About a month ago I spotted a gorgeous hint of red brocade peeping out from between two pairs of rough denim jeans on a rack at the thrift store. I dove into the mass of tattered track pants and faded denim to reveal an amazing pair of satin trousers.  A few moments later I was passing a single dollar over the counter and claiming those pants as my own.

Sadly, when I got home and tried them on I realised that my new find was too good to be true.  I could get the trousers on with some hopping about, but once they were done up it was clear that they were not an optimal fit.  Sure, I could wear them, as long as the occasion didn’t call for eating, sitting or breathing.  I was heartbroken.

But on closer inspection I decided that all was not lost.  The trousers were hand-made, and the seamstress that created them had left a very generous seam allowance.  I set to altering the pants to make them fit.

The first thing I did was chop off the too-tight waistband.  Then I unpicked the back seam and the inner leg seams and re-stitched them, letting out the fabric ever so slightly.  What I was left with was a pair of gorgeous trousers that now fit like a dream.  I feel very proud of myself.

Ta-dah!

I am wearing:

– Red brocade trousers (thrifted)

– Ghost Girl tee shirt from Threadless

– Leopard print loafers from Target

– Silver bangles (pilfered from my aunt’s jewelry box)

– Silver drop earrings (gift from my friend Sarah)

I did think about taking the legs up as well, because they are a touch too long (ah, the joys of being short!).  However I decided to leave them as they are for now because I love the way they look when I cuff them.  It’s so nice to have that little hint of gold peeking out at the bottom when I turn the cuffs up.

I wore this outfit to the movies with my Mum and Dad.  We saw Saving Mr Banks and we all enjoyed it immensely.  This is a big deal as it is so rare to find a film that the three of us enjoy so deeply.  We each have very different tastes in films so it was a real surprise that we all raved about this one.

Have you ever altered  something from the second hand store?  How did it go?