Thrift Score Makeover

Last week a coworker turned me on to this amazing site: refashionista.net 
It's a lady who can turn even the most mindbogglingly misshapen and awkward thrift store finds into amazing, wearable clothes. I love it! I was inspired to do my own refashioning, so I hit Loaves & Fishes and found some dresses that were just begging for it. 

Like this one. 

I love the green and the multicolored graph paper design and the ruffled neckline, but the floppy bodice, sleeves and length were all pretty terrible. 

It also had ruffles on the ends of the puffy sleeves. The pirate look! My amateur modeling skills have really come out in this photo. This is my "drunken school marm" look. I started by cutting off those godawful pirate sleeves and some length. 

The waist was pretty ill-fitting on me. It was too low to be flattering with that puffy top, so I actually had to take it apart and sew the skirt on a little higher. It was a challenge to keep the elastic waistband intact, so I sewed just above it. I messed up once and created a bubble in the waistline, which I had to rip out with my handy dandy seam ripper and re-sew. 

Next I worked on the arm holes. I cut them even farther in and then sewed the raw edges in once. 

I finished the bottom hem by folding in twice and sewing to make it look nicer. 

And here is the final product! Pretty good job, if I do say so myself! This dress was $5.99, by the way. 

 I went outside with my tripod and took some photos of myself. Eat your hearts out, neighbors! 

For you continuity sticklers out there, I know last time I said that next time we'd find out how that pattern-sewing session with my mom went, but I haven't taken photos of the skirt I made, so that will have to wait. I've also made another pillowcase, for which I may or may not post a tutorial some time soon. No more promises! 

I'll leave you with this amazing pair of shoes I also scored at Loaves & Fishes. I tried them on sort of as a joke with myself  like, "Wow, look at these weird shoes! I'll try them on, just for kicks." They were the only shoes there that fit my big freaky feet, and I had a total Sword in the Stone moment with them. I didn't choose these polka dot kitten heel masterpieces; they chose me. 

These shoes needed me as much as I needed them.