Dress Template
Print a dress template to design on. Choose one of 15 silhouettes (A-line, sheath, shift, wrap, empire waist, fit and flare, ball gown, mermaid, slip, shirt dress, babydoll, halter column, trapeze, drop waist and tiered), change the length from mini to floor, and fill it with a colour, stripes, polka dots, gingham or florals, or leave it as an outline to colour in. Print the dress on a fashion croquis from the front and back, as front and back flats, on a design sheet with the figure, both flats, fabric swatches and lines for notes, or print a chart of all the silhouettes. Every dress is our own drawing, worked out in code to fit the body type you pick: slender, average, curvy, plus size, broad shoulders, broad plus size or maternity, with ease at the bust, waist and hips and the hem on the right landmark. Download a PDF, a 300 DPI PNG or an SVG. Nothing is uploaded.
100% private — everything runs in your browser. Everything runs in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
Print at 100% (Actual size). Choose Outline only to colour the dress in by hand.
Dress
Figure
Paper
Runs in your browser with our own code and drawings: nothing is uploaded and nothing is saved. Every dress and figure is drawn in code, not traced from a photo, and each dress is fitted to the body type you choose with ease at the bust, waist and hips. The designs are our own drawings: you may use them and anything you make with them, including things you sell, with no credit needed.
How to use the dress template
- Choose a page: on the croquis, flats, a design sheet or the silhouette chart.
- Pick a silhouette and a length, then a fill: a colour, a pattern or an outline only.
- Choose the body type and proportion of the figure, and its line and skin tone.
- Download the PDF and print at 100% (Actual size) on US Letter or A4.
- Colour, trace or draw over the dress, add trims and details, and note the fabric beside the swatches.
What you can use it for
- Planning a dress before sewing it
- Fashion design classes and portfolio pages
- Comparing silhouettes for a prom, wedding or party dress
- Colouring pages for kids who love fashion
- Showing a client or tailor what you have in mind
- Designing for every body type, including plus size and maternity
Dress silhouettes
| Silhouette | Neckline | Sleeves | Waist seam | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A-line | Scoop | Sleeveless | Natural waist | Knee |
| Sheath | Boat | Cap | None | Knee |
| Shift | Scoop | Short | None | Above the knee |
| Wrap | V | Short | Natural waist | Midi (mid-calf) |
| Empire waist | Square | Sleeveless | Empire (under the bust) | Ankle |
| Fit and flare | Sweetheart | Sleeveless | Natural waist | Knee |
| Ball gown | Off the shoulder | Sleeveless | Natural waist | Floor |
| Mermaid | Sweetheart | Sleeveless | None | Floor |
| Slip | V with thin straps | Sleeveless | None | Midi (mid-calf) |
| Shirt dress | Shirt collar | Short | Natural waist | Knee |
| Babydoll | Scoop | Puff | Empire (under the bust) | Mini (mid-thigh) |
| Halter column | Halter | Sleeveless | None | Floor |
| Trapeze | Boat | Long | None | Above the knee |
| Drop waist | Scoop | Sleeveless | Dropped (hip) | Above the knee |
| Tiered | Square | Puff | Empire (under the bust) | Ankle |
Each silhouette can be printed at any length from the list below; the table gives the length it was designed with.
Lengths
| Length | Hem on a 9-head figure (heads) | Hem on an 8-head figure (heads) |
|---|---|---|
| Mini (mid-thigh) | 5.07 | 4.7 |
| Above the knee | 5.6 | 5.45 |
| Knee | 6 | 5.85 |
| Midi (mid-calf) | 7.23 | 6.7 |
| Ankle | 8.35 | 7.45 |
| Floor | 8.88 | 7.88 |
Heights are measured down from the top of the head, as on the croquis guide lines.
Fit check
| Body type | Dresses checked (9 and 8 heads) | Smallest gap between dress and body |
|---|---|---|
| Slender | 30 | 4% of a head |
| Average | 30 | 4% of a head |
| Curvy | 30 | 4% of a head |
| Plus size | 30 | 4% of a head |
| Broad shoulders | 30 | 4% of a head |
| Broad plus size | 30 | 3% of a head |
| Maternity | 30 | 3% of a head |
Every dress is checked on every body type from the bust to the hem, 19782 measurements in all: the dress outline always stays outside the body. Ease is added at the bust, waist and hips.
Pages
| Page | What prints |
|---|---|
| On the croquis | The dress on a front and a back figure, arms over the dress and sleeves over the arms |
| Flats | Front and back flats, large, with seams, darts, plackets, pleats, tiers and the back zip |
| Design sheet | Front figure, both flats, four fabric swatch boxes and lines for notes |
| Silhouette chart | All 15 silhouettes as small front flats with their names |
Fills
| Fill | What prints |
|---|---|
| Colour | The dress in one of 8 colours |
| Outline only | Lines only, to colour in |
| Stripes | Upright stripes |
| Polka dots | Staggered dots on a light ground |
| Gingham | A two-shade check |
| Florals | Small five-petal flowers |
Patterns are clipped to the dress outline in the PDF, the PNG and the SVG.
More for your designs
Make fabric for your dress with the Gingham Pattern Generator, the Polka Dot Pattern Generator or the Houndstooth Pattern Generator, and draft a skirt pattern with the Circle Skirt Calculator.
More free tools
Designing more clothes?
Garment templates, fabric patterns and colour tools that run privately in your browser, with no sign-up and no watermark.
Frequently asked questions
What dress silhouettes are there?
A-line, sheath, shift, wrap, empire waist, fit and flare, ball gown, mermaid, slip, shirt dress, babydoll, halter column, trapeze, drop waist and tiered.
What is the difference between a sheath and a shift dress?
A sheath follows the body through the waist and hips, shaped with darts. A shift hangs straight from the bust with no waist, so it skims the body.
What is a dress flat?
A flat is a drawing of the garment laid flat with no body, front and back, showing seams and details such as darts, plackets and zips. Designers and makers use flats to show how a dress is built.
Will the dress fit the body type I choose?
Yes. Each dress is worked out from the widths of the body with ease added, and the tool checks that every dress clears every body type from the bust to the hem.
Can I change the length?
Yes. Choose mini, above the knee, knee, midi, ankle or floor, or keep the length the dress was designed with. The hem lands on that height on the croquis guide lines.
Can I print it without colour?
Yes. Choose Outline only and the dress prints as a line drawing to colour in or trace.
What is on the design sheet?
The dress on a front croquis, its front and back flats, four swatch boxes (the first filled with your fabric) and ruled lines for notes such as fabric, trims and fastenings.
Are the figures and dresses traced from photos?
No. They are drawn in code from head-unit proportions and our own widths, then fitted together.
Can I use the templates for designs I sell?
Yes. The templates are our own drawings and you may use them, and anything you design on them, without giving credit. The note under the tool gives the full terms.
Is anything uploaded?
No. Everything is drawn by JavaScript in your browser and never leaves your device, and nothing is saved when you close the page.