DIY: How To Turn a Maxi Dress into a Jumpsuit
Spring is finally here and there are several items in our closets that we just kind of don’t want anymore. I have already paid Goodwill a visit and dropped off the most random box ever (clothes, picture frames, flags…. random). There were some things that I kind of didn’t want anymore, but I kind of didn’t want to get rid of. To this dilemma I say, “DIY!”
Love this post? Check out how to upcycle an old dress into a new one, too!
I got this dress as a hand-me-down from my older sis (I always get clothes from her when I visit home, and I love it!). For those out there who hate the idea of “hand-me-downs,” let’s just call it an aesthetically pleasing clothing inheritance. Sounds better, right? Anywho, I wanted to keep/get rid of this dress (my indecisiveness is showing). It’s super simple, but it has some great elements to it such as the silver coils on the shoulder straps, and of course the leopard print everything. Therefore I just altered it & spiced it up to extend its life in my closet.
Here’s all you need and all that you need to do:
Materials:
• Maxi dress
• Scissors
• Sewing machine & thread / needle & thread
• Sewing pins
Directions:
• While wearing the dress, mark a point near crotch area that will be the “seat” of your jumpsuit by placing the pin there. This should be about 3″-6″ below your actual seat area so as not to cause gathering at the seat once it is sewn up.
• Remove the dress and lie it on a flat surface.
• Make sure hems at sides are aligned, and cut the dress along the straight arrow line, from the bottom hem line up to the pin.
• Turn dress inside out and align cut legs.
• Place pins along cut to keep both sides of legs together for sewing.
• Sew (with machine of by hand if you feel like it) pants legs up along the blue line.
• Turn your new jumpsuit right side out and wear that bad mama jama!
Hat: Target
Shoes: Thrifted
Photocredit: Nichole Benson
This was so easy babes, I’d love to see you all repurpose and old maxi dress in your closet that you’re iffy about, and give it a new lease on life.
xoxo, dolls and dudes
The Comments
Dionne Dean
I’m just gonna drop my maxi dresses at your place and you can do this for me because I LOVE the idea, but the execution girl…LOL Great post!
Addie
Dionne DeanDionne, thank you girl! Lol, I might have to start a maxi dress-to-jumper service 🙂
Brenda @DailyMayo
This turned out great! That pattern was meant to be a jumpsuit. 🙂
Addie
Brenda @DailyMayoThank you, Brenda! 🙂
Holly
Love it love it love it! What a great way to repurpose, it looks fabulous and totally on trend!
Addie
HollyThank you, doll 🙂
Natalie
Aesthetically pleasing clothing inheritance: I LOVE IT! Next time my sister and I swap clothes, I’m going to call it this instead! 🙂 I’ve never thought about DIYing a jumpsuit before, but I love this idea–I have a few maxi dresses in my closet that I’m not in love with anymore, but I’m now thinking that they’d make for some awesome jumpsuits.
Addie
Nataliehehehe 😀 Yes, I love getting my sister’s clothes, there’s no such thing as a hand-me-down with the way I dress them UP! Try it out, girl! I hope it goes swell 🙂
Artney
This is super cute…and creative! I have a sewing a machine up in my closet that I really need to take down. I’m so ready to get started learning. I love your style…as always!
Addie
ArtneyIt took me a while (and a lot of youtube videos) to learn to work my machine, but it was worth it for little things like this lol. I haven’t worked up the courage to make a whole piece of clothing from scratch! Thank you, Artney! 🙂
Whitney
This is awesome!! Thank you for sharing this! Looks really good!
http://www.Fashionabella.com
Addie
WhitneyThanks, Whitney! 🙂
Nikki
Love this! I wonder if I have anything to do this to. I love this idea.
Addie
NikkiIf you don’t, you can always use a thrifted maxi to experiment with it on 🙂
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PAM
I love this idea! I Have a dress that is much too long- you are a genius. Thank you🎀
Ali
I just followed your tutorial with a maxi dress that was too big, and now I have a really nice wide-leg jumpsuit! thank you!
Addie
AliYou’re so welcome Ali! I’m glad it helped you reuse something in your closet that wasn’t working! 😆❤️
Raine
This is so trendy and classy at the same time! Will try this later with my maxi dress that i used when i was pregnant. ❤ Sml here from the philippines.
nicole leduc
It looks great but infront..there are kinds of pleats going to crotch..because..the croth is not design…the front crotch is shorter than the back..so watch the front plets …that are in the front..
Addie
nicole leducYea, it’s better if it is a really long dress so that the crotch area isn’t too tight or too high up.
bunny
I love the idea, but how you put it on, do you put a zipper on the back? mine has a round neckline and is sleeve less.
Addie
bunnyI slip it on from the top because of how open it is! That’s a good idea for those that have tighter neck areas.
Lena
So excited to find this post of yours!! I have been losing weight and trying on clothes only to have to oart with some of my favorites. But knowing i can Now reinvent the clothes i like so much to give them a longer life, cant wait to get started!! Ive got a couple maxi dressEs begging for this makeover!!! :o) Thanks much for sharing addie!!!
Addie
LenaHi Lena, I’m so happy that you can extend the life of some of your clothes by making them over with this DIY! You’ll enjoy them even more now that they’ll be a new outfit to you. Thank you so much for visiting, I hope you stay to enjoy more posts!!
Addie
Erin
Did you have gathering or bunching in the front of this jumpsuit?
Thanks
Addie
ErinYes, there was a little bit of gathering!
Leaha Redeker
I was so excited to find this on pinterest! I have so many maxi dresses in my closet that I was thinking about donating because I never wore them, but this tutorial helped so much! I never once thought about making them into jumpsuits! Thank you so much!
Addie
Leaha RedekerHey Leaha (love how your name is spelled!),
I’m so glad it helped! Get crafty and turn a few into jumpsuits. I hope they work well for you! =)
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Vkay
Don’t you need to give more length to the back of the rise for a larger booty? When I’ve tried this I had a really strange looking back as it was straining through my backside and looked perfect from the front. I’ll head to thrift to get a test skirt and pull back up to give more fabric there and then re hem to even that out.
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Jen
I love this so much! What would i need to do different w a t-shirt maxi that i can’t step into to pull up? The dress goes on over my head.
Help!!!
Thanks, Jen xoxo
Jodie
I have been really really really wanting a jumper soooo bad and I have a few maxi dresses that I dnt really like as a dress anymore and I have been thinking of making something else out of it but didn’t know what but now I do thank u
Addie
JodieI’m so happy that it helps you use what you already have to get a like new piece of clothing that you’ve been wanting!!
Patricia
Such a great idea! Thank you for sharing this.
Addie
PatriciaThank you!!
Barb
Great. Does it have a neck opening with button or zipper? I have a halter dress with elastic at bust line and elastic back-think your idea would work for my dress. I wear a black lacy sleeveless top over my dress. Get lots of compliments, could still use lace top.
Addie
BarbI love the layering idea! This fabric was super stretchy which made it easy to step into. It did not have any buttons or zippers.
Barbara
Thank you for the tutorial I recreate all the time, but needed the measurements to do the seat, you have helped my closet be revamped!
Addie
BarbaraI’m so happy to hear that, Barbara! Yay for remaking our clothes and extending their use!! =D