Definition
A bust point, or apex, is the fullest point of the bust, where darts and princess seams are aimed and bust fitting adjustments start.
Bust darts point toward the bust point but stop short of it, so the shaping looks smooth rather than pointed. Typical distances are about 2 to 3 cm (3/4 to 1 1/4 in) for a side bust dart and 3 to 5 cm (1 1/4 to 2 in) for a vertical waist dart, a little more on a fuller bust. Princess seams pass over it or close to it.
Two measurements locate it:
- Shoulder to bust point: from the high point of the shoulder, next to the neck, down to the apex.
- Bust point to bust point: straight across the front, sometimes called bust span.
Measure in the bra you will wear with the garment, since it changes both.
If the pattern's bust point does not match yours, the darts point to the wrong place: drag lines radiate from the dart tips, or the dart ends visibly above or below the fullest part of the bust. Mark your own bust point on a toile, then move the dart up or down parallel to itself and redraw its legs to the new point.
Commercial patterns often mark the bust point with a circle and cross. In made-to-measure drafting, its position comes from your measurements. See dart, full bust adjustment and how to take your body measurements.