WIB: Summer Dresses

Went garage sale-ing this morning, and found two interesting dresses.  

#1 is a contender for summer outside activities  100% cotton, nice and breezy.  Does it work with the yellow belt and necklace, or is the belt too bright?

#2 is a contender for summer weddings, maybe.  It was sold with prom dresses, but when I tried it on at home, it seems more casual - the pockets, while nicely functional, somehow really casual-ize it to me.  So I'm considering what I can easily do to bump-up the dressy-ness of it.  Maybe change the hem to a hi-low (#3 is me holding it in such a shape)?  Or chop the bodice off and make it a maxi-skirt?  What do you think - any way to make this one "hawaiian-beach-wedding" worthy?



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13 Comments

  • kellygirl replied 10 years ago
    Love the bright belt on 1. Nice dress. It could be the way you are standing but it looks like it might be a little big through the shoulders though. Not sure about the other dress. I'll leave that one to others. I *think* high/low might be a good call to minimize the volume of the skirt but like I said, I'll leave that to the experts. 
  • amiable replied 10 years ago
    Thanks KellyGirl - The shoulders on dress #1 have a bit of a puff - I think that's what you're seeing.




  • Raisin replied 10 years ago
    I am loving dress #1!  The belt makes it so fun!

    I'm not sure the 2nd dress is dressy enough for a beach wedding.  It looks more casual to me.  But then again, beach weddings can be very casual, so it depends on what you feel the dress code is. 
  • catgirl replied 10 years ago
    Love the color and styling of 1 but I do see what Kelly sees. Though we are shoulder sensitive!  It's not the puff but the gap between the dress and you there that makes it look a bit big for you.

    I'm not a fan of that second dress, sorry.  

    Garage sales are so much fun!
  • amiable replied 10 years ago
    Ahh - I do think I see it too.  The collar shouldn't go all the way to the end of my shoulders, should it.... 

    Perhaps I'll remove the sleeves (they're raglan, so I think they'd look okay removed...

    And I'm less and less in favor of the second dress too.  I think I'll cut out a twist dress tonight :)
  • pil replied 10 years ago
    Is there enough fabric in dress 2 to make the twist dress?  It would be like a Magic dress!
  • Day Vies replied 10 years ago
    I adore the neon touches with the gray dress. It's strong but not over the top. I love this!
  • Joy replied 10 years ago

    The yellow with your first dress is a nice touch. I hope making it sleeveless loves the fit problem in the top. It looks too big there.
    A twist dress from the fabric of the second dress sounds dreamy. I can also imagine a high-low hem on this dress, but, again, the bodice looks like it needs to be taken in.

  • Beth Ann replied 10 years ago
    The first dress is modern, and beautifully styled -- a keeper, I think.  The second?  Well, I think it would make a great skirt, but the bodice, even taken in lacks good design and structure IMHO. 
  • amiable replied 10 years ago
    I know - a twist dress in the floral would be heavenly, wouldn't it!  Unfortunately, I'm afraid it'd be a nightmare to sew - it's a knit underlayer, and a woven top layer.  

    I may try it anyway - I just don't hold out much hope for it being wonderful :) 

    And I'm hacking off the arms of the gray dress it see if it helps.  I noticed that it's an XXL junior size.  So yes, almost certainly too big (I'm usually a M to an L in normal, misses, size)
  • Deborah replied 10 years ago
    I particularly like the first dress but I feel it looks too big Amy.  It might be worth an alteration to achieve a better fit.  But I think it will look great.  The second dress is pretty but it looks big also, I am just not sure on that one.
  • Suz replied 10 years ago
    Dittoing what the others say. Maybe trying dress 1 sleeveless, but I suspect it is going to be too big in the upper body, still...Too bad, as I like the way you have accessorized it. 

    Maybe they both can be made into skirts? 
  • Karie replied 10 years ago
    I love the neon belt with dress#1! I'd remove the sleeves, but then try it on for fit before sewing - another slight alteration to the top and/or side seams in the bodice might solve any other fit issues there. If not, you could sew up the armholes and wear the dress as a skirt, or remove the bodice and turn it into a skirt. 

    I like your idea of turning #2 into a high-low dress. Is it too big in the bodice, though? It's hard to tell from the photos. If a side seam alteration doesn't solve that issue, I would turn it into a high-low skirt.

    Great garage sale finds!

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