How to Refashion a Maxi Dress in to a One Shoulder Top

I like the after much more

Today’s Maxi dress refashion is number 2 on my list. You can see my list of Maxi dresses that need to be refashion in this post. I cleverly named it Maxi Dress Fix you can check that out if you like.

This is how my dress looked before

So this dress has a little story behind it. I saw it a few years ago on the clearance rack at Wal-Mart for only 3$. It was way to big for me at the time, so I snatched it up with big plans for the fabric, I was going to make it something way cooler. However it slowly worked its way to the very far back of my very deep closet. 

Then last year when I was pregnant and nesting cleaning out my closet in the middle of the night.(I was looking for something that would fit, anything) Then lo and behold; the 3 dollar Maxi...and IT FIT! I was so excited, it was a perfect fit, not to mention very comfy. I wore it the whole 3rd trimester. 


Now the dress is bit stretched out in the bust and it is not flattering on me at all. You know what that means...Time to chop it up!


Enough of the chitchat! Lets get going!

I am going to show you how to make a maxi dress into a one shoulder top. It is very easy and fast, with very little sewing. So let's get started with Maxi dress #2. Step 1 Get your supply's together You will need a maxi dress that has a smocked top Scissors
and either Needle and thread or sewing machine Step 2
Chop the bottom of the dress off! In order to measure it right you need to first lay the dress out. Next use a top that you like the length to measure with. Lay the top on the dress. Line the bottom of the top up with the bottom of the smocked portion of your dress. (I found this very hard to describe, so look at the photo below for better directions)

Cut the bottom of the dress of(we will use that later)

Step 3

Try on the dress, upside down(with the smocking around your waist). Then pull up one side to make a shoulder and pin it. I made mine about 5 inches, but you can make your sleeve as long or short as you like. See the photo below, that is the small part you will have to sew.

The top of the dress will now be the waist of the one shoulder shirt.

Step 4 Sew that short straight line. My dress did not need a hem, depending on the fabric of your dress you may choose or need to hem the whole thing.

Well that is it, your all done!  I told you it was easy to make your old maxi into a new top!

So what do you think of my new top, do you love it?  I sure do!   

Can you believe that this cute little was an old maxi dress?

Here is a little Before and After shot so you can see how much it changed and because I am so happy with how this one worked out!

I hope you found this tutorial on how to upcyle a dress easy.  If you have any questions on it just message me, I am glad to help.

I would love to see how your maxi turns out, please send me a picture!  


Thank you so much for looking, let me know what you think.



I am linking up at The grant life