Unique patterns always catch my eye, and there are DEFINITELY some amazing vintage blouses out there. Sadly, the 80’s trend of “bigger is better” has not held up. That doesn’t mean you need to abandon that awesome cheetah silk shirt- we can remove the huge shoulder pads and diaphanous sleeves, transforming your thrift store find into something worthy of Anthropology’s racks. Case in point, this week’s customer profile.
Francesca found this incredible mallard print, navy silk bouse. Utterly amazing, but not that flattering. The 3/4 length sleeves combined with shoulder pleats created a very rectangle body shape, and no woman wants to look like a box.
To start, we removed the sleeves, and fit the sides in a bit. Without the sleeves, the shoulder pleat created an almost cap sleeve, which was infinitely more flattering. Lesson learned: by showing off Francesca’s arms, the boxy top was transformed into a breezy summer shell.
Next, we cut an open panel in the back, and faced it with leftover material from the sleeves. Cute, and totally current. Instantly- these ducks entered the 21st century!
Do you have an old piece of clothing that you just can’t let go of but that has so much potential? Give us a call to schedule an appointment at (202)567-7668 or email us at info@gingerrootdesign.com and we can help brainstorm!
*Tailoring by appointment only, closed Wednesdays and Sundays.”
