This summer I can’t help but notice the re-emergence of a simple off the shoulder silhouette.
After lusting over them online I realised (with glee) that this particular shape was incredibly easy to make, using a simple gathered waist skirt technique g I utilise so often (in literally everything!) because it’s just so easy. You can even make it by hand without a sewing machine like I did here if you so choose. As part of my week with Ferragamo, I recently tried my hand at this top, and will definitely be making a few more in a bunch of fabrics and styles. Read on to see how.
Wearing: J Crew hat, bag and flats, DIY shorts (from J Brand jeans), DIY necklace, Ferragamo sunglasses and watch
You will need around 2m (2.4 yards) for the cotton (or silk) fabric. For the elastic, cut it into three pieces to go around your bust and your arms. Although I made mine by machine, you can do it by hand too if you like similar to this.
Basically to make this you are literally going to make three gathered tubes of fabric, one big one for your top measuring from the top of your bra line to waist and two from your arms measuring from below the shoulder to the elbow. Then all you have to do it sew them together under the arm and voila!
2
Hem the bottom of the tube, then sew the top hem wide enough to pass your elastic through.
3
Sew down the long edge so you have a tube, making sure to leave the opening for the elastic.
6
Using a stick of some sort, thread the elastic through the top seams. So the two arm sections separately and then using a light hand stitch, sew the arms to the top of the body, checking to see where they need to go by trying on the top. Once the top is finished, to create a heart shaped neckline, I simply pinned it to my strapless bra - a bit of simple DIY magic right there!
Photos by Marion Tessier
This top looks lovely x
http://mividabonitaa.blogspot.nl/
perfect!
http://www.ontomywardrobe.com
It looks very easy and the end result is so cute!
http://thoughtsinstyle.wordpress.com/
Wow the top looks so amazing!
xx Mira
http://www.glamdevils.com
I am so happy you did this! I was searching for a ” Bardot Top” high and low on the internets. I might just give this a go instead. Thanks!!!
I’m just wondering how did you do that heart shape neckline…because you sew a right line without curves…. thanks…
Oh I forgot to say! When I wore it I pinned the middle of the top above the bust to my strapless bra 😉
This looks so nice! I’m loving off-shoulder tops this summer – will definitely try to make this!
Yuen @ The Craziest Paradigm – fashion, beauty + lifestyle
Absolutely adore this look! Such a great idea with off shoulder top! Definitely should try it!
http://www.thefashioncuisine.com
Love this look with the denim shorts and looks great with your tan!
http://www.rachelsfashionpatch.blogspot.com
It looks gorgeous and so summery! I would like to have it also, I guess I have to talk with my mother-in-law (she is a seamstress :))
http://www.dodolce.com
amazing top!
http://sweetmona.com/
WOW looks so cool and seems pretty legit tho!
love how it still has that love shape lining on the front!
Great job! 😀
xoxo, Jules
♥Come Visit My Blog♥
Gorgeous. How did you get the sweetheart neckline?
Sophie x
http://www.yourgirlislovely.com
Looks so good! Love this DIY. X
sartorialust.net
Gorgeous! this is definitely going on the to-make list!
I love love love how you’ve styled it.
-Kate from Bleached Mort
xx
I love the off shoulder trend, it’s about the only part of my body I have no qualms with. This is so ridiculously simple too, need to try it!
Lauren
livinginaboxx
beautiful top!
http://www.myclayexperience.com/
Cute and summery!
Tip for you: safety pin. hook a safety pin to the end of your elastic and you can thread it through easily.
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS! I’ve been trying to get a top like this, ahhh! Now I’m gonna have to make one…thank you thank you!
Rory
http://www.WearAboutsBlog.com
something special…! I love it so much…. <3
[…] Talk about the perfect summer top and the best part – it’s […]
This is perrrfect. I’ve been following your blog for quite some time. Love your DIYs. I’ve seen a huge trend of the off the shoulder tops too!
http://ashleeeybash.blogspot.com/
This is something I definitely would want to try to DIY!
Olya from TLV Birdie Blog
OMG!!! So pretty!!! <3
xx
LEATHER & ICE CREAM
Love this trend. Amazing DIY.
Lots of love, xx
http://marysreturn.blogspot.com.ar/
http://marysreturn.blogspot.com.ar/
WOW! What a neat tip. I love this! Thanks so much for sharing : )
http://www.fashionbombblog.com
I love this style of top and the one you made looks like better quality than one bought from a store! Now… to learn to sew 😛
xxx
that top is gorgeous, wish I had the skills to make it as well as you did
http://emicphany.blogspot.ca
So crazy talented, Geneva! This is gorgeous!
ohmygilded.blogspot.com
love the hat too!!!
XO
Jeanne
http://fashionmusingsdiary.blogspot.fr
WOW very beautiful! xxx
so adorable diy
You look good
Kiss kiss.*Jo
http://joandcompanystyle.blogspot.com/
Perfect for summer! Effortless chic! Your look is awesome
xx
http://bffbestfootforward.blogspot.co.uk
Love the DIY tips, thank you., So helpful and so cool.
This is such a great post, love the DIY top better than anything I’ve seen on the high street!
chrissabella.blogspot.com
You make everything seem so easy and stylish!
x Nina
http://trendsurvivor.com
Amazing and simple top:)
So beautiful!
XO CHAMAFASHION
http://www.chamafashion.com/
Lovely but still simple idea! I will try to recreate that 🙂
Vittoria from 5 IN THE MORNING
http://vittoriafiveinthemorning.blogspot.it/
How pretty.
