After | The Checkered Dress

Oh, vintage secretary dresses. How I love finding you buried on a vintage store rack and reworking you into something I’d actually wear!

reworked-vintage-dress

Remember what this one looked like before I reworked it? This:

pink-checkered-dress-before

You guys called it frumpy. And you were bang-on with that observation.

vintage-ysl-belt

My fixes were relatively easy. I belted it with a vintage YSL belt (I don’t even remember where I found it, but I am so very glad I did). I pushed up the sleeves to make it look more laid back and I unbuttoned the high neck so it didn’t look so, well… buttoned up. See? These are things a non-seamstress can do.

pink-secretary-dress-after

And I removed the shoulder pads, which is the easiest fix ever, as long as the piece isn’t so structured that it requires them. Oh, and I had it shortened just a bit. But my tailor handled that part because that is something that a non-seamstress cannot do.

[Thakoon shoes.]

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10 Comments

  • Reply aliciafashionista October 6, 2011 at 10:32 am

    Oooh love how you unbottoned it (and I don’t mean that in a pervy way haha :S) The colour and pattern of the dress looks great on you, will remember these tips with my frumpy vintage finds!

  • Reply Melissa October 6, 2011 at 12:57 pm

    Nothing looks frumpy on you Kels. I love your before and afters. And I recently bought a dress in a similar colour palette.. so lovely

  • Reply Chelle October 6, 2011 at 1:59 pm

    Love it Kelsey! I’m a bit afraid of vintage clothing… but reading your blog always makes me want to go out, find a vintage dress and rework it into something beautiful and wearable. Thanks for the inspiration!

    Xo Chelle
    discoveringelegance.com

  • Reply camille October 7, 2011 at 5:31 am

    Wow – instant cute dress! Well, except for the shortening, but I’m sure that’s pretty quick too if you’re handy with a sewing machine (I wouldn’t know, haha).

  • Reply Bronwyn October 7, 2011 at 3:50 pm

    Ooh, I’ve been looking forward to seeing what you’d do with this dress – looks gorgeous!

  • Reply Linka October 12, 2011 at 5:29 am

    Love it!! Well done!!!

  • Reply kaye i October 18, 2011 at 6:44 pm

    I love the colour and print! Double thumbs up, Kelsey!

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