DIY Split Sleeve Draped Dress Vintage Refashion

Every time I looked at the once dated vintage chiffon dress with it’s ruffled bib cowl collar, I wondered, “How exactly was this worn?” For such a modest look, I would’ve loved to see how it was styled. Obviously it was paired with some form of underlay as it’s see-through.

What really caught my eye about this dress more than anything was the color. That was until I transformed it into a 2-piece DIY!

Here’s what I did (Part 1)

1. First, I removed the bib collar from the neck by simply cutting it off. To create the split-sleeves, I laid them out flat, making a crease on top using an iron on a low setting. I then cut the splits following the crease, stopping just above the elastic cuffs. Once that was done, I turned under the raw edges of each side twice, finishing with a straight stitch.
2. The elastic on the ruffled cuffs were worn out (see before pic). Instead of replacing them, I covered them with stretch ribbon I had on hand, to make them really stand out.
3. For the draped side, I came up with this variation. The first thing I did was form a few pleats on the front of the dress starting at the hem. Once the pleats were made and pinned, I ran a basting stitch down the folds, parallel to the right side seam. I then finished with a straight stitch, right after trying the dress to see how well it draped.
4. Here’s comes the tricky part. In order for the drapes to lay against the body, I made a dart of sorts. The only difference is, I folded the dart over onto the stitch line I made earlier and hand sewed it in place, using a blind stitch…hope that makes sense.

(Part 2)

1. As for the choker, I cut the ruffles from the end of the bib collar (leaving 1/2″ allowance), folded it in half and cut down the middle.
2. I then took the 2 halves and overlapped the allowances onto each other.
3. In doing this, I was left with one side of the 1/2″ allowance on top, as the outer fabric.
4. Next, I secured the overlaps along with the raw edge of the allowance, using a zig-zag stitch.
5. For the ribbon, I placed the center together with the center of the ruffles, pinning it in place.
6. Lastly, I sewed the ribbon all around with a straight stitch as well as the sides of the choker and voila!

3 Ways I Styled The Dress

LOOK 1: I wore a long camisole (in a similar color) underneath the dress

LOOK 2: Styled with the ruffle choker and split-sleeves hanging to the sides.

LOOK 3: I styled the dress into a tunic top for a daytime look with a just bra underneath (little risqué, I know)

For this laid back look, the sleeves are tied in the back

As I always preach that versatility is key for me, so this piece is no different. As you see, the dress can easily transition from day to night in glam mode.

I think it would even be ideal for fall despite how light and airy it is. Because polyester chiffon doesn’t breath all that well so it tends to hold in body heat.

Well, that about wraps it up. I know that was quite a lengthy post but I hope I was able to explain everything clearly. If not, don’t hesitate to drop me a line in the comment section below.