Bossing your wardrobe around - turn this dress into a top?? - YouLookFab Forum

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Bossing your wardrobe around - turn this dress into a top??

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Ok, some folks might be aghast at this idea, because this dress is freaking gorgeous. But I don't do full-length bodycon anymore, especially on my bottom half. And it's not a piece that dresses down.

I'm wondering about having it cut off at the hip to make a top (heck, maybe someone smaller would like the bottom half to make into a skirt!). I love the print so much, and I hate to let it go, but I would much more likely wear it as a top, for instance with wide-legged black trousers or jeans, and could top it with a jacket (denim to dress it down, a blazer to dress it up).

What does the YLF hivemind think of this idea? Crazy? Should I just try to sell it? Or repurpose it as a top?

Fuzzi Print Tulle Sheath Dress

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34 replies

Latest reply was from Firecracker (Sharan)

Irina

Veteran

Absolutely! I would do it, too, in your place. The print is gorgeous!

cat2

Veteran

Not crazy at all. The tailoring won’t be expensive at all.

Lisa

Veteran

I say go for it since you love the print.

BlueJay

Veteran

Absolutely!
(Leave enough length for tucking!)

Sisi

Veteran

Excellent idea! Not crazy at all.

SW Ann

Veteran

I think it's a great idea! You love the print but don't like the bottom, so salvage the part you love into a top you will use!

Peri

Veteran

I think it would be an amazing top, but I've never done something like that before so I have no idea if it would work. One thing I wonder, since it is body con, would it ride up with movement once it didn't have the whole dress to anchor it down? That's a question I would have and can't answer...maybe the tailor could, or someone here with actual experience.

If it would work, I'd say it would be worth it to keep getting some use out of something you love.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Oh, I’m glad to see support for this idea. Thank you!

Peri, I also wondered about that. I wonder if some additional interfacing or something could be added to the hem to give it enough structure that it doesn’t roll up? I’ll talk with my tailor.

Anonymous

I probably would not, because this isn't like hemming or shortening a sleeve and n the past I have overlooked some detail that makes the remodeled item a disappointment.

Maybe think very carefully about the structure of the dress, for example, how important is the weight of the skirt to the fit of the top and if the dress is snug, will the top be smooth over another garment?

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Thumbs up!

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Excellent idea! Why not?

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Cate, these are good issues to consider. The dress is very stretchy and lined. It’s actually comfortable to wear. I just don’t care to go this bodycon for a whole dress anymore (top is easier for me to pull off). I am going to try it on with all these thoughts in mind before I do anything. Really, it’s probably a choice of alter it and wear it as a top, or sell it if I can.

Aquamarine

Veteran

I did the same thing just a few months ago. It was a knit dress and I absolutely love the result. As a top, it gets way more use.

citygirldc

(website)

Veteran

I say yes.

Brooklyn

Veteran

I support it and have done it. My only caution: sometimes stretchy fabrics are difficult to re-hem when you cut them. You can get a rippling effect. If it’s a mesh, you may be better off just cutting it and leaving it raw. Or you may be able to re-use the hem from the skirt of the dress. I do this when I shorten tees. Your tailor should be able to advise on the best approach. Exciting!!!

Brooklyn

Veteran

And you might be able to turn the skirt section into an infinity scarf. Just spitballing…

Runcarla

Veteran

You could also try layering a skirt over the dress as an experiment before actually giving it the chop. I’ve done that with a lightweight chiffon dress that I don’t want to shorten, but that has a great pattern.

Jonesy

Veteran

I say yay! The only thing I might be worried about is the bottom hem sort of rolling up a bunch, because of the type of fabric and how body con it is (i.e., if your hips are larger than your waist, the fabric may "want" to roll up, if that makes sense--this sort of thing has happened to me when I tried to wear a cami). But you could always tuck it if that happens.

Kate

Veteran

Sure, but take it to a good tailor to do the work.

cherylm

Just an idea but what about wearing a skirt over the top? It could be a sheer skirt that would add volume counter-acting the body con. I’m worried the top might roll at the bottom depending how tight it is.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I'd definitely take it to a seamstress to consider it. I don't think it's a crazy idea at all. you might need to do something to counteract the potential roll of the fabric. That could be leaving it raw, or it might mean adding something to the bottom of the top that would weight it a bit.

I cut down a Vince silk dress for a top and I wear it much more often. The dress was too short for my current preferences and I knew I would wear it as a blouse.

Vince Double Layer Shirtdress

$395.00 $157.97

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bella

(website)

Veteran

What a pretty dress! I vote sell. I am sure someone would be willing to take it off your hands.

Star

Veteran

Definitely! I have done this before and it gave the piece a new life. I did not actually hem it, it was finished with a zigzag (I think it is called) stitch. Basically no folding under. Maybe you could have the same done just so that it does not fray, it would sit like a rolled 'lettuce' finish IYKWIM. I made a scarf out of the bottom I cut off. I don't wear them together ;).

ETA: Just read the comments after and I see Brooklyn and I are on the same tack mostly.

Ket

Veteran

Yes!!!! Do it! Please share with us the end result I bet you’ll get oodles of wear out of it.

I love the idea proposed to use the skirt fabric as an infinity scarf! Brilliant idea.

Eliza

Veteran

If the fabric will work, I’d join the chorus saying go for it. Beautiful print and so many ways to style it with your great collection of jackets. Your tailor may have ideas. Good luck!

April

Veteran

Hi Dress Twin, I believe I asked the self-same question about this dress.

I thought the consensus was no, but let me see if I can find the thread.

April

Veteran

Here you go: https://youlookfab.com/welookf.....uzzi-dress

Janet

(website)

Veteran

April, I had forgotten about that thread, although I remembered that you had this dress too. What did you end up doing? I don’t recall seeing your final decision.

It’s kind of amazing how long I’ve had this dress, and honestly I haven’t worn it since the time of that thread. Interesting how attitudes towards chopping up a beautiful garment have changed since then - including mine!

It’s also wild to ponder how much more casual life and style has become since then. That was pre-pandemic and we all anticipated more dressy occasions than we actually had, even back then. Now I feel overdressed even for what used to be the rare dressy occasions!

I’m not sure if I’d even be able to sell it at this point — and I have two bags of items I *should* sell including some very nice dresses, one still with tags, but it seems a lot of bother to list them, wait for sales, ship, etc, so realistically I’m more likely to give them away or donate. And if I’m just going to donate the dress, I may as well try shortening it to a top first!

Will ponder more.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

As for the suggestions to wear a skirt over the dress, I did think of that but it’s unlikely. It sounds like an uncomfortable solution to me, but I’m wider on the bottom so skirts tend to be clingy on me anyway unless they are very voluminous, a silhouette I don’t do a lot of.

So that solution requires a skirt I do not already own — I have two existing black skirts, but one is form fitting as is (a bias cut slip skirt that’s a little too fitted at the moment and I’ve thought about giving away), and the other has a slit and is lined (which would mean four layers of fabric including the dress!), so I don’t think either one would work. They would also still remain quite dressy solutions with very limited wearing opportunity. I wouldn’t be able to wear it with trousers or jeans.

It does occur to me that the dress cut off to a top *could* still be worn with those skirts — especially the one with the slit — for dressier occasions. The slit one works well with tucked tops because it sits a little lower on my waist and has a nice finished waistband, not just straight elastic.

I will try it just to be sure, and I appreciate the idea!

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