A couple of months ago I wrote a post on maternity fashion and linked to a pair of Old Navy’s Real-Waist Denim Bermudas. And then they arrived in the mail and didn’t fit. The knees were too tight, of all things.
So I’ve been on a quest ever since to find some dark denim city/walking shorts and was having no luck whatsoever. Until I stood in the dressing room at Motherhood and was struck with an idea. Which I’m going to share because really, you can do this kind of thing with all types of clothes, not just maternity.
I bought two pairs of capris I liked – one a dark denim and one a black twill – and then took them to my mom’s alteration lady and paid $8 and she made them into shorts:
(Unfortunately I can’t find a photo on their website of what they looked like originally.)
(Belly shot complementary.)
I also found a cute denim skirt (which of course I didn’t need) that was unfinished and frayed around the hem. I had her finish the seam at the length I wanted:
(In case you’re wondering what that elastic-y fabric hanging down over the top is, it’s the secret-fit belly. No, it does not show when worn.)
(I could have done this myself at home for free but I was on vacation at the time. And my mom offered to pay. Who can pass that up?!)
And the last little change I made was to a top. It fit great everywhere but was kind of too long and billowy at the bottom. I sewed a thin line of elastic to the inner seams and it solved both my problems:
So, all that to say, don’t be afraid to think outside the box a bit if you’re having trouble finding exactly what you want.
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{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Very helpful post! I just recently thought about the “make your own shorts” approach after pulling a couple pairs of pants out of my closet that had shrunk too much in the dryer. They’re just a hair too short, but fit great everywhere else. I was planning on taking them to the tailor this week!
They look great. Thanks for the motivation to keep my sewing machine uncovered.
That is a great post! I love using a tailor to make my clothes fit just the way I like them. Wish I could sew myself – that would save some money.
Great ideas! Thank you!
I love doing this kinda thing! You go girl
Great post! I have to do this a lot because I’m so short.:) But it’s a good reminder to think outside the box. My last alteration project was turning Adeline’s snap-bottom shirts into regular t-shirts since she’s potty trained and they were in the way. I didn’t want to put away the 8 or so cute shirts that snapped, but it was really a nuisance. Worked great! Guess I should go see what I could change in my closet…
Love the elastic idea and the skirt, while maybe unnecessary, is quite cute! The shorts look like a great fit too.
LOVING the belly shot
That is BRILLIANT. I am SO impressed.