Before | The Checkered Dress

Say you’re vintage shopping and you see this shoulder-padded, fuchsia-checked, long-sleeved, high-necked dress.

pink-check-dress-before

Some of you might recoil in disgust and throw it right back on the rack.

check-dress-detail

I did a little happy dance. Because I love nothing more than to reinvent a vintage secretary dress.

pink-checkered-dress-before

This one looks like a 1980’s take on an 1880’s school teacher’s ensemble. And for that, I love it.

I’m taking it to the tailor today and you’ll be the first to see the “after” shots once she’s worked her magic.

P.S. Let’s take a journey through some of The Anthology’s best before/afters, shall we? Like this printed jacket “before” and “after“. Oh, and these ridiculous pants look so much better after they became shorts.

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9 Comments

  • Reply Melissa September 14, 2011 at 10:50 am

    You have the best tailor in the entire world haha. Can’t wait to see it after!

  • Reply Larissa September 14, 2011 at 11:10 am

    Kewl pattern!

  • Reply Ericafpc September 14, 2011 at 11:57 am

    I can’t wait to see final product… It’s a bit frumpy.

  • Reply Linka September 14, 2011 at 1:38 pm

    I can’t wait to see the after! You have a great eye!!! And your tailor must be the absolute best! I’m still on the hunt for a good one.

  • Reply Aarti September 14, 2011 at 4:22 pm

    oh i look forward to seeing this after!
    It’s a great find – there’s so many ways to change it…

    http://aartifiit.wordpress.com
    x

  • Reply Liv September 15, 2011 at 10:15 am

    now I know that’s going to be short but how short? And what are you going to do to the top?

  • Reply After | The Checkered Dress | The Anthology October 6, 2011 at 9:56 am

    […] what this one looked like before I reworked it? […]

  • Reply Before | The Upcycled Necklace | The Anthology October 18, 2011 at 9:59 am

    […] on The Anthology involve hideous vintage pieces that I have my tailor rework (see Exhibit A, B, and especially […]

  • Reply They don’t make ‘em like they used to… | Sense and Sustainability March 30, 2012 at 3:27 pm

    […] to see the beauty in everything; she even saw potential in these Hammer pants, this jacket, and this purple-checkered dress. With a little bit of love and a dose of magic from her tailor, she took […]

  • Leave a Reply to Aarti