Dress Refashion

How many of these dresses do we have left over from our teen years?
I'm always afraid that if I add a band of fabric at the bottom of a dress or skirt, it will look like an addition. Just like on a house, I don't want an addition to look awkward, like it's not meant to be there. I think that's another reason why I haven't had a lot of success with my refashions yet.
But check out what Wendy was able to do with her dress! It looks polished, sophisitcated, and very grown up, not for a 15 year old!