Damn, I had a lousy day. Students misbehaving, unable to fill a prescription due to insurance hold ups, and it's St Patrick's day, and I got nothing to do. I wore my green dress to school. Under a big sweater because, oh yeah; March 17th and it was zero degrees out. I'm constantly being told, via facebook statuses that we all need to stop complaining about the weather. No. This is my home, I was born and raised here, and I live with the inclement weather. But, after 5 months, I'm done grinning and reserve the right to announce this weather is bullshit!
It's not like I'm ready to wear this dress anyway. I bought it last year around June. At a thrift store, probably the little one near work. It's currently quite snug, due to a medical condition that makes donuts delicious. Here's the dress:
I took those pictures before I had a blog, so I guess I wasn't thinking about quality. Looking back, I wish I had kept those sleeves. I could've just made a new neckline, I bet that would've made it cuter. But, I took the sleeves off.
Not only did I remove sleeve, I also attempted to fix what happens to the bodice, once sleeves are gone--a problem I call "wonky sleeve." I think I slapped a sweater on and wore this once during the fall.
Back to the drawing board. Yeah, right, "drawing board" seems to imply that I plan ahead.
I pulled out my original "fixes" and repinned the arm holes. It doesn't look half bad in these cheesy selfies, but that's the magic of bad photography. What annoyed me was the bunching pockets. A dress with pockets is usually a great thing, but the hip area was at max capacity.
Also annoying? The buttons up the back. I kept having to undo then redo. What if I flip this thing around? I've seen experienced refashioners do it. Of course, those pockets would never work in the butt area. I sewed them up, and removed them from the inside. Goodbye, pockets...
Let's see...
Not bad! I can live with this. That's a dress on backwards, all right. The butt is in front. It's ass-backwards.
Without the flash on, my pictures looked kinda dim and "soft." With the flash on, the material looks kinda shiny, and either way the cool print didn't show up.
By the way, I always end up taking a million shots, in hopes that I get a few decent ones. Then it seems like a waste not to use as much of them as possible.
Don't I look a little bit tall? And mad? I can't help it, I just look that way. Also, I'm mad.
Psst...wanna hear a secret? The buttons go up to the neck. I didn't do any stitching, I just folded them down. I couldn't decide on two different ideas:
Should I try and fashion a collar? Or attempt to fix wonky sleeve with an armpit fold-under deal? Or leave it, maybe...
Well, have you kept at least those 'spare pockets' ?
ReplyDeleteYou could - with a bit of 'addition of matching dark material for underneath' - consider a V-neckline PLUS
a little Neru-collar. And - if 'spare pockets' are extended/doubled with 'cheating material' - do some sort of tiny similar rectangular patches (like the Neru-c. might look at first looks) to the Arms; means: like some small/slim, bent, rectangular 'roof'.
Yet, since you're still young and trim and proper of good shape, the 'undertuck' of the armhole does even look appealing to me. Yet - please consider: whether you wanna wear it for the job this could mean: probably not every bra fits neatly underneath in an, aehem, 'morning-hurry'.
If you're very thrifty, you could even opt for solution no. 1 (neru + 'roof' ) for 1 year and still change it into the other solution (no. 2; undertuck) the next year for a different spruce up?
Sorry, to probably having bothered you a tad too much with my '5-cents' yet: choices ?!
Loving greetings,
Linda
PS: if you go for a collar - means: fold out current buttoned front (plus Neru-patch-collar-patch) - you've even got the option of 'naked-raglan-sleeves-cut' for the armholes. To visualize: top of the dress with collar only like a version of a halter-neck next year since this 'rather classical' IS a classical means: basically aaalways 'valid'/in fashion. Whereas the 'undertuck' of current modern style with its slight boxy look might vanish or give away the 'fashion-era' ;-) - or what do you think about my concerns thereabout?
ReplyDeleteLG,
Linda
I like the refashion... hmmm both ways look great. The view with the collar looks a bit retro where as the v-neck looks more up to date to me. I suppose it's whatever your looking for.
ReplyDeleteWow, thanks, Linda! It seems like you put some real thought into it! Of course, I'm not much of a seamstress. I'm just learning how to sew. But I do have a seamstress friend always willing to help me. And, thanks, Jean, that seems to be the general consensus. I'm going to leave it as is, but keep my spare material and maybe some day down the line, I can re-refashion.
ReplyDelete;-) I'm not much of a seamstress either, YET 'sportive greedy' - hence thinking and thinking and thinking again = till my 'final sinking' then at the very end of my life (= at least it sounds similar and might make it more appealing on due day ;-) ) = I'm just quite a few years 'ahead' of you - means: older - sorry and hence know about a few pitfalls more of life already.
ReplyDeleteChin up, dear, you're doing fine!
Loving greetings,
Linda