Upcycle yellow paisley shirt into...? - YouLookFab Forum

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Upcycle yellow paisley shirt into...?

Zaeobi

(website)

Veteran

I bought this shirt (dress) as an emergency purchase abroad (I've been in need of some lightweight long sleeved tops for a while, so thought I'd try my luck when I didn't pack enough tops for Malaysia but the weather meant I could test drive the breathability in the heat). It performed wonderfully - the material doesn't feel as wrinkly as linen, it fits well in the shoulders & comes to about knee length on me.

However, whilst this was a fabulous holiday purchase (paired with sunglasses, a straw hat & lightweight wide legged trousers), the paisley print feels a bit too 'much' for my everyday look - I love wearing colour but I'm usually in solid coloured tops.

I'm therefore thinking of upcycling this shirt dress by converting it into something else, but I can't think what. Any ideas? Feel free to share what you would do with it & feel free to be honest, lol!

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Dressing

19 replies

Latest reply was from Zaeobi

Bee

A scarf is the first thing that comes to mind! Were you thinking to convert it to another garment though?

Sisi

Veteran

What comes to my mind: beach cover-up (removing collar and sleeves). Skirt - the paisely could feel more wearable far from your face. Belt, robe, placemat, pillow case ....

slim cat

Veteran

Ditto on beach cover-up - maybe shortening the sleeves and rolling them? Wearing as a duster in a open way with black slim jeans/shorts and tank tops.

Zaeobi

(website)

Veteran

@Bee A scarf is what I first had in mind, too. Do you think with the amount of fabric that's there (knee-length) it would be long enough to reach chest level? I don't own many smaller neck scarves. I'm not entirely sure what I want from this shirt lol but it would be a shame to let the pattern go to waste (it even stayed colourfast in the washing machine!)

@Sisi I'm not particularly skilled at sewing but I like the idea of a skirt or sarong. I suppose I could just wear it open as a beachy cover-up shirt too but I prefer to stay fully covered even on the beach, so I'm not sure if it would look strange over my wetsuit-like swimsuit. Maybe rolled up like @slim cat suggested wouldn't look as strange?

The belt is a great idea for using up the sleeves of the shirt (if I decide to hack them off). Thanks, all of you!

SarahD8

Veteran

Could you just keep it as is and have it be the anchor of a warm-weather holiday capsule? That strategy of having items I pull out only in specific seasons or situations actually brings me a lot of pleasure.

Mirjana

Veteran

I'm with SarahD8 and maybe you try to wear it as duster if you like that . Keep waiting maybe you would find the best way to wear it. It's a very nice dress.

Joy

Veteran

My first thought was converting it into a sleeveless dress but it could be a cute summer weight jacket.

Bee

You're right, it would be difficult to do a more traditional larger scarf or a rectangle shape, but some doable options would be:

A shorter scarf with some width like this: https://sazmifsud.com/shop/wom.....16fd43adaa
Same as above, but sew the ends together for an infinity scarf like this:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/6.....n-infinity
A skinny scarf like this: https://ee.burberry.com/graffi.....-p40753071

You'll pretty much need 4 rectangular panels to do a scarf - 1 from each front side, and 2 from the back - so the wrong side of the fabric is not visible. I'm not sure exactly how much length and width you'd be able to squeeze out but you can do some measuring and see if it would be enough. But this would chop up the pattern quite a bit, so if you do want to keep the paisley design, maybe altering it into another garment is a better way to go.

I do like the idea of a beach cover up. You could also go with a tunic/caftan look: hack off the collar. You can make little collar ties that caftans sometimes have, or carve out a V-neck. Cut the sleeves short but not entirely, use the remnants to make a skinny string belt. Or keep the sleeves long, you can chop off the cuffs to give it a more casual vibe, with elastic or without, and set in skinny elastic at the waist. Inspiration:

https://www.brazilianbikinisho.....34333.html

https://kohkoh.fashion/short-s.....k002_a043/

https://www.madewell.com/tie-w.....id=apparel

You could wear that to a beach, or with leggings/skinny jeans in the city.

