DIY: Refashioned Colorblock Dress

 I spotted this $20 dress at H&M and scooped it up. It’s a thick jersey, super comfy and fits great. Although, it needed a couple adjustments.
First off, it was too short for me.
Secondly, there were no pockets! Duh. Every casual dress or skirt needs pockets.
Thirdly, it needed a little color. I’d need to be serious about accessories (which I’m not) to make it work on its own

So I fixed it up a bit. I didn’t do much. I just added a hot pink colorblock at the bottom and matching hot pink pockets.

I’ll have a tutorial up next week on adding pockets to any skirt or dress. It’s really easy and in this case it was a great addition. I thought briefly about adding one more spot of color, maybe the end of the sleeves. Anything else you’d add, friends? You guys always have the best ideas.

I’m really love this new dress. Maybe I’ll be in it next time I see you?

Comments

I literally ran to H&M in my lunch hour after reading this! So please please please can you post a tutorial on exactly how you improved yours! the pockets and the hem panel! can't wait to give it a try! Thanks xx

I love it Liz, you're inspiring me to look at those too-short dresses differently.

cute! i bought that h&m belt (mint and orange) when i was on a trip to ny (from co with no hm) ….it broke right when i got home and i almost cried :-/ lol i'm glad to see yours did not bc that outfit's way cute!

Liz, you're officially my style hero! I especially love the pop of color in the pockets. Can't wait for the tutorial.

Dear Liz, I didn't mean to sound so demanding! You are just too crafty for your own good!Ax

Very clever. Oh please teach me the way of the pocket.

kelly, totally! If i had seen that before it would have given me more confidence to do it. I was nervous!

this reminds me SO much of this darling ASOS dress seen here. the buttons could be a fun inspiration for more detail!

That is sooo cute – especially how you did hot pink pockets. I'll have anxiously awaiting your tutorial.

looks great! i love it just the way it is!

I think that you should ONLY add accessories. Otherwise you might over do it and it won't be quite as versatile. But you could add a bit of detail to the pink if you like, embroidery or some sort of print but something versatile. Also, I think you did a great job and will be following you lead and making similiar additions to dresses I find in the future!

This is so awesome, I'm definitely trying this project!

Leave it as is!I like it plain, with the matching lipstick.Looks sweet with the belt too, but simple is best in my book.Thanks for sharing your great idea with the world!x

Leave it as is!Without a belt and the matching lipstick, it's loverly. Nice with belt too, though.

Ooh! Can't wait to see the tut on the pockets. I actually refuse to buy dresses without pockets. What if you added a a flower somewhere? You could always fasten it with a safety pin to change it up or remove it when you don't want it! Otherwise, a small little pocket on one of the sleeves?

Don't do anything else to that dress!!! It's perfect. And I love it with the belt.

thanks so much for posting this, I can't wait for the tutorial! I ALWAYS seem to come across dresses/shirts that are too short for me but I'm not much of a sewer so I never even think to alter them. This would help solve so many of my problems!By the way you should stop by my blog to check out this weeks GIVEAWAY! http://strawberry-chic.blogspot.com/

I love that! I agree, casual dresses need pockets- love yours.

Love it!! All dresses absolutely SHOULD have pockets. The belt makes it, though, otherwise it's too much white, I think. Maybe some cute fake buttons on the sleeves would be a nice addition, but I also tend to gild the lily, so you don't have to listen to me. 🙂

oooh! I love it. The pink looks Great!I cant tell you how nearly every dress here in australia is about 5-10cms too short for modesty and it drives me CRAZY!! (and I'm not particularly tall) I too have thought several times about adding a border, but if the material is flimsy or stretchy I doubt my sewing skills!!

great work! i bought an H&M dress not too long ago and it is way too short. i might have to look into a fix like this as well. thanks for sharing!

Brilliant! Boy I wish I had your skills. (And your dress).

I really love this! so cute. I loved the belt + shoes addition.

I love how you added length! Everything is too short these days and this looks really great. I like it best with the belt.

wow, awesome job! You just gave some life to that dress!Looking forward to the tutorial!

Thanks everyone! Haydee, the shoes are thrifted actually

What a great design change! I'll be sharing it on my blog which is all about change…heythingschange.com.Your blog always inspires me with new ideas! Thanks for all you share.Love from Lori C.

Thank you so much for this post! I have a dress that I love that already has pockets but is a couple inches too short on me and a fun yellow skirt that i enjoy wearing but is sadly pocketless. These have been two projects on my do-sometime-in-the-near-future-list. I am looking forward to your tutorial!

That looks great Liz, but what I'd like to know is where did you get those shoes?

No more color, it's perfect as it is! Soooo impressed with your mad skills.

Love the fabric button idea, as well as the elbow patches (even better than pink cuffs). Another thought… fabric belt, but not sewn o, so you can play with the look a little more. Also, I make fabric flowers – you could do something like that on a pin that would be removable.

I love this dress! And honestly, never in a million years, would have guessed that you had added on the best parts!!!! Good work!

r, I love the idea of the pink fabric buttons! Just a bit of sonething I think would be perfect. Thanks!

Gorgeous! This is such a good idea to jazzing up a muted dress. I'm excited to try it sometime!

I love the surprise pink pockets. What about a couple of fabric covered buttons at the sleeves? Too cutsie?

LOVE this!! I don't think it needs anything else actually sewn to it. It'd be nice to have the option of switching up a belt. 🙂

This is really cool, I love the pop of pink that shows on the pockets. Can't wait to see the pocket tutorial, I have a skirt itching for pockets!

Was adding the pink band along the bottom easy? I've been meaning to do something like that to one of my dresses that I love but is too short for me!Awesome job

wow that is AMAZING. I have graduation coming up…cannot find a dress and your beautiful creation would have been PERFECT. gosh dang it!!lovely job.

That's brilliant. The pocket detailing especially. I'll be looking out for that tutorial, I always like to have pockets. It looks great as it is but if you wanted that little extra something, maybe make a rosette out of the same pink?

It is darling! I say just leave it how it is. The pop of color in the pockets and on the bottom really make it unique. I love it!

Such a cute dress but it looks AWESOME with the colorblock update!

ooh, I just picked up the same style dress…but I went for the mustard yellow one. I might try the same thing, only with a charcoal gray…love the idea! I'm so glad I saw this…thanks!

That's so lovely! Maybe [if you like this sort of thing] you could add a delicate line of embroidery along the pink edge – give it a folk-y look 🙂 Just an idea – its great the way it is though!

Amazing! Was there that much material in the hem that you could lenghten it that much? I need to remember to start checking before I dismiss something as being too short for me!

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