This vintage Julius Garfinckel & Co dress has been hanging around in storage bins for so long waiting for that perfect moment of inspiration. There is nothing like finding that perfect dress, with the perfect color, the perfect neckline, and the perfect pockets…And then it hits you! CRAP! There’s a giant brown stain right smack in the middle of the side panel! Every time I brought this dress out to revamp and rescue, I would put it right back in the box with the saddest of faces after rediscovering the unfortunate stain.

However, this time the color called to me and I laid all stubbornness aside. I decided to use the stain as an opportunity for some extra tailoring, and a created an extra seam down the sides, enabling me to tailor the waist in a bit. After pulling the dress apart I decided to have more fun with the pockets and introduce a new color/pattern. I found some amazing vintage stripe fabric, finished off the edges like a handkerchief and sewed this folded pocket into the sides. And to top it off, I took in the waist even more, and let out the hips to allow for some much needed curve 🙂