Totally 90's Wedding Refashion

My sister got married on Saturday. While the weather was drizzly and cold and forced the would-be outdoor wedding indoors, it wound up being a nice day for a white wedding after all. (Minus Billy Idol's original "Don't do it, don't do it, don't get married little sister" message.)

But enough about the wedding. It's time to talk about my bridesmaid's dress. My sister, being a very trusting and optimistic person, gave me permission to make my own dress, and after scouring thrift stores for the right ugly dress for the job, I found a white cotton blend 90's Jessica McClintock dress. It was too white, too small, and far too ugly to wear as is, so I got to work.

Size 5? That just made me lol.

My original idea was to remake a beautiful green Valentino number from 2011, but I quickly learned I'd gotten in way over my head. Not wanting to let the bride down, I scoured the internet until I found some inspiration at Shabby Apple.

I buckled down and reworked the snow beast from the 90's until it resembled the Shabby Apple dress sans sleeves. Then I started testing dyes.

Eenie, meenie, minie, mo...

Once I'd picked a color, I mixed up the dye, tossed the dress in the dye bath, and hoped for the best. (Better instructions for dyeing are included on the packages.)

Dye and rinse!

Once the dress was rinsed, dried, and pressed, it was wedding ready! 

Time for some "I dos!"

After the vows were said and the cake was eaten, I got to thinking about the color of the dress. Rit's "#258" didn't have a very nice ring to it (see what I did there?), and I didn't want to rip off Shabby Apple's "Mint Tea," but calling the dress something like "light spring green" didn't do it justice.

Finally, I made a decision. In honor of the May 4th wedding and Star Wars day, the color of the dress is "Yoda Green."

May the fourth be with you, everyone!

 - Elizabeth

   aka The Hungry Octopus