Happy Birthday Phillip & Jamie! | ReFashionista

Happy Birthday Phillip & Jamie!

When my friends and I decided to plan a surprise birthday party for two of our favorite gentlemen who have reached a certain *ahem* landmark age, we went with a (playful) funeral theme.  This meant I needed something black, but not too severe for this fun fete!

Sadly, the only thing I had on my refashion rack was this vaguely nun-ish number:

 

This dress needs your prayers, folks. :/

 

As I wash everything before I work with it, I was sad to see that cute collar got some very noticeable black on it.  :/

 

Bummer. :/

 

At least I had those lovely pearly buttons!

 

Isn’t it adorable?

 

To get started, I removed a shoulder pad.  Yep.  Just one.  Apparently the previous owner for this frock had one muscle-y shoulder and one weak one.  😉

 

Flying solo!

 

See those lame side tie thingies in the first pic?  Yeah…those went buh-bye as well.

 

It’s for your own good!

 

Next, I carefully snipped off that discolored collar.  Normally I would use a seam ripper to do this, but I knew I wanted to deepen the neckline on this one.

 

Sssssnip!

 

Next, I grabbed my seam ripper and got to work on those sleeves…watching the worst TV show of all time while I picked them off.

 

I hate it, but I can’t stop watching it. Grrrrrrrr!!!!

 

Under the Seam Ripper

 

Despite being incapable of sentience, these sleeves are far smarter than any of the inhabitants of Chester’s Mill.

 

All this snipping and ripping left me with a bunch of raw edges to pin down, and that’s just what I did!

 

Fray no more!

 

I stitched my new neck and my new arm holes down.

 

Whirrrrrr!

 

This dress was still too blousey for me, so I got to that reshaping/tailoring bit!

 

Shaping up!

 

Stitching those new sides!

 

I trimmed off the excess fabric, then did one more lil chop!

 

Temps are in the upper 90′s here, folks. Length just won’t do!

 

I stitched a quick hem, then sewed those two side tie thingies together to make a mini-sash!

 

Just a quick lil whirr!

 

Just like that, I was ready to run out the door to a wonderful party for two wonderful fellas!  🙂

 

I dunno…that guy behind me doesn’t seem to dig it. :/

 

The Birthday Boys! 🙂

 

One of these things is not like the others…as in somebody didn’t follow the “funeral” dress code.

 

It’s a cupcake explosion!!!

 

Hmmmnnn…There’s that guy again…

 

Cheers!

 

ba71314

 

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That guy is almost as cute as the dress!

Wow great job love the new style !!!

Love this dress!

You are adorable in that new dress! And the guy is nice looking, too!

What Karen said

That is so super cute! One of my faves of yours!

Ditto!

Great flip! Also I feel the same way about Under the Dome…but can’t stop watching! They really need some new writers.

Lol at the “Butterfly Infestation”. Yeah…those writers should be sacked. 🙂

Love the neckline you ended up with. Can you bleach the collar and use it on something else?

Thanks! I kept it, and I’m gonna try! 🙂

I never would have thought of this re-fashion! You look so cute in this. The guy is cute too……..

Very nice! I too love the neckline, it isn’t just a simple scoop. Well done! I love length too, just a tad longer than you used to wear your dresses. I usually l hate black dresses but this one I actually like!

Really lovely thanks for sharing

Cute dress, cute guy. He might be a keeper if the fact that he’s looking at you adoringly is any indication of his worthiness. You deserve awesomeness! Make sure you get it!

The adoring look makes him absolutely a keeper!!!

And an lbd is ALWAYS a keeper

LOVE IT! If you refashion it another time, I think it’d made a really cute romper 🙂

Yet another one to die for!!! I love it.

This refashion was so well done, and you look lovely wearing it.
Your new friend looks nice too…..

That dress is beyond adorable! LOVE it. Nice job, as usual 🙂

Gorgeous!

Such a cute refashion! Much better without the color. Great job and yes, you two are a very cute couple.

Amazing.

This may my favorite refashion yet!

