Altered Thrift Store Dress

I found this dress at the Salvation Army a couple weeks ago for about $4. I fell in love with the colors but was not so happy about the waistline, the elastic cuffs on the sleeves, and the high neckline. it was very unflattering.

So I brought the waist up to empire length (straight below my bust... tends to be a very flattering style on plus size women), shortened the sleeves, and changed the style of the bust to a plunge v-neck. Using a ribbon constructed from the material of the dress, I wrapped around the new waistline and created a buttonhole in the lower center of the bust. Then I threaded both ends through and around and tied them. Hard to explain but its a technique I start using a while ago that seems to draw the eye upward and away from my stomach.

I also love the diagonal lines of the dress and how the lines are interrupted by the flow of the fabric.

The only thing I dislike about the dress is that the fabric is completely synthetic and not very breathable... But the color and pattern are so fun that I forget that I'm just a little overheated! :D

Here is the unfortunate before--see, entirely unflattering. There needs to be more going on up top to break up the expanse of the lighter pink.

Much better, although a strange picture of me. I think The Manflesh was getting tired of taking pictures of me.

I got an amazing dress from the thrift store for $4, and it took me only about 25 minutes to do the alterations. Moral of the story: thrift stores rock! :)