Hideous Purple Dress!

[Faithalicious]

I bought this dress for $0.50 on a whim because I LOVE the colour, but the shape isn't quite right for me. Any ideas of what I could possibly do with it?? I'm open to ANYTHING, well, besides burning it or throwing it away or cutting it into strips.

^_^

Don't mind the parasol...

[rainbowshoelaces]

is it too big or too small for you? because if its too big, you could alter the shape to fit you and then add some more embellishments to it, and if its too small you could maybe make a bag? what kind of fabric is it?

[Glitterimage2]

theres no pic

[ladyjanewriter]

Ooops. Can't see pic either.

[Faithalicious]

Ooops. Can't see pic either.

theres no pic

Sorry, it's up now...

[Faithalicious]

is it too big or too small for you? because if its too big, you could alter the shape to fit you and then add some more embellishments to it, and if its too small you could maybe make a bag? what kind of fabric is it?

Pure, unadulterated polyester. *sigh* And it's too big...

Ooops. Can't see pic either.

theres no pic

Sorry, it's up now...

[ladyjanewriter]

OK. I'm going to brainstorm a bit and shoot out some ideas -

Can you use pinch-n pin in the waistline?

Or, remove the sleeves? or make them 3/4 or shorter sleeves?

Or, even cut it in half and make a separate skirt and a blouse? I think that may actually be a good idea! The tie can be an attached waist-tie to the blouse. I think it's the kind of top that can look cute with skinny dark jeans.

I think the tie belt is 80's...in the bad way.

I think the skirt would look better on you with a slightly higher hemline. The hemline's hitting you wrong on the calf and visually cutting you off.

Or, turn it sideways, harvest the fabric to make an a-line skirt (and just treat the "body" as 2 long pieces of fabric.)


And, when in doubt, you can always make a handbag.

[Rainshadow]

Or just belt it higher along your waist, and mess with the neckline or something.

[Miss_Gagarin]

hum... you could use it to a 80's party??

sériously, I'd try to make the top more fitted by taking in the sides and trying some darts, I'd cut it shorter and use the extra fabric to make triangular godets to the skirt part making it flowy and cut the sleeves 'next to cap sleeves' short.

[ladyjanewriter]

Oh!

I wonder if you could slit it all the way up the front and make a wrap dress?

And sort of attach the belt to it, and use the belt to tie the wrappy part?

That could be chic, if it's actually do-able!

It could at least be a wrap top...

[Muffin Madness]

I like the sleeves, but I think it would look nicer if you both took in the sides so it was more fitted and made the neckline lower (maybe a V neck and use the belt to cinch the dress right under your bust and tie it in the back?).

[D-I-Y]

maybe cut it shorter, cut off the sleeves and make it a v-neck. you could do any of these or all three. !!!i luv the color!!!

[sillyrabbit]

The shoulders are the first thing I would fix. You really want the shoulder seam to end exactly where your shoulder ends. Too long looks kinda frumpy, but be careful not to make them to short, because it instantly makes you look like you have wide shoulders. Also I agree with the length, I'd alter it so it hits at a better spot and doesn't cut you off. Also, the most flattering cut on any woman is a v-neck. So if you think you can change it, you might try to. Oh and you should probably take the bodice part in, and pin tuck (or something) to make it more form fitting. Tailored to your body is always the most flattering look.
These are just suggestions. And I also think that the color is fantastic.
Hope they help.

[bipolarskizo]

first thing, NEVER burn cloth... you neveer know what's in there besides cotton...

i can see taking out all the pleats so you can make it into a hot little thing

halter, tank top, whatever...

but make it fit!

[Faithalicious]

Alrighty, so I cut the hem shorter... which makes it look a little better. (See picture)

Or just belt it higher along your waist, and mess with the neckline or something.

(maybe a V neck and use the belt to cinch the dress right under your bust and tie it in the back?).

I like this idea, but there's this weird elastic around the wait that's sewn right into the fabric...

Oh and you should probably take the bodice part in, and pin tuck (or something) to make it more form fitting. Tailored to your body is always the most flattering look.

The bodice idea might work if I cut the dress into 2 pieces... but how would you make a bodice out of polyester??


Or, even cut it in half and make a separate skirt and a blouse? I think that may actually be a good idea! The tie can be an attached waist-tie to the blouse. I think it's the kind of top that can look cute with skinny dark jeans.


I'm thinking the 2-piece idea might be my best bet...

This dress is waaaaaay more complicated than it needs to be. *sigh*

[bones]

maybe you should take in the top and make the dress part shorter maybe up to your knees. sleeves you should cutto 3/4.

[Muffin Madness]

What if you cut right underneath the elastic, and right under the bust, so that the dress had an empire waist, then cut the elastic out of the cut out piece, and turned the part you cut out into ruffles for the bottom of the dress (possibly by cutting that piece of fabric in half and reattaching the ends to make it twice as long but half as thick as before).

Or, you could get some black/other color fabric, shorten the sleeves and add contrast cuffs and make a new skirt of the other fabric for the dress.

[Faithalicious]

This is (perhaps) what a skirt could look like (I just tucked in the whole top half).

Could turning it into a jumper skirt work, if I used pieces of the cut off fabric like suspenders? I'm not sure, mostly because it's polyester and strange to work with...

[Aurora199]

I found a top on the Old Navy site that you could probably make. http://www.oldnavy.com/Asset_Archive/ONWeb/Assets/Product/558/558226/main/on558226-03p01v01.jpg

Just move the waistband up to just below your bust, modify the top, shorten the bottom...

Or maybe you could make it into a hoodie. Cut the skirt off just below the elastic, use the skirt to make a hood, attach the hood to the existing neckline, make as long or short of an opening as you want down the front of the shirt.

[awapplesauce]

I'd chop off the sleeves, take our the drawstring waist, and make a nice fitted, tailored Jackie-O piece like this http://www.snarkstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/101407_swank_400x400.jpg
or you can make a mod little mini dress :D