Sheath cut

The sheath cut is the English name for a dress or skirt silhouette that follows the body closely without setting the waist off through a horizontal seam. Unlike the classic sheath dress (bodice + skirt joined at a waist seam), a sheath is usually cut in one piece and shaped by princess seams, bust darts and hip darts that define the contours continuously. The hem typically sits at or just above the knee and is cut straight or slightly tapered.

Historically the sheath silhouette became popular in the 1950s (Christian Dior's H-line, 1954) and in the 1960s through Jackie Kennedy's white sheath dresses. It is regarded as the epitome of elegant restraint: understated, precisely cut, for business, receptions and cocktail occasions. Related silhouettes are the pencil dress, the sheath dress with waist seam, and the column dress (floor-length straight version); by contrast, the A-line flares wider to the hem and the mermaid is close to below the knee plus flounce. Construction tip: sheath dresses need supple fabrics with body (ponte di Roma, milano rib, wool crepe, dense cotton satin) plus a lining and usually an invisible zip in the back; 3–5 % elastane noticeably improves wearing comfort.

• Silhouette: straight and narrow, no accentuated waist seam
• Construction: continuous princess/dart lines
• Hem: at or just above the knee, straight edge
• Ideal fabrics: ponte di Roma, milano rib, wool crepe, cotton satin