You can see how I've adapted it to five different figures in the photos . In other words, it's a dress without any kind of waistline seam. A waistline seam is a horizontal style line, which is a powerful design element that can be extremely flattering when it enhances one's proportions, and very unattractive when it doesn't. This may work for some figures, but it usually just looks loose and baggy, especially on larger-busted women. In fact, a defined bust is so helpful in making most women look slimmer that I added even more definition to the bust for all five versions of 1119 by pinning out excess fabric at the armscye, as described in the drawings .
Necklines serve primarily as frames for the face, and a simple curve is most universally flattering.
A high, fairly fitted armscye, achieved through fit at the bust and in the sleeve, helps to eliminate bulk under the arm and to maintain a defined bustline. Length changes are quite easy to make, and don't require a lot of patternmaking experience. Just cut off or extend the hem to the length you want, then try out the skirt in muslin to see whether you need to taper the seams slightly in or out to preserve the original silhouette. If your pattern offers true variations in skirt fullness, as 1119 does, it will allow you to substantially change the overall silhouette and mood of the garment along with its proportions. If there are no variations available, redrafting the skirt shape takes a bit more patternmaking experience, but you can very often borrow a more suitable skirt shape from another pattern without much trouble.