Colour In Dresses

When I was taking the photos of my latest up-cycled dress it was really sunny. This isn't something I'd usually complain about but it made some of the photos really bright, so much so that the dress I was trying to show was completely washed out.

Which gave me an idea.

I printed out four of the brightest photos where the dress was almost completely white and coloured them in. 

 I was able to re-design the dress.
Straps? Why not.

Pink with matching shoes? Go for it.

 

 I think this one's my favourite. I like the neckline and the green to blue gradient.

So that was fun. It's like a fashion doll meets a colouring page.

Switching up a long dress

My Mum was throwing out this long black dress (age 12 from the 90s!) so I kept it with the intention of switching it up. I'm 5 foot almost 2 so long dresses aren't my jam.

It was only a matter of time before I tried the dropped hem/high-low/waterfall/fishtail style.

If someone could just pick one name for it, that would be great.

(It would have been sooner but I forgot where I put the dress. I discovered it when I was looking for my old jumpers for camp.)

I made the top part of the dress a little fancier by plaiting strips of the fabric that I cut off the bottom and sewing them to the top.

I also made two more plaits for the back which attach to the straps.

I first saw a diy for this style on a pair and a spare, where they fishtailed a long skirt, but there are tutorials all over the internets.

Oh, and this dress gives me the power of levitation.

Whaaaaat.

T-shirt to dress

I think I'm getting better at this sewing business.

Like my new dress?

When I was sorting out my room I found this t-shirt that I'd intended to use as a pyjama top but I never wore it.

Years ago I'd used it to try out printable transfer paper. Not so cool now.

I found a couple of tutorials about how to make a t-shirt into a dress, like this one and this one, and modified them a bit too make them less little-girly.

I even got adventurous and chose to add a peter pan collar.

I made the pattern myself so it's a bit wibbly, but for a first attempt it's not too bad at all.

I added a waist band to give the dress more shape which is attached at the front but not at the back so I'm able to tie/un-tie it.

I also made an under layer for the skirt as the brown fabric is a bit thin. 

I like it.

I like it a lot.

T-shirt dress

It started with a large mens tank top.

Which is just (just!) long enough to be a dress on me. When worn with leggings.

So how to make it look wearable?

First up I gotta belt it!

If only more problems could be solved by throwing on a belt.

Then decorate.

I attempted the multiple necklace print that's been going on, and referred to this tutorial from Jen at My Own Road.

For the big beads I used the bottom of a pen to get perfect circles and then filled them in with a paint brush.

For the long chain I cut a thin drinking straw on an angle so it was an oval and used it to print the pattern.

The heart locket was just done freehand with a paintbrush.

After ironing over the fabric paint for 5 minutes it's ready to wear.

(Who can spot the photo me and Anthony Head from Buffy)

I think I did the beads a bit too wide across the shoulders so it looks a bit odd, but I've got the techniques down for doing more.

In other news friends I shall have to take a blog break for at least a week because my poor laptop is broken again.

I'm back to uni this weekend and I'm having to go back without it, so I'll be relying on uni computers and the kindness of my housemates.

I don't know how I will cope!

Vintage dress up

My Mum recently dug out some of her old (but would now be considered vintage) dresses.

So naturally my sister and I tried them.

They fit wonderfully! 

The yellow dress I'm wearing was the bridesmaids dress my Mum wore for her sister's wedding.

Here's my Mum at 18 wearing the dress my sister has on above. She made it herself.

My Mum was around 16 in this picture (and off to a barn dance which explains the hat) and here I am wearing the same dress. Age 21 but the same size!

Notice the matching hairband which inspired the ones I made last week.

Have any of you parents held on to any of their old clothes for you to try on? 

Clothes as decor

So, you've just paid bazillions for a dress, but you're not gonna get your moneys worth with it hanging in your wardrobe. The solution; hang it on your wall to enjoy everyday.

This is by photographer Selina Lake. I want my life to look like every one of her photos.

You could hang it in a frame to be a bit more formal. Photo by Rachel Whiting.

It's not just dresses that deserve to be on the wall. Petrie Point Designs frame vintage swimwear.

If you want something a bit more functional then look to Paper Dolls for Boys who used two thrift store smocks to make curtains.

And you can buy clothes hanger lamps from Droog to make your own personal garment lighting.

The first garment I would think about displaying would be this piece of awesome that is my prom dress which I bought from ebay and need another excuse to wear.