Got excited & left out a word. Whoops! May BE my favorite refashion yet! Haha

My my my, who is that guy? 😉 love the refash! You’re awesome!

This may be the BEST yet! Very nice!

Very elegant…nice look for you! My fav so far.

So, I’ve been stalking your site for 2 years now, but never commented. 🙂 You got me with that Under The Dome comment because my husband keeps watching it and I can’t even handle it. Everytime I refashion I’m like, “Hmm, how about a skirt.” or “Maybe this one will be a skirt.” or “I’ll switch it up and do a different skirt.” So that is why I silently stalk you because I hope your vision will slowly rub off on me to try some not skirts. Thanks for the inspiration!

And great wedges!

I love it. I am so glad to see someone has entered into your life!!

The dress was beautiful before. It would have been better if you had given it to somebody plus sized instead of botching it up and making it look like something you could get on the racks of Old Navy :/

It was a size 12. Which isn’t a plus size (look at the pics).

Also:
http://gintruth.com/gnt/wpver/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/butthurt.jpg

What??? That thing was god awful before she refashioned it. I am a plus size and that would definitely not have been flattering on a plus size woman.

As a plus size woman, I would not have worn that dress! I love the new dress!!! Plus size women do not have to look dowdy. The only change I would make is to leave the length since I’m 5’11″.

So nobody else is allowed to buy anything because you might want to buy it too. Gotcha. Do you also get angry when other people dare to go to the movies because they might prevent you from getting the best seat? Or when they go out to eat because you might have to wait for a table? Where do you get your sense of entitlement? The person who gets to the store or the theater or the restaurant first has dibs, period.

I’m plus sized and I wouldn’t have let that thing in to my closet. It looks like something from the 80′s. I also don’t understand why ANYONE has any issue with these refashions. Someone GAVE AWAY the dress to a charity shop for some reason instead of throwing it in to the landfill. What happens after that, oh well.

Sandra, didn’t your mama teach you better? “If you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say it.”

Wth Sandra?

Ummmm,I think Sandra is trolling. I love the refash and the guy is cute, too!

Refashionista, don’t you get all your refashions from the dollar rack or the Goodwill Outlet? So basically, all the rejects that nobody else would buy? Isn’t it better to refashion them than for those clothes to go to a landfill or be sold in bulk to a jobber? I mean, at least they got a dollar for it.

I’m very sympathetic to people feeling dejected from the lack of thrift store selection. Sometimes, it really sucks!

But here, I think because we’re talking about clothes that were double rejects (donated clothes that nobody would buy at thrift store prices so they’re being discounted to get rid of them), don’t you agree that it’s better to get some use out of them than throw them away or sell them in bulk to a jobber who will not necessarily sell them as clothing either.

Sandra,
Exactly how does that look like Old Navy… I have personally never seen anything that cute at Old Navy and to properly do a refashion you have to buy something larger. Jillian it looks awesome and adorable…keep it up!

Lol I only watch that show cause my bf likes it 🙂 … love what you do! Wish you’d post the before and after pics on all of your updates like you did with this one 🙂

Gorgeous, although I’m a sucker for white collars, so I would have kept it…;)

Clever you so gorgeous, and I think that man is your man???? Call me a sticky beaking 54 year old lady. big smiles!

Excellent refashion – and I love your sense of humour.

That’s just great . Liking it and the look of the new guy too. Looks like he’s liking the look of you too !

Amazing, you’re so talented !

Estelle
lamodeestunjeu.fr

Looooove it!, and all That you do!. Hugs from Madrid, Spain.

Thanks! Hugs from Madrid are great, but a plane ticket TO Madrid might be even better! 😉

Loool!, well maybe one of this days ;). Meanwhile is nice to see what you do. Your work is very inspiring, and give another life to old clothes while you help another people it makes you a better person. Hugs again and sorry for my dorkish english 😛

I love the refashion; love the writing; love this site!

“One of these things is not like the other” ; …. Is that racist? :-/

NOOOOOOOOOO!!!! We’re all wearing black, and Erin is wearing white (against the “funeral” dress code)!

