This top was one of the many pieces I found in NY when I went to Housing Works' Buy the Bag store in Brooklyn.
I crammed this piece into my bag along with over 25 other pieces (many in good shape, without needing any work that you'll see very soon!!) because I was obsessed with the floral print...
...the gold buttons, and the elastic waist!!
However I'm not letting myself leave the house with it looking as is. I lugged it across the country, which is as much travel as I'm allowing it in the current state. It's rework time!
I started off by removing the shoulder pads!
Love that the pads were made from the same material as the top!!
I'm always a sucker for the tags and usually become obsessed with the names of brands from back in the day. This tag pretty much rules.
And that triangle/partial Nike logo/half of a lightning bolt is just a-maze-ing!!
I began to cut a triangle from the piece next, beginning my cut a little over two inches from the neck's center.
I trimmed until I hit the third button on the piece, and then matched my cut on the opposite side to completely remove this center portion.
I folded and pressed under the raw edges of the piece...
...and then sewed it in place.
Because this piece was a bit too large on me, I took in the body of the piece about four inches, creating a center seam down the back and then brought in the shoulder seam to shorten the length of the piece. This worked out perfectly because the shoulder seam was already constructed at the top of the shoulder and went all the way to the end of the sleeve. All I had to do was follow this seam when I brought this area in an inch.
With the sizing adjusted and all raw edges hidden, my new top was complete!!
This feels more like a little cotton cover-up, as I paired it with a mossy green camisole, a leather studded purse...
a pair of Lela Rose for Payless flats.
The pearly buttons are still super pronounced, which I love! This was one of the selling points and you can see them quite well now right below the waist.
I got some wear out of my new top right away to meet friends for some post-dinner, patio sips. I love outdoor spots with twinkle lights and candles on the tables!
I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend! It's time to start the week and the countdown to when we see the royal baby, since Kate Middleton is in labor. (Love all those update emails letting me know the play by play...I'm talking to you US Weekly/People Magazine!)