Can you please give the measurements of your “tubes” though? I am unclear how big they should be.
Thank you for such a lovely idea!
I just wanted to say that I love your blog and it has been a huge inspiration!
I am trying to start a fashion blog and wanted to know if you would be able to give me some feedback on my last post!!
xx
http://itsnicnic.blogspot.com.au/2014/07/the-two-piece-set.html
Great DIY, I think anyone can do it and anyone will look nice in this blouse, and that is the beauty of it ;o)
http://www.impromp-two.blogspot.com
very nice!
it look so easy, really?
So cute and such a great DIY idea. I’m curious, though: did you have any trouble with the top staying up? Did it fall or slide down at all when wearing it? Last thing I need is a “wardrobe malfunction”… 😉
I LOVE this top!! I have bought material and elastic and am ready to go, but I’m just wondering if you wrote down any measurements? (for the width of both the top and sleeves)
Thank you!! xoxo
love the top, I am not clear on how to sew the sleeves to the body, can you explain that or show me a picture..you are lovely by the way, thanks for your beautiful site.
Measurements for cutting? Such a cute top!
[…] Wanting to try this very ambitious diy project (shirt of my […]
Wonderful DIY, the top looks so beautiful that I want to try to do it myself.
Perrrrrfect summer top! Just emailed it to my mom to see if I could get her to make me one! Thanks for sharing!
[…] gesehen zu haben in letzter Zeit. Wie zum Beispiel bei Liz von Late Afternoon, bei Geneva von A Pair & A Spare (mein Favorit), eine interessante Variante bei Emily von Cupcakes & Cashemere und noch viele […]
I so want to give this a go!
[…] DIY OFF THE SHOULDER TOP. 4th July 2014 This summer I can’t help but notice the re-emergence of a simple off the shoulder silhouette. […]
I love love love you’re website!! You truly inspire me to try new diy’s everyday! Was wondering if you could maybe do a diy of the ‘sharp skirt’ by Anthony Vacarrello? It looks like it may be simple enough but I would def need some guidance from the best! 😉 Again love everything you do on here!! Thank you!
this DIY looks great on you! I think it’s a femm take on a resurged 90’s trend. It also bodes well with both simple aesthetics AND summer boho eclectic styles. There’s everything to love about it!
http://www.styleinterplay.com
love this so much! perfect holiday top x
so easy to make
thankyou!
[…] love off-the-shoulder tops, especially one I can make […]
http://www.girlscene.nl got the exact same diy with the exact same pictures..
I absolutely love textiles, so this top would be fab to make- I also really wanted a top like this, so I am glad I have found a way I can create one myself!
OMG! i want to try this so bad!!
love always,
thatgirl-e.blogspot.jp
[…] pretty is this off-the-shoulder top DIY? Try it now before summer […]
[…] fairly is this off-the-shoulder top DIY? Attempt it now earlier than summer time […]
[…] pretty is this off-the-shoulder top DIY? Try it now before summer […]
[…] pretty is this off-the-shoulder top DIY? Try it now before summer […]
Do you have any advice on how to make the sweetheart neckline permanent? (Without having to pin it to your bra every time!)
[…] are a beginner. It is just three rectangles sewn together with gathered elastic at the top. I used this tutorial from A Pair & A Spare and didn’t have any major tweaks or comments. I originally made this shirt too long and too wide […]
Hi Geneva,
I cannot wait to sit down and make a lovely top like this, have wanted one for while! Sorry if this is a silly question, but I am relatively new to DIY. How do you secure the elastic together? Do you just sew it together, when you join the tubes? And where is best to do this, under the arm so the line isn’t visible?
Thanks xx Chloe
[…] shoulder top version two – this time in a lycra/jersey fabric for a fitted style (check out version 1 here) Perfect as either a bikini top, or some sort of beach to bar situation. For those of you […]
[…] shirt and wore it as an off-the shoulder blouse. For your own off-the-shoulder DIY project, check this […]
Used this to make my own tonight and I’m so happy with out it turned out! I had spent a lot of time trying out more expensive off the shoulder tops only to be disappointed with an aspect of the fit or fabric every single time. Getting to make one that was as simple as I wanted with my fabric choice was fab!
Thanks for sharing! xx
I am trying this one today :))
[…] See last year’s off the shoulder top here. […]
[…] See last year’s off the shoulder top here. […]
[…] ficar muito bem se combinarem com uma parte de baixo mais justa e vice-versa. Aliás, têm aqui neste blog um DIY bem fácil para costurarem o vosso próprio top de ombros à mostra. E aqui, neste vídeo, uma forma de transformarem uma t-shirt normal num top que descai nos ombros. […]
Hi! : ) Your blog is awesome! I was wondering, the instructions says “one big one for your top measuring from the top of your bra line to waist…” but measuring to waist line seems too short judging by the final result haha.. we must measure to waist or to hips? Sorry about my english and greetings from Venezuela. xoxo
[…] top largo vai ficar muito bem se combinarem com uma parte de baixo mais justa e vice-versa. Aliás, têm aqui neste blog um DIY bem fácil para costurarem o vosso próprio top de ombros à mostra. E aqui, neste vídeo, uma forma de transformarem uma t-shirt normal num top que descai nos ombros. […]
[…] really love off shoulder dresses and tops. If you do as well, here is an easy DIY or you can buy some here. Talking about off shoulders, I wore one here and another […]
how did you sew the arms onto the body?
[…] Imágenes via: ASOS , A Pair and A Spare […]
Nice and new trend waiting for this one to be viral
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