Refashion an Old Dress Into a Cool New Crop Top With This Tutorial

9 Materials

1 Hour

Easy

There’s nothing like a good upcycle. It’s so satisfying to create a new outfit out of one that no longer works for you. In this case, I took an old dress that I no longer wore and turned it into a cute crop top with straps that tie at the shoulders. This outfit is perfect for summer and I can’t wait to wear it. If you want to make your own version of this project, just grab an old dress and keep reading.

Tools and materials:

Dress
Measuring tape
Scissors
Sewing pins
Sewing machine
Elastic
Safety pin
Marker or other stick
Iron or hair iron

Shoulder tie crop top

Measure the length of your shirt

The first thing you’ll need to do is measure how long you want the crop top to be. You can do this by measuring the desired length on your body, then transferring that measurement onto the dress that you’re working with. Then cut out the dress in those measurements.

DIY shoulder crop top

Make the casing for the elastic

Take the edges and roll them up, using your elastic to determine the width of the casing. Then sew the edges, leaving one end open to insert the elastic through. Do this both on the top and bottom. Then place a safety pin on the end of the elastic and feed it through the casing. Sew the end of the elastic, then repeat the process with the other casing.

Shoulder tie crop top tutorial

Make straps

Cut out four equal strips out of your remaining fabric. Fold each one over lengthwise and sew the raw edge and one side together, right sides facing each other. Then snip off the open end at an angle and use a marker or other stick to turn it right side out. Repeat this process for all four straps. Then iron them flat—I used a hair iron.

Dress to crop top upcycle

Attach the straps

Pin and sew the straps to the top on the inside. You should have two straps on each side, one in the front and one in the back. Then all you have left to do is tie each back strap to the corresponding front strap in a bow, and your crop top is complete!

Dress to crop top refashion

I love how this top came out! I really wasn’t a fan of the dress, anymore, but I’m obsessed with it as a crop top! I love the ruffled look the elastic gives at the top and bottom and I think the ties at the shoulders are just so cute. I am definitely excited to wear this out and about. The best part about this project is that you can totally customize it to any color or pattern you like, depending on the dress you choose to refashion. I can’t wait to see all the different tops y’all make, so be sure to leave me a picture in the comments section!

Suggested materials:

Dress
Measuring tape
Scissors

See all materials