Retail Re-Fashion Leads to Outfit #2

This past weekend my DH kindly gave me Saturday free from parenting and I was able to do some snoop shopping.  I was excited to see that navy blue is incorporated into some of the current fall fashions I ran across.  But what really got me excited was I found this Calvin Klein dress hanging randomly on a rack of clothes at Ross.  It was clearance priced and the perfect color for my SWAP, but the size was too large.  No matter, I could still see the potential for a lovely linen skirt. 

The first thing I did was cut the bodice at a level where the skirt portion nearly fit my low waist.  I made sure the invisible zipper was open all the way to the bottom so that I could use it in the skirt and not have to replace it.  Bonus!  This dress is lined. I  kept the lining in the skirt and basted it to the fashion fabric once I cut the bodice off.  

Notice the sash?  I unpicked the stitches in it and pressed it open to use the fabric to make a waistband.  I interfaced it and left it a little long on one side of the zipper to give me some room to apply a hook and eye.  That was one easy, stylish, and cheap skirt to come by.  On to the top!

I used Kwik Sew 2159 (OOP, I think) to make the tank.  Truth be told, I attempted a different knit top with the fabric and it was a disaster!  I salvaged what I could and thankfully had enough fabric to make this tank, which is much cuter than the original top I had envisioned.  I like that the back of the tank is lower than the front, as you will soon see. 

The pattern has two pieces, although because I had to salvage material my back piece has a center back seam.  I used my coverstitch machine to do all the hemming.  I like how this pattern has a small amount of gathering in the front side seam just under the arm to give you a little more shaping in the front.

 

Here is the complete outfit:

I couldn't resist making a yellow flower pin.  I was inspired by this tutorial. I made mine out of a scrap piece of fabric from a woman's RTW top and placed a red button in the center.  Instead of sewing it directly to my tank, I sewed it to a metal pin.  I have so many of these from my way early crafting years!  Anyway, this outfit makes me feel sunny.  The red skirt will be ineligible to enter into the wardrobe contest I mentioned earlier unless I use it as my free choice, but it is a keeper in my closet none-the-less.  Here is how it all coordinates so far.