Awesomesauce & Asshattery

I have no idea why but this crazily long blazer seems to have followed me to every country I’ve lived in:

Seriously, what was I thinking? Were these ever in style? Why would I continue to pack something that a) I never once wore (it still had the tags on it from at least 7 years ago!) & b) would take up so much space in a suitcase? My brain is a confusing place sometimes… Anyhoo, as cropped blazers are everywhere this fall I dug out this well travelled beauty & started cutting:

I put the blazer on and marked just above my waist, then chopped on through – conveniently right between the 3rd & 4th buttons!

Ironing is the bane of my existence but as the blazer had a lining I wanted to keep I had no choice…I folded the lining & exterior fabric up & under (about 3cms) and pressed a nice crisp seam area.

Sew using a tight straight stitch & you’re stylish new cropped blazer is done!

…but what about the remains of the blazer?

Add an old elastic belt to the mix & see what happens:

Cut off any uneven, messy bits & remove the belt buckle…

Overlap the ends of your fabric. My rest-of-blazer had handy pinstripes for me to line up and sew. I stopped stitching 18 cms from the bottom, leaving a nice slit. I folded the belt in half & stitched the free ends together, then opened it out flat & over-stitched the seam for extra strength.

Flip your belt (now waistband) over your fabric tube (almost a skirt!) and sew them together. Your waistband will be smaller than your skirt, as it’s elastic simply stretch it to match the skirt width as you sew.

Flip your skirt inside out and do a quick stitch around the inner elastic for extra strength.

And there you have it! A new business chic skirt that doubles as a bandeau top!