Like everyone else, I grew up watching the 1965 film adaptation of the Rogers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music , starring Julie Andrews. It was my elementary school's go-to videotape (yup) whenever it rained and we kiddies had to spend recess stuck in the auditorium after lunch. I can easily say I've seen that version of The Sound of Music, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary, so many times that I knew how to zone out and zone back in at key moments: Andrews frolicking in the hills that are alive, "My Favorite Things," and when Maria (Andrews) dresses the von Trapp kids in clothes made from drapes. And you can totally make a dress out of drapes in real life, because it's 2015 and if Etsy has taught us anything, it's that you can make something out of anything.
As silly as it might sound, making clothes out of curtains is a storied cinema tradition. Scarlett O'Hara spots some drapes she likes in the 1939 classic Gone With the Wind and Princess Gisele in 2007's Enchanted cuts and sews a gorgeous gown out of some modern curtains. All three instances of curtain clothing have gone on to be iconic costumes of cinema. The clothing from The Sound of Music — including the von Traps' drapes ensembles — were sold for more than $1 million at a Hollywood auction in 2013.
Don't have that kind of cash? Neither do I. Don't fret, though — you can make your own dress out of drapes and then sing about the hills being alive. Here's how via some YouTube tutorials.
How to Make a Maxi Dress Out of Curtains by Glitter N Glue
An easy-to-follow dress tutorial that promises "real Gone With The Wind fabulousness" in its caption.
DIY: Curtain Dress Series by luvableviet
This YouTuber takes you through how to make several different cuts of dresses in her four-part series of videos. Parts 2 (deep cut), 3 (lowback/backless), and 4 (flare skirt) are also on YouTube.
DIY Dress from Curtains by Niller Taylor
"Drapes and curtains are simply....fabric!" Taylor reminds everyone in the video's caption. She turns shantung floral print-lined curtains into a very pretty dress.
DIY Dress from a Shower Curtain by Danika Gavin and Charlotte Davy
Hey, when I said curtains, I didn't mean just fancy drapes from your living room. This tutorial will show you how to take your bathroom decor to the next level.
IKEA Curtain Dress by Bare Bones Thrift
Got $2 bucks and a sewing machine? Because that's all you need to make a cute dress straight out of IKEA.
So get your DIY on and, before you know it, you'll being singing in the hills.
Image: Giphy
