Day 363. 2 days and $3 left to go.

OMG just two more days left!!!  We won’t discuss that yet.  Let’ s just talk about the dress.

Well hello 1982!!  I know traditionally the day after Thanksgiving is known as Black Friday, but I wanted to turn that name on it’s head.  There is nothing dark about this outfit today and I promise nobody waited outside in a line for days to get this.

Day 363 - Before

This dress is literally by the company, Climax, and I mean could it get any more Linda Evans from Dynasty?

Dynasty in the house!!

No, I don’t think it could as we’re literally in the same dress!!  Big issue #1 was that mine had lots of these little discolorations on the arms and on the front of the dress.

Spot!!

We’re going a dye route today which should get us free and clear of these in no time!!

I was thinking about going a ombre route where one end of the dress is the darkest shade of the dye and then as you get further away the color gets lighter and lighter, but then thought it would be fun to tie dye and channel my inner Matthew Williamson.

I first began to rubber band the piece to prepare some cool bulls eye looking patterns all over it.

Rubber Bandit!

Once my dress was banded, I gathered my dye materials – the container and dye holders…

Dye tools!

…as well as the colors themselves…

RIT Dye!

…and got a bath of Petal Pink going.

Into the dye bath!!

I had the idea to completely dye this Petal Pink because it was lightest shade, but then to add some of the Fuchsia and Violet shades to the edges to give it three subtle shades of pinkish/purple. Using a turkey baster (not the same one you use for your turkey friends!!) and some ketchup/mustard containers, I began darkening the edges.

Dye time!!

This was the shade when it was complete.  Because I was rushy Marisa today, I only let it sit out for about 20 minutes and then threw it into the washing machine.

OMG Dye!

Since it’s already been dyed, a good cold water wash will set the shade nicely.  Unfortunately in my hurry, hurry craziness today (partially due to the fact that I got online at 5am to purchase a few holiday gifts from Best Buy…won’t give away who, but let’s say there is some Mad Men seasons on DVD en route to my casa for presents), I accidentally washed this in hot water which unfortunately did not bear a dress in these lush purples and pinks.  It came out of the wash in that base pink color with lots of white rubber band marks all throughout it. (They’re kind of hard to see, but they are there!!)

Day 363 - After

The subtle tie dye in the light pink shade still turned out nicely, however it wasn’t exactly what I was wanting.  Instead of cutting the tapered sleeves off or in half, I kept them Joan Collins-esque and just pushed them up to my elbows.  Still get the flowy/billowy feel but without the total 80s look.

Billowy Sleeve!!

The way this piece draped, from the neckline to the slit in the skirt, I just loved the way it moved.  It was rather large in the beginning…

Le Vanity!!

…but instead of cutting to fit, I just took a vintage pin to cinch it together.  I’ll probably go a belt route next time, but tonight it was elegant and worked perfectly for the eve.

Vintage pinning!

Now, I really like how it turned out, albeit it was different from my original plan.  Sometimes you have to just go with the flow.  The fun part for me is that I can try this out again.  I may even change up some colors too.  This won’t be the last time you see this dress friends