Today for your Deal Diva inspiration pleasure, our friend and intrepid reporting colleague Hilary Lehman shares a tale of fashion agony, woe and eventual triumph at the artful hands of a blade. She reminds us to not only look at the obvious when shopping, but also the possibilities. Take it away, Hil!

This weekend, I was attempting the heroic feat that is braving the sale racks at JCPenney when I stumbled upon an ultra-cute shift dress in my absolute favorite color -- lime green -- at 65 percent off.

The only problem: A horrible ruffle all the way around the neckline. But, I really love that green. So I tried the lie we all tell ourselves: maybe it will look better on.

Fail. On my body, the ruffle turned into a lei, and made the otherwise-adorable dress unwearable to anything but a tacky luau party. Desolate, I checked the stitching.

Only a single thread was holding the ruffle to the neckline of the dress -- a single thread, standing between me and wearability. I decided to risk it. Once I got home, I started hacking at the seam. In about 15 minutes, success!

Now I have my signature dress of this summer, as well as a detached ruffle that I can use in a pinch if I actually am called upon to attend a luau.

A few things to keep in mind if you’re going to rip out a seam:

• Make sure it’s a simple seam. If the stitching has multiple threads or knots, it’s going to be impossible for you to take out easily and will probably damage the fabric.
• Consider the type of fabric you’re working with. Cotton should work fine -- the holes left from the seam should disappear over time. Jersey or synthetic fabrics could be more dangerous.
• Rip, don’t cut. Only use the edge of the scissor to sever the thread, if possible, or even a serrated knife. You don’t want to risk catching the fabric between scissor blades.