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Wannabe Wednesday: Retail Therapy & A Lesson in Dyeing!

Lemongrass Dress
Q &...No Answer...Just a Refash!

I haven’t been conventional clothes shopping in at least a couple of years.  That’s right!  I’ve gone full-thrift/refashion, and there’s no going back!  🙂

But sometimes I like to scour the interwebs and check out all the cute dresses I could be buying at expensive retailers.  This silk dress by Tory Burch from Saks Fifth Avenue caught my  eye.

That'll be $325.
That’ll be $325.

Navy and white is one of my favorite color combinations.  It’s a classic that never seems to go out of style.  Tory Burch is known for using really lovely and interesting prints in her designs, but you know what?  So am I!  🙂

I found this dress with a similar print for $1.

This print is positively Burchian!  :)
This print is positively Burchian! 🙂

TIME OUT!!!!

Zack Morris Style!
Zack Morris Style!

This dress is made of polyester.  Polyester is acrylic, and doesn’t take to dye very well at all.  I keep getting emails that ask me about dyeing, and this seems like a good time to give you a little demonstration.

I put this polyester dress in a yellow dye bath with a cotton dress.

But why, Jillian?
But why, Jillian?

Why would I do that?  I want my dress to look like the original, which is white and navy, not yellow!  

I did this to show you that this dress will not take on the dye, because it’s acrylic!  I knew I had nothing to worry about.  

The water was hot.  The dress stayed in its bath for 1/2 hour with its companion.

See it?
See it?

…and now it’s only slightly cream-colored.

Because acrylic fabrics don’t like dye.

Get it?  🙂

For my next refashion, you’ll get to see what happened to that cotton dress!  🙂

TIME IN!!!!

This dress actually fits me pretty well, but the length is just too early 90’s to be a proper copycat!

Choppity Chop!
Choppity Chop!

I quickly hemmed and pinned the bottom edge.

Whirrrr!
Whirrrr!

I wanted the waist to have more definition, like the Tory Burch version, but I was already running late  for a beer/wine/movie night!  I folded the scrap over a couple of times to hide the raw edge and used it as a sash (it’s been a while, eh?)!  The back of the dress has a slit, so the ends of the sash were already finished.  I’ll go back and make it into a proper sash later when I have time.  🙂

And here’s the Jilly Burch version!

I likey!
I likey!
Keepin' Cozy!
Cozy!

My new frock had a great time hanging out with some fantastically fun people!  🙂

Ello!
Ello!
Consume ALL THE BOOZE!!!! ;)
An empty bottle breaks my heart. ;(
Our charming host!
Our charming host!
You can't hide from the probing eye of the ReFashionista!!
You can’t hide from the probing eye of the ReFashionista!!
And then this happened...
And then this happened…
Paellahhhhhhh!  Nom!
Paellahhhhhhh! Nom!

Cheers!

Original Cost:  $325

Copycat Cost:  $1

Savings:  $324!!!

PicMonkey Collage

Lemongrass Dress
Q &...No Answer...Just a Refash!