Discover our tips for shaping a tunic or dress.

Do you have a dress or tunic in your wardrobe that you love, but it's too loose for your figure? Would you like to learn how to take in the waist of a garment easily, so you can accentuate your curves?

I will help you.

As a fashion enthusiast, I firmly believe that clothes should feel like a second skin, and therefore must be comfortable to wear. This is why I particularly admire bohemian fashion and its fluid, loose silhouettes.

However, wearing comfortable clothing doesn't mean that it should hide our shape or fail to enhance our figure!

Today, I’m sharing an easy sewing technique along with some super simple no-sew tips to alter your clothes so they enhance your figure.

To tailor a tunic or dress with a sewing machine, wear it inside out to mark your waist with pins. Then, lay it flat and, using your machine and the measurements you’ve taken, sew a new, narrower seam at the waist in a curved shape. If you prefer not to sew your garment, you can use a belt or a cardigan clip to cinch it at the waist. This will result in a more defined silhouette and elegantly highlight your curves!

Would you like to find out more? Continue reading to discover:

• Why cinching a garment is a great idea,
• A very easy sewing tutorial for tightening a tunic at the waist,
• How to use a belt to enhance your silhouette,
• More information about a very handy accessory: the cardigan clip,
• More tips and inspiring outfit examples with bohemian dresses and tunics.

Why Tailor a Garment?

Do you have a dress or tunic that's a bit loose, and you wish it would flatter your figure a bit more? This is quite a common issue: indeed, most clothing is designed to fit a standard body shape. However, thankfully, we are all different!

Most of the time, it’s not very complicated to fix this issue: it generally involves tightening your garment a little at the waist.

This will give you a more feminine appearance by accentuating your curves, particularly your hips. As a result, your silhouette will appear slimmer, and the tunic or dress in question will truly flatter you at last!

How to Curate a Tunic? [Sewing Tutorial 🧵]

To start with, I’d like to share a technique that allows you to easily shape a garment using a simple sewing technique. If you’re not familiar with sewing, don’t worry; no-sew methods will be covered later in this article.

For those who have some sewing skills, this is well within your reach. It’s a simple and quick trick that should take you no more than around fifteen minutes if you have a sewing machine.

👉 You can watch the entire tutorial in this very clear video, which helps you to clearly see the steps to take for your bending project.

Step 1: Prepare Your Fabric and Work Surface

Your fabric should be clean and, if it is made of cotton or linen, perfectly ironed. Any creases in these materials could misalign your seams and ruin the process!

Plug your sewing machine onto a clean and clear table. Also, gather some necessary tools and supplies for this DIY project, including:

• Some thread,
• Some pins,
• A pair of scissors,
• A marker.

Step 2: Mark the Folds

Put your top or dress inside out, then, ensuring that your garment is straight, pinch your waist at the point where you’d like to take it in with a pin. Repeat this symmetrically on both sides.

👉 If possible, ask a friend or family member to help you ensure that your blouse is straight while you pin it.

Next, lay down your garment, being careful not to prick yourself.

Step 3: Resize and Sew

On the reverse side, trace the waistline at the point where you plan to sew using a fabric pen or marker. Be sure to create a curve (or triangle, as shown in the video) so that the resulting cut looks natural.

Next, using your sewing machine, stitch along the line you drew. You can then turn your garment the right way out and try it on. And there you have it, job done!

👉 Don't forget to remove the pins!

How to shape a dress without seams?

Unsure about sewing or don't have a sewing machine and looking for a simple and effective solution? Don't worry, I've put together a little selection of no-sew techniques to help you shape your garment. Discover them in the following lines!

The Belt: Your Best Ally for Tightening an Oversized Garment

Both stylish and practical, a belt is a highly versatile accessory that can be worn with trousers as well as with a tunic or a dress. In the latter case, it helps to tighten and accentuate the waist, redefining the proportions of your silhouette.

➡ In fact, it is often advised that when selecting an outfit, you should aim to establish a proportion of ⅓ for the top and ⅔ for the bottom to achieve a harmonious look. This effect can be achieved by placing a wide belt at your waist.

For a bohemian chic style, opt for a fairly wide natural brown leather belt with a lovely buckle. Remember to adjust your clothing properly after putting on the belt, to ensure that it doesn't get caught in it.

A miracle trick: discover the cardigan clip!

Are you looking for a discreet solution suitable for a slightly formal work outfit, for instance? I would like to introduce you to a tiny accessory with great potential: the cardigan clip. This consists of a small elastic or adjustable-length barrette with a clasp at each end, which you can attach at the back to pin your garment at the waist.

👉 You can order this accessory on Etsy or Amazon by typing "Cardigan Clip". There are many varieties and colours available!

3 super simple tips to cinch a dress or tunic

To conclude, I’d like to share three tips that require no materials and will allow you to temporarily adjust a garment very easily. This is handy if you’re borrowing a dress that’s a bit too big, if you’re short on time, or if you want to wear that top you just bought right away! 😉

Why Tucking in Your Top at the Waist is a Good Idea

No matter your body shape, if the garment you wish to tuck is not too long, it's possible to lightly tuck it into the front of your shorts, trousers, or skirt.

Two options are available to you:

• You tuck your blouse completely into your trousers or shorts, as flat as possible, for a very business-like look that is suitable for work.
• You tuck your top into your trousers and then let it blouse out slightly at your waist, creating a more relaxed appearance.

Whichever option you choose, it will help define your waist, creating the illusion of a fitted and tailored top.

Improvise a Fake Belt!

If you don't have a belt to hand, you can also use something else to create one, for example:

• A long-sleeved garment that you can tie around your waist,
• A light scarf,
• A cord,
• A headscarf,
• A piece of slightly wide fabric…

Learn to create the illusion of a fitted outfit by playing with layers

If you don't want to cinch your garment at the waist with a belt or any other accessory, but still wish for the outfit you're wearing to elongate your silhouette without broadening it, I have one last tip for you. By wearing a long cardigan or a kimono, you can redefine the shape of the tunic, dress, or blouse you're wearing underneath, thanks to the weight of this garment.

👉 By layering, you can also opt to wear your dress or shirt with a corset! In this case, there's no need to cinch it in, as this accessory will instantly create a slim and elegant waist for you!

You now know plenty of simple tricks for tailoring a dress, blouse, or tunic, whether you can sew or not!

In the meantime, I invite you to explore our collection of bohemian clothing right now, where you will find dresses and tops that are well-tailored and perfectly fit to enhance your figure, no matter your body shape! 😉

discover our chic bohemian dresses