Red Polka-Dotted Remake!

Nov 28, 2012 | 73 Comments

So this piece was beyond calling my name.  I think anything red calls my name louder than before because these red pieces feel like they get me because of my matching hair, you know.  Like this piece.  It GOT me.

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage Polka Dots - Frumpy Before Shot

Red Polkadots – Before

There is a fab, tiny, white polka-dotted print that I quite thoroughly enjoyed as well.  After having this piece on for a bit, I think I was having too much fun with the waist straps…

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage Polka Dots - Straps!

Burlesque times in a not-so-hot dress :)

So much so, that I don’t think I’ll be getting rid of them like I thought!


Plan of attack…start with the front of the dress and remove the seam that’s going straight down the center.

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage Polka Dots - Seam Ripper

Seam ripper to the neck!!

I removed about four inches worth of seam…

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage Polka Dots - Holey Moly!!

Hole-y Moly!!

…and prepped a new V-neckline!

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage Polka Dots - New Neck!!

Got me a new neckline!

The length was a bit funky too, so I opted to shorten it up.

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage Polka Dots - Shortening up shop!

Shortening up shop!

I pinned my hem…

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage Polka Dots - New Hem Time!

New Hem Time!

…got rid of the pads…

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage Polka Dots - Later Pads!!

Later Pads!!

…and sewed this puppy in place!

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage Polka Dots - Sewing Machine

Final Tweaks!

With my dress stitched, all I did to complete the look was take those straps that were supposed to be tied in the back and wrap them around to the front!  I made a little bow and voila…insta-cinched waist and brand new dress!

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage Polka Dots - New Dress!

Polkadots – After

I mean… I’m kind of loving this look!!

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage Polka Dots - Lady in Red!

Lady in Red!

GIF time!!

create a gif here

In all · Dollar Dress Remakes
  • http://www.facebook.com/loren.fisher Loren Fisher

    Super cute! Love your work :) x

    • newdressaday

      Thank you Loren :) xo

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

    Great imagination! Love the new transformed dress!

  • Shelley

    Ermehngard! Ohlala! You look so fab sweetie! :) Anything red with polkadots is good on my books :)

    • newdressaday

      Agreed!!

  • Paula

    Wow love this remake. Especially the “cinched” waist. Way to knock one out of the park. Hugs!!!

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=41603120 Emily Haager

    LOVE the dress! I’m always amazed at how little can be done to make something fab! I recently bought a vintage dress that fits me perfectly and all it needed was shoulder pads cut out and a small fix on the hem!

    • newdressaday

      See!! Isn’t that the best? I love it Em :)

  • L

    The whole outfit is delicious–love the “spotted” bag with the polka dot dress.

  • Someone who has been there

    Yay, classic New Dress A Day. For a while there I thought this blog was starting to be all non-dress posts and filler fluff. But you’re back to basics, baby, and it’s wonderful. Thank you!

  • Amanda Davis

    Awesome transformation! Love it! I’m totally in love with your bag too! Super cute!

  • Desiree

    Little Orphan Annie All Chic-ed Up! Love it! Such a fun transformation.

    • newdressaday

      YES!! Now “Tomorrow” is stuck in my head!!

  • Kelly

    This is one of my favorite “afters”! Love it!

  • http://www.facebook.com/steffanie.johnston Steffanie Johnston

    Love, LOVE this one! Great work Marisa! The animated GIF at the end is super fun too! :)

  • audra

    i want this one!!! GORGEOUS! :)

  • Gail P

    Wowsers! I think this is my favorite of all of your revamps!!

  • JanF

    I love that you are doing a dress again!

  • Diane2809

    Oh, now this is ADORABLE! The funny thing is…I think this is a dress my mother once owned! Or at least one like it – your version is so much better : )

    • newdressaday

      Ha, I love it!! I think my mom might have owned it too…

  • MzHannah

    I like this outfit a lot. However, I’m not loving the hair. I thought you were made to wear red hair, but maybe not quite this shade.

    • Vanessa

      Thank God her hair is none of your business.

  • Lauraly

    Absolutely adorable! I would totally wear that whole outfit.

  • Devyn Beth

    EEEP! I love this! I have a real heart for polka dots!

  • Thriftygirl51

    Really great job and not a lot of work! It’s awesome how you can take such an ugly dress and see the possibilities and make something really cute and all I can see is ugly dress. Love your ideas!

  • Sarah_H.

    This is totally cute! Definitely a favorite. And I like the way you have styled it too; love that polka dot bag. I like seeing a dress again, but I like it all. You are still my morning coffee, girl.

