New Take on an Old Fave

I can't believe I did it.  I'd been considering doing it for some time, but I was really afraid.  But I finally did it.  I cut apart a dress that has been in my wardrobe since I was a Junior in High School.  That was 1995.  Like, before I knew the internet beyond AOL "You've Got Mail" even existed. 

I wore this dress regularly up until the end of summer of 2010.  Since then, it had lost its luster for me.  I'm not sure what happened, it just didn't do it for me anymore.  But I loved the fabric, and it had done me well for so many years, I just couldn't thrift or swap it.

I pinned this top months ago from How Joyful, and I knew it would be the inspiration for this dress refashion, if I could ever build up the courage to take a scissors to it.

See my note at the bottom??  I had plans.

I even had plans to use this shirring technique from Make It - Love It, but more about that later.

So without further ado, here was the original.

This was a Gap dress.  Check out the old school label:

I put it on and pinned the length that I wanted.  Once I cut it, I realized I could probably make a skirt out of the remaining fabric!

But that's for another post.

I tried it on, and I probably could have cut the top an inch longer in order to accomodate a double-fold hem.  It's not that it is a crop-top length by any means, but I like my camis/tanks to hang a bit below the waistband of my pants. 

I opted to do just a single-fold hem, which is so unprofessional, but how often do people come and examine your hems anyhow?

Also, the fabric is a nice rayon, and while very slippery, it doesn't fray too much.

Like I mentioned above, I originally planned to make a shirred gathered waist.  But after I hemmed the top and tried it on, I really loved how it hung on me.  The top was done!

I'm beyond pleased with how it turned out.  I was so afraid that I would regret cutting it apart and trying something new.  I will always love this fabric, and I'm so glad I have found a way to revive it and make it a permanent fixture in my wardrobe.