A Simple Vintage Dress Alteration
Just a short and sweet one today guys! I’m sorry I haven’t been around the last couple weeks. Things at the restaurant have been crazy but I have some very fun stuff coming your way soon.
I wanted to share this simple alteration I made to this cute vintage shirt dress. I love vintage shirt dresses like this one. I feel like they are so classic, timeless, and charming. However, I am not at all a fan of the vintage fit, especially around the shoulders and armholes. It seems the style back then was to have very tight, modest shoulders and armholes. I’m unsure how they even moved! If you’ve been following me for a while you know I prefer a very low armhole… its kind of a neurotic thing of mine but thats how it is. Tight armholes make me feel very constricted and border line panicky. Am I alone in this?
I’ve had this dress forever. I bought it at a thrift shop a few years ago when we still lived in NY. I had already hemmed it (which I wish I would have left it a bit longer, now that the longer cut skirts are in style). But I wasn’t wearing it very often and I realized it was because the shoulder seems came out far and even visually made me look constricted, plus the under arms were very tight. I finally got around to fixing that.
The alterations were simple. I tried it on, marked on one side where I wanted the new cut to be, added seam allowance, cut off the excess from that one side, laid the piece I removed on the other side to cut the same amount off, then finished the new armhole with bias binding.
I absolutely love this dress now. I love the little detail along the front button plackets, and of course the cute gingham print. Now that it fits more comfortably I will surely be wearing it all summer long!
What are your go-to tweaks for vintage items?
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This cut is so flattering!
Love it! Really cute. Yes those dresses were way too tight in shoulders and underarms. I was a tiny girl, but big busted and muscular upper arms and shoulders. I used to get mends large shirts for a loose, comfy fit. Rolled up the sleeves and tied them at the waste