About a decade ago (OH MY GOD I FEEL SO OLD!!!), I was something close to a Junior at the University of South Carolina (Go Cocks!). I was not the most studious student, folks. :/ While my dedication to my major (Theatre) was strong, I couldn’t quite make myself give any flips at all about other subjects like…say…Statistics. Don’t worry! I did eventually graduate and somehow even managed to convince someone to hire me! :)
While I could just accept personal responsibility for my inability to choose studying over partying, I prefer to blame the company I kept at the time….specifically two of my best buds, Mike and Travis. :)
We hadn’t gotten together to hang out in a couple of years, and decided it was time to relive our gloriously misspent college days!
And I knew JUST what I wanted to wear!
Who decided this ever needed to be a thing????
Seriously? What is this about? I think it’s supposed to be some sort of sleepwear/loungewear thing, but I honestly haven’t a clue. I just hope someone was fired for this garment’s conception.
It’s hard to know where to start with something like this. Luckily, I was already dying some of my faded black Tshirts to get them looking nice & new again. I tossed this into the dye bath as well! :)
Going back to black!
Hop on in!
After the dye bath, I began the process of turning this jumpsuit into a proper dress. First, I removed just a bit of length from the legs. This will make the whole thing easier to work with.
Spock helped! :)
Then, I trimmed the seams from the crotch allll the way down each leg. I did the same for the back as well.
Trimmy trim trim!
Progress!
I put my future dress on my form and got to pinning!
First, I pinned the open front and back seams to make a skirt.
See?
The sides got taken in a smidge as well!
Getting it nice and fitted!
I stitched all of this down on my machine, trimmed off the excess fabric with my pinking shears, and was almost done! :)
I put my dress on and pinned where I wanted to make my final chop!
Just a litttle more!
Then, I hemmed that bottom raw edge!
Whirrrrr!
Now that dress is ready for a happy reunion with my college chums! :)
I must say, I’m rather pleased! :)
I styled my $1 dress with a $1 thrifted belt and a pair of TOMs (which cost a good bit more than $1).
It was great getting to hang out with my old roommates/pals!
Love these guys!
Hey, Mike!
Hi there, Travis! :)
Many beers were consumed…
…but mostly tiny beers!
Seriously.
Take THAT, liver! ;)
Much fatty food was consumed!
Nomburger!
And much happy reminiscing and catching up occurred! :)
Toniiiiiight….We’re not young…;)
Cheers to old friends! :)
I love it!! What a different a dye makes (if you say that in an Aussie accent it sounds like the real saying what a difference a day makes haha!)
I am having a really good go at refashioning now thanks to you and I’m almost finished with my second ever refashion!! Check out my first here
http://angelfairydust.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/my-very-first-refashion.html?m=1
Cheers! ;)
Nice job! I love it. Tutorial?? How many extra inches did you add? I have a short jean skirt that fits well but I wish it were a bit longer!
About 5 inches I think, I didn’t actually measure I just cut and sewed! I’ve got a few more to post within the next few days :) I’m going to do a 40 day 40 outfits challenge for clothes for my holiday in June :) thanks for looking at my blog!! Xx
I was going to do tutorials for the 40 day challenge! Keep checking my blog and ill update soon :) xx
Thank you so much! And Well Done! I love it! :)
Yay! So glad you like it! Not bad for my first try!! :)
That is amazing!!! It doesn’t even look like the same thing!
Thank you so much!! Glad you like!
Very cute!!
Wow…now that is a big difference. (I hate to admit this but I wore something similar I think early 90′s… it wasn’t pj’s just a summer jumpsuit) You’ve really opened my eyes to look at garments in a whole new way. I haven’t refasioned anything yet but think I’ll start with what is in my closet before I toss anything. Thanks for sharing your creativity!!!
In all fairness, as a jumpsuit it IS quite comfy! :) Now…get to refashioning! :)
I wore a couple of jumpsuits like that when I was in middle school–can you believe a lot of girls did?!? I’m sure my mom still has the original pattern! haha. Love your results!
Yep…I had quite a few of them in the early 90′s and you know what? I was totally rad when I wore them. I would have my wild, curly hair in a pony tail to the side (with plenty of Aquanet to make my already big hair even bigger), slouched socks and high-top Reeboks or LA Gears. lol
HA! I remember these things! Now…did you ever wear the neon slouchy socks two at a time???
I used to wear them I had one pink and one yellow!! Bad bad neon lol
I love this! Well done!
Xo,
Z
http://beingzhenya.com
Thanks! :)
What a nice idea! But i know you couldn’t do it without your assistant! ;-)
Thanks! Geez…between Spock and Douglas, it’s amazing that I manage to get anything done at all! :)
super cute! i’m not sure wth it was beforehand, but you sure managed to turn it into something fab!
ps my mom was a theatre major at the “real” usc in the 1970′s :)
Thanks!
Heeeeeey….USC (South Carolina) was here first!!! ;)
ha. i should have clarified. my mom graduated from the “real” usc, meaning south carolina in the 70′s. incidentally, she ended up moving to cali a few years before i was born. her teacher was emmalee and they still keep in touch :)
Great re-fashion, I am an avid follower. By the way angelfairydust blogger lives in my city, please drop me a line if you read this. Liz.
Hiya where about do you live? X
I sent you a friend request on Facebook, Lauren angelfairydust Duffy xx
Awesome! Way to turn that pile of steaming whaaaaaa? into something great!
I just tied ‘em up! They’re actually pretty cute! :)
Wow! That’s quite the transformation! Who knew that pink thing could be saved?? Well….you did, apparently……
She definately has a great imagination doesn’t she? :) always sees the refashion in the old clothes, so clever jilly
Thank you, ladies! :)
That looks amazing and it looks like you had a really fun night out!
late eighties to early nineties … they were referred to as “party pants” and were actually really popular with kids and adults. scary, but true. they look much better as a dress, though.
