I am slowly taking out my summer clothes. When I am close to the cupboard under the stairs, where I store the “wrong season’s” garments, I pop into that room and bring one piece upstairs to my bedroom’s wardrobe. That way it doesn’t feel like a “boring job” and I feel I have something new to wear every day!

Some garments I still love, some I like, some I am not so keen anymore. That’s when I started thinking about sartorial alterations…

Yesterday I “released” from the long winter a jumpsuit, which is actually really fashionable right now. Only I have already “done” jumpsuits a few years ago, so I am not in the mood to “do” them again, at least not so soon! I like the fabric of this specific one, and its top part, but not the bottom, if only because it makes me feel too hot. I therefore decided to make it into a skirt, which will make it a dress really, not a jumpsuit anymore! I also thought I would change the drawstring  around the waist and neck, to a richer and more sophisticated ribbon (grosgrain perhaps).

A lengthy explanation I guess, in order to tell you this: have a look through what you have and think of ways to update it by having them altered. Make sure to have it done by someone who knows how to do it though, or you will end up paying the dress-maker and then going out to spend more money on new clothes!

A few ideas:

COS DRESS WITH PLEATED WAIST

It could be something simple, like taking the sleeves off and making the dress a sleeveless one

or transforming the neck line into a V one

or both

of course shortening could be a possibility but not in this case. Or again, you could put a slit at the front/back?

Another idea is adding a strip of material at the bottom of the skirt, like a second hem or a skirt worn underneath (again in a different colour/pattern or material) 

You could also add sleeves, perhaps in a plain/different material, e.g. white fabric on this jersey striped dress:

COS DENIM-LOOK SHIRT DRESS

or making it short sleeves and taking the collar off? You could even add stones down the placket or around the base of the collar.

If you don’t like it so loose anymore, perhaps you could have it taken in at the back by sticking it in the waist centre point with elastic thread or taken in at the sides at waist level.

Possibilities are endless…

MTWTFSS Weekday Light knit dress – Black

Is it a straight, “t-shirt like” dress? What about getting it sewn at waist point and putting in a draw-string?

I am not sure what is actually possible and where, but your dress-maker certainly does and can advise you on what you could do and give you more ideas!

One last one:

Isn’t it just marvellous?! Two dresses in one! Or a shirt and a skirt? It doesn’t matter, I love it!!

E.