Refashionista: Blouse turned into a zippered jacket

Happy Monday, my friends! It's time to dive into another refashion. But first, I'd like you to meet my flatmate Mari Krõõt, the girl in this post's pictures. She's usually the one behind the camera, but today she's doing a little modeling. This was my first time sewing something for her, so I was a little nervous about whether it would turn out the way she likes it. It's so much harder to refashion for someone else since you don't know their style or taste as well as you know your own. And what seems like a fabulous idea to you might result in blank stares by them. So, I tried to consult with her as much as possible on this project.

This started as a cute blouse. The blouse was ok to begin with, but it didn't fit her and wasn't really her taste either. But, we both loved the color, so I knew it had potential. She didn't like any of the ruffled parts, but I convinced her to leave the sleeve heads as is, since they would need a complete reconstruction otherwise. We decided on a front zippered jacket-like look and I set to work.

As you can see, I made a lot of alterations. First, I deconstructed the front bodice, detached it from the back, and removed the hem elastic. Next, I took in the sleeves from the underarm seam, and added darts to the back bodice. Then it was on to the front bodice. I added shoulder darts to take in the extra fabric from the gathering, and to add some shape. I still had to alter the neckline - take off a couple of centimeters from the shoulders and lower it in the center. Finally, I added the zipper and re-hemmed the bodice.

This one was a lot of work, and we had to do a million fittings to get it to look good. I must say, it's still not my best work, but I think it turned out pretty great. This project taught me a lot. I'm so used to sewing for myself that making something for someone else with a different body type is really difficult. I know what looks good and work on my body, but with different proportions, these things don't apply anymore. I've already promised to sew her an evening gown this summer, so I'll get more practice then.

I think the jacket/blouse suits her, and I'm still in love with the color. I also love the new, more modern look that the zipper adds. Also, the puffy sleeves add a touch of femininity. So, it's balanced and pretty.