18 Days to Go: Maggie’s Donation

Sep 28, 2012 | 24 Comments

I received this dress a little while back and have finally taken the project on.  I didn’t want to disappoint Maggie.  Listen to her love of the piece…

I bought this dress two years ago to wear to Shrek on Broadway.  The dress never looked great, but did I LOVE the fabric!  I’ve since lost 20 pounds and revisited my closet…only to find this dress.  I love, love, love your website and fashion sense – please use this awesome fabric anyway you see fit.  I’m sure you’ll enjoy it! MEK

I love me some pinstripes, but the dress was a bit off on me…

New Dress A Day - DIY - Striped Dress - Day 18 - Before

Day 18 – Before (PS, apologies for the weird/blinked/half closed eyes!)

I have just the idea to keep this piece going, all while pulling in one trend that joined us last season and that hasn’t gone anywhere yet.  Peplum!

I started off by cutting the bottom of the dress off!!  I trimmed off about a foot of fabric…

New Dress A Day - DIY - Striped Dress - Scissors

Go shorty!

…and then pinned the bottom of my new top to prepare to sew a new hem!

New Dress A Day - DIY - Striped Dress - Pinned Hem

Pin it!

I matched the cornflower blue thread to the stripes and sewed the bottom of my new top!!

New Dress A Day - DIY - Striped Dress - Sewing Machine

PS, I got the thread through the needle on the first go today! Holler!

The top of the dress didn’t give enough shape and usually stripes give dimension, but on this piece it was a little lacking.  Some were vertical and others were diagonal, but ultimately I felt that there was a lack of dimension.  To fix this problem and to give a little volume, I pinched and cinched!!

I pinched about three inches of fabric at the bust…

New Dress A Day - DIY - Striped Dress - Pinch & Cinch

Pinch & Cinch

…and pinned it together using a safety pin!

Also, to really give off the fitted top/loose bottom, I took a skinny, brown belt from J Crew and wore it at my waist.  Paired with a vintage scarf, vintage clutch, and some Calvin Klein slingbacks from TJ Maxx, my outfit was complete!!

New Dress A Day - DIY - Striped Dress - After

Day 18 – After

I think I need a new pair of jeans though…that heel just cut through the bottom of that denim leg.  Big. Hole. Whoopsie!

New Dress A Day - DIY - Striped Dress - Just Ripped My Jeans!!

And, I just ripped my jeans…

It has a cute, pin up-y feel now, with the peplum-esque bottom, but could also be paired with a stellar pencil skirt to totally change the vibe.

New Dress A Day - DIY - Striped Dress - Ready to Go

Ready to Go!

Maggie, the fabric is fun and fabulous!!  Thanks so much for cleaning out your closet :)   I totally reaped some excellent benefits from your organizing!!

In all · Reader Donations
  • Sue

    Looks terrific! :)

  • Paula

    as I am obsessed with Bomb Girls lately, I love this…seems to fit that era perfectly.,

    • newdressaday

      Me too :) It’s still so hot out that the head scarf is not only chic but weather appropriate!

  • stephanie

    AH-MAZING! You, my dear, look way hot! I am in love with those shoes and this top remake is beautiful! Makes me think I could pull off the peplum as well…

    • newdressaday

      You totally can pull off the peplum!! Try it out lady!

  • http://www.facebook.com/maggie.king.7927 Maggie King

    what an awesome surprise…thanks for using my dress. of course you’d do something fantastic. looking forward to more fun ideas from you.

    • newdressaday

      So glad you approve Maggie! xo

  • http://www.facebook.com/tollyfaye Tolly Bockbrader

    Love the scarf! super cute outfit and redo miss marisa!

  • Jenny

    I will have to try this! I’ve wanted to get a peplum top for a while now but because I have a very long torso all of the ones I have tried have fit me poorly! This seems like a perfect solution!

