New Dress from Old

As I previously mentioned, I was at home for my brother's graduation last weekend and while I was there I finally did something I have wanted to do for awhile. I shortened the red, floor length bridesmaid dress I wore for my sister's wedding last year! I might be wearing "coctail attire" on New Year's Eve this year and I wanted a new dress but didn't want to buy a new dress. Most of the cheap ones just look cheap or else are to "young" for me (no one wants to see a 26 year old's thighs!).

Here it is before: It had two very long ties that were intended to be fashioned into a big, dramatic tie for the wedding. This picture seems dark, but it could be because I'm sitting by a window right now.

I didn't want to pay the cost of having a professional do the work (I could have just bought a new dress!) but I am no good at pinning or cutting or sewing a straight hem so I had to have my mom, an experienced dress sewer since her teenage years, pin and adjust it.

Finally, I cut the long sash ends, sewed the ends under, gathered, and sewed them under close to the zipper! It still looks kind of bridesmaid-y, but with black tights, non-conservative shoes and some obnoxious jewelry it should be a fun look for New Year's!

This reminded me that I forgot to mention a favorite Christmas book in my Christmas story post. The book is called "The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree". I takes place during WWI. The town where it takes place has a tradition where each year a family is chosen to provide the perfect tree for the town. The family chosen for the year of 1918 is a little girl and her parents. However, Christmas is near and the father hasnt' returned from the war yet and no one knows where he is. Meanwhile, the girl has the role of the Angel in the school play. She is thrilled and tells her mom she needs a new white dress with big sleeves that flow like wings. The mom is in a bind because they don't have money to buy a dress or to buy fabric to make a dress. When the girl is sleeping one night, the mom takes out her wedding dress and uses the fabric from it to sew a new angel dress. I remember reading this story as a child and not being able to fathom cutting up my wedding dress! There are many stories of resourcesful women conjuring new clothing to keep their dignity in desperate times, though, aren't there? (Remember Sound of Music and Gone With the Wind and of course Pretty in Pink?)

Merry Christmas everyone! I am all packed to go home and just waiting for Justin to get home from work!