WIB: Summer Dresses

amiable

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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10 years ago

Shopping

13 replies

Latest reply was from Karie

kellygirl

Veteran

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.

10 years ago

amiable

Veteran

Thanks KellyGirl - The shoulders on dress #1 have a bit of a puff - I think that's what you're seeing.

10 years ago

Raisin

Veteran

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.

10 years ago

catgirl

Veteran

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!

10 years ago

amiable

Veteran

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

10 years ago

pil

Veteran

Is there enough fabric in dress 2 to make the twist dress? It would be like a Magic dress!

10 years ago

Day Vies

Veteran

I adore the neon touches with the gray dress. It's strong but not over the top. I love this!

10 years ago

Joy

Veteran

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.

10 years ago

Beth Ann

Veteran

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.

10 years ago

amiable

Veteran

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)

10 years ago

Deborah

Veteran

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.

10 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

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?

10 years ago

Karie

(website)

Veteran

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!

10 years ago

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