165 Days to Go: $1 Remake

May 7, 2012 | 25 Comments

I swiped this up as soon as I saw the sleeves!!  I had my very own kimono in my hands, plucked from a pile of old vintage tossaways for just $1.  Yep, I was pretty stoked with my find!!

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage Dress - Ugly Before - Kimono 165

Day 165 - Before

I’m not going to keep it robe length – I have too many robes to begin with and this one deserves some public attention, so I’m hopping on the kimono jacket train like French Connection…

new dress a day - copycat - french connection - flutter sky kimono jacket

French Connection's Flutter Sky Kimono Jacket - $168

…Forever 21…

New Dress A Day - kimono - Forever 21

Forever 21's Silky Kimono Jacket - $13.99 (on sale from $27)

…and the always fashionable Cat Deeley (PS, can’t wait for SYTYCD!!)…

New Dress A Day - Vintage Kimono - Cat Deeley

Kimono + cutoffs = summer chill out ensemble

…for today’s reworking!

I started by measuring out a few inches below the area I wanted my jacket to fall.  I actually used the piece’s own trim to measure.  There was an extra inch that went all the way around the jacket (it fell around the waist area), so I measured about three inches below that spot and began to cut.

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage Dress - Cutting Kimono - 165

Taking it north!

Post trim, I started to pin around the bottom of the piece to prepare a new hem.

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage Dress - Kimono - Pinned Hem 165

Pinned and tweaked!

I loaded my sewing machine with ivory thread…

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage Dress - Kimono - Sewing Machine 165

New Hem!

…and had a brand new hem in less than 60 seconds!!  I plucked out the pins…

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage Dress - Kimono - Sewn Hem 165

Hem sewn!

…and put on my brand new shortened kimono jacket!!

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage Dress - Kimono - After Shot 165

Day 165 - After

I paired it with my skinny jeans, my favorite bobi tie dye grey tank I scored at a sample sale a few years ago, and my black Old Navy flips that are close to retirement.  I just need to grab a new pair before the rubber straps snap which could truly be before Mother’s Day.

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage Dress - Kimono - After Shot 2 165

Loving the sleeves!

I didn’t make a belt with the leftover material or even grab a belt of my own because I was totally into the way the piece just hung open.  I mean, my hands can do the trick if I’m really needing to close up shop!

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage Dress - Kimono - After Shot 3 165

It's a Wrap!!

It’s a totally basic piece to add to my rotation because anything that jazzes up a t-shirt or tank rules in my book!!

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage Dress - Kimono - After Shot - B&W 165

B&W kitchen portrait time!

Designer-y feeling on a budget that totally works always makes me smile!!!

In all · Dollar Dress Remakes
  • http://www.whatarech4isms.blogspot.in/ Ch4

    I think you should have dyed the fabric. The colour is pretty washed out!

    • zah

      a dye job is actually a really good idea for this! i don’t mind the color, but it does look a little “quilty”, maybe. so maybe a dunk in a fun bright color could make it pop? i’m not a dye-expert, so don’t know how it would actually turn out – but it’s an idea!

  • Peggie

    I need one of these. I guess I need to look in the “robe” department of the thrift store.  This looked like it was super-easy to remake.

  • Anna Puddles

    This is one of my faves thanks for sharing

  • Margold13

    Love it just the way it is, a dye job would probably ruin the fine detail.

  • RebeccaBurt

    I agree with the dye idea, but this is still a great remake. Too bad this style is so unattractive on my body type or i’d try this myself.

  • http://www.facebook.com/hidesama Ren Akuma

    There was a cute kimono also in the urban outfitters catalog last fall… actually I think what you got is a yukata, as those are very light fabric meant for summer, compared to the heavy embroidery of kimonos…

    • newdressaday

       Awesome, thanks for the clarification Ren!! 

  • Sarah_H

    No-dye! I love the patchwork look for the jacket. I would have given the hem a slight mullet cut…or at least tried it out to see how it looked. Very cool redo!

    • til

      i agree with the mullet cut idea.  

  • Suvikki from Finland

    Thank you ever so much! Now I know what to do with my mens kimono. When tied it´s a bit narrow, hoping to have more miles with it by re-do. :)

  • Cathryn

    Great remake and it gave me an idea… I picked up an oversized jacket in a beautiful Asian aqua/floral print a while ago that I haven’t figured out what to do with. Now I’m thinking I could remove the collar and buttons, shorten the sleeves and have a kimono! Thanks again, Marisa!

    • newdressaday

       Yes!! Do it Cathryn!!

  • http://www.facebook.com/jane.coombs88 Jane Coombs

    Does the back slope like in the French Connection one?

  • Denice

    I wonder what you do with all your remakes?  They are all great.  I love your blog.  Just wondering what a girl does with all those clothes.  lol

  • sue kol

    I like the idea, but would’ve liked to see the body part a little more fitted. 

  • Kissem37

    I like it- I was kind of hoping that you’d do the French Connection cut, though. I love that one! I am in the no-dye camp- the contrasts between the different colors and patterns would just disappear. Yes, its a muted palette, but sometimes thats nice!

  • Giniamagers

    I like it. I am in the no-dye camp as well. I have tried all of the dye methods out there and they are usually yucky in the end. The quilt pattern is nice. Makes me want to curl up in it and read a book in a log cabin by a river.

  • Lovestosew

    I like this a lot.  There’s something very easy, breezy, about it.  If you get a chance you could even add some knotted closures on the front, like Ms. Deeley has on her’s.

  • Granola Girl

    I like it!  I think I need to go scour the local Sally-Anne for a kimono!

  • Keenzi

    Another fun remake AND a Cat Deeley/SYTYCD shoutout–double score! : ). I’m in the no-dye camp as well, like the wabisabi look.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_MJNVSJ24OMDCX4BLPC454ZXXHM PAMELA

    Love what you’ve created here!  I’m a long-time lurker, and I’m so glad to see someone encouraging sewing and creativity.  I would love to have something like this in my wardrobe.  

  • sash

    love this one.  love the shape!

  • Ashettles

    I love this.  Something like this is a great addition to stretch a wardrobe.

  • Chris

    Cute and comfy looking.