Prom ReFashion and The Moth Ball 2013

I have always loved my hot pink prom dress.  Maybe because it's my favorite color (well, I love yellow a lot too).  Maybe because I bought it with my own money ($72 was a lot for me back then).  Whatever the reason, I've kept it for 13 years.

A few weeks ago, my physical therapist told me about "The Moth Ball."  It's a charity event that benefits battered women in our area.  For the party, you're supposed to wear an old wedding, prom or bridesmaid dress (hence the name, "Moth Ball").  I loved the idea and immediately raided my closet.  My wedding dress still fit, but was huge.  I didn't want to spend the night with people stepping all over my dress.  My beloved prom dress was a Juniors' size 3 and I couldn't fit into it.  I was really bummed because I wanted to wear my pink dress.  Then, I got an idea.  Maybe I could make a skirt from the bottom of the dress!  I did and it only took 45 minutes!  Here's how I did it:

1. Starting at the bottom of the zipper, I cut off the bottom half of the dress.

2. Using measuring tape and a fabric marker, I measured from the hem to the lowest cut part.  I made a mark at that specific measurement around the entire skirt so it would be even.  I cut using my marks as a guide.

3. I ironed a fold that measured one inch from the top.  I folded the top of the skirt again (about 2.5 inches since my elastic was 2 inches wide) and ironed it.  I added pins around this bigger fold.

4. I sewed along the bottom of the 2.5 inch fold, leaving a 4 inch gap where I could slip the elastic in.  The fabric did get bunched as I went, seeing as the top of the dress was smaller than the bottom.  I didn't worry too much since it would all be bunchy once I used the elastic.

5. I attached a safety pin at one end of the elastic and pushed it inside the "tube" I had just sewed at the top of the skirt.  I pushed it until it was all the way around the skirt.  I sewed the two elastic ends together, then sewed the 4 inch hole.  Tah-dah!  Finished!

To cover up the elastic waist, I wore a wide belt over it.  I wish I had used a thinner elastic.  That way, it would've been easier to hide!  I originally wanted to wear the skirt with a white oxford shirt for a 50s look, but I had no time to shop before the ball.  It turned out alright in the end.  It was so great to wear my "prom dress" to the ball!  They even played a song from my era that I remember dancing to at my prom in 2000 (er, graphic lyrics just to warn you).  Ah, sweet memories.

My friend Kimberly was my "date" and we had the best time!  The food was good, the DJ was awesome.  It was so fun to see all the dresses.  They ranged from the silly (one woman had duct-taped her wedding dress together!) to the sexy (the 21 year olds just there to drink and look better than the rest of us).  (Check out photos from the ball here!)  Afterwards, we went to Rembrandt's coffee house for some mint tea and cookies.  It was a fabulous night!  We decided this is going to be a tradition and that we needed to invite more people along next year.

Click here for more info on The Moth Ball!