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Love the dress, but not the length? No problem! Learn how to make a dress longer with this simple trick that looks intentional (and stylish).
We’ve all been there—you find the perfect dress, only to realize it’s too short for comfort.
Instead of letting it gather dust in your closet, why not fix it?
This easy, stylish solution lets you make that dress or skirt a little longer.
Jump to:
The Dress
I needed a formal dress for a work event and found this black dress on clearance for $15. I couldn’t pass that up!
It is a simple black sleeveless dress that fits above the knee with a thick, ruffled bust.
The only issue is that it was a little too short for me to be comfortable.
I am self-conscious about my knees and hoped the dress was an inch or two longer.
Supply List
Some links may be to similar items when exact items couldn’t be found online.
The dress I am adding length to is black, so my trim and thread are black.
If your dress is a different color, your trim and thread should coordinate.
Pin the Trim
The easiest way to sew the trim is to first pin it in place along the bottom of the dress.
My skirt has a slit, so that is the easiest place to start the trim. Fold the trim slightly over at the ends and pin it into place.
If the skirt doesn’t have a slit, begin the trim at an off-center point between the back and side, then pin all the way around. Slightly overlapping the ends.
If you pin it before you sew, you can try it on and make sure you like the placement.
Hand Sew
For this small project, I find it easiest to attach the trim by hand. I don’t pull out my sewing machine at all.
By hand stitching, I can ensure that my stitches aren’t seen because I am stitching to the inside hem.
Run straight stitches through the top of the trim and through the back fold of the hemline, going all the way around the base of the skirt.
My stitches aren’t perfectly consistent, but I’m okay with that since they can’t be seen on the outside of the garment.
Final Thoughts
I told a couple of people about the extra length, and they all said they never would have guessed.
It looked like it should have been bought that way, and that is precisely what I was going for.
I got this fun picture of my team, and you can see my dress. My absolute favorite part of my outfit was my hot pink heels. I love them!
More Ways to Add Length to a Skirt
Does the above method not work for you? That’s okay. Here are a few more ways to add length to a shirt skirt.
Ways to feel more comfortable wearing a short skirt:
