Want to open a can of worms? Just talk about shortening vintage dresses. It’s one of those controversial issues where most people tend to be either in full support or entirely against it. I, however, line up somewhere in the middle.

For instance, the racks of vintage maxis at this weekend’s flea market that had their sweeping hems lopped off to create mini dresses and tops hold no appeal for me. In fact, they just looked sad hanging there with their proportions all wrong.

But I’m not entirely opposed to the idea–I just like to have the option to shorten a vintage dress to a length that’s right for me. My tailor is working on a little 1960s velvet and satin number right now. It looks quite dated on the hangar but after we take up the hem and create cap sleeves from the long, formal, buttoned numbers on the original, it’ll hold its own at a 2009 holiday party and be entirely original.

But what do you do with today’s VPOD? It presents an interesting dilemma because it’s a vintage 1970s Ossie Clark dress with a lovely floral print designed by Celia Birtwell. The problem? The hem is permanently stained and has a small hole. And while normally I’d rip the scissors right out of the hands of anyone about to use them on a precious Ossie (or any other collectible label), in this case I’d say go for it.

Taking a few inches off this frock will eliminate the staining and the hole. It will look even more contemporary shortened and if that means that it will get worn more and loved more, well, isn’t that a good thing?

Yes, I’d say that’s a very good thing for a vintage fashionista!

Available at Vintage-a-Peel.

(To receive the VPOD via email with detailed size, price and purchase information, sign up for my growing email mailing list here. Your information will never be sold or shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.)