DIY [MIRANDA KERR] & MICHAEL KORS INSPIRED CUT OUT DRESS - kora organics guest post

I recently had the pleasure of doing a guest DIY post for the Miranda Kerr KORA Organics website. If you haven't checked it out already make sure you do - it's overflowing with lifestyle advice on beauty, fashion, nutrition and exercise. It also has a section on natural therapies which I am all for so check it out. Random fun fact? Miranda went to the same high school as me in Brisbane for a couple of years (she was a few grades above), and according to one of my first-year university boyfriends, the thought that I could have sat in a chair that she had also sat on in a previous class made me wayyy way wayyy more attractive.

For the DIY, Brooke of The Style Net and I decided that I would recreate this absolutely gorgeous Michael Kors cut out gown Miranda wore to the CDFA awards this year.

(yup, lookin bangin)

As soon as I saw it I knew it was a look I was going to have to try to recreate using my DIY skills. The rib cut outs and front split lent itself perfectly to the re-fashioning of a basic black maxi dress.

You'll need:
A basic black maxi/midi dress in a jersey fabric (I bought mine from a cheap store for less than $10)
Scissors
Chalk
A needle and black thread

How to:
1. Put the dress on and mark where the two round cut outs should go using chalk. A circle about the size of a saucer sitting centred on each of the side seams at the height of your ribs is best. Note that while the Michael Kors dress has a cut out that goes all the way around the back - the one I made was just cut out on the sides and is intact at the back.
2. Cut the circles out.
3. Hem the circles using small stitches
4. One you have hemmed the but outs, pull the circles together in the front to create a gathered and a more triangular shaped cut out. I found this style suited me more and worked better with this soft jersey fabric.

5. For the split, put on the dress and mark where you want the front side split to stop. Cut from the hem to the marked point. Because of the type of jersey the dress I used was made out of I didn't have to sew the edges of the split but you may want to.