WARNING : THIS ARTICLE WILL SAVE YOU HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS AND MAKE YOU LOOK AND FEEL BETTER – ARE YOU READY TO KNOW HOW?
Don’t get me wrong, there was nothing technically ‘wrong’ with these pieces (I actually LOVE these fashion styles or I wouldn’t have bought them, I am a wardrobe planner after all) but they just didn’t work as hard in my wardrobe as they should because of their shade.
WARDROBE MAKEOVER MADE EASY
So rather than go out and buy almost identical piece in a deeper colour which as a personal shopper I know could take up LOADS of my time and energy, using less money, I gave what I currently own an instant wardrobe makeover !!
COLOUR CORRECTION
When training to become a personal stylist, studying colour was the essential cornerstone which taught me not only how to analyze my personal styling clients, but my own features as well, hence why I then realised that these pieces could look and feel even better on me:
- They’re too grey (grey DOES NOT suit me, makes me look & feel like an old women)
- Now I know that earthy forest colours flatter my features best, i’ve evolved my wardrobe and nowadays, these greyish items don’t pair easily with the rest of my clothes
- Therefore I don’t wear these fashion styles as much as I should
I’m building my mix & match dream wardrobe that works effortlessly together and this is part of the process
WHAT’S IN YOUR WARDROBES SYDNEY?
So you probably share a similar problem with items in your wardrobes, wherever you live in the world, I bet you have a few clothes styles that almost work, but that could benefit from a ‘tweak’?
Maybe you have a grey knitted jumper you love but your partner turns up his nose every time you throw it on because it’s a little ‘drab’, or maybe a cream pant you never wear in case you spill your lunch down them and would prefer a shade of khaki. Sound familiar?
Or maybe you bought something on sale for a bargain price but you don’t wear and would like to dye it grey because it’s your favorite colour, well now you can give it a second life!
I liken dying clothes and shoes to a ’spray tan’ because by enhancing the shade, you achieve the best results like I have here.
Of course you can make dramatic changes too but you would need more than 1 pot of dye and there’s a few elements to consider so keep reading…
LET’S TALK ABOUT GREY
I know from working years as a personal stylist that a lot of my clients, male and female, own a lot of grey. Now, I totally ‘get it’, it’s a reliable, safe and versatile shade, however, it actually only flatters about 1/5th of the population – and I’m being generous with that number. On most of us, grey makes us look, well, “grey”. And if we look grey, we can feel grey and that’s the opposite of how I want you to feel in your clothes.
CONFESSIONS OF A FASHION DESIGNER
Now, I hold myself partly responsible for the amount of grey in the shops…
When I used to design ladies fashion, I would put most of my designs in at least one shade of light grey, mid grey or charcoal, basically because I knew it would sell.
Based on how I was churning out clothing designs for international fashion markets for 15 years, that’s a lot of grey clothes in store and if we see it, we buy it, not really thinking much about whether it actually FLATTERS our features, and the chances are that only 1 in 5 (or 6) of you reading this will actually look great in the colour grey.
…BUT NOW I’M A PERSONAL STYLIST
Now I work on the other side of fashion as a personal stylist, I’m much more concerned with the types of colours that suit you as an individual and actively steer clear of grey when dressing most of my image consultant clients!!
STYLIST SECRETS
WHAT I ACTUALLY USED TO MAKE OVER MY CLOTHES
So let’s get down to the practical details.
For my clothes I use an everyday hero – DYLON MACHINE DYE POD 350g. This new incarnation are pretty idiot proof, they even contain the salt, the only downside is that the pod is unfortunately made of plastic.
I’ve tried other brands but Dylon are by far the best, easy to use with fantastic results even for those of you dying clothes for the first time. So erase the images of streaky fake tan you might see and replace with seamless, even coverage with NO MESS!
THE BEST PART – IT’S ALL AT THE TOUCH OF A BUTTON!
You pop the pod in the machine with your damp garment, wash at 30 degrees, wash again, remove and dry. Then wash your machine on a hot wash to remove any residue and you can use it straight after without fear of dying any of your whites!
FASHION TIPS: Try buying Dylon dyes online if the shade you want isn’t stocked at your local supermarket, Lincraft or Spotlight and they’re often cheaper at stores like Ebay and Amazon too!
NB: I often dye a couple of things at the same time because changing the colour does use 3 wash loads of water so it makes me feel better about my water consumption.
However, when you compare how much water I use to machine dye versus the amount of water to make a new product (8,000 litres to make just 1 pair of jeans) ((I know right)) then there’s really no comparison!
FASHION TIPS: The only risk is working out the amount of dye to use to create your desired shade so my fashion advice is to always start with less dye and add more to the pod the second time around to add intensity
HOW I TRANSFORMED MY JACKET
- I LOVE this piece, it’s inexpensive and I’ve had it for around 9 years (before I became a professional colour consultant) but I’ve only worn it a handful of times.
- The light weight makes it perfect for Sydney wardrobes
- The shorter length pairs effortlessly with my higher waist styles I’m currently living in
- Yet still works with longer layers underneath for lower slung pants & skirts
- The stretch panels mean it’s comfortable
- Also fits me regardless of whether I put on or loose a little weight
It’s an *ALMOST* perfect style. Does that sound familiar?
