I started modeling this costume this morning. Best way to learn is to do. After seeing the above posts I tried this work flow:-

• Loaded P5 female.
• Turned IK's off and zeroed figure including hip translations.
• At frame 1 set the pose. i.e. no animation.
• Loaded costume OBJ. It arrived correctly in the scene designed to fit the zero pose.
• Into the cloth room defined a new simulation and selected 30 frame drape from zero pose.
• Clothified the costume and set my collisions.
• Set the front lace up detail to be within the ridged decorated group.
• Calculated drape.

At the completion of this the costume fitted the figure pretty well. Only thing I did not understand is why part of the laces have rotated 45 degrees. Continued to add a 30 frame animation in which the figure did not move but allowed the cloth to settle. Final render as above.

Tomorrow I'll look at what happened to the laces. I've been at this for 19 hours and I think I'd better stop.

Addicted? naaaagh I can stop when ever I like :)