Whew! Updated caption for clarification. 🙂

I totally would have gone for a Wednesday Adams look with that collar!

http://thebestfashionblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Wednesday-Addams.jpg

Another totally amazing refash Jillian – super cute shoes, and super cute guy too! Another job very well done! You are so inspiring, and your writing is so witty that none of us can resist watching!

Thanks so much! 🙂

I think this turned out just divine. It is my favorite refashion of all time! Keep this one please. I love the shoes you chose to wear with it too! A+

Just when I think you’ve pulled off my favorite refashion ever…you create another masterpiece!

Love the sweetheart neckline in the refashion. Great Job!

I will point out that your friend wearing white IS wearing funeral colors, if she were attending a Hindu ceremony.

I am so bummed the collar didn’t make it through the wash! Do you use color catcher sheets? I’ve started using them for the first wash or two of garments I’m questionable about and they’ve been great.

Ah…very true. Erin might have been like, “Why am I the only one who adhered to the party’s dress code?”

I’ve never heard about these mysterious sheets…TO GOOGLE! 🙂

I believe they’re called Shout Color Catcher sheets.

Google says you can actually make home-made ones. This sounds right up your alley, Jillian! http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/08/make-your-own-laundry-color-catchers.html

AHHHmazing!! you are too clever and too cute!! keep ‘em coming!!!

I hate you and your ability to make clothes look great on you with a few stitches.

Why do I not have these skills? *shake fist*

I am so inspired by your makeovers! Can’t wait to start my own!! Keep ‘em coming!

You look Great! I’m amazed that you can look at a garment and see its potential! Thank you!!

Awesome refash! And the shoes are amazing.

This one turned out great! And “that guy” looks so much like Scott Miller. He’s a local musician up here. Check him out if you get a chance.

Thanks! And WHOA! He kinda does…Crazy!

I never would have guessed that this dress could have been saved. Well done! Cute dress and cute guy!

I’d just like to say that by the laws of middle school, that dress is mine (It has my name on it, first and middle).
Also, my mum sent me a link to your blog and I’ve spent the past week reading the whole thing (yes, I’m a nerd like that). Now I want to go out and find all the weird old clothes at make them cute.
One thing I was wondering though, is there a way to tell how much shorter something is going to get when it’s taken in? Because I’m rather taller than you, so I don’t know if some of the things you start with (like big t-shirts) would even work for me.

Actually the worst show ever. I only started watching because there was supposed to be one series. Imagine the disappointment at the announcement of the second.

Refash = pretty spectacular tho’.

This is EVERYTHING!! I am definitely showing my girlfriend who is a tailor. So cool!!! =)

Hi, I´m a girl from Spain, I heard about your web this morning on a very popular radio show of my country and I´m very impressed. It´s amazing. Thanks!!

hello! i found your blog because a lot of websites “sponsored”it, and i love this idea of refresh. i must admit that the style looks always the same, a big dress that become sleeveless or shorter and you adjust everything with a belt (you have a very good and easily to dress body you look fine maybe with everything). maybe the photos are a bit cheap or i don’t know but it looks always the same, sometimes i think that the dress is better before. i can also say that i’m italian and fashion, also cheap one, is considered a bit different in my country. anyway, as a potential fan of your funny blog i’d like to see variety, or better photos, or something different sometimes. i’m also a modelist (but without a blog) and i’m happy that a blog like this could be famous. my two cents. ciao!

Oh well….haters gonna hate. Trolls!

Thank you for your very meaningful reply but I’m sure that she will reply in a better way without boring lawyer if she wants, maybe in your wonderland where you live every person that think in different way from you is an hater. Please grow up that internet is not a new media anymore. Cheers.

I found you through CamilleColumbia’s blog. Wow, this is a great update of a very homely dress. It looks like a lot of dresses I wore “back in the day.”

I have the SAME OPINION on Under the Dome! It’s a total trainwreck, but I can’t stop watching…

I love this one Jillian! Well done.

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