Summer Blues

Monday, June 20, 2011 | Around Town

Denim is a durable and comfortable fashion friend to many of us, but our much loved yet underappreciated  jeans will no longer play second fiddle to stunning blouses and tops.  Denim is getting a turn in the spotlight this spring and summer. Blue jeans are a classic must-have for any wardrobe, but on the runway, denim is currently being used for dresses, jumpsuits, jackets, blazers and pretty much any other piece you can imagine. Chunky, box-shapes with simple lines make a great contrast with feminine buttons, shoes and bags. Natural, medium blue denim is what’s hip right now, and lately, dip dyed denim (Denim dipped in a bleach mixture to fade the fabric from blue to white.) is getting popular with designers.

If you have a pair of jeans or an old denim piece that needs a modernized makeover, there’s no need to trash it and buy brand new stuff. Dip dying old pieces can give them a trendy, light look that will tie nicely into summer fashion. Here’s what you’ll need:

Jeans or shorts
Plastic gloves (Safety first!)
A plastic bucket (at least 2 gallons)
A yard stick or a couple rulers
Bleach
Distilled white vinegar

Here’s how to do it:

1. Mix two parts water to one part bleach in your bucket.
2. Thread your yard stick/rulers through the belt loops of your jeans.
3. Dip your denim into the solution to the desired depth, resting the rulers/yard stick on the bucket. Keep in mind the bleach may bleed upwards, so allow an inch of leeway for the effect.
4. Let the denim sit in the bleach solution for thirty minutes.
5. Once your denim has reached the white shade you desire (Whiter whites may require more than one dipping session.), remove the fabric and soak them in a mixture of two parts water and one part vinegar to stop the bleaching.
6. Let your denim air dry completely. Wash and dry your new masterpiece alone for the first two washes.