Frumpy 70's granny to va-va-voom

[andi_sunrider]

Okay, so I was at the thrift store, looking at the racks and racks of clothing of so many different textures and cuts, and despite it's frumpy shell, this dress called out to me. a sack of a tank top, a misfitting vest covering it, attached to a gathered skirt that added pounds.


Ikes! This dress needed serious help!

So out comes the handy dandy seam ripper. I took the skirt off of the top peices, and ripped out one side seam. I sewed up the back (it buttoned up for some reason), brought the sleeves in a lot (about 6 inches from the edge of the sleeves, and darting in an inch up to the armpit). I ditched the tank top, and pulled the sides of the vest far in the opposite direction -- creating a cute bra-like structure. The dress came with a belt, but that wasn't long enough to make it a wrap dress, so I cut up the tank top to get a few extra feet of wrapping belt. Allowing about a foot for tying, I sewed the belt onto the bra parts, which goes through the seam on one side. The length of the skirt matched the length of the two bust parts and the back perfectly, so it ties in a cute little knot below one bosom! Here it is, finished!



The skirt flows so much nicely when I walk, it's the perfect length for my legs, and it accentuates my best two assets and makes me feel like way more than the $5 I spent on it:)

But of course that's not it! I also found this lovely sweater at the thrift store on the $1 rack, and I'm a sucker for cute sweaters. This fit me on the chest, but was super short, but I fell in love with the pattern and had to have it. So I cut about 6 inches off the bottom and molded around the front, and shaped it into a shrug that ties with matching velvet ribbon (not from the thrift store, alas, but at 10c a yard, it might as well have been). Here's the dress with the shrug on top (I shaped it to match the lines of the dress, as I anticipate wearing them together), and a detail of the design on the shrug:



I hope y'all like it! This challenge was great; I have two grocery bags full of "I could do this with this!!" items that I picked up at the same time, so I'm set for crafting for the next few weeks!

[DevilDoll]

Awesome job - what a transformation!! Like from Edith Bunker to Marylin Monroe!!! You would be lucky to find a dress that hot for $100 in a store.

[decibel]

 
That's va-va-voom allright!

I love what you did to that straight out ugly ol' tent dress thing.
The pretty pattern on the fabric comes out just right now - before you could hardly see it.

And wow what a flattering fit, you look hottttt! I would never be able to see pin-up potential in the "before" dress, never.
From Muu Muu to Marilyn Monroe - that's talent right there.

Good work!
   

[McJulie-O]

Well done! The most impressive thing to me is, that you not only had the VISION to transform the dress, but you actually kept at it until you FINISHED it, with the wonderful shrug and ALL!

My vision/ambition often outstrips my accomplishment, and if at first I don't succeed.....I put it into the mending bag (where it will never be found again.)

I salute you!

[VaxGirl]

I think you described it perfectly, frumpy to va-va-voom! You did a spectacular job and you really know what looks good on you!

[Pretendpeterpan]

Nothing I can say that hasn't been said already, just another admirer of this project! Well done!

[spaz2phreek]

wow! The original dress was HORRID! But snap does the new version look HOT HOT HOT!

[grannystylee]

Great vision and great skill. This is my favorite before and after so far and your title says it all!

[Sanford and Me]

  Ohhhh you have SKILLZ andi! GRRRRRRRRRRRRREAT job!

[rhythmgrl]

that's flippin fantastic!!