Resurrecting a Category

I’m almost ashamed as to how mouldy the DIY expert category of this blog has gotten.  It’s now past the stage of normal fridge mould and has now actually mutated into a living, breeding amoeba.  But thankfully, a surprisingly free weekend has saved the category from becoming a thing of the forgotten past.  I deliberated with this DIY project for a little while only because the raw material was a bit of a steal-y find.  I started off with this Sportmax 100% woven silk shift dress with big pockets at the waist that I freakily found at The Shop for ¬£10.  The practical side of my brain was telling me not to tamper with the dress and to just let it be in its natural form. 

However, then I came across a strange little rag doll in a charity shop that was made up of dozens of fabric patches, similar to those seen on my "effing ugly" H&M waistcoat.  The two simply had to come together in a sort of Chloe SS07-inspired fusion.  So it was bye bye ragdoll (it had scary eyes anyway…) and hello to an evening spent in front of watching the Bob Dylan doc, No Direction Home stitching these circular fabric flowers onto the neckline of the Sportmax shift.

Sunday morning and neckline is all fabric embellished but what to do about the length.  I could have left it in its hard to work just below knee length.  After all, there are days when I feel like wafting around in the manner of a child in Victorian night gown.  Or I could have cut it short and gone for the straight forward short shift which would have REALLY been Chloe-esque.

No – I decided bubble hem with a slightly dropped waist was the way to go.  Somehow looks a little less obvious girly and a bit more summer sporty?  Hopefully this will have beaten off the amoeba. 

40 comments

  2. oooh, loving this! the dress is totally transformed and amazing! inspiring.
    i’ve been playing around with yo-yo’s (those gathered fabric circles) for some time now…they are so fun and versatile. i’m constantly dreaming/drawing up ideas of what to do with them in the ye olde sketchbook…

  3. awesome! I saw a tutorial on how to make these florettes on one of the craft sites in my favorites (posie gets cosy, I think) and have been trying to think how to apply them. This dress is just perfect.

  4. I’ve been a perpetual lurker up til now- but that’s bloody brilliant, I want one xD

  5. love it – have to admit i would probably have gone for the short shift, but that’s cos i canNot wear drop waists hehe. congrats on a) a great find of bith the dress (¬£10!!!!) and the rag doll (so random, but so useful!) and b) a successful crafting project – so glad u didn’t regret the choice to make it ur own – sometimes these things go wrong, and u regret using something that wasn’t too bad in the first place. but i think u made a great judgement on this one! yay! xxxc

  6. The hemline was the right choice…
    I wish some of the fabric was darker/more jewel toned.
    But I can see why you would hesitate to alter that brilliant white dress bargain…

  10. Long time reader, first time commenter! You have a big fan here in New York. I tell everyone about your blog. That dress is so cool. I love fashion but when you can make it yourself with a few altered materials, I am in La La Land! You are brilliant, Susie.
    Warmly, Aly

  14. I’m glad you didn’t go with the shorter hem which imo is overdone and wouldn’t have suited it. The dress (or several) that you’re referencing seem a bit oversized so i don’t think the short hem would have worked. i quite like the bubble hem but i have to admit i like the longer hem the most. I know i’m the only here who does but i think it lends a certain elegance to the dress and juxtaposes the trendiness and chloe references. Either way, i like.

  15. That dress is gorgeous! I love what you’ve done with the hem…how did you do it? Did you gather it slightly underneath? How did you get the folds like that???

  16. Meg: Are you back in the UK? Seeing as you’re posting in the morning GMT….
    Glad to see you around here again – I like the longer length too and the anti-trend of it but hey, there aren’t many more years when I can flaunt the legs so I’ll take advantage when I can…..
    Rhi: The bubble hem was created with an elasticated ruched hem that was then turned inside the dress to make that gathered effect.

  18. shut up fizzwizz – let’s see your knees!
    susie looks great in her dress 🙂

  19. You have lovely knees.
    It’s bony knees that are frightening.
    Whats wrong with a dimples on knees? Does this person going around critizing little girls with dimpled knees as well?
    Anyway. Its an inspiring dress and post. One more post and I might make it over the motivation hurdle and start myself.
    A brilliant chapter in the whole argument over eco-conscious fashion and the refashioning of existing clothes.
    Could you drop the hem back if you wanted? I’m curious.
    What are you sewing resources? Like Books and websites, etc. I’m another huge fan in NYC.

  20. No susie, sadly i’m not. I just stay up that late to email my boyfriend when he first gets into work! I like your outlook on the hemline! Plus I think bubble hems are quite hard to wear and you wear it well so I have no issues! Could you lower it again if you wanted to? Just curious!

  25. Awesome refashion! I’ve always been a little leery of applying yo-yo’s to clothes (which can really make something look a little too “I made this in 1st grade”), but this is really a sophisticated and fun look! Definately am filing this away in the inspiration section of my brain for possibly future use! You win at the amazing diy projects!! 🙂

  26. I like that bubble hem with a slightly dropped waist – I know you’ve explained a how-to already but for a customizing dummy like me I still did not get it….. a step by step tutorial is not possible, no?

  27. And Susie Styles has itself another winner..lovely DIY-ing, dear. I’m quite taken with the bubble hem, though the short shift looked cute too.

  31. Your DIY section is one of my favorites—I love how you re-worked this dress. It looks fun, chic and timely. Looking forward to your next DIY project—–(Why not do a clothing re-con book of ideas/inspiration too? Most of the DIY/reconstructing clothing books I’ve seen on the market in the US are substandard in terms of style —or geared to middle schoolers perhaps? )

  32. Your DIY section is one of my favorites—I love how you re-worked this dress. It looks fun, chic and timely. Looking forward to your next DIY project—–(Why not do a clothing re-con book of ideas/inspiration too? Most of the DIY/reconstructing clothing books I’ve seen on the market in the US are substandard in terms of style —or geared to middle schoolers perhaps? )

  35. the dress is fly! <33 the bubble hem -- it's so now. post something for diyers on bubble hemming!

  37. Ah, those in Brazil are called “fuxico” which is a technique for making decorative pieces, broidering with pieces of fabric, as patchwork.

  38. i know this is an old post but im still a bit curious on how u made the bubble hem. what exactly is an elasticated ruched hem? could u explain a bit more? i absolutely love the dress tho : )

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