Party pants????? I love it!!!! :D Party on!
That’s amazing, total transformation!
Love your blog and I must say the other day while doing a little refashion of my own my hubby caught me saying out loud, “Whirrrrrr!”, as I was sewing up some hems. Haha!
Thanks! I actually say “Whirrrrr!” out loud too! That’s where that comes from! :)
Me encanta reciclar ropa, y tu idea es buenisima, aun no he tintado nunca nada. mispuntosyotrascosas.blogspot.com
That is really an amazing transformation. You are so creative.
That is awesome! I found some thrift store dresses (although sadly not for $1) that I’m dying to repurpose. This is great!
Amanda @ Running In Heels
amandarollo.blogspot.com
Amazing! Great job of one of the most bizarre garments I’ve seen
Please press open your seams before hemming….would look so much nicer…great idea, though, and love the way the dye left the print but modernized it.
I know I know I know! I was such a slacker! :/
You just amaze me!!!!
I love the dye job! I am curious, if I use Rit dye in the washing machine like you do, does it stain the inside of the washer? Or how do you know its all out of there for the next load?
It really won’t stain it if you run the machine empty with detergent and bleach when you’re done. Or you can just wait til your roomate does their laundry to be safe…;)
You mean you didn’t love that … pink … jumpsuit … garment?!
Nice job. I like how you put that belt and shoes with it. Understated but very sharp.
Thanks! That belt is one of my faves! Works with toooons of stuff! :)
Adore your blog, I would love to drink a delicious craft beer with you sometime!
You rock, you rock, you rooock… umm, did I say that you rock?
Thanks! Thanks! Thanks! Ummm…did I say, Thanks? ;)
that thing was just wrong :)) Congrats on your creation! LOve the kat- I’ve got a gray half-persian with 2 kittens :)
http://etheea.wordpress.com/
Thanks! That kitteh is actually my roomie’s. He’s a sweetie though!
Fab refash, doesn’t look a thing like the original piece. Also, those TOMS! I’ve had my eye on those when I saw in your winery blog pics, v. niiiice!
Thank ya! I LOVE those TOMS! They’re my first pair and they’re the comfiest things ever in the world! :)
Pretty clever! I’m curious as to how many wearings you get out of an item after you’ve refashioned it? And what do you do with them when you’ve grown tired of them, re-donate?
I’ve always wanted to know this as well….
It really depends on how much I like it. When I’m done wearing something, I either give it to a friend, or donate it. I feel like I’m releasing a rescued animal back out into the wild! :)
You should make an etsy shop, refashionista fashions so people could by your refashions! You could even get some of your friends to model for bigger sizes!!
Yay! I was so happy to Spock. I was worried you brought him to the animal shelter when you donated you shoulder pad mice toys. Such a happy family :) Nice refash too (as always)
I haven’t seen Douglas in your post in a while. How’s he doing?
Douglas is doing great! I promise to take a pic with the little guy soon! :)
Very clever! I love reading your “refashions”…you brighten up my days! Sew on!!!
So were you at USC (I went to USC in LA) when they almost almost played Oregon State? You don’t know how hard I was rooting for the Cocks vs the Beavers. It’s still a dream of mine to see that. ;)
Hehe…Cocks…Beavers…hehe! :D
I really like the outcome of this refashion. From an outfit that flatters NO ONE to a cute dress with many possiblities. This is a also a great refashion from trousers to a skirt.
If you feel old by saying “a decade ago” when talking about your college days, wait until you start saying “two decades ago”. :D
Thanks!
And don’t worry…it’ll come soooooon enough!
Nice job! But girl, we need to get you an iron for your after shot. ;-) And yes, I’m pretty sure these were not pajamas. I wore something similar in the early 90′s!
Ugh! I rode in a car 4 hours before I took the pic! It was ironed, I promise!!!!
Even though I an not the least bit talented in the textiles area, I LOVE your blog! You are so inspired and imaginative. I look forward to every post, as it’s like opening a surprise package. Thanks for sharing your wonderful mind with us. Have a great Memorial Day!
Wow, I found a similar pajama jumpsuit and thought who would ever want to sleep in something with that many buttons?! I turned mine into a dress also, although I kept it pink. It was actually featured in Altered Couture magazine. Great job…love it! http://secondchancesbysusan.blogspot.com/search/label/altered%20couture
I love the idea of dying an outfit to change the look. My sister even found a way to dye lace using a microwave.
Whoa!!!! How???? Please share!!!
There are step by step instructions on the Rit dye website http://www.ritdye.com/content/batiky-tank-top . But my sis says the key is to make sure when you micro it you only do it for twenty to thirty second intervals. It really works. I’ll have to send some pics.
I found a jumpsuit the other day and now I’ve turned it into a dress…totally inspired by you.
Oh my goodness I LOVE this refashion!! And your hair is getting so long! You look gorgeous in these photos!
Where’s Douglas? The cat is cute but weenie dogs make much better accessories!
In the 7th grade…22 years ago we called these “Bubble Suits”. My granny made one for all of her granddaughters. We loved them!! haha!! my my my how fashion has changed!
Hey! Is the cuite-Mike your new boy???
Hahaha! I don’t think his wife would like that very much! :D Nope, he’s an old college chum. We’re too much like brother and sister for any of that! :)
Love it! And I’m glad you did this refashion, much appreciated! I’ve seen a few jumpers (adult onesies) and dreamed of turning them into dress…alas my dreams shall come true!!!
That is amazing!!! I am so impressed.
I think this is one of my favorites you have refashioned!!!