Dress forms are an important part of a seamstress’s workroom. Dress forms help make sure the article of clothing you’re creating will fit the person it’s being made for perfectly.
What a lot of people don’t realize is that there are different types of dress forms, which means getting one in the exact size and shape you need it to be in is a very simple task. Indeed, dress forms have to be made correctly to do you any good, so finding the best adjustable sewing dress form is crucial.
| Dress Form | Bust | Waist | Hips | Neck | BHD Beauty Female Fabric Adjustable Dress Form | 33" to 39.5" | 25" to 31.5" | 34" to 40" | 13.5" to 17.5" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dritz 20420 Sew-You Dress Form with Tripod Stand | 33" to 40" | 26" to 33" | 35" to 42" | 14" to 17" |
| Roxy Display Large Adjustable Dress Form | 40" to 45.5" | 31.5" to 37" | 40" to 47" | 13.5" to 19" |
| Roxy Display Female Adjustable Dress Form | 33" to 39" | 25.5" to 32" | 34" to 40.5" | 13.5" to 18" |
| SINGER Adjustable Dress Form | 33" to 40" | 25" to 32" | 34" to 41" | 13.375" |
If you’re shopping for a good dress form, you have to start by learning the different types of dress forms, which are:
- Adjustable dress form: these are very similar to display dress forms but they have dials that allow you to adjust certain features; for example, center front, neck, side seam, and so on.
- Bifurcated dress form: these are similar to a professional dress form but it has legs and arms, not just a torso.
- Display dress form: used mostly to drape clothes over for photo shoots and to display clothing, these are very basic forms with no measurements and a very low price.
- Professional dress form: these are a must for professional seamstresses and allow you to pin, drape, fit, and so on, so that you can make sure your final product is accurate.
Not the Same as a Mannequin
Many people wonder if a dress form is the same as a mannequin, but in fact, the two are completely different. For one thing, they are made out of two completely different materials. Dress forms have a hard interior that is covered with foam and fabric, which makes it perfect for pinning while you’re working. Mannequins are usually made out of plastic, fiberglass, or metal, and you cannot pin anything to them.
The poses of the two items are also different. Dress forms are always straight because you have to be able to drape clothing over them. Mannequins can be made in any pose because they are made to complement the clothing and add some aesthetic appeal to a store or retail area. For mannequins, it’s all about showing off the clothing; for dress forms, it’s simply a device that allows you to make an item of clothing and nothing else.
What Adjustable Dress Forms Cannot Do
With adjustable dress forms, there are no collapsible shoulders, and they are not perfect when you want to pin or drape something. When you adjust the size and the form expands, gaps can form along seam lines, which means the fit wouldn’t be exact if that’s what you tried to do. Ridges are also formed when the dress form expands, which means it cannot be customized to suit your needs.
Adjustable dress forms are lightweight for the most part, hollow on the inside, and are fragile as well. These forms are still very useful, however, since you can adjust their size and therefore accommodate many different clients without buying dozens of different dress forms. Adjustable dress forms are always found in a professional seamstress’s workroom, and with good reason.
If you’re interested in learning more about the best adjustable dress forms on the market, this article goes into detail about a handful of them so you can have a starting point when you need one of these forms for yourself.
The Best Adjustable Sewing Dress Form
Just like any other product in a seamstress’s workroom, adjustable dress forms can be very different depending on the brand and design of the form. While they all function the same, they can have subtle differences that cause you to prefer one brand over another. It’s a good idea, therefore, to research each one so that you get the one that perfectly meets your needs in the end.
Below are some of the adjustable dress forms that many seamstresses seem to love.
Fully adjustable and available in either gray or blue, this dress form made by BHD Beauty is perfect for sewing projects or for use as a display piece. It comes with a tripod stand to make it sturdy and easy to work with, with a total of 13 key adjustments for areas such as bust, waist, hip, and neck/back area.
This dress form can adjust to 70 inches high at the shoulder level and allows you to personalize the size so that the clothes come out perfect in the end, regardless of the size you need. It comes in a foam-backed nylon cover that allows you to pin and mark it easily as you work, and its measurement options provide bust measurements of 33” to 39.5”, waist measurements of 25” to 31.5”, and hip measurements of 34” to 40”.
In fact, even the neck area is adjustable, going from 13.5” to 17.5” and allowing you to change the height of the clothes in a snap. Lightweight at just over 10 lbs, the dress form is sturdy but easy to maneuver in case you need to move it from one location to another. This is a medium-sized dress form, but the company also makes a large one that has different measurements and accommodations.
With a price of around $130, this dress form is affordable even for those on a budget, and it comes with a hem gauge for convenience and for more accurate measurements. Customers love it because it is easy to set up and to use, extremely sturdy, and gives them the tools they need to end up with a great product once the project is complete.
