Reader Amber was one of our readers who tested out a pair of Hanes run-resistant stockings. They tore as she pulled them on. Needless to say, she wasn't impressed.
I was impressed, however, with her outfit that accompanied her Hanes write-up. In the pic above she's showing us the hole in her stockings, but what's actually going on here is the fact that she shortened one of her long summer maxi dresses - temporarily - for winter use. Here's another pic:
(wearing: Gap dress shortened for the day, H&M sweater, Hanes tights, Target boots, Kenneth Cole coat, and vintage belt)
Genius, right? Who wants a long maxi dragging through the snow and ice?
Amber explains:
The Gap dress is actually floor length, but in order to make it work for winter, I bustled it in the back. And, by bustled, I mean safety pinned. ;)
I too have done this. But my technique (lift and pin) looked strangely bridal-inspired (it was) and it put a huge hole in the dress. Amber's technique works much better:
I grabbed the fabric from my waistline and folded it all the way around, pulled the excess together in the back and pinned it together at the elastic waist band. I guess you could call it a waistband? It's not empire but not at the waist, either. Anyway, the keyword is AT, not TO. I think if I pinned it to the bodice, it might have been heavy enough to rip.
Aaaand that's where I went wrong. I pinned the lifted material TO the rest of the dress. And yes - it is heavy enough to rip. Oops.
So. We lift the fabric at the waist, fold it, then loosely pin together....not pinning it to the rest of the dress. Then we throw on a cute little sweater and belt.
Amber concludes:
It sounds rather patchy but it actually stayed up all day & I spend a good amount of my time crawling around in the floor with my 10 month old.
Perfect. Also love the slightly asymmetrical hem, which is totally on trend.
Thanks, Amber!! Fantastic idea!
xo,
S
