Accepting Autumn, featuring a refashion

So, this is what I wore on Monday of last week (yeah, I don't think I will ever be one of those bloggers who manage to photograph and post on the same day), when I was starting to accept the fact that it was getting to be time for scarves, coats, gloves, legwarmers, boots, etcera. And boy was this a good thing, because toward the end of last week and over the weekend, it got frickin' ridiculously cold for October in Philly. Then it went and got up to 70 degrees today. I'm SO CONFUSED.


But the main reason I photographed this is that I'd like to feature more of the things I refashion or make, and this dress/tunic (the store marketed it as a "dress," but with my legs being so long and with the bottom layer being sheer, they've got to be kidding) is refashioned.


This was its first outing. When I bought it, I knew it was a completely insensible purchase. I failed to get a "before" photo, but here are some "in progress" photos. Try to picture as it was originally, four tiers with no waist or midriff definition, making me look like a dumpy, frumpy box. Take my word for it, it was unflattering.



Elastic to the rescue! It turned the top tier into a fitted bodice rather than a frumpy tier, then I trimmed the fabric that stuck out below it after it was stitched in place. The bow you see above was part of one long strip of fabric that served as the shoulder straps and gathered the neckline. I cut the bow, closed-up the center front slit invisibly, secured the shoulder straps in place, and used the bow fabric to make a belt to cover the ugly elastic.


It's secured at three spots across the back, then hooks and bars under the goofy flower. Since it's not stretchy fabric, I couldn't just stitch it in place over the elastic all around, as I wouldn't be able to put it on then.


I had intended it as an addition to my summer wardrobe, but I guess it's going to have to celebrate its infancy as a layered piece over the winter.