Peplum Bandeau

I'm always looking for new ways to revamp old styles. As I was rummaging through my closet the other day, I came across an old lace skirt I bought from Aeropostale in 2016. Back then, skater skirts were the height of fashion.

Sadly, that's not the case today. My well-loved skirt needed a makeover.

In this tutorial, I'll be teaching you how to restructure a flow skirt into a peplum top.

1 skirt (stretchy material preferred)

sewing machine

scissors

1 safety pin

1'' wide elastic (for non-stretchy material)

Cut off the waistband of the skirt. Cut up the length of the skirt, so that the material lays flat.

Chances are the fabric will be slightly curved due to the shape of the skirt. If so, it must be straightened out. To do this, cut the fabric into two smaller, more manageable pieces. Trim off any curved edges and resew the fabric into one large piece using a straight stitch. (Two long pieces are pictures as one is the lining and the other is an lace overlay).

Hem the bottom and top of the fabric using a straight stitch.

Because my fabric is double layered, I laid one piece on top of the other (wrong sides facing out) and sewed using a straight stitch.

Starting from the bottom hem, measure and mark 5 centimeters up. Using the longest straight stitch possible, sew across the fabric. DO NOT BACKSTITCH.

Tug on the top thread to scrunch the fabric. Try to create even ruffles across the top.

Hem any remaining raw edges.

If your fabric has enough stretch, simply sew the top closed using a zigzag stitch.

If your fabric is rigid or too short, a little more work needs to be done:

Using the waistband from the original skirt, cut three equal strips of fabric. Attach the strips evenly along the length of the top. If need be, cut additional pieces of elastic to attach to those strips. This will allow the top to stretch as you put it on. Sew using a straight stitch.

I'm so happy with the results of this thrift flip; it's definitely one of my favorites. This peplum bandeau is such a chic new addition to my summer wardrobe. I can't wait to wear it out this weekend :)