Today's Dress: White

1940s Dress - Gingermegs Vintage

Sunglasses - Boots

1950s Earrings - charity shop

Belt - Kew via charity shop

Sandals - Clarks

Here's a photo from last summer.

I found trousers I like!

Trousers - H&M

Lipstick - Besame Red Velvet 1946, Necklace - charity shop

Earrings - Boots

Top - Miss Selfridge

1980s Belt - charity shop

Shoes - Clarks

Today's Dress: Repairing a 1940s Border Print Dress

This is my favourite hot weather dress. The photo of me was taken by the lovely Florence of The Street Style Carousel back in March. The weather wasn't hot but it was the first day I could go out without a coat. Small victories! I wore it again today.

I bought it from Gingermegs Vintage last year. I was told it once belonged to Lola Lamour! I'd looked at it on the hanger for months but didn't think 1940s style longer dresses would look good on me - until I finally just tried it on - and I knew buying it would mean a weekend spent repairing it. While the dress could have been worn as is, after a few wears it would definitely need repairing. Wearing and washing before fixing would likely worsen the fraying and holes. I wanted this dress to last another 60 years. Here's what I did.

I repaired all of the holes, however small. I backed them with patches of cream cotton and darned over them.

Larger ones I machine darned.

This was one of the larger holes. It's not too visible when worn thanks to the print.

I zigzagged all of the raw edges inside the dress, particularly around the facing.

I removed the old brown buttons and darned holes they had left.

I darned the fraying inside the dress at the back of the neckline.

I removed the old press studs and repaired the side opening. I replaced the three press studs with five to reduce gaping.

All of the inside seams edges got zigzagged.

I zigzagged around the fraying edges of the shoulder pads.

I stitched the sleeve cuffs back in place. I added buttons.

The buttons are from the 1930s. I found a card of 6 of them for £1 at an antiques market. I think the swirly flower details go well with the print.

I also repaired the fraying button holes.

I also took the hem up as it had been previously taken down, leaving a mark and removed the belt loops which were fraying and fiddly to reattach.

Here's some photos I took today.

Lipstick - Besame Red Velvet 1946

1940s Necklace - charity shop

Earrings - Aspire

Bakelite Bangles - charity shops

Shoes - Clarks

Today's Dress: I Love Cats

Cat Dress - People Tree (alterations by me)

Cardigan - TkMaxx, Lipstick - Neve Duobaci in Masquerade

Earrings - Gift

Shoes - Topshop via eBay