Alright, let’s talk about that Eileen Fisher Stanford thing I messed around with. It’s not exactly rocket science, but I figured I’d share my journey.
So, I started with this Eileen Fisher dress I snagged at a consignment shop. Loved the fabric, hated the fit. It was just…blah. Too boxy, you know? I had this idea to kinda Stanford-ize it – basically, make it a bit more fitted and modern looking.
First thing I did was throw it on and start pinning. Yeah, I know, real professional. I pinned the sides in where I wanted it to be slimmer. I wasn’t going for skin-tight, just a bit more shape. I also took in the shoulders a tad because they were hangin’ off me like I was a coat hanger.
Next, I busted out the sewing machine. Now, I’m no expert sewer, but I can usually manage a straight line. I carefully sewed along the pin lines, making sure to backstitch at the beginning and end so it wouldn’t unravel. Then, I trimmed off the excess fabric, leaving about half an inch for seam allowance. I even went the extra mile and zig-zag stitched the edges to prevent fraying.
The sleeves were a bit long, so I decided to shorten them. I measured how much I wanted to take off, marked it with a fabric pen, and chopped ’em off. Hemming was a bit of a pain, but I managed to fold the edge over twice and sew a neat little hem. Not perfect, but good enough.
After that, I tried it on again. Much better! But the neckline still felt a little frumpy. So, I decided to scoop it out a bit. I freehanded it with a pair of scissors – probably not the smartest move, but hey, I like to live on the edge. I then finished the raw edge with some bias tape I had lying around. It gave it a nice, clean finish.
Honestly, the whole thing took me an afternoon. It wasn’t perfect, and there are definitely some wonky stitches if you look closely, but I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. It’s way more flattering now and feels like something I’d actually wear.
Here’s a quick rundown:
- Found the dress: Consignment shop score!
- Pinned it: Made it slimmer and adjusted the shoulders.
- Sewed it: Followed the pins, trimmed, and zig-zagged.
- Shortened sleeves: Measured, cut, and hemmed.
- Altered neckline: Scooped it out and added bias tape.
Moral of the story? Don’t be afraid to mess around with your clothes! Even if you’re not a pro, you can make some simple alterations that can make a big difference. And who knows, you might even end up with something you actually love.