Do you remember being a kid and how exciting it was to find a penny on the ground? I do. The excitement that comes from finding the unexpected is not something easily forgotten. I love the rush of coming across a treasure, even a little one. It’s almost problem really. I’m worried I’m destined to become one of those crazy people who can’t stop searching the world with their metal detector, but for now, or at least as long as I don’t have a metal detector, I’m sticking with thrifting.
I love it because I never know what I’m going find. Sure, you have to bulldoze over some seriously hideous pieces, but it’s worth it when you come across a gem, or should I say, the unexpected penny. This dress was one such piece. The vintage cut was priceless, and while it’s not exactly maternity, the pleats around the midsection were begging to be wrapped around a big belly.
There were just two things in the way of this being a diamond in the rough–the shoulder pads, and the faded yellow-cream color. Some scissors and some dye took this from an outdated throw-out to a little vintage treasure. Oh, and the accessories helped a little too.
The dress is 66% rayon 34% polyester. That means that it can’t be dyed completely, only tinted. After some experimenting (which you can find on my Instagram) I opted to mix Rit Dye in Aquamarine, with Dylon Dye in Bahama blue. I don’t think these are meant to be mixed, but I thought using both would ensure the most coverage.
Rit Dye Aquamarine + Dylon Bahama Blue
1. First I hand-washed the dress and made sure it was entirely wet. Dry spots will soak in more dye and can result in uneven color.
2. I mixed the entire bottle of Rit Aquamarine with 16 cups of water and 1 cup of salt, then I brought it to a boil.
3. In a large bucket, I mixed the entire Dylon Bahama Blue pouch with 4 cups of warm water.
4. I then poured the Rit water from the stove into the bucket with the Dylon and stirred to mix them.
5. I added the dress and let it soak in the bucket for an hour with consistent stirring.
6. Then, I removed the dress and rinsed in in cold water until the water ran clear.
I hung it outside to dry. Once it was ready, I ironed it and it was good to go!
Now please don’t mind as I bombard you with a ton of the “after” pictures :)
Dress: United Volunteers Thrift Store in Provo, $2.55
Heels: Similar
Extensions: Sweet Extensions
Thanks for checking this out, let me know if you have any questions,
It’s stunning, Kara! You’re an inspiration. I have two bottles of Rit Dye just sitting around that I haven’t known what to do with. Maybe I need to go thrifting and find a dress that will fit me for the rest of this pregnancy!?
Thanks! You definitely should!
Wow! You and the dress are both beautiful. Where is the United Volunteers Thrift Store? What a great price. The DI prices are awful.
Thanks! I agree that other thrift stores in the area are ridiculously highly priced. United Volunteers is on Freedom BLVD in Provo across from the Provo Rec Center, by where honks used to be. About 500 N I want to say.