Want a strapless gown that actually fits your curves? The Ellington Dress is here! Keep reading to get inspired to sew your own show-stopping strapless dress.

The Cashmerette Ellington Dress (available any time, without subscription) comes in sizes 0-32 and cup sizes C-H, and features a boned bodice expertly drafted for big boobs that stays perfectly in place, plus a dramatic floor-length skirt with front slit for effortless movement. Choose your perfect look with three removable strap options—spaghetti, tie, or swag—or go completely strapless for that classic, head-turning silhouette. Even better, it mixes and matches with the Upton Dress & Skirt, Mansfield Dress and the Gilmore Skirt

Get ready to get inspired by the mashups from our makers!

Leighanne’s modular Ellington

Leighanne created a modular masterpiece by combining the Ellington bodice with a modified Mansfield Dress skirt, plus separate mesh and tulle overlays. The result? Five different ways to wear one dress, though her favorite is wearing everything together for total 1950s Dior glamour!

Ellington Dress with full Mansfield Dress overlay

With measurements of 36″ (91 cm) high bust, 40.5″ (103 cm) full bust, 34″ (87 cm) waist, and 38.5″ (98 cm) hips, Leighanne ended up making a size 10 C/D with some tweaks. Her main dress is made in rich black viscose sateen with a polka dot tulle overlay.

Ellington Dress with Mansfield Bodice Overlay

Ellington Dress with Mansfield Skirt overlay (modified)

Ellington Dress without overlay

 “When I put this on, I just beam from ear to ear. I love it.” says Leighanne!

Her top tip? Fit test with the right bra! Leighanne made several muslins and discovered that fitting with a strapless bra is essential since your bust sits differently. She’s planning to wear her creation to a swish Christmas party.

Follow Leighanne’s elegant makes on Instagram at @ohsewfearless.

Rachel’s Romantic Ellington Dress

Rachel created a romantic linen-rayon blend Ellington with a clever modification—she moved the zipper to the side and cut the back pieces on the fold so she could add a faux corset back with a solid back panel. She shortened the dress significantly, removing about 4″ at the shorten/lengthen line and another 2.5″–4″ from the bottom hem, perfect for wearing with flats at 5’3″.

With measurements of 32″ (81 cm) high bust, 35″ (89 cm) full bust, 28″ (71 cm) waist, and 39″ (99 cm) hips, Rachel made a size 2 C/D at the bust and waist graded to an 8 at the hips. She sized down from her measurements based on finished measurements and her fit preferences, and doubled up the thin cotton lawn lining on the bodice for extra strength while keeping the skirt beautifully flowy.

Here’s what Rachel told us: “I love it! It’s so romantic. It makes me feel like I stepped out of a romance novel.”

Rachel’s thoughts? “I love the clean inside finish. I’m a huge fan of the inside looking as good as the outside and this dress delivers. The way the leg opening, lining, and waist are neatly finished is slick.” Her advice: lengthening and shortening can be more challenging with the asymmetrical skirt, so make sure all your notches and side lengths match up before cutting to ensure smooth construction. She’s styled hers with leather boots and a leather jacket for a romantic-meets-edgy vibe.

Check out Rachel’s makes on Instagram at @pigsinpajamas or her blog at pigsinpajamas.com.

Sean’s Upcycled Ellington Dress

Sean brilliantly upcycled a handmade dress that no longer fit by salvaging the skirt fabric and recutting it into an Ellington bodice with a gathered Mansfield skirt. The vibrant vintage-inspired print gives major retro glamour vibes, and we’re obsessed with how the bold pattern plays against the classic strapless silhouette.

Sean made a size 22 with E/F bust, fitted to her 47″ (119 cm) high bust, 52″ (132 cm) full bust, 46″ (117 cm) waist, and 57″ (145 cm) hips.

Here’s what Sean told us: “I love this look!! I wanted something I could dress up and wear more casually, and I think this cotton dress is the perfect all seasons dress. After I put it on, I thought “this with the bow straps option in a red velvet would SLAY.” I love the neckline and how it shows off my shoulders and I especially love how many skirt options I have for when I make the next one.”

Her top tip? Make a fitting muslin while wearing the bra you plan to wear with the finished dress—crucial for feeling secure and confident in a strapless bodice, especially for busty sewists!

Follow Sean’s sewing adventures on Instagram @seanquinncosplay.

Gwendolyn’s Godeted Ellington Dress

Gwendolyn created a dramatic Ellington by combining the bodice with the Mansfield Dress skirt, then hacking the side front and side back to add ruffled godets! Made in cotton double weave with stretch poly godets, this was originally her fitting muslin—but the fit turned out so great she made it work as her final garment.

With measurements of 35″ (89 cm) high bust, 37″ (94 cm) full bust, 32.5″ (83 cm) waist, and 42″ (107 cm) hips, Gwendolyn made a size 10 C/D graded to 12 at the waist.  She also added straps for comfort and plans to wear her dress with a cape or shawl.

Here’s what Gwendolyn told us her favorite part is “the bodice because I learned a new technique with the boning construction.”

Gwendolyn’s thoughts? Trust the calculator! The sizing calculator recommended a small bust adjustment she didn’t think she needed—but she did in the end.

Follow Gwendolyn’s creative makes on Instagram at @rxforsewing

Rebekah’s Swooshy Ellington Dress

Rebekah combined the Ellington bodice with the Gilmore Skirt to create her dream dress—complete with pockets! She adjusted the neckline from straight to a slight sweetheart shape, and made her dress in cotton sateen from Rainbow fabrics with a cotton lawn lining.