It's hard to see in the picture, but does it have a button placket, or is the front sewn together?

Zaeobi

(website)

Veteran

@SarahD8, @Mirjana & @Joy
That's actually a fair point - why fix it if it ain't broke? I know some people frown upon buying a new wardrobe for holiday travel but I do live in a subtropical climate. Maybe it could do double duty as a general beach cover-up or casual summer piece?

@Bee
Yes, it's a true shirt with a buttoned placket all the way down. The kaftan idea is a good one - I think part of my initial doubt comes from the collar. It isn't exaggeratedly wide but, paired with the paisley print, it does feel like it could veer into 70s costume territory if I'm not careful.

I like the first example you linked to - do you think that 'caped' kaftan shape could work with longer sleeves? I'm thinking if I could incorporate the shirt's sleeves somehow (maybe 3/4 length) but I don't want to start hacking away if it's just a pipe dream lol. Also considering where the belt would come from - maybe shorten the hem a little?

@Anyone else who's reading this & is considering upcycling something - I found this really useful resource, full of interesting ideas:
https://thesewingloftblog.com/.....-clothing/

rachylou

Veteran

Are you doing your own sewing here? I was thinking sleeveless top... tank top even.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Ha to your last remark about the 70s costume! I thought I would save it in my dress-up cupboard for exactly that- and also occasionally wear for a fun day or evening outfit out.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

I’m in the keep-it-intact camp. People are layering sweaters over dresses these days; maybe that would work for you, as it could put a solid color next to your face.

Good to see you again!

Zaeobi

(website)

Veteran

@rachylou Unfortunately I don't havy own sewing machine out here, so I can do some hand stitching (albeit badly lol) but I'd rather not have to get stuck into a full reconstruction of anything.

@Jenni NZ I don't usually dress up (even for Halloween) but I've actually been invited to a bike party where the theme is 'retro beach party'. I'm not sure if I'll go (amid the Coronavirus situation out here) but if I do, I wonder if I could use this as fancy dress for that purpose...

@FashIntern Yes I was also thinking of the look I've been saying lately of turtlenecks layered underneath collared shirts as well. I'm not a big menswear or oversized sweater sort of dresser usually, but it's given me food for thought.

Thanks, it's good to see you too! I think now I'm finally settling into the idea of being in HK long-term (& being stuck indoors due to the virus), I'm finally feeling motivated to make permanent changes to my wardrobe, so hopefully I'll be around more often... a good spring cleaning is long overdue!

cindysmith

Veteran

I think it's gorgeous and could be something you reserve for travel or resort or whatever we're calling that sort of capsule. A scarf or vest or jacket could break up the color/pattern if it feels "too much"

Zaeobi

(website)

Veteran

@cindysmith Yes, it would be a fine addition to my new, hybrid resort/ beach/ hot weather/ summery/ ice-cream-&-sunglasses sort of capsule wardrobe, haha

Anonymous

Agreeing to keep it intact for holidays- either as a beach coverup or worn open over a tank top and pants. If the sleeves are rolled too it won't seem as bold.

Mary Beth (formerly LBD)

(website)

Veteran

Your dress definitely has a contextual vibe of holiday, bright sunlight, and hot temperatures. If you loved wearing it previously, or you find yourself periodically buying and purging print tops over and over, I vote keep. I love the duster idea, and I think it would be cute over a column of white, with some tan or nude sandals.

If your heart is set on a scarf, maybe remove and open up the sleeves, and sew the fabric together for a long skinny scarf? I’ve never done anything like this, so I don’t know.

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

It's so beautiful! I would be tempted to keep it as is, or shorten it to a blouse that you can tuck in. Under a blazer or casual jacket, it would add a pop of color and pattern, not unlike a scarf! You can also tone it down by wearing a vest over it.

Zaeobi

(website)

Veteran

Thanks for the input, everyone - I obviously don't have a holiday coming up any time soon, but maybe I can do some experimenting whilst at home!