Julie brought in a dress that she purchased at Remix on Capitol Hill before they, sadly, closed. The dress was adorable, and she was hoping to wear it to a masquerade, but the main problem – it was sooo tiny! If we were to make this work we needed to get creative and add several inches. Initially, we believed it to be a lost cause, then I started blurting out different options, this one being the last:

“Let’s turn it backwards, alter the bust darts to fit your back, slice open the front and add a 6″ panel with kickass fabric that we pleat, and have them stitched down on the body, and then open up at the bottom so you can walk, and we’ll figure out a side zipper!”

Her response: silence (since that was a lot to take in), then “ok!!”

So we converted the side of the dress to work with a zipper (which was intense with the lining/belt situation on this vintage homesew, but we made it work), and then we finished it off as planned with this beautiful toile surplus fabric! Eco-friendly, custom-fit, and adorable! Julie wore this for a masquerade ball, but can easily wear it again for a fancy evening!

Do you have a dress you really want to rescue, but it needs some major creative thinking?

Give us a call to schedule an appointment at  (202)567-7668 or email us at info@gingerrootdesign.com and we can help brainstorm!

*Tailoring by appointment only, closed Wednesdays and Sundays.