Above: cut the collar of a bright shirt and wear with a low scoop-neckline neutral cami.
The Spring 2012 Carven RTW runway show was chock-full of DIY inspiration from the latest trends. Removable collars? Cut-outs? Bright color-blocking? Oh yes, give me more! 
Thrift a bright knit camisole and cut the neckline into a low scoop; finish the top with hand-stitching or machine-stitching to prevent unraveling. Wear over a white button-down.
Cut an oval shape out of the center of a simple black dress.
Cut a wavy shape out of the front of a leatherette mini=dress (check the thrift store for possibilities). Wear over a denim blouse that’s had the sleeves cut off.
Cut a zig-zag shape into the front of a bright dress. Glue black lace into the hole from the inside.
Cut a heart-shape out of the front of a white blouse. (One that buttons down the back if you can find it.) Wear with a bright decorated collar necklace that sits right in the cut-out.
Cut a wavy shape out of a leatherette mini-dress. Pull apart some metallic flowers (from the floral or the scrapbooking section of the craft store); glue onto the dress with leather glue.
Cut out a round shape at the bust of a bright dress. Splatter with gobs of contrasting fabric paint.
Change the cut-out regimen by cutting out a rectangle just above the waist of a striped dress. Add some large beads or paillettes in a similar color across the neckline.
Cut out a polygon shape from above the waistline of a lace dress. Glue black lace into the hole from the inside.
xoxox
Carly
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Photos by Marcus Tondo / GoRunway.com, from Style.com
LOVE your blog! You always have great inspiration
Thanks Lindsay!:-) I feel cut-outs are going to be big again for Spring…I guess it just depends how brave I’m feeling whether I start rocking them or not!;-)
I love all the cutouts!! I wonder how hard that would be to do to your own clothes?
Lindsey recently posted…Is It Worth It? 10-1-11
Not too hard! On a woven fabric, allow about a 3/8 seam allowance (i.e., cut *inside* the area you want to cut out) and fold the excess fabric to the inside. Stitch close to the edge to secure. On a knit fabric it’s a little more difficult; the raw edge will unravel so you need to either overlock it, fold it under and sew it, or put seam sealant on it. On a synthetic fabric you can also heat-seal it if it has no cotton content.
Do these cut out dresses remind anyone else of a teletubby? Just sayin’…
hahahaha you’re so right! I didn’t realize it until you wrote it…especially that one with the cut-out stomach!!;-)
For the lace/sheer inserts. It is way easier to sew the lace shape onto the front of the dress and then cut away the fabric from underneath the lace . Doing it the other way is a major league pain to do and will involve far more cursing.
Ah true. Didn’t catch that – thanks!