you’re welcome! 
i’d do the shorter shirt with the center pleat, yeah. and start the pleat just under your chest, from the middle point down.
depending on how you are planning to wear your dupatta, you can keep the kaam light or do a heavy border around the neckline. if you are planning to drape the dupatta across the belly, then do a nice border + butiyan on the dupatta and keep the shirt plain.
i’d keep the material soft and pure silk so it has some drape but make sure either there is kaam on the daaman to weigh the silk down or use a heavier weight silk so it drapes over your belly properly. and probably make sure the fitting is good from the back, with proper darts and pleats so it doesn’t look shabby.
there’s also a lovely karma outfit with an empire waistline- the josephine bridal- that would also look pretty if you combined the look with the upside down pleat… its the outfit below, but there are also other pics of it- ladies, help me out here please- there’s a pic of a bride wearing this all in white, she’s got a very sweet face and is smiling… if that rings any bells?
http://www.paklinks.com/gsmedia/files/68021/b26.jpg
http://www.paklinks.com/gsmedia/files/68021/josephine.jpg