Easy Alteration for a Vintage Dress

I found this fabulous vintage dress at the thrift store for $12!

 

 

The waist and length were perfect.  The bodice, well, not so much.

 

 

I think Jane Mansfield may have worn this!

 

(Please disregard the mess in the background ~ this is our basement.  What a mess!)

 

A quick alteration was in order...

 

First, I slipped it on, inside-out, and pinned it along each side, from the arm holes, down to the waist.  Then I took it off and with a water-soluble pen, marked a line to sew:

 

 

I'm not sure what the fabric is (it feels like cotton but must be some sort of blend), but since it doesn't really fray, with pinking shears I snipped along the edges where I sewed the new seams:

 

 

I love the tag!  Pat Perkins was a dress manufacturer during the 1950's and 1960's.

 

 

Daughterlypoo snapped these pictures of me arriving at the train station in NYC to visit her:

 

 

 I'm definitely treasuring this dress!