Hello and Happy Monday! First off, thanks so much to everybody who showed up for The Sewing Party! I had a blast chatting with you/ sharing my love of refashioning. 🙂 For those of you who were unable to attend, don’t fret! There are more (free) videos in the works! I’m hoping to have one up by the end of this month. 🙂
I frequently talk about how much I like living in Columbia, SC. I sometimes hear my fellow Columbians say there’s nothing to do here, and I just don’t understand these folks! There ALWAYS seems to be more events going on than even a very social gal like myself can possibly attend! One of my favorite events that I ALWAYS manage to attend is Arts & Draughts at the Columbia Museum of Art! Drinking. In the museum. Huzzah.
A&D was last Friday, and I was stuck with nothing to wear to catch the new Norman Rockwell exhibit!
Except this:
As you can see, I’m not super-enthused about this one…yet! This dress is just too much black, too shapeless, too shoulderpadded, and I hate those side-tie thingies!
Luckily, this was a pretty easy one to deal with. 🙂
While there’s plenty to dislike about this frock, there’s also a lot of good stuff going on. You just have to look a little closer. 🙂 The top of this dress is lovely with it’s pretty mandarin embroidered neckline. The fabric is warm and cozy. 🙂 It has the potential to be the perfect dress for a cool Fall evening.
To get started, I snipped out those pads.
A bit more snipping followed!
I gave my dress a new hem with some fun rainbow thread…
Then decided to get a little fancy…
Check it out now!
I took the side tie thingies, wrapped them around the back and back to the front, where I tied them off. MUCH better that just tying it around the back (My bootay doesn’t really need any further attention, you know? 😉 )
Now I have a pretty dress that keeps me quite warm while not being too stuffy!
My smartly-dressed art pal Richard thought my dress was quite fetching!
Mark seemed to think it was alright as well…
I swear, I’m wearing heels you guys.
Norman Rockwell: Behind the Camera will run through January 18, and I hope you’ll get a chance to check it out. It was really interesting getting to see his artistic process, and I was deeply moved by how passionate he was about Civil Rights (which was reflected in his later, less-popular work).
Cheers!
Love this one!!!
Love this dress and love the boots you are wearing with it! Keep them coming!
What did you do to the neckline?
Nothing much. Just unbuttoned it a little. 🙂
AWESOME– I love love love your blog
Favorite ever!
I’m a newcomer to your site and I lovelovelove it! I’ve noticed one thing, and that is that you are SOOOOO tiny that you can belt just about any old bag of a dress and it instantly becomes cuteness. Maybe you’d consider grabbing a differently-shaped model (taller, curvier), hit the thrift stores, and work your magic for the rest of us? Even if you never, I’ll keep checking. Your creativity is inspiring!!
That looks really wearable, I think I could do that. The dress – finished – looks cool with the tights and boots.
awesome
I just love your stuff, by the way in your pictures there is a light blue dress with white lace on it hanging on the rack behind you could you do a refashion on it because i’ve seen one just like it here in Pasco,Florida where I live and i love the color and lace but am a little wary of getting it and trying anything with it, so if i could see what you do with it and how it turns out then i might go for it. Thanks 🙂
Fantastic! And those yellow tights…….
That is adorable and looks fantastic on you!!
I know this dress was way too big for you… you didn’t show any of the alterations from
the side… I would rather see those than the shoulder pads…. I forward to my daughters who need to see beginning things…
thanks!
I just tied it to make it fit. 🙂 No sewing involved. 🙂
Darling! A bit envious of your machine!!! 🙂 thanks for the NR tip!
You accessorize so well, and you wear your clothing boldly and with flair – all of this is key to how your garments look. Excellent!
Wow, you look amazing….and the tights are the best…the boots I LOVE!!!
Wow! This is beyond words! It is totally wonderful.
While I love this simnple refash, what puts this dress over the top is your styling! The mustard tights, those boots, that necklace… Yo got it goin’ on! Excellent work, as always.
Everything you refashion…..I love!!
Had to drop by and say how much I like this one.
Love this look, very smart!
Really an amazing transformation and super stylish. For the first time I wish I had a sewing machine that did crazy stitches, although even with out that detail the refashion rocks!
It was so fun to get to chat with you at The Sewing Party! Loved your video and your refashions! 🙂
You’re so good!
Good one, Jill. I like the way you style them after the refashion too.
I have a similar dress that I plan to improve it. Great work. Hope my will look at least half as good as yours.
Just a few changes certainly made all the difference in this dress!
I love the rainbow thread!
This is kind of neat/odd, but I see a familiar face in your photos. I didn’t know Richard liked art! -I know him from swing dancing! I moved away from Columbia about a month ago and am missing it. It’s so nice to see what’s happening in Cola from your posts. You always go to such neat events.
Love This one! Especially the tights!
Love it – you are amazing!!!
WOW!!! What an incredible improvement!! I would have left this on the rack and not even have given it a second thought!!
Fabulous – it’s a winner!
I love it! 🙂
Well, checking your fab site from cold Calgary, Alberta, Canada (7F right now), the dress looks and ‘feels’ nice n’ warm, espec. with the tights. Good Canadian fashion! And o yes… we have a fresh 6″ of snow on the ground today.
I love this refashion. I had to chuckle a little bit about your chilly SC night. I live in ohio where we have already had snow!!!
You brave soul! Not only hemming without basting, but using colored thread! If I did that, the hemstitch would meander and scream “sloppy amatuer.” This dress works well when you just push up the sleeves and change the way you wear the ties. You didn’t even have to take it in. Looks great on you! I’m inspired to pull out a matronly black dress I’ve never worn and see what can be done with it.
Wow, I love this…I feel like could do this!!!
Ooh – I LOVE this one!
Love the mustard tights! I wear them quite often myself!
Love this dress and the look you achieved with the embroidered hem. Tights are the best!
LOVE this one – exactly the kind of dress I’m always looking for, and never find. You’ve inspired me to go and trawl through the charity shops now.