How to Make a Duct Tape Dress Form

Last Updated: May 6, 2021 Approved

If you make your own clothes, or want to start, you will need a dress body to help you make sure they will fit. Now, you could pay a ton of money for an industrial one, or you could make one for less than $15.

Steps

1
Get a helper, it makes it a lot easier.
2
Wear a well fitted bra and panties and an old tight t-shirt to help get the shape of the form as close as possible to how your body looks.

Advertisement
3
Begin wrapping the tape horizontally where you want the bottom of the form to start. Mid thigh is a great place. Continue until you (or your helper) gets to right under your breasts.^{[1]
X
Research source}
4
Here, cut the tape after making a complete layer. Now start to vertically cover from the bottom to about one inch below your collarbone.
5
Resume the horizontal taping from where you left off under the breasts, wrapping until you reach the armpit.^{[2]
X
Research source}
6
Now vertically wrap from the back over the shoulders to where you left off. The arms will come last.
7
Be careful to leave at least half an inch between the tape and the skin.
8
Diagonally make a v-shape from the edge of the tape on the shoulder to where the tape on the chest stops.^{[3]
X
Research source}
9
On the back, go as high as the shirt will allow you while keeping the half-inch rule in mind.
10
After there is only a half inch between the skin and the tape, wrap up to the top of the collarbone with plastic wrap or some other cloth. Now cover the neck and the collarbone with the tape.
11
Now it's time to make the arms.
12
Starting at the edge of the shoulder, wrap the arms vertically until you are satisfied with the length.
13
Once you have done this, connect the underarm to the body by following the line of the armpit.
14
Repeat the taping process two more times, first vertically, then horizontally, smoothing the tape as you go.
15
Mark off anything you want to keep located such as the waist, hip, etc.^{[4]
X
Research source}
16
Have your assistant cut a line down the back, being careful not to cut the undergarments or you.^{[5]
X
Research source}
17
Once you have the form off, close up the cut with additional tape, reinforcing it on both sides.
18
Close up the bottom with more tape.
19
Fill the form with some cheap poly batting, taking care to compress it as far as you can.
20
Close off the top and make a stand (not out of duct tape)

Warnings

Don't use a shirt you will regret losing.

⧼thumbs_response⧽
Helpful 26 Not Helpful 8
Scissors are sharp. They can easily cut you. Use medical scissors if possible.

⧼thumbs_response⧽
Helpful 8 Not Helpful 8
Duct tape is very irritating to skin. Make sure you keep the half inch rule in mind the entire time the tape is being applied.^{[6]
X
Research source}

⧼thumbs_response⧽
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0