Recycling an Old Bridesmaid Dress Into A Holiday Dress

We all (including moi) have a closet full of old bridesmaid dresses. With a little ingenuity and some alterations, you can take that monstrosity out of your closet and rework it into a dress perfect for a holiday party. Isn't it all about recycling and saving money? And you've already got the dress and it fits!

If you have any two piece bridesmaids dresses, you've hit the mother lode. Pair the bridesmaid top with a cute black skirt, leather pants, evening pants or even jeans.

You can add a tailored jacket or cardigan and wear the bridesmaid top as a camisole.

You can hem the skirt to tea length or knee length and wear it with a holiday twin set, tuxedo jacket or sparkly beaded sweater.

If you have a full length dress, have it shortened to tea length or knee length. Add or subtract the spaghetti straps. You can even buy cute beaded bra straps to snap onto a strapless bra.

If the dress has a ribbon sash belt, take it off and replace it with a holiday belt in silver or a tailored belt.

Remove this ribbon STAT!! The ribbon makes it "bridesmaidy". A tailored belt or a sparkly belt will take it out of the realm of weddings. And forget these ugly shoes!


It the dress is poofy, cut out the crinoline and have it shortened and the excess fabric on the sides tapered in to a more manageable width.

If the dress is black, have it hemmed into a classic little black dress.

If your dress is black AND tea length, accessorize, accessorize, accessorize! Think classic silver shoes, jewelry and a silver broach. You probably already have the basics in your closet. Or pair the black with red shoes and purse. Cute and stylish!

If your dress has long streamers in the back, have them removed.

Remove every bow on the dress, don't ask questions, just DO it! ;)

If it has a sweep train, have it cut off.

If the dress has a fuller skirt, you can have the dress cut into a short bubble skirt.

If the dress is ruffled and poofed, just trash it or sell it to a drag queen on Ebay.