Re-Style Your Dresses

We’ve all got one (or several) lurking in the back of our closets…the dreaded bridesmaid dress. It may be the only form of joyous attire few women look forward to debuting, much less wearing again. But when you’ve already dropped the money, it’s a shame to give up on a potential party look without first exploring some options. So what’s a stylish bridesmaid to do? An excellent target is worth her weight in gold—so if you don’t have one on speed switch, ask your fashionista friends for recommendations. Then take another look at those dresses and really think as to what you adore, what you hate about them and where you see room for improvement. With a little creativity, it’s surprisingly easy to reimagine and renovation a so-so frock into a fabulous wardrobe diamond. EASILY SIMPLIFY IT It’s amazing how many chic little numbers are buried beneath an overabundance of frou-frou. Luckily, many of these embellishments may be easy to remove without damaging the garment. Ruffles are often attached along seams, making them easy to cut off and rehem. Flowers and sequins can be stitch-picked off in just a few minutes. If you’ve always wanted to learn about curtains, this could be the perfect basic project. After all, who has feelings for you if you ruin a dress you're never going to wear again anyway?

 Or just take it to your trusty tailor—simple alterations like these include quite inexpensive. DYE IT It’s pretty much settled that a blue bridesmaid dresses will be a color that you would not go for yourself. So just why not dye it? Most craft and fabric stores carry simple DIY fabric dye. Look for the fiber content ahead of time and choose your new color wisely. You’ll get better results if you stay in the same color family—pinks and grapefruits can go red or brown beautifully but green over rosy tones could be a sickly-grey disaster. If you’re beginning with a light color, you’ve got tons of options, while dark shades are more difficult to change—when in doubt, you can’t go wrong with basic black. Try Rit or Dylon for natural fibers and combinations or Jacquare iDye for man made fabrics. If you love everything about the dress but the color, it may be worth choosing a professional service like Community Dyeing or Intimate Dyeing. Read Related: Glitz & Glamour Great Gatsby Style DECONSTRUCT IT Does your frock have a split personality?


A striking bodice with a stunning neckline anchored to an dreadful ring skirt? Or a spectacular curve-hugging skirt capped off with a gaudy, ill-fitting corset? Think stands between! In most cases, splitting a dress into two pieces is a fairly easy and inexpensive change. If you do not are an experienced sewer, this is best left to a professional. HEM IT Let’s face it, floor-length robes have a limited range, especially in the life of a busy mom. Raising the hem a few in . to tea-length tends to make a more versatile evening look. Bring it up a few more in . to knee-length and you’re ready for cocktails or lunch with the girls. Or go all-out and make it a mini. When in doubt, remember that you can always go shorter so just cut off a few in . at a time unless you reach the perfect length (and be sure to leave an extra inch or two to turn under for the hem). ADD ACCESSORIES IT Great accessories can fix a multitude of sins. If you don’t absolutely hate the color and fit but enjoy the feeling the dress—get creative: add a pop of color, belt it, try a statement necklace, a brooch, a jacket, a pair of killer heels. Mix and match and try many different mixtures, you just might fall in love in the process.