Thursday, July 19, 2012

Red Dress Event Flop

So, the American Heart Association had a "Red Dress Event" last night at the Cultural Center and I decided to volunteer.  I figured I should wear a red dress and was shocked that I have 3 red dresses and a red dress I wore as a bridesmaid once.  I didn't realize I had so many red dresses!

They could not find anything for me to do, so I ended up leaving the event after a half hour.  I couldn't stand around doing nothing any longer than that.  I told the woman in charge at least 3 times that I could help, what did she want me to do, etc and all she kept saying was "OK!" 

Anyuseless, I found this dress that I've had for like 100 years that I kind of had forgotten about.  I used to wear it a lot but always with a black sweater over it.  It had become somewhat loose in its spandexiness, so I wasn't crazy about wearing it like this, braless.  I wanted a little bit more support to go like this, without the sweater.

Plus, it was kind of long and I'm sort of over the long dresses these days.  Funny since those foolish MAXIPADS MAXIDRESSES are all the rage and length is apparently good. I see people wearing long, long dresses and they look ridiculous, like they are playing dress up.  Lately, I feel like I'm wearing a sack if I wear dresses that are really long.

I used to do a lot of "tailoring" of my clothes.  When I say "tailoring" I put it in quotes because it is in no way anything scientific or professional.  It was always "hmm, if I do this, I wonder if it will do this" and then some great things happened and I had some clothes that fit really well, like magic.

I did that a lot when I first started teaching and needed good teaching clothes.  I would find crazy deals on clothes that were on clearance at Filene's Basment (pause for a moment of silence in memory of that wonderful store which has now closed) and TJMaxx or Marshall's.  That way, if I ruined it, I hadn't paid too much.

This, of course, also means that I am no fashionista, keeping up with the trends.  I rarely buy what is "in style" and sadly, I've had some of these clothes long enough that they've come back in style!  Like the super long dresses.  Totally the style in the late 90s and I bought a ton of them them then and now, they're back but I want them shorter!

It was only 90 degrees yesterday, instead of 92 like the day before, so I figured I should break out the sewing machines and get to work in my own sweatshop.

I tend to wear things like this when I sew so I can whip it off to try on my latest adjustments as I go.


See, another formerly long dress that I shortened.  I also tend to wear them to drive k-ster right up the wall because they are, as he claims, frumpy.  But they are, as I claim, so EASY to wear! 

I cut off some of the bottom of the red dress and used it as a ruffle across the top.  I've seen this style a lot lately and thought it might give me the camouflage I wanted.


I did a little lettuce edge with my serger with red thread so I wouldn't have to do a real hem.  I think this allowed it to be ruffled and hang freely.  I think an actual hem might have made it kind of thick and it would hang weird.


Plus, if you're lazy, this works great as a hem because there's not folding or ironing and it's a much more forgiving hem!  Especially on stretchy fabric like this.  I did this hem on the bottom of the dress too.


The ruffle on top is a little bit longer than I think it should be and I am debating going a little bit shorter.  It felt like I was wearing a bib. 

But it totally did the camouflage that I wanted.  And I like the length of the dress better now, too.

Linkning up:
http://too-much-time.com/2012/07/get-schooled-saturday-32-and-bhg-is-here.html
http://www.gingersnapcrafts.com/2012/07/wow-me-wednesday-60.html#mor
http://youaretalkingtoomuch.blogspot.com/2012/07/meet-me-monday-linky-party_22.html
http://cherishedhandmadetreasures.blogspot.com/2012/07/creative-corner-hop-21.html
http://www.iheartnaptime.net/sundae-scoop-link-party-40/
http://www.homestoriesatoz.com/2012/07/tutorials-tips-link-party-71.html
http://www.notjustahousewife.net/
http://www.glitterglueandpaint.com/throwback-thursday-5/

3 comments:

  1. I am very impressed, so PLEASE don't take this as a criticism, but after I saw the picture and before I read your last lines, I thought, "That is such a great re-do, but her skinny waist would show better if the ruffle was shorter."

    By the way, one of my pet peeves is volunteer coordinators who don't assign specific jobs! Ugh! Waste of volunteer time drives me nuts. Ellen

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  2. You can actually cut it again and sew it on as a second and/or make 3 tiny ruffles. Love it though:)

    Hopping by and following your lovely blog (FB, Twitter, G+ and Pinterest).

    The Quiet Mom blogging @ How to Cook Fresh Artichoke Recipe

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  3. You said bra! I was just thinking of your students.

    I like the red dress in the after and agree about the shorter ruffle.

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