Subscribe to updates via email!

Thoroughly Modern Jilly: A DIY Fringed Dress Refashion

New Dress for a New 'Do
An Asymmetrical V-neck Dress Refashion

When I scored this Malibu Barbie-ish dress for $1, I knew I couldn’t leave it as-is.

DIY Fringed Dress Refashion Before
Ick. Pink.

Perhaps this would work as a swimsuit coverup or some such thing, but as many of you know…I hate pink.  Bleh!

You can probably guess what happened next!

I set up my dye bath!

Dark Brown Dye
Brown+Red=Maroon…Wonder what Brown+Pink will yield?
Dress in dye bath
Mid-Bath!

When my dress was dyed and dried, I used a clothespin to keep the top layers out of the way while I snipped the lower ones into strips.

cutting fringe for dress
Lots ‘n LOTS of snips!

This took a while…

cutting fringe for dress refashion
So. Much. Snippage.

As I snipped each strip, I tugged on them to make the fabric curl like you see above.

When I was done, I ended up with a frock that makes me think of a post-apocalyptic flapper!

DIY Fringed Dress Refashion After
From the thunder dome…

I know…it’s a little odd, but I really dig it!

Am I doing The Charleston?  Is that what this looks like?
Am I doing The Charleston? Is that what this looks like?

There was a slight breeze, so I kept my fringy frock under my chambray shirt.

Meet Baxter!
Meet Baxter (and Ken)!

My dress enjoyed brunch with friends…

Refashionista with friends in restaurant
Live fast. Die young. Bad girls do it well. 😉

…followed by a fun game of Bocce Ball!

refashionista playing bocce
Such great form!
refashionista eating cheese
Pics like these are why I’ll never be taken seriously as a fashion blogger.  Whatever.  CHEESE!

After doing a fairly decent job at what might be my favorite new “sport”, I headed over to The Nickelodeon to catch a much-anticipated film with Dianne!

movie poster
Love these guys!
Jillian and Diane in movie theater
Happy film goers! 🙂

If you haven’t seen The Trip to Italy yet, you should!  Rob and Steve are hilarious together and this sequel is even funnier (and deeper) than their first Trip!  🙂

I hope you all had a lovely weekend.  🙂

Baxter the Dog
No, Baxter.

Cheers!

Refashionista DIY Fringed Dress Refashion Before and After
New Dress for a New 'Do
An Asymmetrical V-neck Dress Refashion

28 thoughts on “Thoroughly Modern Jilly: A DIY Fringed Dress Refashion”

  1. I doS save to say that I like the original 1better. The other 1 just looks like rags
    on you and I agree with the earlier comment it looks like your car wash.

    Reply
  2. Great transformation, I have a “meh” grey version very much like the “Pepto-Pink” one you started with–perhaps I should try this strategy. Your frock can even tranistion to fall and winter with tights, boots and a cropped moto jacket.

    Reply
  3. Love the transformation, love the new color too! I used to work at a 1920’s-themed restaurant and I made several flapper outfits to wear while I waited tables. Wish I had thought of something like this! One silly question: was there some kind of modesty slip under all the layers? Just curious, I couldn’t tell from the dress form pictures, but when you modeled the dress it looked modest enough. Great job!!!

    Reply
  4. Awesome! I’m also small and ruffles are just way too precious for already-childlike-shaped women. 🙂 I *love* this solution and will definitely copy!

    Reply
  5. I hate pink as well. It’s still pink. Wonder if mixing it with orange would have made coral. I like coral. I do like the design though.

    Reply

What do you think?