I showed a little teaser of this piece yesterday... Red and black polkadotted top...

...with some crazy jagged edges at the pleated bottom!

Also, it looked like someone had gotten to this piece before me! Some white stitching had come undone and low and behold, the previous owner was trying some upcycling of their own!

Unfortunately it wasn't totally working for me, so I had to continue with the tweaking!

You can see the hand stitching on each side of the torso that was completed before I got my hands on it!

I got rid of the thread...

...and then trimmed off the pleated bottom of the piece. I pinned under the raw edging and prepped it to be sewn.

After trying the piece on, there was a spot on the chest area that looked a bit like oil or something slightly discolored. To get rid of it, I thought an easy tweak would be creating a V-neck.

After trimming the center open, I pinned back both sides and then added the pleated trim for some ruffle action! I made a clean cut of the ruffle edging using some pinking shears and started to pin the trim down to both sides of the V.

Look at that neckline!!

I began to sew everything in place (the new hem and neck) and took the piece in a little on each side. I basically re-stitched the part that I removed earlier - just wanted it clean and without white threads peeking through!

Post-stitch, my new top was complete!

I styled it two ways...

First look is more of a loose top worn with flats - totally casual!

Look two got a skinny patent belt to cinch the waist and was paired with some black, big bowed heels!

Yeah, for some reason my Old Navy d'Orsay flats were getting me into the ballet dancing mood! So when that mood calls, you've got to give in and jump, plié, and leap on the sidewalk!