I'm A Sucker For Plaid...

I'm a sucker for plaid...seersucker that is.

And, according to Wikipedia...

Seersucker is woven in such a way that some threads bunch together, giving the fabric a wrinkled appearance in places. This feature causes the fabric to be mostly held away from the skin when worn, facilitating heat dissipation and air circulation. It also means that pressing is not necessary.

Did you get that last line?  PRESSING IS NOT NECESSARY!  How wonderful is that?  

I love plaid (seersucker, or otherwise), and they loved plaid in the 50's!  Just check out some of these treasures...

Luggage

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Furniture

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Accessories

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Carpet

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Fashion

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So when I came across this XL seersucker plaid housecoat (with pearlized snaps!)  I knew it had the perfect makings of a retro refashion.  I loved the colors, the neckline, the pockets, and the snaps.  And, I loved the fact that with just a few simple steps...

 ....it would look like this!

The banded neckline/front placket is a nice detail.  I found the cute vintage enamel flower brooch at the same store on sale for less than a dollar!

The skirt is actually fuller than it looks in this picture.  I have a petticoat I can wear underneath if I want more fullness.  The patch pockets are comfy and also extremely useful since I don't like carrying a purse all the time.

A simple refashion that will get lots of wear this summer, I'm sure!

I like to link to these great parties!

Continue reading if you'd like to see the process...

After cutting away the sleeves, and mostly picking apart the bodice from the skirt (I left them attached at the front plackets), I took it up in the shoulders since the original neckline was too low for me. 

I then reattached and finish the bias trim at the back of the neckline.

I took in the side seams, leaving some bodice fullness for the next step...darts.

I stitched darts in the front bodice...

...and the back bodice to make it more fitted.  Of course, you could do away with these if you like a blousier look.

 Using a favorite blouse as a guide, I cut down my sleeves and refinished the hem.  I then attached them to the bodice.

Next, I gathered the waist and stitched back onto the bodice.

The last step was to hem it to the desired length!