    • newdressaday

      Makes my day S!! xo

  • Sabrina Stern

    This is awesome, it ranks up there as one of my favorite transformations, and you only had to make minor tweaks! You continue to impress me! Now where are the details on the San Diego signing? did I miss them?

    • newdressaday

      Next Tuesday lady!! Just posted info!! Hope you can make it!

  • Angela

    This is my new favorite!

  • ms. mary

    You’ve done it again! I love the classic shape you created, and the fair skin/red dress combo really pops! I’m also a fair-skinned lady and I find it intimidating to wear red… but you made it work, girl! I am inspired. Love it :)

  • Keenzi

    SO fab! Love it. And Happy belated Blog Anniversary!

  • kissem37

    *swoon* you had me at red with tiny white polls dots! The shape you created is so flattering- love it!

    • kissem37

      *polka dots- stupid autocorrect!

  • Kayla @ TheEclecticElement

    I’m LOVING what you did to that dress! So much so….I’m pretty darn jealous of both the dress AND your exceptional skillz (yes, skillz with a Z) if I do say so myself. LOL

    • newdressaday

      Skillz with a Z is the only kind of skillz I’m familiar with :)

  • Aparna

    This one turned out great!Really chic.

  • Sarah Latchem

    Fantastic dress

  • Leanne

    Amazing I LOVE this dress!!!

  • Loyal Fan

    That would be pretty for holiday too with black jet bead jewelry! Go Girl! You are amazing.

    • newdressaday

      Yes!! Fun jewelry for a total holiday look will make this party ready fo sho!!

  • Allison Woods

    Very cute. Now steam the thing and fix that hem prontito!

  • Meghan Elizabeth

    awesome transformation

  • Jayme

    Yikes! I am in love with this outfit, def my new fave!!! You are rocking it!

  • D

    Did you remove some pleats from the skirt or bodice? The “after” looks so much better than the before! Great work! This is a great blog entry; the type that hooked me originally. :)

  • Sue

    Oh that is so cute. Another remarkable transformation. Love it. :)

  • http://www.facebook.com/dawn.beattie.16 Dawn Beattie

    This is SOOOOO cute!!! Amazing job sweetie!

    • newdressaday

      Thank you, thank you Dawn!!

  • Elly

    Love it!! Now tell us, where did you get that bag? I want it!!

    • newdressaday

      The bag is Steve Madden!! I snagged it at Marshalls :)

  • Daisy

    Darling neckline, darling on you

  • http://twitter.com/RebeccaTomorrow Rebecca Lane Beittel

    Gorgeous!

  • http://www.facebook.com/ashettles Ann Simpson Shettles

    I love it. It looks awesome on you and I love the polka dots. I want one!!

  • Kitty Kat

    I love it!!!

  • anita

    pretty darn cute. I’d shorten the sleeves just a tad to fit the new proportions.

  • sash

    I just gave this dress to Goodwill! LOL Actually the one I donated had larger dots! Glad you kept the straps. They contrast nicely.

  • http://www.facebook.com/roxane.casto Roxane Whetzler Casto

    Love it!

  • http://www.facebook.com/vikki.kay.3 Vikki Kay

    Love it!

  • http://www.facebook.com/kelli.willard Kelli Willard

    perfect! this is my favorite kind of stuff you do. it’s a great, simple shaped dress that looks fun and flattering.

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

    Hard to believe that the original was approved by Kathie Lee. I could not imagine her wearing it.
    PS Have you read Overdressed yet? It is by Elizabeth Cline. The Refahionista is mentioned in it.

  • http://www.facebook.com/crystal.puckett Crystal Puckett

    I love this remake! Definitely top 10 of my faves. And that hair color looks wonderful on you.

  • bloepper

    i seriously gasped when i saw the after pictures. c’est fantastique!

  • LM

    I am loving the LOOK !

  • anna

    fabtastic

  • http://twitter.com/macfife Amanda Fife

    So weird! I haven’t been to your blog in like a year, but I came back because I have a red polka dot dress from a yard sale (might even be the EXACT SAME ONE) I need to refashion and BOOM! This was on the front page! Dang! It’s destiny!

  • Alesha

    This is probably my all time favorite remake from you. Love, love, love it!!
    Alesha <3

  • SkyeF

    Super cute!

  • Jeanna

    This dress is so happy! Love it!

  • Tyler

    I think this is my favorite out of everything you have done!! It is adorable and I want it!!

  • stephanie

    THIS IS BEAUTEOUS!

  • Montecristo Travels

    Best one yet!

  • Margo Slaby

    Oh my god… absolutely awesome!! I love it when you make these weird dresses turn into an absolute WOW!

  • http://www.facebook.com/catia.susane Cátia Susane

    ficou lindo! :D