Easy Fix Tip: Shirt Neckline

Do you have a shirt or see a shirt in the thrift store, and you really don’t like the neckline? Here is how I changed the neckline of a thrift store shirt from awkward and slightly immodest to modestly a la mode!

First, the buttons: such an awkward design and neither are functional. Also, the area below the one middle button was actually open. Yes, despite having white facing underneath, there was basically a finger-wide hole right there, a bit too low for my taste (and too easy to have an immodest moment). So, off came the buttons! I sewed that lower portion shut from the inside, attaching the facing to the purple fabric by hand in the seam edge so that it is invisible on the outside.

Then, what to do above that? I wanted it to be a little more covered, but look nice too. After playing around with ideas (and seam ripping), I took the facing over to meet in the middle. This is where the seam ripping happened, because I sewed it up too far and then couldn’t get it over my head (whoops!). Next, I pinned and sewed the facing to the tab edges like little pintucks/gathers, using a 6” ruler to make sure that both sides were attached at the same place.

To make it more secure, I did a little sewing with my sewing machine, but the machine can’t reach/do everything.

And it was done! I did most of it while sitting and talking with Mr. Himmit. And now I have a nice shirt to wear!

So, what is laying in a box that just needs a few afternoon chats’ worth of sewing to be modestly a la mode!