Tools and materials:
- Chalk
- Ruler
- Measuring tape
- Pins
- Seam ripper
- Scissors
- Sewing machine
by Hazel Danso
Vintage Square Neck Dress Upcycle
7 Materials
$10
3 Hours
Easy
When it comes to DIY, there is a lot of trial and error! In this tutorial, I refashion a plain, black dress to create a stylish and sleek, square neck dress. Making this dress had me a little frustrated but I am so happy with the end result that it was totally worth all the corrections!
Square neck dress
Black square neck dress
Pin new side seams
In the first step of this upcycle, I laid the dress flat and made sure it was lying as smooth as possible. I then used chalk to draw the shape for my new dress. Once I had drawn, I pinned along those lines through both layers of fabric.
Pin the dress together to hold in place
I also lined up the seams in the middle of the dress and pinned them together because I wanted everything to be in place.
Simple square neck dress
Make the square neckline
Next, I went ahead and drew the shape for my new square neckline so that I could get an idea of what it would look like. I didn’t mind the back neckline of the dress so I decided to leave that intact. I then went ahead and sewed the new side seams for the dress.
Square neck midi dress
Once that was done, I used an old dress as a template for my new neckline. I placed it on my dress and marked each side.
Make a square neck dress
I then connected those two markings with a straight line. I didn’t have a ruler on me so I made a pen work for me instead.
Sew a square neck dress
I would cut from where the original neckline ended, so I marked a line down from that point on each side.
Measure for symmetry
I went ahead and measured with a tape measure to make things as equal and symmetrical as possible.
DIY square neck dress
I used scissors to cut the new neckline. I made sure that I only cut the front layer of the dress fabric.
Pin fabric on the inside
I pinned some of the fabric I had cut off on the inside of the front of the dress so that my new neckline wouldn’t be too revealing.
Easy square neck dress
I also went ahead and seam ripped some of the shoulder seams. I would tuck the seams in and sew them again later just so that the dress would feel more firm and supportive. I folded all the raw edges of my new neckline and sewed.
Resew the sides
Correct the side seams
I had to go back and fix the side seams that I had sewed earlier. To correct my mistake, I folded the raw edges towards the inside, making the sides thick enough so that none of the threads would snap when I tried on the dress.
How to make a square neck dress
I totally love my refashioned, square neck dress! This is the perfect look for a night out on the town! Let me know what you think about this dress upcycle in the comments!
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I love it, it looks beautiful on you!
Thank you so much Karen