Just the colour wasn’t working for me so I combined 2 shades of Dylon dye to achieve the look I wanted without making it too dark because the stitching lines are likely to remain the same tone
I used : 2/3rds Espresso Brown + 1/3rd Rosewood Red and I only half filled the dye container as this jacket only needed a light spray tan
FASHION TIPS: You can even mix 2 or even 3 shades to achieve your desired colour so your in total control of your personal style!
This jacket is a great example to show you because it has several elements:
- Fabric shell
- Metal zip + zipper tape
- Rib jersey panels
- Top stitching – the visible dotted lines of sewing of which there’s a lot on this jacket
Each of these are made of a different textile and will soak up the dye differently and therefore end up a different shade so consider this, hence why I gently enhanced with a ‘spray tan’ approach on this particular garment, rather than a complete colour change
Now this richer shade looks SO much more flattering on my features, helps my skin glow and works with so much more of my wardrobe. I’ve given it a new lease of life, all for $17!! (Amazon)
FASHION TIPS: The caveat is that synthetic fibers don’t dye – although you can get specific Dylon dyes for synthetics – therefore tops sew stitching usually remains the same tone because it’s often polyester thread
HOW I RE-COLOURED MY PANTS
Now I LURVE these $80 Topshop high waisted pleat front pants, like, to death, but I was struggling to find all the right elements in the 1 pair, the right combination of:
- Shape
- Fit
- Length
- Pleats
- AND
- Colour
So as a fashion stylist, I knew I could compromise slightly on one thing – in this case the shade – because I knew I could change it!
I often talk to my personal styling clients about CHANGING their clothes and accessories to suit THEM, whether it’s a small alteration to better fit THEIR BODY TYPE, or giving the colour a make over. Just because you bought it in that shade doesn’t mean it has to stay like that. Change it! Make it YOURS!! Make it UNIQUE!!
Think of yourself less as a ‘consumer’ and more of a ‘customiser’
I used a small amount of Emerald Green Dylon Machine dye for these pants, just 2cm worth of dye in the pot as I only wanted to take off that masculine brown-ness and make them more fun and feminine
ANKLE BOOT REFRESH
These ankle boots were the closet pair to the Chloe Susanna boot I have ever found based on an international search (read : man hunt) for well over 7 years.
These were bought from Kurt Geiger for around $180 rather than shelling out $1,520 from Chloe and when they arrived in the post they were a little paler than ideal but comfortable, stylish and totally gorgeous so I kept them and have worn them lots …but I knew they could look better.
So obviously I couldn’t chuck these ankle boots in to the washing machine (but trust me, the thought did cross my mind!) so I wondered if there was such a thing as a suede spray with colour, and low and behold I found this at the first cobblers I tried in the Strand Arcade Sydney CBD!!
The fantastic thing about a spray is that you control how many layers you give them and build up your ideal tone over time.
Just tape over features such as metal and off you go!
PLUS, you add to the water resistant protection which is key in Sydney wardrobes!
FASHION TIPS: First spray to the side of the shoe away from the material, then slowly move it on to and across the boot which ensures a more even coverage
The result is a richer suede which in turn makes my legs appear browner and god knows they need it!
So it’s like I’ve just bought a whole new piece of footwear that means I can wear shorter skirts and dresses too, rather than just pants and longer length clothes. They also pair better with my hand bags and belts. Result!
HIGH VOLTAGE FASHION MAKE OVERS!!
Whatever the fashion trend in colour, there’s a Dylon to match (22 shades in fact)!! You can create maximum impact with a variety of hues so harness your inner fashion stylist and give it a go!
There’s also a ‘Pre-Dye’ to change from one strong colour to another or if you want to achieve a lighter colour
To match your dress to your powder blue blazer, try Dylon’s VINTAGE BLUE shade. Click here to see my Pinterest MONOCHROME OUTFIT board
And why not make a statement with bright pop of pink to pair back with your denim? Try PASSION PINK.Click here to see my Pinterest COLOUR CLASH OUTFIT board
Maybe go head-to-toe with deep bordeaux separates worn together for maximum impact using the PLUM RED shade.
Split these pieces and wear with orange, blush or white for spring summer
Or create a softer look with a knit & pant using the same shade DUSTY VIOLET but will look slightly different because of the different fabric bases. Click here to see my Pinterest TONAL COLOUR OUTFIT board
And there’s even a JEANS BLUE dye (i’m yet to try) to make over your fav denim!
When you’ve found your perfect fitting jean and prove your love for them by washing and fading them too much or your denim jacket that could do with a refresh, give this one a go!
AND ANOTHER USE…. RESTORATION!
RIGHT – faded bolier suit in rose gold
Dylon machine dyes are also amazing when you want to get your clothes back to the shade you originally bought them in, like my boiler suit above I wear (and wash) weekly or, your favorite black clothing that’s turning the wrong shade of sort-of-black after too many spins around the washing machine like mine below.
Spend $17 to restore your clothes rather than hundreds to replace them!!
FASHION TIPS: Black Dylon dye refreshes your hardest working wardrobe multi-taskers to look like new!
So I hope this article gives you the inspiration to realise that you can change what you don’t like, plus the detail you need to feel confident about trying these techniques on your clothes & accessories?
Let’s face it, everything looks better with a spray tan right?
Contact me and we’ll refresh your wardrobe with a capital “R”