44 Days to Go: $1 Remake

Sep 5, 2012 | 25 Comments

Continuing on the wedding theme this week, this dress just cracked me up when I found it…

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage Bridesmaid Dress - Before - 44

Day 44 – Before

There was something about the sleeves, mixed with the bright pink that just made me giggle.  I feel like there was a bridesmaid moment that happened with this piece and I couldn’t stop thinking about what flowers got picked to match the dresses!  To make this wearable for me,  I got to work!

I started with scissors and began to hack away at the hard/papery/coffee filter-esque material that was sewn in each of the sleeves.  The sleeves were basically immovable with this stuff as a liner, so I cut it all out!

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage Bridesmaid Dress - Coffee Filters - 44

Coffee Filters!

I should have put on a pot of coffee with what was leftover!!  Post sleeve fix, I began to work on separating the bodice from the skirt.

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage Bridesmaid Dress - Seam Ripping - 44

Rip that seam!

I went around the waist removing stitches…

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage Bridesmaid Dress - Detach - 44

Take off your top!!!

…and finally ended up with two pieces!  The tulle crinoline and skirt are not making it to the final picture today!!  I pinned the raw edges at the bottom of the top and sewed down a new hem.

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage Bridesmaid Dress - Sewing Machine - 44

New Hem!

I pinched and cinched the neckline, giving it a little bit of ruching, and now with flowier sleeves, my piece was finally ready to wear!  I tucked the top into a brown skirt from H&M and paired it with some flip flops to work during the day.

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage Bridesmaid Dress - After Day - 44

Day 44 – After

I’m such a fan of the brown/pink pairing that I brought along my Trina Turk tote that had the same color palette on my errands.

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage Bridesmaid Dress - After Stoop - 44

Casual with flips…

However by night, I changed it up a little!  Wore a pair of Steve Madden heels (circa 2004), tossed my hair up in a high bun, and grabbed my go-to vintage Dooney & Bourke purse.

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage Bridesmaid Dress - Dinner Time - 44

Dinner time!

A quick and easy change to dress this up a smidge for dinner.

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage Bridesmaid Dress - After Night - 44

Time for heels!

From bridesmaid dress to chic top with just a few easy steps.  Love the quick process and the outcome!!

In all · Dollar Dress Remakes
  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=532007777 Stephanie Tremel

    My Kayley (7 year old daughter) approves. She wanted to see what you had done before she went to school today. I like it too.

    • newdressaday

      Aww, Kayley! Tell her that I’m honored that she checked out the blog before she went to school! That just made my day!! xo

  • Alie

    I can’t believe that’s cute! I didn’t think those sleeves could be redeemed. Bravo!

  • sash

    I love a crinoline. Always was the best part of an Easter dress! Will you use it later?

  • sash

    And I love pink and brown together! Bravo!

  • http://twitter.com/MunchTalks Jasanna

    Cool! Can you maybe show how you cinch the neckline on this and the other dress the other day? I’d love to know how!! :)

  • cinak630

    like the color combo but those sleeves will always scream bridesmaid dress

  • Katy

    Vintage! ugh – that makes me vintage. I’ve had that purse since it was new and I wasn’t all that young when I got it!

    • newdressaday

      Ha, vintage is relative. I like to call my Betsey Johnson shrug from 1999 ‘vintage’ :)

  • Sarah_H.

    It makes me more than “vintage”…I think I qualify as “antique”, well almost. Doesn’t it have to be over 100 years old to be antique? I’m not quite there yet. But I had a party dress with sleeves similar to that only about 15-20 years ago. I made it for a New Year’s dance when I was middle aged and single. It is fun to see a redo!

  • http://twitter.com/jodywallace Jody Wallace

    Kind of Gunne Saxy :)

  • Lauraly

    Nice! Love the color combo and that skirt is divine!

  • jampvending@gmail.com

    I think that dress was a traditional Filipino butterfly sleeve dress. Imelda Marcos (think of the former first lady of the Philippines that owned thousands of pairs of shoes) sported butterfly sleeves to many formal and gala type events. To this day, it is very symbolic of the Philippine culture.
    That hard papery/coffee filter-like lining in the sleeve is there purposefully so as to keep the shape of the sleeve bell like. To properly showcase the dress, one would have one hand on the hip and with the other hand, bend at the elbow, reach up to the top of the sleeve, pinch it, while keeping the pinky finger up!
    Here’s a pic of Imelda wearing butterly sleeves.
    Here’s a picture of a beauty queen pinching her sleeve.
    Betcha didn’t think you’d get a Filipino culture lesson today!

    • newdressaday

      I totally scored with a Filipino culture lesson today! You rule – thank you for schooling me! I only wish I had the proper way to showcase the dress in the before pic :)

      • jampvending@gmail.com

        The pictures didn’t go through with my original post! :(
        But if you’d like to see some dresses with some rockin’ butterfly sleeves, just google image “filipino butterfly sleeves” or “Imelda Marcos” or “Miss Philippines”.
        I forgot to mention that I really like how this makeover turned out. You’ve made the butterfly sleeves quite wearable!

    • Anthea Magpantay

      yep! That is a

  • Ginia Magers

    I love the D&B bag!

  • ash p

    Bravo!!! That new top looks wonderful with that skirt. I totally loved that skirt when I saw it at pink ice :)

    • newdressaday

      Ha, yes!!!

  • http://www.facebook.com/anita.lauer Anita Lauer

    I love the pink and brown color combo but I would have changed the sleeve some more. A cap sleeve would be nice.

  • Lovestosew

    I’m not sure about your night look, you kind of look like your wearing heels to go on safari. Something is a bit off. But I love your day look. That tote is amazing, all of your colours look really great together. I love the new top.

  • Rachael @ Frugal Faye

    That color really is fabulous on you! Love that you maintained the character of the dress by keeping the sleeves.

  • Laura Whitman

    I LOVE this outfit! So cute! I love how you paired it with that skirt, so simple and chic! Definitely one of my favorites.

    xoxo,
    Laura

  • anna puddles

    so princess, makes me want to watch the princess bride again

  • reesesreality

    Wow – I think I went to that “before” wedding. Great job on the change up!