Flip This Dress!

This is the first installment of what I hope to be a recurring event on Cat Got Dressed.  I love the idea of "upcycling" or "reviving" dresses -- Chris likened this idea to one of his favorite shows, Flip This House.  I think its a pretty accurate comparison - making something pretty out of something not-so-pretty.

Yesterday I was having a particularly stressful few hours at work and decided it was time to take a walk.  Get out of the office before I toss my computer out onto 25th Street.  I walked over to the fabric store and then the local thrift shop, where I came across THIS sassy number:

I had so many questions! What is this? Is it a sweater? Is it a dress? Is it the winning ensemble in an Ugly Sweater Contest at a holiday party? Do I need to locate some shoulder pads to really make this work?  Then it dawned on me: this is the first flip.

First I sliced off the oddly-shaped dolman sleeves (I swear the armholes were down to my hips) and the neckline because it was suffocating me.  

I took in the waist and blended out to the original width of the skirt at the hips -- my mind boggled by how strangely this dress was shaped...

 

This is my favorite part: the back.   I've been loving the ballerina-leotard scooped back and this was a great vehicle for it.  Its kinda muggy today so I'll wait to wear it - maybe this weekend at Katie's bridal shower?

Have a great Friday guys!