    • Maeve

      I have a long torso too! I can never buy tailored blouses, dresses, or even coats because the waist always hits me on the ribcage! Good luck with your project!

  • Allison Woods

    I would have done the opposite, and kept the bottom, but then I’m anti-peplum, and like the detailing at the hem. :)

  • Judy B

    Pinch and cinch makes all the difference once again! PLEASE post pictures if you wear it with a pencil skirt–I think that would look great.

  • Boatgirl

    Looks awesome! And you’re right … very pin-up girl! I love the pinch and cinch treatment in front. It really enhances the fit. One suggestion (intended as helpful, not critical), and you might already be planning to do this, but it looks like the new hem could use a bit of a press to sit nice and flat. If you press before (or even after) you sew it will make it so much easier to sew a flatter hem that visually blends into the garment.

  • Chelsea

    I’m not a fan of the peplum with pants, but I think it’s cute with a skirt! You should make a pencil skirt with the left over fabric to go with this! And no offense, but your hem doesn’t look so hot. It know it is hard with this kind of fabric and mine don’t always come out perfect when I’m using soft, slinky fabric like this, but I’ve noticed in general your outfits could really benefit from an invisible hem! Most sewing machines can do them, and it is easy by hand too. Also, are you putting the pins lengthwise? Most people do it perpendicular to the direction they’re sewing.

    Sorry for all the crit -as someone who has been doing exactly what you do literally my entire life (I grew up both poor and with a taste for vintage, haha) I feel personally connected with your project and just want to give you some helpful tips to make your projects more “couture!” I’m terrible at keeping up with posting on my own blogs, and you have such a great personality, so your blog is a real treasure to read. It’s always interesting to see what you do, because you’re very in tune with today’s trends, where as I live under a rock and wear only a mix-match of vintage styles.

    • Tugxtile

      Chelsea,
      As someone who has sewn professionally for many years, I use pins both “lengthwise” and “perpendicular” and don’t think that “most people” are stuck doing one or the other. Pins are your friends, and can be used as tools to help you accomplish your various sewing tasks, however they are most helpful for you. No right or wrong in this context, really…
      I’ve been loving Marisa’s blog for a while, and always glad for the sewing community supporting this amazing talent…You Go Girl!!!

    • Boatgirl

      Another great helper for making tidy hems with lightweight or tricky fabrics and edges cut on the bias is to use flexible lace hem tape. It lays nice and flat, accommodates curves and bias beautifully, and when used with a hand hem stitch or machine-made invisible stitch does not show at all. That being said, it does take more time to do this and unless you have it on hand would add to the cost of the project (although I usually buy mine in big scrap bags for practicaly nothing at estate sales and then have lots of colors on hand). Regardless though, I think Marissa does an amazing job with these clothing makeovers and as long as it suits her needs whatever methods she uses are fine. Her work is so inspiring and encoraging!

  • Denise

    Oh Marisa – this is so pretty! I love the peplum and of course your signature “pinch & cinch” made such a difference in the look and fit of the top. I’m sure the top would also look lovely with a pencil skirt as you mentioned. Keep up the great work – I look forward to reading your blog as it is always a bright spot in my day!

  • http://www.facebook.com/wdianac Diana Wood

    u skinny little thing..u should have made the top shorter..but u still look great

  • Lovestosew

    Great idea, but your hem is a mess. Press before you sew. It’s worth the time it takes, really it is.

  • Julie

    You did a fabulous job envisioning the change up! Love everything about the outfit and you are so darn cute. Next life you could be a model if you so desired. LOL! This look is a lot of fun!

  • laura

    Very cute.

  • laura

    I just checked out your book preview on amazon, I have it on pre-order but they didn’t have a preview yet when I pre-ordered it, and am even more exited to receive it in October now, it looks so awesome.

  • http://foryourtastebudsonly.blogspot.com/ Roxanne

    I like this shirt! Are you doing anything with the bottom?

  • missy

    that hem is uber scary, like the wash on your jeans though.