Q for seamstresses: extra fabric at upper back of dress? - YouLookFab Forum

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Q for seamstresses: extra fabric at upper back of dress?

Diana

Veteran

Ok I am not keeping this dress for many reasons but thought I'd ask about this issue since it seems to keep popping up. See how there is extra fabric at the upper back, right at the neck? What causes this and is it easily fixed? I am finding it happens particularly with higher necklines. As I mentioned in another thread I am sick of dresses with low necklines so I'm looking for higher options, but I keep getting this problem! Even in petites sometimes, where everything else is in the right place! Sizing down is not possible as I need this size or larger for my butt.

I do have a narrow back relative to my front, and a short neck.

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Urgent

31 replies

Latest reply was from Beth Ann

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

I get this too. Usually it's because of a forward neck and/or a narrower upper back than the dress is designed for. If you're altering a pattern it's relatively easy to fix, but in a RTW item it's a little tricky to alter. You can have a tailor try to take the extra width out in the center back seam (a pain but doable if there's a CB zipper) or put some darts in in the back neckline (again can require futzing with the back neck facing depending on how the dress is designed).

BTW, this is often exaggerated if the back waist length is too long in general, which happens often with petites or the shortwaisted.

Diana

Veteran

Thanks, Laura. That's what I suspected. I have ALL of the things you described: forward neck (maybe just bad posture, LOL), narrow back, short waist. Oy. Sounds like a tricky alteration too.

Huh. I wonder if this is another reason why v necks tend to be so low on me? Because the excess back fabric makes the shoulders and neck in front slide forward to compensate?

Aida

Veteran

This happens to me quite a lot too, Diana! I had always attributed it to forward neck; even my broad shoulders don't even out this fabric for me. If the back waist length contributes, I'm going to guess that's a big player for me; I'm normal torsoed but short waisted so the backs of things rarely fit right. The alteration sounds messy ><

elpgal

Veteran

I don have the link but I remember reading that this is related to the rib age shape too. If your ribcage has more volume in the front, it cause this sort of fabric pooling in the upper back.

I have this a lot and it makes higher backed clothing very difficult to fit. The ribcage shape also causes wide set breasts.

elpgal

Veteran

I don't have the link handy but I remember reading that this is related to the rib age shape too. If your ribcage has more volume in the front, it causes this sort of fabric pooling in the upper back.

I have this a lot and it makes higher backed clothing very difficult to fit. The ribcage shape also causes wide set breasts.

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

I definitely have forward shoulders/neck - a lot of people do these days thanks to all the time we spend on computers - and a narrow upper back as well. I get that thing with some tops where I'm constantly pulling them *down* because the neck in the front migrates upwards as I move. I've given up wearing RTW slash-neck or boat neck tops because they always end up choking me. Of course ill fitting shoulders can make both the hiking back and the hiking forward of tops worse.

With sewing patterns, I regularly take out an inch or so in the back neckline, which is a lot, and if I'm doing something properly tailored I really should move the shoulder seam forward and rotate the sleeve to compensate. (But instead I sew simple knit tops and call it a day, most of the time!)

If you look at those classic 50s-60s day dresses, either the dresses themselves or the vintage patterns, there's often both a shaped CB seam and back neck darts, to get a tailored but well-fitting fit around the neck and upper back. Nowadays we've got knits and stretch wovens and most dresses aren't that well-tailored anymore.

Diana

Veteran

Elpgal, that makes sense! I know my rib cage is bigger in front, and I have a very wide sternum, which results in wide set breasts. I think I decided at some point that my ideal bra size is actually a 32 in back and 36 in front. I make do with wider set 34s but they are not perfect.

Laura, I get that thing with the shifting necklines too. It's very annoying!

Aida, how interesting that you have broad shoulders and still get this problem! I'm thinking it may be more common than I thought. Laura's point about tailoring not being what it used to be is interesting - I wonder how often manufacturers even consider this measurement any more!

Vildy

Veteran

I read in a knitting book that the tops moving up at the throat has to do with where your shoulder line is in relation to your clavicle.

Anonymous

Hmm, I think Vildy has a point. Your shoulders are quite square, i.e. higher than your clavicle. Also I think your upper back may be a little narrower than the dress was made for. Imagine someone with much more slopey shoulders and a wider back neck measurement and that's who this dress would fit. It probably could be fixed, though I expect the top section of zip would need to be removed and the shoulder line and back neck tweeked too.

