147 Days to Go: Emily’s NDAD Creation
Today’s remake comes from my gal Emily! She knows how to rock the before pic poses too, by the way.
Here’s the story behind my dress – I was browsing vintage dresses on Modcloth.com and Anthropologie’s website one day, lamenting over my lack of spending money, when I remembered stumbling across your blog a few months earlier. I was so inspired by your creativity and step-by-step tutorials, I decided to try making my own vintage dress for less! I found this navy blue polka-dotted dress at Goodwill for $5. Despite its frumpy factor and the fact that it was ten sizes too big (literally!) I saw the potential for a cute sleeveless summer dress with a swingy skirt.
Emily - Before
My mother-in-law wasn’t so sure; I’m pretty sure she thought I’d lost it when I enlisted her help on the project!
More Posin'
Will Emily’s MIL be right, or will Emily rock out the most swingy-est, summer dress around? (PS, inside tip…put your money on the latter!)
First, we had to get rid of the fabric overlay on the top. It attached at the shoulders, which meant that cutting it off at the seams and re-stitching them. The advantage of this was that it made the arm holes smaller. Next, we chopped off the puffed sleeves, took off seven inches from the bottom of the skirt, and took it in a couple inches on the sides.
Then we tackled the neckline. This was the scariest part, so I let my MIL cut out a nice scooped neckline.
Later!!!
She suggested that the thin fabric needed a facing to give it some stability, so I traced the curve onto solid navy cotton and cut out a three inch wide piece. I hemmed the sleeves and the skirt, and then with the leftover fabric I made a big bow and pinned it to the shoulder.
Pretty Polka Bow!!
The finished dress is everything I hoped for, and my MIL and I both had fun in the process!
Emily - After
It’s funny because I came across this Goldie London polka-dot dress on ASOS that looked pretty darn similar if you ask me!!
Goldie London - $48
Thanks so much for the DIY inspiration Marisa!”
Thank you Emily!! I’m loving your dress – what a way to kick off the summer and what fun to share with your MIL!! More on Emily here 
