CoedUgly's Chic Blog

Okay, I may the wrong person to write about avoid “dated” looks when wearing vintage (I’m not going to lie, I’m guilty of it) but I’m going to attempt it anyway. One of the best ways to avoid looking like you just stepped out from a different era is customizing the garment to fit you in order to avoid looking like the outfit is wearing you. If you have the creative touch, you can turn a certain piece into something completely different (think Urban Renewal from UO sans the overpricing). However, if you’re the opposite like me, you can start by altering hemlines on longer skirts or dresses.

I bought this skirt from the “Vintage” section at Thrift Town. I fell in love with the colors but was completely turned off by the length (it reached my calves). I went against my better judgment and purchased it anyway hoping to one day alter it to fit my desires.

The length is completely up to you but I opted for a mini (much like the pocket skirt from AA) and chopped a good amount off that’s perfect for summer. Don’t fret if you don’t own a sewing machine… I had to do it by hand! Eventually I’ll buy or thrift a machine but manual work will do for now. After pinning down the points where I wanted the new hem to be, I started working with a simple stitch (this site could be helpful if you’re a beginner) and worked my way around the skirt. Upon finishing, I cut off the extra fabric and may end up doing something else with it (scarf? belt? we’ll see…)

Wearing vintage clothing is a great way to stand out in a crowd or on campus but if done wrong you’ll just look like a dated disaster. Remember that you should NEVER let an outfit wear you!

My next project? Turning a romper into a dress :)