Diana

Veteran

Diane, I actually have quite rounded shoulders. They look square in these photos because I had to contort funny to take the photos (I'm holding up the phone at shoulder level). I do have a really short neck though and I know I tend to hunch too much.

Diana

Veteran

Better pic of my shoulders.

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Anonymous

Yes I see what you mean, but they are set high aren't they? They are actually a bit straight before the ends round off. My slopey shouldered customers have shoulders that start to slope immediately as they leave the neck. You do look quite narrow too. Darts on the back on the shoulder seams may help you, you know.

Diana

Veteran

Ah, that makes sense. I just realized that when I take up the straps on things with tank style straps I often take the length more from the back side. I'll have to try shoulder seam darts, although it won't fix the width.

Anonymous

Well the darts usually go down vertically at the back so that tends to make the back shoulder narrower; then the front shoulder width is narrowed at the outer edge of the armhole. Hmm... or you could add vertical darts in the curve of the back neck and see if that helps.

Anonymous

Or you could unpick the top third of the zip and fold in more fabric and re-sew it back in. Or a combination of that and a dart.

Diana

Veteran

Oh, I see. I was envisioning horizontal darts only. It seems like a complicated and potentially risky alteration , definitely not one I could do myself. And I don't trust most tailors and don't know a good one anyway (wish you were nearby, Diane!)

One of these days I'd like to get a sheath dress custom made. I have a LOT of fit issues with sheaths, not just this one. My mom doesn't sew much anymore although somewhere I do have a cheongsam-style dress she made for me. I should have her alter it (it was made when I was skinnier) so I can wear it now.

Diana

Veteran

Am rethinking my decision not to take up sewing as a hobby now (I figured I shouldn't start hoarding fabric the way I hoard yarn, LOL).

elpgal

Veteran

Interesting thread. I am quite wide shouldered which are not sloped at all. My front necklines ride up too as Laura mentions. I never have these problems with tailored Indian clothing.

Thanks for the tip about taking length off unevenly when shortening straps. Never thought of that!

Diana

Veteran

Just for curiosity's sake: is there an "industry standard" for this measurement across sizes or is it determined by the particular style? Curious what is "supposed" to be standard back width for my 36" bust.

Anonymous

Is this any help Diana?

BTW I just looked in my book by Winifred Aldrich on metric pattern cutting and they say 14" back width for a 36" bust.

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rachylou

Veteran

Oh, I'm learning so much!

Diana

Veteran

Yes! Super helpful!
Where does one take the measurement? At the top of the shoulder from outside edges of the shoulder blades, or lower down?

Anonymous

You would measure at a horizontal lined about 3 inches down from nape to the edge of shoulder where a sleeve seam would run down vertically. This photo show it better than my explanation.

(can you tell I have time on my hands today )

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Diana

Veteran

Wow, that diagram is so helpful! Thank you! I'm going to save it for future reference.

I'll have to get my husband to measure me but I'm pretty sure I'm narrower than 14" there. Plus sometimes I have to go a size up to fit my hips which would make it even bigger in the back.

Aida

Veteran

Oh wow those diagrams are great Diane! The vertical neckline darts make so much sense, I think that would a good fix for when this issue pops up with me as well. Thanks for sharing those!

Diana

Veteran

By the way, Angie if you are reading this I had a lightbulb moment and realized that this is why Many slash necks didn't work on me. Because the ones that are supposed to be fitted (as opposed to blousey oversized ones) are actually too big in back so they don't sit right and shift around.

Aida

Veteran

Diana, it is for that exact reason that I am going to send back the floral dress; the slash neck doing this gape PLUS the zipper pooch is just too much alteration for me.

Day Vies

Veteran

I'm not exactly sure since you said it even happens with petite sizing. It is an easy fix though. Darts either in the front or back in addition to having the seams at the top of the shoulder taken in -- grab your dress by the shoulders and squeeze the extra fabric between your thumb and fingers. This is what my seamstress did for my wedding dress and a sheath dress I had altered with the same problems.

I hear you on the plunging necklines -- I'm not interested in pneumonia ;-)!

Diana

Veteran

Quick update: well, I measured my upper back and it appears to be just over 12". I may be measuring somewhat inaccurately but there is no way it is even close to 14". So that explains that.

The dress I eventually bought has a draped neckline in both front and back, which hides the problem. It does look more draped on me than on the model.

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