Anatomy of an upcycled costume - Mermaid parade 2013

I bought this cheap, crappy, glittery t-shirt dress from Forever 21. I decided this year's mermaidspiration was mariachi, and I thought it would be a good idea to try to use the fabric from the dress to make a bolero and hot pants.

 I cut the dress across the waist.

Then I cut straight down the front to make a cardigan shape

I have saved this pair of boy-short underwear forever... I trace the front and the back to use as a pattern for hot pants.  The skirt of the dress had JUST enough fabric using some creative geometry.

I gathered the front of the cardi, creating a bolero shape, sewed some trim on the shorts and the bolero, and then sewed a closure on the top.

I free-handed a tail shape (2 pieces), served inside out, them stuffed with batting the same shape.

A long rectangular sash around the top finished the tail.  ¡Olé!