You guys came up with soooo many fantastic project ideas for my vintage hankie stash I thought I’d pick your brains once again and have you help me refashion this thrifted vintage dress:
It’s a bit too big and suffers from an insane amount of gathers and drapes.
The floaty faux sash wrap thingy and sequin embellishment are my fave parts of this gorgeous teal gown but the rest most certainly needs some serious transforming!
How the heck should I refashion it?
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Hi! I’m quite late, but maybe you didn’t do anything with it yet. The colour is gorgeous. I’d suggest to remove the sleeves, and chop it above the knee, maybe slightly asymetrical. If I remember other refashions, your legs sure can afford it. As for the faux-sash, chop it as well, but let it still hang just below the new hem, like 7-10 cm.
Cheers for the leggy compliment Stéphanie 😉 I’m thinking you must have somehow connected with my brain as I am in process of doing something crazy similar to your suggestions!
Gorgeous colour! I would keep the sleeves but remove the ruching off of them, lower the back and get rid of those back gathers if you can. I like the gathers on the bodice. I think it’s flattering but not sure about that floating thing in the front. I’d keep the sequin embellishment, just wouldn’t have a long piece hanging from it. Good luck. Can’t wait to see what you do! You’re so inspiring.
Cheers Vee! Unfortunately the ruching/gathers on the sleeves are all stiffly stuck together on the inside with a crazy weird rubbery lining so they’ll have to go – it feels super gross and I’m pretty sure whatever coating it had on it originally to make it wearable has been rubbed/washed/flaked off throughout the years (my amateur-expertise in thrifting vintage leads to me to believe that the dress is from the 60’s or 70’s: https://awesomesauceasshattery.com/2015/10/09/my-top-tips-for-thrifting-vintage/)
OMG! This dress is so gorgeous just as it is! You should eat lots of Christmas Plätzchen and chocolate to make it fit perfectly 😉
hahaha! I prefer to refashion it… 😉
Didja see Vanessa’s kimono-from-a-skirt refashion? Maybe a kimono top with a sequin fastener?
With drapey things in the front? https://sweetleighsewn.wordpress.com/2015/12/07/refashion-2015-kimono-style-robe/
Vanessa’s skirt to kimono refash is stellar…I shall most definitely be checking if I can make something similar work with this dress & the sequin embellishment 😀
I agree about the sleeves. Definitely lose them.
Make two pieces. A skirt and a top. But I think the top could be turned around and make the back the front and the front the back. Possibly a vest?
The sequin thing could become a fascinator head piece.
Groovy ideas Cathy – I’d never thought of chopping off the top and turning it around, brilliant! 😀
Sleeveless or cap sleeves made from the bit you chop off the bottom. I’d go low at the back, too, maybe a cowl rather than those hideous drapes round the zip?
The drapes are ridiculous and sooooo unflattering, losing the back altogether & replacing it with something else is a great idea!
I’m thinking do something with the sleeves, and find a way to be rid of the drapes/gathers in the back surrounding the zipper. Shorten it just enough so you won’t fall over it. Otherwise it’e really pretty.
I’m really on the fence about whether to shorten it to a swinging sixties style mini or to leave it long and flowy, the skirt length is actually fine when worn with heels it just needs to be taken in on the sides to fit better. Those drapes, gathers and rusched sleeves REALLY need to go though 😉
I really like that just as it is! Maybe lose the sleeves? But I like drapey and the colour is lovely.
I was thinking the sleeves would go too or maybe be replaced with something less gather-y with fabric chopped from the bottom to shorten it…
I kind of like as is. It looks so pretty on you, like you’re about to stop on the red carpet at a Hollywood movie premiere in the 40s.
haha! Thanks Toni, that’s definitely an option but I’d have to take it in and make it fit better…