Dye Dye Baby - How I Averted A Dollyrockers Disaster

I've always loved Dollyrockers, a vintage label originating from the British Boutique Movement of the 1960s. Designed by Samuel Sherman (aka Sambo) and with an advertising campaign headed by Patti Boyd, George Harrison's ex, Dollyrockers was active between 1963 and 1975. I've owned (and sold) a lot of their earlier stuff but their later hippy-style maxis remain a firm favourite in my wardrobe.

I couldn't resist snapping up this Dollyrockers maxi dress after spotting it on a stall selling vintage clothing rescued from a house clearance. Although in great, unworn condition, it smelled like it had been stored in a damp cellar for decades. Never mind, I thought, I'll stick it in the washing machine when I get home.

Ignoring the Hand Wash With Care instruction on the label, I threw the dress in the machine on a non-colourfast wash. When the cycle had finished, I opened the machine and to my horror discovered that the red dye from the skirt had leeched into the blouse part of the dress, turning it a horribly shitty shade of pink, my first washing disaster after a near-lifetime of collecting vintage clothing.

I tried soaking the top half in some diluted Poundland stain remover with no success so, reluctant to use bleach, searched for suggestions for a colour run remover on-line. The result was a product by Dr Beckmann's available from Wilko. At just £1.25 it had got to be worth a shot, failing that I'd have to dye the bloody thing red. I grabbed my purse, sprinted into town and grabbed the last packet off the shelf. I pondered the Dylon stand for a minute or two but decided to trust the 5 star reviews on the Wilko website.

Back home, seam ripper in hand, I carefully detached the top of the dress from the skirt and, as per the instructions, put the offending article in a bucket along with the contents of the sachet diluted in six litres of hot water and then popped a lid over the top.

Frock perfection - Quilted cotton skirt, braided corset belt, roll-neck wool crepe blouse, voluminous sleeves.

Although the instructions suggested leaving the stained article to soak for at least four and a half hours, when I checked after an hour the top was back to its original shade. After rinsing it thoroughly I hung the blouse up to dry overnight, ironed it and then sewed it back on to the skirt .

Good as new vintage! 

Jeffery Campbell Woodies - £2.49 chazza find last month

We're busy packing for Hemingway Design's Classic Car Boot Sale in Kings Cross. If you're coming down you'll find us in Lewis Cubitt Square with Gilbert, our orange VW campervan alongside. Keep your fingers crossed for dry weather!

See you soon!

PS This isn't a sponsored post, I paid the £1.25 for the Colour Run Remover out of my own pocket!