your bra (top of cups) so they don't part company when you move.

If you want to wear it for work, I'd definitely go for the vest top idea, rather like a pinafore dress.

Please don't think I'm being rude but I don't think it's really a work sort of dress. I'd keep it for really hot weekends and evenings.

Thanks for the link, I must take a look in Matalan.

raggiecat

I have a similar dress and similar problem with the top. I'm thinking of either cutting off the top and using the elastic smocking as the waistband for a skirt which I will need to shorten or if the smocking is deep enough you could cut the top off and just pull the dress up so the smocking is across your top. Sew some ribbon on for straps or recycle the ones cut from the original top.

MoaningMyrtle

I'd go for the camisole underneath. The very plain ones for a couple of quid from Primark. I think they're called 'strappy vest tops' . Then for work I'd wear a short fitted cardigan on top.

redfragglebiker

I tend to have similar problems with this kind of dress. I wear a strappy top underneath (you can get some good ones from primark and some of them have a nice lace trim across the top) and then a wide belt around the middle to cinch it in at the waist. Completely changes the look of the dress

sonastin

If the crossover is actually part of how you get into the dress (i.e. wraparound) some decent velcro or press-studs sewn onto the right points where it crosses should help to keep it closed.

cheeswright

I would go with the cami option £3.00 primark - in a colour from the dress
but you could buy some shearing elastic - in a colour that tones with the dress
and sew it from the strap down the diagonal crossover on the inside
if you see what i mean

if you do both diagonals - and dont over tension it - when you stand the elastic will not be strong enough to deform the dress
but as you lean forward and it slackens
the elastic will shorten the fabric towards you and hug it in to your cleavage
that transparent slightly tacky elastic you get on bras might work even better and not be a colour match issue - but i havnt seen that outside specialist haberdashers...

psso

This would spare your blushes.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cami-Secret-Clip-Mock-Camisoles/dp/B005HQZD40/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1366986577&sr=8-7&keywords=modesty+panel

calleyw

thanks to everyone for there ideas.

I have sort of got a temp solution.

I have a very pretty hair clip of a pink dragon fly. I have clipped that on the front and in to the front of my bra and it seems to be holding well. But then I am just around the house at the moment and not really walking about.

It is doing both the jobs I want it to do. Stops me from showing off too much cleavage and gathering the extra material when I sit down.

I might just keep using that as a lazy answer. Once I have chance to set up my sewing machine I will try and do something a bit permanent. The house is a major wreck with all rooms apart from my bedroom back to bare plaster!!!! So not a very good time to be dragging out the sewing machine with plaster dust everywhere.

Thanks again.

Yours

Calley

7roland8

You can do these sort of alterations quickly by hand and you won't need the machine out.