Wardrobe Redesigned

This was my bridesmaids dress for my mother's wedding this past August. My sisters and I all bought the same dress and my mom told us to "customize it however we want so that we'll wear it again". After verifying that I could truly do whatever I wanted to the dress, I completely tore it apart. I shortened the skirt first off to make it a more flattering just above the knee-length. Then I cut off the top and took out the side seams so that I could iron out all of the folds and ruching. I wanted it to lay flat so that it could be the lining to this pretty lace. (Which I cut off of an old maternity shirt that I have no need for anymore). To accomplish this, I put my now flat front section onto my dress form and cut it to the shape I needed for the front of the dress. Then I used that piece as a pattern to cut the same shape from the lace. I pinned my good sides together and sewed the arms and neck seams. Then I turned it inside out and sewed the bottom of the lining piece to the skirt. I had lined up the lace in a way that when I cut it, the bottom hem of the shirt was now a nice little hem to lay over the seam between the top and the skirt. This helped to hide my seam. I took two lace appliques of the same color and fashioned them into straps that I hand sewed onto the front of the dress. The most fun was definitely the back. I cut it down to about halfway down my back. I removed the zipper and moved it down to where the new "top" of the back would be. I then sewed the zipper back into the bodice of the dress and cut it off at the skirt. I did not sew the zipper into the skirt at all because the material was very stretchy and the skirt obviously flares out so no zipper was needed there. Then I took an old doily (yes, you read that right) that I had found at an antique store and pinned it in the center of the back of the dress. I always pin things out on my dress form so that I can see how they will actually look on me when it is all said and done. Once I had everything lined up exactly how I wanted I hand sewed the doily to the straps of the dress and to the back of the dress creating a beautiful lace back. This dress went from a fun fifties frock to much more modern little lace number. 

Tell me what you think! Has anyone used doilies for other creative additions to their clothing?