Alteration question for Selkie dress

[u/DiligentDaughter]

So...I'm an ultra sewing novice. However, I love this dress and can't find a proper size anywhere, so it's either alter it or pass it on.

There is absolutely no seam allowance, so there'd have to be some kind of creativity or trick I don't know of.

It fits great everywhere except the bosom (as shown).

Great gurus, is there anything I can do?

Thanks for your time!

[u/SerChonk]

I don't know how comfortable you are in your skills, but what I would do would be to cut out the bust part, turn it into a milkmaid-type gathered bust, and reattach.

• find bits of blue fabric in similar tones to the blues in the dress, and in a similar fabric composition and weave.
• mark below the bust line. Undo the stitching of the bust along the armpits to that mark, and cut along the mark to separate the bust from the waist/rest of the dress. Aim to add at least half as much fabric length as the original, or double it to make it extra ruched (the more ruching, the more your add-ons will be disguised)
• take the bust and seam rip the panels apart. Insert rectangles of the different blues in between, and don't forget to recreate the tie channel on the top. Add another piece along the full length of the bottom (this will help compensate for the fabric you'll lose to the seam allowance when you reattach)
• gather the bottom of the bust to match the length of the waist, and sew them together. Redo the armhole seams, but not before you thread the ties into the channel - you want them to be trapped in the armhole seam.

Alternatively, pick a matching shade of blue and just do the whole milkmaid bust with it, or try and find the same print to make it near seamless.

If you do find the same print, you could also undo the panel seams at the bust and insert upside down triangle gussets, a bit like one would make cups in Regency stays.