Again, this is probably not a practical dress to make yourself because of the cost of materials, but here's the way it was likely done:

Start from the top down and set up enough filet mesh squares to go over your head loosely. For the first row do (dc, ch1) to end to set up a place to run elastic or ribbon through. Mark the shoulder points with 2 dc stitches as you start working in the round. To make the sleeves increase 1 square per row. Then bind off the sleeve squares and continue working in the round on the dress portion. This one is very fancy. They added a bead on each dc, 4 beads on each loop section, and a coin row every 8th row. They also put bead loops at the bottom of the sleeves and the bottom slits. It is important to work loosely and at a fairly large gauge.

If you have purchased one of these dresses and it gets torn- repair it IMMEDIATELY. It will continue to unravel and become damaged beyond repair.