How to Turn Any Dress into a Summer Dress

Summer months can mean having to buy a whole new wardrobe - one that’s cooler - but what if you don’t have the funds or you just refuse to spend the extra money this year? Well, look through your closet and you’ll find lots of summer dresses - as soon as you rework them slightly.

Many dress designs can easily be turned into summer dresses with a little nip here, a little tuck there. One quick way to make a dress cooler is to cut out the sleeves. Use binding tape to hem around the armhole opening. Or, cut long sleeves to short sleeves, then hem. You can also split the short sleeve, and hem each side, to give a cute, flowing look to the sleeve.

Long skirts can be cut above the knee and hemmed for a much cooler dress. Try different hemlines to make each dress unique. A below-knee dress can be cut to be shorter on one side than the other. Start just above the hem on one side and cut at an angle to reach a spot much higher on the opposite side. This look is especially great for fitted skirts. Give a skirt a tattered look by cutting points into the hem. Start at the side seam and cut upwards, then down, then back up, then down, all the way around. This tattered look is fabulous on fuller skirts.

Cool down the back of a dress by cutting a large circle or oval out of it. If the dress has a zipper in back, this design won’t work. For dresses that have no zipper in the back, use a template, a bowl from the cupboard, or any other shape that will make a good pattern. Draw around it and cut the shape out of the back of the dress. Hem around the shape and you’ll have a lovely summer dress like no one else’s.

Knit dresses are instantly cooler when you cut the shoulders and sleeves out. Although this design won’t work for dresses that have zippers or buttons anywhere on the or back area, it’s perfect for pullovers. Lay the dress out flat and cut straight across from just below one underarm seam to just below the opposite one. Hem. Put quarter-inch elastic in to hold the dress in place. Decorate the top edge with ribbon, lace, or leave plain. After sewing, you can then add notions to the bodice, like buttons or tiny bows.