Some of the pros and cons of the dress form include:
Pros
- It comes with a total of 13 dials to accommodate numerous clothing sizes.
- It is affordable.
- It is built to last and very sturdy.
Cons
- Some complaints about the product arriving broken.
- Some complaints about overall poor quality.
This dress form comes in two different sizes and is adjustable up to 63 inches at the shoulder area. Opal green in color and costing around $115, the dress form has a total of nine adjustable wheels in areas such as the bust, waist, and hips, with the bust and waist consisting of two auto-set dials.
Other adjustable features include an adjustable neck with a built-in pin cushion, an adjustable back weight length, and an adjustable height, making this a great dress form because it is both aesthetically appealing and very functional. There is even a pin hem marker so that you can pin even hems every time.
The Dritz 20420 dress form has a 4-star rating on sites such as Amazon, and its customers love how easy it is to use and how many different projects it can accommodate. The best adjustable sewing dress form doesn’t have to be expensive or difficult to use, and some of the pros and cons of this one include:
Pros
- It is very reasonably priced.
- It is super easy to set up and use.
- Very lightweight and easy to maneuver.
Cons
- It is not easy to use pins in the form.
- It doesn’t have wheels to make it easy to move.
Fully adjustable to provide you with an easy way to get the perfect fit, this dress form has 12 different adjustment dials for the perfect fit regardless of the size you need in the end. You can adjust the bust from 40” to 45.5”, the waist from 31.5” to 37”, the hips from 40” to 47”, and the neck/back area from 13.5” to 19”, so it is easy to accommodate most wearers.
The form is also covered in fabric in case you need to pin or mark it while you’re working, and because it is so easy to use, you get professional results in the end, even if you’re not an expert. Furthermore, since it weighs 39 lbs, it is a sturdy, well-built dress form that measures around 71 inches tall to the shoulders and which is definitely built to last.
Customers especially love that the form is easy to work with and lends the sturdiness that you need when working on a variety of projects. Some of its pros and cons include:
Pros
- Provides a lot of value for the money.
- Very strong and sturdy.
- Provides professional results even if you’re not a pro.
Cons
- Some complaints about receiving a defective product.
- Some complaints about it being top-heavy.
All of your sewing projects can be made much easier with this adjustable dress form. It is a female dress form that is fully adjustable that you can use either for sewing projects or simply as a display piece. You get a total of 12 adjustment dials for the bust, waist, and hips, so that you always get the perfect fit in the end, regardless of how complex your project is.
The form is covered with a foam-backed fabric that allows you to easily pin on skirts, dresses, tops, and much more, and since you can adjust the height and customize the body form to the necessary size, it is super easy to end up with the perfect fit even if the person you’re making the clothes for has an unusual or unique size.
This is a lightweight dress form at just over 12 lbs, yet it is sturdy enough to work with and still count on it staying in place the entire time. It measures roughly 29” x 15” x 11” and has a good rating on sites such as Amazon. Customers especially love how easy it is to use and how fast you can make the adjustments you need so that you can move on to the next step of the project.
Some of the pros and cons mentioned by customers include:
Pros
- A very sturdy dress form.
- Super easy to set up and to use.
- Has a total of 12 adjustments for accommodating most body types.
Cons
- Some complaints about overall poor quality.
- Some complaints that the form is too heavy and cumbersome.
Available in both red and gray, this adjustable dress form adjusts to fit sizes 4 to 10 and even has a form backing that allows you to mark and pin as much as you need to so the project can be completed with ease. You get a total of 13 adjustment dials for easy dress-making regardless of the complexity of the project.
SINGER is a name that is synonymous with high-quality sewing products, and this dress form is no different. In fact, the form is so high in quality and so efficient that it allows for the perfect fit every time, with measurement options that include 33” to 40” for the bust, 25” to 32” for the waist, 34” to 41” for the hips, and 13-3/8” for the neck size.
Customers love this product because it is easy to set up as soon as you get it out of the box, and a few pros and cons of the dress form include the following:
Pros
- It is very sturdy and strong.
- It is super easy to use.
- It has clearly marked adjustment dials that are easy to see.
Cons
- Some complaints about poor quality.
- Some complaints about the description not matching the actual product.
In Summary
Because dress forms come in so many sizes and include adjustments within each of those sizes, they provide you with a super-easy way to get a dress or skirt with a perfect size once the project is complete. Because you can easily adjust the height of these forms, you can work comfortably as you pin or mark your patterns and without worrying about the overall sturdiness of the form.
Whether you’re an amateur or a professional, you need a high-quality dress form, and the adjustable ones work best because they are made to accommodate more than one size. The best adjustable sewing dress form for you is out there to help you come up with the perfect dress, skirt, or blouse, and it’s good to know you won’t have to pay a fortune for it.
