Start from a contoured dress block (=dress pattern with darts and zero wearing ease). You can check our basic blocks course/module 1 for the basics of drafting made to measure patterns and manipulating them and basic blocks course/module 2  for more corset constructions.

Then:

• on back and front, adjust length to ankle and taper skirt by 2 to 3m at it, blending to zero at hips
• on back, draw the new neckline from armpit level at side seam to 3cm below it in center back, keep line slightly U shaped, ending in center back at right angle
• still on back, redraw waist dart widening it by 3mm on each side at new neckline
• move to front and draw new neckline starting from armpit at side seam, curving upwards to meet shoulder dart 7 to 10cm above bust point and then keeping neckline straight and perpendicular to center front
• still on front, widen shoulder dart by 0,8cm at new neckline to keep it tighter to chest.

Make sure front waist dart is shaped to fit underbust as explained in contoured blocks.

Trace a copy of back and front bodice from new neckline to waist line. Include darts (as highlighted in red in upper part of this image).

Cut through dart lines to eliminate darts (or trace copies of the separate panels) to get:

• center back
• side back panel
• side front panel
• center front.

All of these pieces need grainline marked perpendicular to waistline, other than center front that is cut on fabric fold. These piece will create the inner bodice – the structure that holds the draped layer.

Go back to your masterpiece and draw a line on back and front 4cm below waistline, then connect the side points to armpits (everything marked in green in this image).

Trace a copy of back and front bodices ending to this new line – we’ll manipulate them into the outer, draped bodice. Don’t forget to trace darts too.