One in the bag for our upcoming week in the Isle of Wight! Nautically appropriate of course, but whether I'll have the opportunity to wear it without wellies and an umbrella, well....we live in hope! As you can see from the before photo (forgive me the unstraightened hair!) it started out life as a vintage Laura Ashley denim dress. The length didn't really suit me (a bit swampy) and it cut in under the arms so I played around with it for a couple of days and came up with the revamped version on the right....
I had to recut the armholes which meant removing the existing binding. I replaced in with self made French navy bias used as a kind of reverse facing; rolling the entire width of it to the front and topstitching it down; so that it's"edged" with the original denim. I added a matching band to the empire waist, created a matching faux button placket and added some gold nautical buttons from my stash....
I re cut the hem to scoop low at the back and higher at the front so the overall effect is kinda tea length. I mean...the general public can only handle so much pale and pasty leg activity...I'm considerate like that ;) It's a lovely full skirt and I'm pleased the finished dress has retained that vintage vibe whilst having a more on trend feel to it as well. At least I hope that's what I've achieved, ha ha!
By the way, has anyone else been massacred by mosquitoes? You can just about see a large dark patch on the front of my right ankle. That's the remainder of a monster mosquito bite (one of many but I won't show you the one that bit THROUGH my jeans right into my buttock...!) that went a bit nasty. They do seem to love pale skin. Maybe a bit of fake tan will fool 'em.....
7 comments:
This is a really good upcycle. Simple, but so much more interesting.
I have something like that in a denim with a woven print. only it is cut more like a pinafore.
I hear you on the bug bite. I got something strange like that about a month ago. Blisters and everything. I ended up using my cortisone type cream to get it to go away.
Sandy in Bracknell, UK
Very nice and classy ! And your hair looks beautiful straight OR wavy !
Oh, gorgeous dress refashion Portia. I love the trim and the buttons.
Debbie
EOD
Really nice refashion! I'm lovin' the nautical theme!
Great improvement on a dowdy looking dress. Love the French bias -- plan on using it in the future.
As to mosquito bites, I use Tea Tree oil and it keeps them away. My husband and daughter refused to lather it on before we went hiking in Sequoia National Park (the mosquitoes were swarming). The mosquitoes completely avoided me and went for them. All of a sudden they were yelling for me to slather it on them -- it was way, way too funny. It's a bit smelly, but that's way better then having to deal with bites. I've also heard some people use a product by AVON and it keeps the mosquitoes away.
sweet dress refashion miss!
Looks gorgeous on you. Well done.
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