I'm terribly excited about this dress redesign for Leila. The original dress, her grandmother-in-law-to-be's (still with me?), was also worn by her future mother-in-law for her own wedding. Leila wanted to honor tradition, but it was soooo much dress. It had a high neckline, billowy leg of mutton sleeves with lace cuffs, a peaked 1930s waistline, gathered skirt, and truly the longest train I have ever seen. The whole dress was made from drop-dead glamorous slipper satin, and it weighed about 10 pounds.

What I did: dropped the lace neckline and bound it with a narrow bias strip of the satin. Recut an A-line skirt from two of the original skirt panels. Fashioned a new waistband from the leftovers. Made fluttery lace sleeves from the cuffs. Abbreviated the train by about 6 feet. Reattached the original covered buttons and loops. Made a modern dress out of a retro relic. Hurrah!