This Mom Uses Her Husband's Clothes To Make The Cutest Dresses For Their Daughter

When it comes to belongings that have sentimental value, every parent knows that there are so many special items you can associate with your baby. Whether it's clothing that they wore during a religious ceremony like a baptism, or even the outfit that you took them home from the hospital in, keeping some things to remind you of these precious times is essential, because they go by so quickly. But some people take it even a step further, finding new and inventive ways to repurpose sentimental items. This mom turned her husband's shirt into the cutest dress for their daughter, and then started a business where you can send her your items to be repurposed, too.

"Ever since I started sewing, I loved trying new dress patterns. I was racking up quite the bill at the fabric store and decided I would find some old clothing around the house to experiment on," Carli told Romper. "I knew Josh had a lot of old clothes with great patterns so I started to make them into dresses. As soon as I finished my first one, I looked at Amelia in Josh's old shirt and it was a shirt he had when we first started dating. At that moment, I realized how much emotion these dresses can carry. I then made one out of the shirt that Josh wore the day Amelia was born and it has me hooked on trying to give other parents the same feeling."

Josh was so touched by the whole thing that he posted the shirt-turned-dress to Reddit, where the post got a massive response. Inspired by the momentum, Josh suggested that Carli open up a business in which she could repurpose clothes for other families, too. That's how their online storefront, Refashioned Memories, was born.

According to their website, families can order one of three products: a refashioned memory dress, a secret garden dress, or for boys, a bowtie. Once you place your order, you will receive a package that contains prepaid postage and a measuring tape, so you can send back your child's measurements, as well as the sentimental item you would like repurposed. Within just two weeks, you'll receive the final product. It's a perfect way to commemorate a loved one, or pass down a special item that your child can actually use.

Josh told PopSugar that he was "totally blown away" by Carli's creation. "I usually get home from work and play acoustic guitar to calm down from the day while Carli sews, but I never quite knew what she was up to," he said. "One day, I got home, and Amelia gives me the biggest hug in her new dress." He then explained why having the dress in a different form is so sentimental for him as a dad: "Such an amazing memory," he said. "One that is hard to even put into words. From there, we went back through old photos and put together pictures of me holding her during her first few hours of life to the beautiful little girl in the dress asking me to dance with her in the kitchen."

Josh later told Romper that he felt his wife needed to pursue this as a business, and help others to relive the feelings he just had.

Josh and Carli live in Southern, New Hampshire, with their three kids, Ryen (7), Amelia (2), and Elliot (3 months). Josh works in digital marketing and Carli works part-time in an office and full-time as a mom. "We live to adventure, and having kids does not slow us down. From spending the weekend in the mountains of Vermont to the beaches of Maine, we are always on the go," the couple told Romper.

"The reaction to this has been beyond anything that I've ever expected and I feel that if I can make just one person feel the way that Josh and I did from such a strong, sentimental memory... then I will consider this a success," Carli told Romper in conclusion. "I am hoping that I can grow Refashioned Memories into a larger store." So far, so great.