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Hello! I'm Suzannah, a serious DIYer and mom of two little ones. Follow along with my DIY fixer upper house renovations, sewing and crafty projects, real food recipes, and de-stressing goals.
I believe you can love your home just the way it is, AND have the power to design and make big changes to make it better.
I'm also the author of DIY Wardrobe Makeovers!

Another drastic men's shirt makeover: dress!

I've been thinking about men's shirt makeovers recently, seeing so many on the blogosphere as usual, and looking for fabric for summery clothes that isn't just simple quilting fabric.  I wanted to share with you a shirt makeover I did last summer, way pre-blog, from a high quality cotton men's Faconnable shirt I got at the Goodwill Outlet.
I was on a yellow kick and was picking up anything bright, happy yellow, and saw the gingham of the soft button-down in good condition.  Brand new, Faconnable shirts cost about $198 at Nordstrom, so I knew it was nice quality!  Tightly woven, all cotton, etc.  I bought it and thought for a while about what to do with it, and then designed a sundress using the check print and button-down look of the shirt and some white lace trim.
I am kicking myself now for not taking a "before" pic of the shirt before I cut into it (how silly of me!), but again, this was pre-blog and I didn't know I'd need one.  So here are a couple of similar shirts from eBay, just to give you a visual picture.
I used this McCall's pattern, M5806, the strappy crossover bodice, but of course made up the skirt based on how much of the skirt bodice I could use.
I added an edge of thin white Venice lace at the top all the way around, which I think plays up the white in the check and on the buttons, which I reused in the center front and on the center front midriff panel.  I gave the skirt the slightest bit of gathering to fit into the waist.  I used white cotton to line the whole thing, both bodice and skirt.
I was surprised at how long I was able to make the dress, using the shirt body!  If I remember correctly, I made the bodice from the sleeves, so I was able to use the whole front and back of the shirt for the skirt part.
I pulled this dress out of my summer box recently, with the 100 degree days we've been having, and wanted to share it with you!  It was one of my first recycled/refashioned projects, and I was very proud of myself when I did it.  I'm hoping thinking back to it will inspire me to do another complete revamp!

31 comments

  1. You are so amazing!!!! This is beyond cute!

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  2. That is so incredible!!

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  3. Love it!! I love the buttons down the front.

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  4. now i know what to do with all those shirts my husband wants to get rid of!

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  5. very cute! i love the original buttons down the front too! and the lace adds just the right girly accent!

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  6. LOVE THIS ONE! Just screams summer picnic :)

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  7. That is SO adorable, you did an amazing job!

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  8. LOOOOOOOVE this look! Did you sew the button front closed?

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  9. This is so cute! One of my favorites that you have done!

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  10. That is SO ADORABLE!!!

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  11. Well done...some found shirts are made of the loveliest fabric that is almost impossible to buy. I might try a few projects with them...if I ever get the time!

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  12. Oh...and why don't you make another and give us a step by step tutorial.....lol.

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  13. Great job on this one! love the lace detailing as well.

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  14. SO ADORABLE! You are so talented! I agree a tutorial would be great :) I am too scared to try clothes and refashion. You make it look so easy!

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  15. That is so amazing! I think I'm going to try that.

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  16. Very very cute! Great job!

    Erica
    danired922.blogspot.com

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  17. Anonymous7/09/2010

    Super cute!!! Especially when it is crisp and ironed I bet!

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  18. Love, love, love!!!! I just went and pulled some button downs out of the Goodwill pile.

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  19. Very impressive. A Faconnable shirt never looked so good!

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  20. I found your blog one day about 3 months ago, and now I check it almost daily. I really admire the pieces you make/embellish! I have a blog of my own with my random projects, but yours inspires me to keep up with it more often and sew all the time! :) Thank you!

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  21. Wow! This is the most incredible refashion I've ever seen! I was searching for men's shirt refashions a while ago when I was upcycling this and all I could find was some things that still basically looked like men's shirts. This one is incredible!

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  22. I am soooo frickin' excited about this post. Not only do I have that pattern ( or something similar) but I scored a Liberty of London for Target mens shirt at the Goodwill yesterday for 2.99!!!! Huuraaaay!
    Thank you for the grrrreat idea!

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  23. Beatrice7/15/2010

    This is such a well done dress. Love your creativity and your blog.

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  24. Just beautiful and it fits you so well. Thank you for the inspiration.

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  25. That is so cool! How fun to look back on an old project and still be proud of your work.

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  26. Anonymous7/25/2010

    I have one of my dad's old shirts that I rescued from the trash. I've been wondering what to do with it and now I know! Thank you!

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  27. I just found your blog. Let me just say, you are my hero now. That before and after blows me away.

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  28. This is really a productive material in mens cotton tees. T-shirt is
    just awesome.I like the linen designing in this shirt and color is just
    attractive.

    http://www.apparelnbags.com/mens-t-shirt-cotton.htm

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