Dress Form Accessories & Parts
Dress form accessories and parts that complete the work on the form: stands, bases and casters, arms for draping sleeves, a hem marker, covers and pads for adjusting measurements, plus style tape for marking lines and pins for pinning. For seamstresses, fashion designers and students, retail and wholesale, with shipping across the country.
Products: 5
Why a dress form needs accessories
The dress form is the foundation, but most of the accuracy in the work comes from the accessories around it. An arm lets you drape a sleeve on the body, a hem marker creates an even hem all the way down, style tape marks the structure lines of the pattern, and a stable stand with casters keeps the form in place and lets you move it around the studio. The right spare part also extends the life of the form: instead of replacing a whole dress form because of a broken stand or a worn adjustment dial, you replace only the part.
Types of dress form accessories and parts
Stands, bases and casters
A wooden tripod stand, an adjustable metal pole or a base with casters. Locking casters let you move the form between the cutting table and the machine and lock it while you work, and a height-adjustable pole lets you set the shoulder line at the client's height.
Dress form arm
A padded fabric arm that attaches to the shoulder and lets you drape and measure sleeves, jackets and coats on the form. It takes pins just like the body itself, and you add or remove it as needed.
Hem marker
A hem marker stands on the floor beside the form and marks the hem height at a fixed distance from the floor, so the hem comes out straight all the way around, even in a flared skirt or a long evening gown.
Covers and pads
A replacement fabric cover renews a form whose fabric has worn out, and pads let you adapt a fixed-size form to a particular client's body, adding volume at the bust, hips or shoulders and draping on true measurements.
Adjustment dials and spare parts
On adjustable forms, the adjustment dials and the internal mechanism work hard. A replacement dial, neck cap or stand screw gets the form back to work. To choose a suitable part, we recommend checking the model, the pole diameter and the type of base, and contacting us with a photo if you are unsure.
Style tape, pins and tape measures
The small accessories used in every draping session: style tape for marking lines on a dress form for marking the waistline, bust, princess seams and neckline, steel sewing pins and pearl-head pins for pinning into the form, and tape measures for measuring the form and the client.
How to choose an accessory or part for a dress form
Type of form: a padded form for pinning, an adjustable form with dials, or a rigid display mannequin. Not every accessory suits every type.
Size and model: arms, covers and pads are chosen by the size of the form, and spare parts by the exact model.
Connection to the stand: check the pole diameter and the connection method before replacing a stand or base.
Type of work: for evening and bridal gowns a hem marker is almost a must, and for jackets and coats an arm saves repeated measuring.
Before adjusting or padding the form, it's worth measuring the body according to the guide how to take body measurements for sewing, and the adjustment itself is explained in the guide how to adjust an adjustable dress form.
Dress form accessories for women, men and children
Most accessories suit all types of forms, but arms, covers and pads are chosen by body type. You can find the forms themselves in the categories dress forms for women, dress forms for men and dress forms for children, and if you are still choosing a form, use the guide to choosing a dress form.
Care and maintenance of the form
The right accessories protect the form over time: a protective dust cover, a stable base that prevents falls, and fine pins that don't tear the fabric. You'll find cleaning and care tips in the guide cleaning a display mannequin and a dress form.
Wholesale, shipping and advice
A studio, fashion school or workshop that works with several forms can order accessories and parts in bulk, at wholesale prices. Not sure which part fits your form? Contact us with a photo of the form and we'll help you choose. Details on delivery times are on the Shipping and returns page.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know which spare part fits my dress form?
Check the form's model, its size, the diameter of the pole and the type of base: tripod, metal stand or a base with wheels. If there is no clear marking on the form, send us a photo of the form and of the part that needs replacing, and we will help you find a suitable part.
Why do you need an arm for a dress form?
An arm for a dress form lets you design and fit sleeves, jackets and coats on the form, and check the hang of the sleeve and the shoulder line without measuring on a client every time. It attaches to the shoulder, you pin it on, and you take it off when you do not need it.
What is pattern tape, and why do you mark lines on the form with it?
Pattern tape, also called style tape, is a thin, flexible adhesive tape that you stick on the dress form to mark structural lines such as the waist, bust line, princess seams and neckline. You can remove it and restick it until the line is accurate, and then transfer it to the pattern paper.
Can a fixed-size dress form be enlarged?
Yes. With padding you add volume at the bust, waist, hips or shoulders and adapt a fixed-size form to a particular client's body. Padding cannot be used to make it smaller, so it is worth choosing a form one size below the required size, or an adjustable form.
Which pins are suitable for sticking into a dress form?
For a padded dress form, thin steel sewing pins that leave no holes in the fabric, and pearl-head pins that are easy to see and remove, are suitable. Rigid fiberglass or plastic display mannequins don't take pins; use a padded form for pinning when you need to drape.