A 70's Jumpsuit to Fun 50's Outfit

Hello Readers. It's time for the second part of my groovy jumpsuit refashion

 I started with this amazing homemade vintage jumpsuit. It was one of the most fabulous things I have ever found at a clothes swap. Actually there were 2 of them. The other one was lime green.
 This jumpsuit didn't suit me at all.

I made a romper last time. It was much cuter than the jumpsuit but it still didn't fit or flatter me a whole lot. I didn't alter the neckline last time at because the embroidery was so pretty. I didn't want to lose any of it. But that high neck wasn't very comfortable. 

I started round 2 of this project by cutting off the legs of the shorts I made. I hemmed the bottom edge to make a shirt and then I started on the neck.

  

I unzipped the front a little to make a v-neck. I pinned the sides down to make sure they matched and stayed where I wanted while I stitched them down. I did lose some of the pretty embroidery but at least it would fit more comfortably.

  

I wound up sewing the shirt closed all the way down the front and removing most of the zipper. It just goes on like a t-shirt I thought that the green leaves from the floral neckline matched this green skirt well. This skirt has been on my refashion rack for a long time. This is the third refashion for this green skirt. I just never found a great home for it until now. You can see where the green skirt appeared on this blog first here and then here.

     

I was really happy with how this outfit came together, it has a 50's vibe that I love. The top is still fitted just like it was as a jumpsuit, but it works well with the full skirt.

Thanks for reading, now go make something fun for yourself.

*Year end update- I love this outfit so much! It is heavy polyester so I never wear it on a hot day.

Salvaging A 70's Outfit Part 2

Hello Readers. Are you ready for a flash from the past? Actually two flashes from the past. The shirt I made here began long ago with a vintage outfit someone made back in the 70's. That is my guess from the design of the floral fabric. I made a skirt about a year ago from the same material, you can see it here. 

It seemed the vintage outfit was made for a woman about 6 feet tall and 86 pounds in weight. It was SO narrow. This little floral wrap top is so cute but it is very tight on my dress form and on me it would like a busted can of refrigerator biscuits. The chest would come out the top and the mom gut would come out of the bottom. It is too awful to think about it. The red shirt was a loose T-shirt of heavy cotton. It just happened to match the red in the floral fabric. I figured it was meant to go together.

I could fit my arms in the sleeves of this wrap top so I removed them. I couldn't fit in the rest of the shirt but I could use the arms in another top. A top that would fit my 45 year old mom body. (I love my kids, I don't love my stretch marks.)

This was the red shirt with the sleeves cut off. I cut just inside the seam around the arm holes. It looks like a simple sleeveless T-shirt. You can guess what I am going to do next right?

I turned everything inside out and pinned the new sleeves in place as securely as I could. Pins never seem to stay in place for me so I doubled up to make sure it wouldn't move around while I was sewing. Both of these fabrics were similar weight knits and easy to work with.

After I attached the sleeves (3/4 length) I wanted some more of that fabulous floral fabric. I removed the waist tie and considered using it around the neck of the shirt. It looked annoying so I decided against that idea.  

Umm......NO!

I took the end of the waist tie and made a tiny pocket. That seemed cute so I went with it. 

I like the new T-shirt. It is so cheerful. And it was a way to use the floral fabric that I liked but was too small. That floral was a little overwhelming as a whole shirt. (Imagine an entire outfit!)

Thanks for reading, now go make something fun for yourself.

Salvaging a 70's Outfit

My project today is a two piece masterpiece from the 70's. I was born in the 70's so I recognize the look of the decade. This design was so busy. I wanted to make it more wearable and less crazy.

 The wrap top is so small that I couldn't wear it. But check out that great pattern! Yowza! I can't imagine what I would look like in the top and a long skirt all in this fabric. The colorful flowers would overwhelm the eyes of anyone who saw me.

Since the top didn't fit, I had this bottom half to work with. It was a wrap skirt. It was made for a VERY slender person. A VERY tall person too. I am neither, so I need to get to work. 

When I spread it out I could see it had a lining that was still in good shape. That was great because the fabric would be too sheer without it. I cut the top part of the skirt off. It was just to small to fit around any part of my body. The lining was so slippery and it was sliding all over the place. I had cut off the waistband where it was attached. It was only sewn in on the sides of the piece I was trying to work with. It drove me crazy!

Cut, cut, cut.                                                             Look at that nice lining!

I wanted to make a casing and hid the elastic inside it. I did that but it was uneven. I had to rip it out and I could see I tore it slightly. The fabric was not strong enough to survive this battle. I quit fighting and just attached some coordinating blue elastic at the waistband. It was easier and faster. This is a basic "junior high home economics project" type of skirt. That's OK with me. This look is more fun than formal.

I still have the matching top. I am not sure what I can do with it. This pattern is enough cute and quirky as one piece by itself. A whole matchy-matchy outfit is TOO much of a good thing. But if anyone wants it, let me know in the comment section. It can be yours!

Thanks for reading, now go make something fun for yourself.