Goodwill Alterations with Chanté Gibbs
Chanté is a local thrift blogger and sustainable designer. She is our inspiration and guide to exploring what can be done with some creative alterations and updates of thrifted finds. Each month she starts with a concept, shops our stores, and reworks her thrift finds into high-fashion pieces. She takes us on a thrift journey from start to finish, and it’s a great ride every month!
I knew I wanted to upcycle a maxi dress for this month’s Stitched Up. When I walked into Goodwill, I gravitated towards the dress section along the back wall. There were a lot of dresses to search through, but I eventually saw an abstract maxi dress with blue and brown prints. The different patterns and the soft fabric really grabbed my attention. I loved the plunging neckline with a cute knot in the middle and the overall vintage aesthetic.
How do I make it?
- I washed the dress and tried it on to see how it fit on me.
- Since the dress already had a twisted knot in the middle of the bust, I focused on creating the cutout.
- I marked a one inch horizontal line under the seam where the top and bottom part of dress connects. (Note: I did not draw the line on the middle of the bust area.)
- I started to cut along the line I drew, from the left front of the dress around the back and to the right front side.
- After cutting, I put the dress back on and I pinned down the excess fabric on the side seams.
- Next, I turned over the fabric on the cutout I made and pinned it down to avoid frayed raw edges.
- I also liked the wooden beads on each strap in the front of the dress more, so I moved them from the back.
- Once I was satisfied with the fit, I sewed down the cut out opening and the darts on the side seams. Lastly, I tried the dress on again to see how it looked on me.
What was your inspiration?
With maxi and midi dresses trending this summer, I was inspired by a pretty cut out dress from Cult Gaia. I came across a few pictures of the dress on Pinterest looking at vacation outfits, and I felt like this would be a great idea for the summer.
If everyone bought just one secondhand garment instead of buying a new one, it would save more than two billion pounds of CO2 emissions. This is a friendly reminder that your shopping choices can make a difference!