Est. 2010
DIY Tiered Dress Refashion (Without a Pattern!)
I’ve been seeing a lot of tiered dresses lately online and have been wanting one of my own for a little while now.
That’s why I’m so excited to share my latest, a DIY Tiered Dress Refashion that I didn’t even need a pattern for!
I began with this dress I’d had in my stash for a while.
I originally thought I’d just end up turning it into a puffy sleeved top.
That is until I saw this inspiration piece from Zara.
That’s right! It’s copycat time!
My starter dress doesn’t even come close to having enough fabric to get a dress quite as voluminous as my inspo piece. BUT, I think I can end up with something evocative of it.
First, I put my dress on my dress form and marked approximately where I’d want the top to end.
The top is going to end up being shorter than this, since I’ll be taking it in, AND I need to keep a seam allowance in mind.
That’s why I kept it a little longer than I thought it would need to be.
Then, I chopped off the top!
I put the top part of my dress back on my dress form and got to fitting.
I used my tape measure to make sure the sides were even.
I’m not making the top super-fitted for a couple of reasons.
One, the top of my inspiration piece isn’t super fitted.
Two, in order to get into this dress when I’m done, I’ll need a little room!
I tried to keep as much blousy-ness as I could in the sleeves.
I ran each side through my machine.
After I cut off the excess fabric, I tried it on and decided to cut a little more off the bottom.
Time to deal with that skirt! First off, I measured the usable part of the skirt.
According to my rough calculations, this meant I could make the first two tiers of my skirt 6.5″ and the bottom tier 7″.
So, I measured those measurements for the tiers out with some tailor’s chalk!
Then, I cut them out!
Time to graduate those tiers!
I left the bottom tier as-is, as I wanted my dress to have as much volume as possible.
I cut the top tier, leaving it a little larger than the bottom of my top.
Then, I cut the middle tier, leaving it somewhere in between the size of the top and bottom tiers.
I’m not a fan of math, so I didn’t measure this. I just eyeballed it.
I stitched the vertical open edges of the top two tiers together, and was then ready for my next step!
Gathering those tiers!
Creating gathers for tiers is super easy, friends!
I set my machine’s stitch length for a basting stitch (5), and ramped up the tension to 9. This makes the machine create gathers for you!
When creating gathers, make sure you don’t backstitch to close it off AND make sure to leave a lot of extra extra thread on each end so you can adjust the gathers when you’re done!
Adjust your gathers and pin it together!
I started pinning the top tier to the top of my dress, right sides facing each other.
Stitch it down!
I ran this under my machine with regular tension and stitch size.
Repeat for the bottom two tiers and you’re done!
That’s it! Now I have a cute tiered dress I DIYed all by myself!
This refashion is also super comfy and perfect for a day spent celebrating Mr. Refashionista’s birthday!
While my tiered dress isn’t exactly a clone of my inspiration dress, I think I might like my version even better!
Cheers!
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70 Comments
Murielle
Sweet! It’s as cute as can be!
judy ross
This is one of my favorite do-overs
Holly
Love this!!! Totally have a few in my closet to transform! Thank you and stay well.
Kim
Love this refashion. Seriously, it’s amazing! I’ve never thought to add tiers before. You make it manageable. I’ll have to give it a try on a boxy dress that I own that has cute fabric but needs shape.
Becky
This might be my favorite one ever! Another time you could try it with a contrasting panel or two in the skirt? Also with every thrift store hanging those 90’s denim giant dresses, I bet you could make a sleeveless summer one. Great job and I am so glad you’re back!
Kristen
My favorite refashion so far! Much better than the inspiration piece!
nina
Love the tiered dress you made, dislike the Zara version—-overly exagerated, impractical. Yours is really cute and I can see it being worn to work, to an interview, to a day party, a fancy lunch out, etc. Endless possibilities for that dress. Zara’s can be worn to a Halloween party, just add a big hair bow and it’s Baby Snooks !
Véronique
I love your refashion. It is much nicer than the Zara one, with its weird puffy sleeves. I think the panels’width is perfect for the length of the dress. To choose between yours and others, I would definitely take yours. It has no flaw.
With tons of love (we all need love especially now, right?)
Edigiland
Sweet and Lovely DIY Tiered Dress for Girls
Wendy McGraw
This is one of my favorite refashions! That dress is stinkin cute. If only I had the figure to wear a dress like that again….sigh.
Claire, Leif & Penny
I prefer your version Jillian — what a great color! The gathering looks top notch. What kind of material was this?
April F.
I like it better than the inspiration piece also
Susan
I love it! Would look cute with a pair of leggings and flats too.
Nancy P.
This version is sew much cuter than the original. Great job!
Kristine Mylett
This is so adorable and WAY better than the inspiration piece! I love it!!
Kim Delplato
Love it. So adorable on you. Happy birthday to “THE MAN”.
Lú
I love your version of the dress! So cute!
Christine Quigley
The Zara one is no where near as cute as yours! Not even close! It looks great!
Cynthia A Leyva
Yes, you version rocks. It is so cute!!
Catherine Venable Hellman
I love your version! And you make it look so easy!
VRGJS
I love the Zara dress, but yours is better: it looks nice on you. I love the shoes, too. Happy bithday to Mr. Refashionista! Stay safe! and thank you very much for sharing!
Wilmoo
I like your version better. And those shoes are way too cute!
