Remake: Dress Swap with Recycled Fashion

Today's post is a fun one!  I partnered up with my Australian pal Erica at Recycled-Fashion for a little outfit swapping!  We decided to send each other a fabulous thrifted find (hers is below), work our magic on them, and then post the after shots.  We've been working on this for a little bit and it's finally time to reveal what we came up with! This is what Erica sent me...

Check her out modeling the floral, billowy-ness!

I received it in the mail and got working!!  Any thoughts of where I'm going to take it?  I think you're going to like the final product!

First thangs first.  Yep, thangs.  Cut.  Them.  Sleeves.

Look how pretty it's starting to look!

I really wanted to bring notice to the amazing button panel at the center.  The wheels started turning and I began to snip the edge of the fabric right next to the buttoned panel on each side, starting at the neck going down about a third of the way (falling at m'boobs!).

After the center area was trimmed, I started to snip the same fabric right at the neck seam.  I opened up this entire area, cutting from the center seam to the back zipper.

Once everything was trimmed, I made a triangle shape with the fabric (pinning it under) on each side of the buttoned panel.  I repeated this step with the material on the back of the dress, using the top of the zipper as the tip of my triangle.

I ended up having some extra room at the neck after all my tweaking, so I detached the button panel from the neck strip with a seam ripper...

...cut the area that was excess...

...and pinned it back together, to prep for sewing.  This is going to make it more fitted up top.

Next, I sewed the front and back of the dress...

...the neck strip, and then I took the top portion of the dress in on each side to make it as fitted as I could.

After all that work, this is what my dress turned into...

How's that for a remake??

I love that this button panel was what spoke to me :)

I just used that as my jump point and started thinking about the best way to highlight my favorite part!

It's such a light and springy piece - so perfect for the new season ahead!

I'm headed to Bali very soon (!!!) and guess what's coming with me...

...this dress!!

I paired it with my vintage Candies and vintage straw clutch, to help ring in the spring!!

You will see this restyled again when I bring it beachside with me, but until then...

MUAH!!

So that's what I did with Erica's piece.  Now it's onto the piece that I sent her!

Here's what the lovely before shots looked like...

She is getting a WINNER!!!

I know you want to see how she transformed this!  Head on over HERE for the afters!

Remake: Red & Black Polkadotted Top

I showed a little teaser of this piece yesterday... Red and black polkadotted top...

...with some crazy jagged edges at the pleated bottom!

Also, it looked like someone had gotten to this piece before me!  Some white stitching had come undone and low and behold, the previous owner was trying some upcycling of their own!

Unfortunately it wasn't totally working for me, so I had to continue with the tweaking!

You can see the hand stitching on each side of the torso that was completed before I got my hands on it!

I got rid of the thread...

...and then trimmed off the pleated bottom of the piece.  I pinned under the raw edging and prepped it to be sewn.

After trying the piece on, there was a spot on the chest area that looked a bit like oil or something slightly discolored.  To get rid of it, I thought an easy tweak would be creating a V-neck.

After trimming the center open, I pinned back both sides and then added the pleated trim for some ruffle action!  I made a clean cut of the ruffle edging using some pinking shears and started to pin the trim down to both sides of the V.

Look at that neckline!!

I began to sew everything in place (the new hem and neck) and took the piece in a little on each side.  I basically re-stitched the part that I removed earlier - just wanted it clean and without white threads peeking through!

Post-stitch, my new top was complete!

I styled it two ways...

First look is more of a loose top worn with flats - totally casual!

Look two got a skinny patent belt to cinch the waist and was paired with some black, big bowed heels!

Yeah, for some reason my Old Navy d'Orsay flats were getting me into the ballet dancing mood!  So when that mood calls, you've got to give in and jump, plié, and leap on the sidewalk!

With a different set of shoes and a belt, the look is completely transformed.  Just ruche a little bit at the waist, and voila!

I was totally digging the new ruffled top!

I love that the pleated part was able to be salvaged!  Yay, pleats!

Remake: Red & Black Polkadotted Top Teaser

Just wanted to give you a little sneak peek of what I'm working on! I found this fab tunic-y top with little black polka dots on it and fell in love with the fabric!  I also really loved the pleated portion at the bottom...

...until I got home, tried it on, and saw that someone got super scissor happy with it!  What?!?!?!

There's a bit of work that needs to be done to get it ready to wear, but I feel confident!  Check back later today to see the new look.