How to Draw a Dress (Easy Step by Step)
A dress is a fun first clothing drawing because it is built from simple shapes. You will use two puffy sleeves, a wide skirt shaped like a triangle, and a row of tiny bumps for the hem. A belt with a bow and polka dots at the end make it feel like your very own party dress.
- Medium
- 15 minutes
- 7 steps
You need: paper, a pencil, an eraser, and crayons or markers for coloring.
Start drawingIn this article (7 sections)
How to draw a dress step by step
How to Draw a Dress · tinyhandscreate.com
Step 1: Sleeves and neckline
Draw one puffy, rounded sleeve on the left and another on the right, like two little clouds. Join them in the middle with a small U-shaped curve for the neckline.
Step 2: Left side of the dress
Start under the left sleeve and draw a line that slants down toward the middle. Then let it curve out into a long slope that ends at the bottom left corner.
Step 3: Right side of the dress
Do the same on the other side. Start under the right sleeve, slant in, then sweep out to the bottom right corner so both sides match.
Step 4: Belt and bow
Draw a flat band across the dress where the sides pinch in, with a small square on each end. Add a bow in the middle made of two loops and two little ribbon tails, with a dot beside each tail.
Step 5: Scalloped hem
Connect the two bottom corners with a row of little bumps, like a line of tiny rainbows. Try to make each bump about the same size.
Step 6: Outer polka dots
Add four small dots on the skirt, two near the left edge and two near the right edge. Make them about the same size.
Step 7: Middle polka dots
Add two more dots in the middle of the skirt, a little lower than the row above. Keep them about the same size as the others.
All done!
Go over your lines with a marker, then color it in.
Finished your dress? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a hoodie or how to draw glasses next.
Tips for drawing a dress
- Make the two sleeves match. Draw the left sleeve first, then draw the right one about the same size.
- The skirt sides are the trickiest part. Start under each sleeve and draw each line slowly outward so both reach the bottom corners at the same height.
- For the scalloped hem, draw the bumps one at a time from left to right, and keep each one about the same width.
Free dress coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this dress coloring page at full size and print it. It is the same drawing you just learned, with clean lines ready for crayons or markers.
How to color your dress drawing
Try bright pink or sky blue for the dress, with a deeper color for the belt and bow. For a creative twist, color each polka dot a different color, like confetti.
Dress fun fact for kids
Polka dots got their name from the polka, a lively dance that became popular in Europe in the 1800s.
Questions about drawing a dress
What shapes do I need to draw a dress?
You need two rounded sleeve shapes, a small U-curve for the neckline, and a wide triangle-like shape for the skirt. The bow is just two loops, and the dots are tiny circles.
How do I make my dress look more fancy?
Add a bow at the belt and a wavy hem along the bottom. You can also fill the skirt with polka dots.
How do I make both sides of the dress match?
Draw a light line down the middle of your paper first. Then check that each side line starts and ends at about the same spot on either side of it.
