Yay! It’s my first EVER Wannabe Wednesday! Have you ever seen a fab frock in a store and wondered if you could refashion a lookalike version for way less $$$? My goal is to do this every week, and show you how you can do it too! 🙂
Today’s piece is inspired by the Intimately Striped Low Back Top by Free People.
I love most of the stuff Free People has on their site, and I love this top! I would love it even more if it didn’t cost $48 (and if I were an assless, boobless, gorgeous vixen with long silken hair like Slim here).
Seriously…$48. For a long-sleeve Tshirt???? Uh…no. Mama didn’t raise no fool! 😉
I found this top at the $1 a pound Goodwill on their 50% day (That’s 50 cents a pound, folks!), and just knew it had potential! 🙂
The first thing I had to do was reshape my top to make it super-fitted.
I cut off the excess material, and put it aside. It’ll come into play in just a bit!
I trimmed off the original neckband…
…then I cut a big chunk out of the back!
This left raw edges all along the back and neck that would get stretched out if I didn’t take care of them. I took my leftover scraps and cut them into strips.
I used my strips as a sort of bias tape, except I only folded them over once, instead of twice towards the center. I pressed the center fold, then pinned them all along the raw edges of my top!
I stitched it all down using a zigzag stitch as this top was suuuper stretchy.
I tried it on and wasn’t totally happy. I made the open back too wide, and it kept wanting to fall off my shoulders. :/ No worries! I just took it in a bit more from the bottom of the back, and all was well!
Here’s my new copycat top that probably cost me 25 cents!
You can see I’ve layered a grey tube top under this shirt as there is no flippin’ way I’m going braless while the weather is so nippley! 😉
I wore my new copycat to Cellar on Greene where I met up with a couple of fab gal pals! 🙂
Original Item Cost: $48
Copycat Cost: 25¢
Savings: $47.75!
Cheers! 🙂
Love the finished neckline!
I found your blog via Pinterest.
I have been refashioning my hubbies t-shirts into my own shirts. Also been looking at fashion I like wondering if…. A: I could make that…. Or B: find something in the opshop to refashion like it.
You are a woman after my own heart.
Amazing! I am so loving the new format for your blog! Cheers!
Thanks! I’m glad so many peeps like the changes! 🙂
Very nice!
Peplum is big now … how about you teach us all how to make one? 🙂
Good idea! 🙂
You did a great job on that low V back! Definitely going to try using the extra pieces as a band on stretchy re-dos. Impressive!
Thanks! Stretchy fabric is great for this, as you don’t even have to worry about cutting it on the bias! 🙂
What great ideas you are so creative!!!
Your awesomely talented! I just spent an hour reading your blog, very inspirational! Now my eyes are giving out, keep on chopping and sewing!
Thank you! Now…step away from the computer and get some visine in those peepers! 🙂
Wonderful! And your price is so much better…lol. Am loving the new series!
Thank you! I’m glad you like the new stuff! 🙂
This is totalllllly cute……I lovvvvvvve this…..u da bomb!!!
Nice job!
Thank you for all the instruction,tips, and posts. This is an amazing site!
Love the top. You look awesome in it. I love the new features of your blog, it gives me more inspiration and ideas. Way to go. Also I saw you on Rachel Ray, you were terrific, anymore chances of being on TV or featuring your talents and promoting thrifting and refashioning?
Thank you! I’m glad you like the changes. No TV stuff on the horizon…yet! 🙂
Impressed! Looked at that first photo and thought ‘no way is she going to make this look as good as…’ and then you proceeded to prove me wrong! Love it. Perfect on your petite body. Enjoying all the new additions to your blog!
Mwahahaha! Glad to have exceed expectations! Thanks!
Amazing feature! can’t wait to see what you come up with next week!
So glad you like! Thanks!
This is totally awesome!
I just started following you this week and I AM IN LOVE!!! You are so awesome!!! I love your creativity and just reading your posts gets me in a good mood and motivated to give my wardrobe a DIY makeover! Thanks! Keep up the fashionabulous work!
Thank you! And thanks for introducing me to the word “fashionabulous”!
Loving the new edition to Wed already! Very excited about making cheaper version of clothes I love that are already out there!
Thanks!!!
I love it! This is a great feature, too.
I am super excited about this!! Totally going to give it a go! I love your blog, please keep them coming!
P.s. It will be my very first ever re-fashion with my brand new sewing machine I got for Christmas! 🙂
Niiiice! I like the striped binding better than their solid one. Putting in a binding can be tricky, but it looks like you nailed it! Note to self: start collecting t’s to cut up as binding! Those thin lycra-y t’s are perfect.
I think I like yours better than the inspiration. One someone short like me the inspiration top would be awkwardly low. I’m looking forwardto more of your Wednesday posts!
Well, I can’t go backless, but I love what you did here to create the copycat top. It looks really fabulous (and oh so chic!).
this is going to a fabulous addition to your blog, great idea and a wonderful first example!
I saw you over there taking pics last night! I was trapped behind the bar, and missed saying hi, but thanks for the plug!
Cute and fun< I would like to find the time to do this! Thanks again for sharing 🙂 The bias is what has ALWAYS scared me and I have been sewing my whole life….Cath
Me, too! I vote for a bias tutorial!
Wow. This is awesome. Your version looks just as good!
This is going to be the best series yet! Fabulous job- you are so flipping creative I can’t stand it!!!! xo Diana
Awesome! The bias is my favorite part 🙂