Hot Pink Pants

At around 4 PM today, I finally crawled out of the fifth circle of hell (also known as a sinus infection).  I am finally feeling better after spending my entire weekend (Friday night + Saturday + Sunday) in bed and until 1:00 on Monday when I had to put on patchouli oil to cover up the fact that I didn't even want to shower.  It really is amazing when you stop coughing and are able to breathe... how much more sleep you get.

So pink pants.  YEAH!  After my failed search of finding pink pants, in which even my grandma was trying to help, I decided to take matters into my own hands.  DIY has never really failed me except for when it comes to spray painting anything with laminate (ugh).  So, I ordered the same pants I have in black, but in white, from Lands' End Canvas and dyed them.

Dying is an easy process and there are far too many how-tos on how to do it.  I used the Jacquard iDye (even though I am totally a RIT girl, JoAnns didn't have the color I wanted).  Dying something is 10% dye, 20% knowing exactly the type of fabric you are dying 3% salt or vinegar if its a manmade fabric (oh, dyer joke right there haha oh I crack myself up) and 67% just having the balls to do it.


I normally do my dying in the washing machine, and I've never had the problem of left over dye staining my clothes.  But, I wanted to put together a few tips when it comes to dying.

1.  Know your fabric!  Cottons, add salt.  Manmade fabric? (polyester) add vinegar and use special dye.  Also, think about topstitching too, most likely the thread won't take the dye
2.  Read the directions on the dye.  Read the directions on the dye.  Read the directions on the dye.
3.  If you use the washing machine, time your agitation cycle prior to dying.  Yes, sit in your laundry room with a stop watch and see how long it takes.  This is very important as you will most likely have to run your agitation cycle a lot.
4.  Once you are done dying, run one empty washer cycle with hot water and detergent.  Then run one empty washer cycle with cold water, detergent, and bleach.  This should get your machine ready to wash your clothes again.

Shirt: jcrew, hand me down
Necklace: made by me, inspired by ...love Meagan's awesome tutorial
Belt: Gap (and oh so old)
Pants: Lands' End Canvas 100% cotton white pants, dyed pink
Shoes: Target (and only $6... hello summery black flats I've been wanting for two years)