Potential Shirt Dress Refashion

So as I'm here going through a few blogs I have been inspired. I figured that this is probably the best way to document my eureka moment, because I dont know where my sewing/craft journal is at the moment. (My desk is messy, once again!!!! And of course my corner in the room I share with my younger sister.) So I have this gorgeous shirtdress that I bought from H&M a few years ago, however since then I have gained weight!!! I know sad story, so the top part is a bit snug and gaps when I wear it. My idea is to use the Coffee Date dress pattern for the bottom part as a guide to cut the bottom part of the dress off. Then use this tank top that I had bought at Forever 21 but it turned out to be way too long, and using the excess fabric to make vertical ruffles on it. However, I feel that if I do it now I won't be able to wear it until the spring/summer, since its a summery bright plaid.

I'm also thinking of transforming a dress that I bought when I was living in Spain. I bought it during their "rebajas" which happen twice a year. Everything is super cheap!! Hence, my impulse to buy. I have yet to wear it. Its all white shirt dress. There's something about it that keeps me from wearing it, I have yet to figure it out. I plan on just using the top for the dress and using the Coffee date dress bottom part as a guide to make a skirt out of the Frida Kahlo Fabric that I have and making into a pseudo/hybrid shirt dress and attaching belt looks to make a belt out of the Frida Kahlo fabric. We'll see how these turn out. But first I need to get through my pile of projects started and not yet finished.