How to alter a dress: step by step instructions with photos and descriptions, ideas

2024 Author: Sierra Becker | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-26 03:40

Every woman has a good dozen dresses in her closet that she wore for some special occasion. But, once worn, they then gather dust on hangers for years, because you don’t want to put them on again, but it’s a pity to throw them away. Today we will tell our readers some great ideas on how to alter a dress and make yourself a new outfit from virtually nothing.

What's the secret?

Dress is the type of clothing that is easiest to transform into something else, more practical. It can be shortened and made from a maxi mini, lengthened with lace, sewn in, creating something more strict and sexy from an outfit with a fluffy skirt, or you can simply add it with unexpected accessories and get a completely new and original look at the end.

Complex alterations are best left to an experienced dressmaker. With sufficient skill in such matters, transformations are made with their own hands. Altering a dress is not so easy, especially if itmade of inelastic and slippery fabrics (satin, chiffon, silk).

If you are not afraid of such difficulties, pay attention to the previous picture with four dresses. All of them are sewn according to a single pattern - they have the same bodice and outlines. The main differences are the length of the product and the decor of the top. This idea can also be used to alter the dress. How to do this is easy to guess, there are several options at once:

• you can adjust the length;
• change clothes by combining pieces cut from fabric of different colors;
• decorate part of the dress with lace, guipure or ruffle.

In order to make a two-tone outfit, you will have to rip the dress, separating the top from the bottom. The guipure T-shirt is sewn according to a specially made pattern, and then connected to the bottom. To prevent the part from slipping, it is better to fix it by stitching it to the belt and sewing it into the side seams.

Why can't I throw my old dress out of my grandmother's closet?

If a beautiful, but long unfashionable dress of your mother or grandmother is lying around in the closet, you can modify it by making yourself an actual outfit (and not even one). How to alter an old dress? The photo shows the dress before and after the alteration. It only takes a little rethinking of the outfit to make it fashionable and modern:

• make a neater round neckline instead of the old angular one;
• reduce armhole;
• raise the waist line a little and shape it with a narrow belt;
• pick up a better onedress length.

If desired, a whole wardrobe can be made from the same grandmother's outfit without any problems. To do this, the dress is altered into a suit consisting of a skirt and blouse. Also, the image can be radically changed by adding a removable peplum to the top of the outfit. This blouse goes well with skinny pants or a pencil skirt, and the skirt in this set looks perfect with a classic cut plain shirt.

Dress skirt

The most difficult job is to separate the bottom of the dress from the top and sew the skirt. How to redraw the product, we will tell in the master class. Based on an old silk outfit, from which a wonderful fluffy summer skirt is obtained:

• Unfold the dress and draw a rounded line across it (you first need to measure the approximate length of the future skirt). If you cut the fabric in a straight line, it will not fit nicely and the hem will be asymmetrical.
• Cut out the future skirt and gather it evenly at the top.
• Cut out two strips of fabric for the belt (their length is the width of the gathered skirt plus 1-1.5 cm for the seams, and the width is 8-10 cm). Then the details must be basted and stitched to the product.
• In this skirt model, you need to sew a one-piece zipper, preferably a hidden one. It can be in the side seam or in the back. The zipper is inserted after the belt is sewn to the main part of the product. To prevent it from bristling, the skirt should be ironed well.

The fabric on the belt detail is better in advanceduplicate with interlining, then it will become more rigid and will not wrinkle while wearing the skirt.

Make a dress out of a long skirt

By the way, there may be another alteration (in the next photo). You can alter the dress from a skirt, only it should be an elongated style. It is best to choose a product made of airy cotton fabric with a colorful pattern. The whole course of work is described in the picture.

This dress is perfect for a beach walk, you can wear it over a top or swimsuit.

Wedding Dress Alteration

Wedding dresses are worn only once. This is right, but it's a shame - because things are so good and beautiful, they are associated with the best day in the life of many girls. This injustice can be corrected if the wedding dress is slightly altered. By the way, some salons already offer their clients outfits that transform without any problems even during the celebration. You can remove a train or several petticoats from them, so that it is more convenient to move around, dance and just sit in a dress.

What else can you do with a wedding dress to wear it again? To start, trim the hem, making the length to the knee or mid-calf (a la 50s). It also does not hurt to remove excess decor from the bodice - usually wedding dresses are studded with rhinestones and pearls, but even the most elaborate evening attire cannot be so catchy. A puffy dress in the style of Cinderella is better to reduce a little involume, removing a couple of layers of tulle, thanks to which it will not look like a tutu. Complex alterations, during which the style of the product completely changes, are best left to professionals. How to alter a long dress and change its silhouette, they know better than others.

Shirt dress

There are many workshops on reworking men's shirts. Aprons, sundresses, tops, skirts, blouses and even bombers are sewn from this simple wardrobe item. We offer to change the shirt into a dress with buttons. To do this, you need to prepare a shirt of a very large size. The photo shows that a girl of average height does not have enough length to her knees by about one palm. But, if the shirt is a little shorter, it's not scary - it's just that the dress will turn out not so long.

This alteration is among the works of medium complexity. The shirt will need to change a lot:

• narrow and fit it;
• make darts on the back and chest;
• ripping long sleeves and replacing them with small wings;
• finish the hem, cutting out wide strips from the remaining fabric.

This dress is best worn under the belt to give it a more feminine shape.

Scarf plus dress

Another idea for transforming a dress with minimal effort, time and materials is to slightly alter its top. To do this, you will need to prepare a sufficiently long chiffon scarf that will blend well in color with the dress itself. Notit is imperative that the accessory completely matches the color of the outfit, but it is still better if they visually harmonize with each other.

So, the scarf can be used in several ways:

• Make a belt out of it by tying a knot on the back with a small bow. The skirts of the scarf will flutter beautifully at the back, making the image very gentle and romantic.
• Throwing it over the neck and fixing it under the belt, you can drape the shoulders and neckline.
• If you cover only one shoulder with a scarf, pulling the fabric at the top with a knot or chipping it with a brooch, the girl will look like a Greek goddess.

Simple metamorphoses

For those who are afraid to ruthlessly cut their outfit or do not know how to alter a dress with minimal risk, you can try wearing your favorite piece of clothing differently than usual. It is enough just to change shoes, belt, bag and match a new cardigan to the dress, and it will look completely different. Even with the same simple dress, you can easily create at least five looks.

Details in this case are no less important than the main component. It is they who will help transform a modest dress into an evening outfit or make a set that is ideal for a romantic date. Shoes will play a big role here - the simpler the shoes, the more everyday the final image will turn out. Also, a new hairstyle, makeup and a positive attitude will help diversify the style.