Cynthia Brokaw
You can do a 2nd refashion on this and cut the sleeves to make puffy ones like in your inspiration piece! Chop, chop! 😉
Bree
Well I love your version and it looks great on you. But I am not at all keen on the original version. I suspect that in a decade or so we are going to look back on some of the current fashions and cringe. The original version of your dress will be one. : ( So glad you kept the sleeves long. This dress is beyond cute and sassy. There is a real grace in its construction… I’d give it five stars any day… What happened to your stars grading system???? ; ) It amused and sometimes surprised me….
Nicole Mölders
Great refashioning. This dress looks better than the inspiration and what it looked like before. I like that it looks sleek despite of the tiers.
Debbie H
This is so great–much better than the Insp piece! Well done!
Bobbi D
Adorbs x 3 – the dress, you, and Mr. R!
Brb
That Zara dress would swallow you up! Your version is adorable.
Happy Birthday to your sweetie!
Leslie
Looks awesome! Fun tip.. loosely zigzag embroidery thread to gather…gather and pull!
Shannon
This is clever and adorable!
Lynn Rose
I think your version is better!
Jan Hartwig
I like your version much better than your inspiration dress. It’s so pretty!
Lianne Giffin
I am so in love with this. Absolutely going to do this!
Nikki
Seriously cute! Muuuch better than the other version. So often I think, this is my favourite refashion and then you come along with an even better one. Happy birthday and „Prost“ (cheers) to your hubby all the way from Bavaria.
Lisa Hamel
Easily one of your best refashions ever! The inspo dress one of those pieces designed to push the envelope and make a statement, which is cool in it’s own right, but I am not surprised that everyone prefers your version!
Every time I look at your dress before the refashion, I think how happy the little old lady who wore it would be to see how you have reimagined it. 🙂
Catherine Laurent
Zara’s is frumpy looking yours is adorable, what a fun dress, you look marvelous.
Have a great weekend.
Stay Healthy
Catherine
Melanie
Brilliant! Way better than the inspiration piece!
cherylmpjones
This is my fav Refashionista ever! It is SO CUTE and WAY cuter than the inspo!!!! Of course, it doesn’t hurt that you are SO ADORABLE!!!
I love getting email from you and Mr. R… it’s like a sweet surprise. Oh… happy belated birthday to your handsome hubs.
Laura Goedeker
I like your dress much better then the inspiration dress, its adorable! Looks super comfy too.
Jenni Meich Eline
Love it! It’s much prettier than the Zara version. You look adorable, have fun celebrating your hubby!
Susan
Your dress is adorable and actually wearable! I’m not sure where you would wear the inspiration dress…Oz? Wonderland?
Lisa
Adorable dress….but those shoes!!!
Melanie
Super cute! much cuter than the inspiration piece. A+
Tera
Wow!! Your version is better than the Zara version IMO. So pretty!!!
Kimberly Wollmer
I love it! Thank you for keeping the refashions coming. I am so happy to see an email from you! Happy birthday Mr. Refashionista!
Jamie
Your dress is way cuter than the inspiration dress! Love your shoes also! Happy birthday to the Mr.!
Elsa Geary
beautiful, Happy B-Day to the hubby.
KNicole
This might be my favorite refashion you’ve done!
Susie K
I love it! It’s actually much cuter than your inspiration dress. It’s a keeper!
Etta
I like yours much better than the inspiration piece!!!
Terri fann
How cute.
Michelle Van Ellis
VERY cute dress and LOVE those shoes.
pinksnoopydancer
Agree with Rin G, that inspiration dress is a mess. But YOURS is absolutely perfect! Belated Happy Day to Mr R.
Katrina
Beautiful! Happy Birthday Mr. Refashionista
Daggett BettyB
Super cute. Much better than the big baloony one!
Samantha
Your version is a million times better than the original and for a lot less money! Great job.
Michaele
Looks great, Jillian! And happy birthday to your handsome husband! I’m loving his beard. ☺️ My husband is a beard man too!
AnneB
Cute cute dress, cute young lady wearing it and cute couple that’s a good life.
Laurel
Beautiful dress! Happy birthday, Sir Refashionista!
Lorna Moxley McGlynn
Your dress is FAR cuter. I just love your style and your quirkiness, plus your avoidance of math. Rock on!
scottaenator
This turned out great. I like it better than the inspiration too. Happy birthday to your man.
Rin G.
The “inspiration” dress is WAY to long and oversized – it does look like an overgrown child’s dress. Your version is absolutely GORGEOUS (love that color!)….thank you for showing the “grownup” way to seriously ROCK a trend.
Laura
Love this! The inspiration dress is overwhelming for her frame but yours is very flattering and cute!
Mary
Happy Birthday Mr. Refashionista! My birthday was on the 24!
Carla
Definitely better then the inspiration dress. Love yours!
Patricia
That looks great!
Denise Richard
Pure genius! Love it!!!
Camille Duke Mueller
I did not like the inspiration dress, reminded me of a dress my mom forced me to wear when I was 14 or so. YUCK!! But I LOVE your refashion dress!!! So adorable!!
J Hawkins
Wow! You’ve outdone yourself on this one. I am so inspired by all of your creations, but this one is special. Stay well and stay safe!
Elise
So cute! Love it! Happy Birthday to your husband 🙂
What do you think?
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