With measurements of 49″ (124 cm) high bust, 56″ (142 cm) full bust, 51″ (130 cm) waist, and 63″ (160 cm) hips, Rebekah made a size 22 at the neckline, grading to 26 G/H at the bust, 30 at the waist, and 32 at the hip.

Here’s what Rebekah told us: “I’ll always be grateful to Cashmerette for creating such beautifully drafted patterns that make experimenting, hacking, and dreaming up new ideas entirely achievable. It is a stunning dress and I like it far more than I thought I would with the lack of sleeves, and I can see an absolute ton of hacking potential which is what I am always looking for in base patterns!”

Rebekah said the bodice construction was probably the neatest bit of sewing she’s ever done! Her practical advice: don’t get cheap boning—it’ll catch on fire and poke you relentlessly. Synthetic whalebone is the way to go. She’s now dreaming of a Pretty Woman-inspired red dress hack!

Follow Rebekah’s creative makes on Instagram at @rebekah.does.stuff.

Mariah’s Kickass Ellington Top

Mariah transformed the Ellington into a stunning strapless going-out top! She added 2.25 inches to the bottom of the bodice to create a high-hip length top in faux leather/PVC vinyl lined with cotton broadcloth, finishing the bottom edge with linen bias tape.

With measurements of 41″ (104 cm) high bust, 49″ (124 cm) full bust, 40″ (102 cm) waist, and 48″ (122 cm) hips, Mariah made a size 18 G/H graded to 20 at the waist—skipping the FBA by sizing up instead.

Here’s what Mariah told us: “I love this! I feel invincible in it. I feel beautiful and powerful. I have been grinning broadly as each piece came together. I always wanted to have a fancy strapless ‘going out top.’ But my bust size didn’t allow for a RTW option. The Ellington and Symmes strapless bra made this possible.”

Mariah’s thoughts? She sees the Ellington as a jumping-off point for cosplay dreams for the well-endowed, and loves how each piece came together with so much shaping and proper room for her bust. Her quick tip: use a candle flame to heat and shape boning ends with your fingers. She plans to wear her top with jeans for a baddie look or with a long circle skirt for warrior princess vibes.

Follow Mariah’s powerful makes on Instagram at @knitmo.

Martha’s Ankara Ellington Dress

Martha combined the Ellington bodice with the Gilmore Skirt in a stunning Ankara fabric from South Africa. Using steel boning, she created a dress with such incredible structure that it can literally stand by itself!

With measurements of 44″ (112 cm) high bust, 47″ (119 cm) full bust, 44″ (112 cm) waist, and 58″ (147 cm) hips, Martha made a size 20 C/D graded to 24 at the waist, with a size 24 skirt. She added a half-inch dart in the center front for perfect fit.

Here’s what Martha told us: “Love it! The fit is ahhhmazing.”

Martha’s thoughts? Trust your measurements! She can’t wait to style her dress with a button-up shirt for a fresh, modern look.

Follow Martha’s vibrant makes on Instagram at @garichild.

Syreeta’s Ellington Peplum & Dress

Syreeta made not one but two versions of the Ellington! First, she created a peplum wearable mockup by merging the Ellington skirt pieces and using the upper portions to create a peplum. Then she made a stunning strapless dress by lowering the neckline about 1.5″ into a slight sweetheart shape and pairing the bodice with the gored skirt from the Upton Dress & Skirt.

Syreeta’s peplum Ellington

With measurements of 37″ (94 cm) high bust, 42.5″ (108 cm) full bust, 35″ (89 cm) waist, and 42″ (107 cm) hips, Syreeta started with a size 12 G/H graded to 14 at the waist and back to 12 at the hip. She customized the fit by lowering and reshaping the front bodice pieces and reducing the back bodice to match her narrow frame. Her dress version is made in lightweight rayon challis from her stash with a cotton voile lining.

Here’s what Syreeta told us: “My lightweight summer strapless dress is my new favorite! It’s so swirly and makes me smile every time I put it on. Cannot wait to take it out dancing one night soon!”

Syreeta’s thoughts? “The instructions are top tier! This is the first strapless dress I’ve ever made and I thought it would be complicated. However, if you just take it one step at a time, I have no doubt even newbie sewist could tackle this one!” She recommends starting with a very well-fitting strapless bra and considering a waist stay if using heavy fabrics.

Follow Syreeta’s creative makes on Instagram at @syreetabriana.

Basma’s Oscar-worthy Ellington Dress

Basma made her Ellington in gorgeous matte satin from Fabric Warehouse Direct and is already dreaming up different bodice shapes for future versions! This was her first time working with boning, and she’s hooked.

With measurements of 52″ (132 cm) high bust, 57″ (145 cm) full bust, 51″ (130 cm) waist, and 60″ (152 cm) hips, Basma made a size 28 G/H at the bodice graded to 32 at the hip.

Here’s what Basma told us: “Love it! The bodice is slightly big, but that’s an easy fix. I’m already planning on different ways to create new bodice shapes.”

Basma’s thoughts? Pick a lining fabric that doesn’t unravel easily because you’ll be manipulating it a lot during construction. She plans to style her dress with statement jewelry and nude ballet flats for an elegant look.

Follow Basma’s shimmying makes on Instagram at @basmashimmies or visit her at stitchandshimmy.com.

Whether you’re going full glamour with overlays and tulle, hacking it into a strapless top, or mixing and matching with other Cashmerette patterns, the Ellington Dress delivers that show-stopping fit with the comfort and confidence you deserve. Ready to make your own?