Funky Dress to Funky Suspender Skirt with a Mens Shirt Turned Half Top

I was given this crazy, funky dress in a pile of fabric from my friends girlfriend who works as a professional seamstress (score!).

It is so funky 60's, I can't help but love it!

I don't have any idea what this print is, but I don't care.  The colors are so vibrant and fun.

Here is my inspiration.  Don't ask me why.  It just spoke to me.  I was concerned it might go a little juvenile, but it was a risk worth taking.

I picked apart the dress and used my favorite skirt pattern to make the skirt.  

For the suspenders, I decided to make them detachable by adding button holes to them and inserting buttons on the inside of the skirt.

Here is my finished product. 

I really feel like it needs a white half top to go underneath.  Luckily, I found a perfectly good white shirt in my bin of hand-me-down victims.

Here is my mens, white shirt.

I cut off the sleeves, bottom, and up the sides.

I pinned the sides to fit the dressform.  Then hemmed the bottom, took in the sleeves, and serged them onto the shirt (got carried away and forgot to take pics!)

Here is the completed look.  For some reason the lighting was giving me trouble in the living room, so it kinda washes out the vibrant color of the skirt, but you get the idea.

Back side with suspenders.

Skirt without the suspenders.

I have some cute, white, knee high socks I can add to this look.  It's going to take a bit of bravery on my behalf to wear this out.  I'm not sure if it is too funky or young for a 40 year old women like me to wear.  Luckily, I never act my age.  

Ha!

What do you think?  Can I pull this look off?

Mens T-Shirt to Half Top

This is not the most amazing refashion ever, but I like to document them all anyway.

I had this super comfy mens shirt.  I know this sounds strange, but in the work out video I use there is a girl that wears a cute half top that looks a lot like this shirt (obviously smaller).  I decided that would be my inspiration for this shirt.

I kinda winged this one.  I cut it on the dressform.  

I gave the back a low dip.  I've been considering raising it up because it bunches a little in the back, but I don't really want to go to all the trouble of pulling out the seam just for a little nit picky thing like that.

And on.  

Apparently, I am always dreaming of summer, short sleeves, and SUN!

Mens Dress Shirt to Country Cute Shirt

I had this cute, checkered, mens button-up shirt.

It screams country to me.

I cut it up and used this pattern I recently purchased.  It's has a cute peasant/hippie/prairie/country feel to it, depending on the fabric you choose.

I really wanted to use the pattern with the ruffle across the top, but there just wasn't enough fabric to use.  I really need to make some more big men as friends ;).

I went with the simple pattern and added lace to the top instead.  I didn't like the free bottom, so I added some elastic to have it be more form fitting at the hem.

I'm happy with the finished piece.

Everyone needs a little country in their life and wardrobe!