Help, how can I change my dresses?

hilstep2000

If you want a different one, do what I do. Use Ebay! I have had four weddings this year and have worn Condici and Frank Usher to them all. Not one cost me more than £15! Loads of compliments too. Frank Usher dresses can be bought for as little as £5 on Ebay and they retail at over £200. Jaeger is also cheap, but just put in "Cocktail dress" and you'll find them from 99p!

FatVonD

I was going to suggest ebay too, but to sell them (then use the proceeds to buy another from ebay!) I'd buy a plain black one next time that you can add different accessories to each time

THIRZAH

If you have time check charity shops or places like Primark for a little jacket or shrug -or perhaps make one.

Could you change the hem of the red dress?

oldtractor

wear one as it is then wear it or the other with a top over it so it looks like a skirt and top.

shegirl

We need to see pics really!

I'll be altering a dress of mine this evening so I can wear it tomorrow.Never done it before but it's a black and white dress with tie back waist,deep v-neck and short slightly ruffled sleeves.I'm taking the sleeves off and adding the ruffle to the V,attempting to shape the shoulders a bit,removing the tie back then will add a pewter belt and wear with gorgeous metallic pewter shoes,silver,black and white jewellery and rather red hair!!!

foxgloves

As block colours still seem to be selling in the shops & you can sew, would it be possible to have a search through charity shops and see if you can get a contrasting dress so you could do a sort of cut & shut? I'm thinking, say if you had a red dress, you could maybe make a different bottom half for it in black. I'm not a brilliant sewer, but I'd try this myself if if I was lucky enough to find something suitable.

Peartree

I appreciate it isn't the question and I know it is nice to have something different to wear but do you really need to wear something different every time? I, and my colleagues, go to work functions and we all seem to circulate the same few outfits. To be honest, I'd be hard pressed to say who wore what last time.

And if your company expect you to go to a lots of functions don't they provide any sort of allowance for outfits? Where I work the men can hire dinner suits and I discovered that the women can also hire dresses - although it wasn't widely known.

It can be a beggar to find something suitable for a formal work event as so much evening wear puts a lot of flesh on display which really isn't acceptable with business colleagues. Dresses aren't very versatile. I've found separates the way to go- I have a black satin tailored skirt suit which has seen endless outings with different tops and also often wear black velvet trousers. With your sewing skills a couple of patterns and a few remants I'm sure you could whizz up a mix and match wardrobe that your colleagues would be very jealous of.

Anyway, how about a nice fitted pencil skirt and maybe matching shrug top out of one of the cocktail dresses then buy a plain satin vest top? I'm sure you could whizz up a fabric clutch bag in seconds and there is really no need for different shoes for every outfit if you find a classy pair of evening shoes in the sales.

carefullycautious

if the cocktail dress is sleeveless could you wear a bright coloured shrug with it or a lace one. Would work out cheaper than new dress. Just a thought

also remember less is more

sophistica

Absolutely agree - use ebay. You can select items by price and if you use auctionsniper.com you can be pretty sure of getting your chosen item.

ladylouise62

Once you decide what type of change you want to make, try Freegle/Freecycle for actual material or a suitable dress to provide the material.