Bubble hem skirts & dresses were one of the hottest trends this summer. We will be bringing back this 80s and 2010s staple going into this fall. If you want to try this trend out while being sustainable and staying on budget, why not DIY it yourself. I was able to thrift a dress from the Streetsboro location and with a few supplies I transformed it into a bubble hem dress. You can also follow these steps to make a skirt version as well. The great thing about making this yourself is you can customize it to your personal taste. So whether you love a voluminous mini or you are a fan of a sleek demure midi length the freedom is yours.
Supplies
Dress or skirt. The bubble effect will work best if you use a stiffer material. So look for cottons and avoid stretchy or knit items. Look for a longer maxi to midi length. The more fabric you have will help you achieve that balloon /bubble effect.
Hand sewing needle
Sewing pins
Measuring tape
Ruler
Sewing machine.
Optional fabric dye
First prep your fabric. Wash your dress and give it a good press with an iron.
Next measure the full circumference of the bottom of your dress or skirt.
Your elastic should be half the length. Add ¼ inch to the length for seam allowance.
Next measure the width of your elastic. You are going to use that measurement plus seam allowance later.
Measure from the bottom hem of your dress and mark it with chalk on the inside or (wrong side) of the dress.
Next fold the hem up the same amount to match the width of the elastic plus seam allowance. Pin it down, this will be a tube for your elastic to go through. This is called a casing.
Once pinned sew a straight stitch leaving a 1 to 2 inch gap so you can feed the elastic through.
Feed your elastic through the casing. Take a heavy duty safety pin and attach it to one end of the elastic. You also want to pin the other end of the elastic to the outside of the fabric. This will help you not lose your elastic as you feed it through.
Once you pull the elastic all the way through, overlap the 2 ends. Pin in place and sew a square and X to secure it. Now you can close up the gap with a straight stitch.
To create the volume you want you’re going to take the new elasticated hem and pull it up and pin in place. The higher up you go the shorter and more voluminous the bubble will be.
The easiest way I found to do this was to try the dress on. While looking in a mirror, I saw what length I wanted and marked it with a pin or chalk.
Next while the dress is inside out stretch it over a flat hard surface. I used my cutting mat and then pinned it in place. I took a hand sewing needle and a matching thread to secure the hem in a few places. I tacked both sides seams in addition to the front and back. Sewing it on the side seams will help hide your stitches on the outside.
And voila now you have an on trend bubble hem dress that you made yourself. And if you’re not feeling the color you can always dye it. I definitely can picture this dress in a rich dark brown or black for fall.
For now I styled it with an oversized cropped black jacket. Matched it to my favorite black platform sneakers for a laid back vibe. I topped it off with a cheetah printed tote bag, which is another hot trend for fall. This is a perfect chill weekend look.
What if you’re not super crafty, and sewing scares you. Don’t worry, you can definitely thrift this trend. I actually found this bubble hem dress at the same Goodwill Akron Streetsboro location. Fashion truly is circular and anything old can be made new again.
Hope you’re inspired to transform your own thrifted finds.
Stay thrifty friends!
~Taylor S.~