Tie-Dye DIY

Last week, I had a lovely day learning to tie-dye in my back garden before my friend and I headed off to London for a few days. It was surprisingly easy to do so I thought I would share with you my tips:

You will need:

Dylon Hand Wash Fabric Dye

Large bowls

Measuring jug

Kettle

Salt

Rubber gloves

Elastic bands 

Scissors

White tshirts or other pieces of clothing to dye - we went to Primark and bought men's tshirts for £2.50 each

1. Follow the instructions on the dye packets to mix the dye together. We used large plastic bowls to mix the dye and used a mixture of cold and boiling water to get the right temperature. We chose French Lavender and Ocean Blue - the blue was lovely but the lavender was rather pale and faded quite quickly. If we did it again, I'd love to try a bright yellow or red and think about colours which would merge well too.

2. Decide on your pattern. I created a Pinterest board of my favourite tie-dye techniques and examples. which I found extremely useful. I started by trying a simple circle pattern - you pick the tshirt in the centre and then fold it. Wrap elastic bands around the tshirt at even intervals to create the circle pattern:



I also tried a sprial pattern. Pinch the tshirt in the centre and twist the fabric round and round. Randomly tie elastic bands around it in different directions:

3. Add your tshirt to the bucket of dye. The instructions state that you should stir the fabric for 15 minutes and then leave it in the dye for another 45. Frankly, we were too lazy to do this so we only dyed the fabrics for 15 minutes. However if you have the patience, dye the fabrics for longer as they will be less likely to fade later on.

4. Take your tshirt out of the dye and carefully cut off the elastic bands. We then hung our tshirts straight out to dry naturally in the sun. After they were dry, we washed them together in the washing machine on a cool wash and then immediately tumble dryed them. Some of the colour did wash out but I think that letting the materials dry naturally really helped them hold their colour. Here are some shots of the final results:

What do you think? As I say, I love the colours but if (ie. when) we do it again, I'd like to try some brighter colours. It's addictive stuff - we were soon trying to find anything white in the house that we could dye and then designing business plans so that we could tie-dye for the rest of our lives! It's the perfect weather to create some summery festival wear for a fraction of the price compared to in store. Give it a whirl!

<3
xx

Don't let anyone ever dull your sparkle

Hey guys, another outfit of the day for you all - featuring some shiny new shoes, thanks to Barratts:

Dress: Dahlia (via Asos.) Shoes: c/o Barratts. Belt: Primark. Necklace: c/o The Vintage Set.

I snapped up this Dahlia dress in the Asos sale a few months ago. I love the capped sleeves, the cut-out heart pattern and the shift style, which I cinched in with a belt (also heart-patterned, sorry for the overload!) I wore this for a night of drinks with some friends from home and so I wanted to add a bit sparkle. These shoes from Barratts were the perfect way to do it:

Firstly, I have to say - I am not a natural wearer of heels. However, due to my height, they tend to become a necessity! The height of these Dolcis heels are perfect for me; easy to walk in and still give me a decent boost. Their colour ensures that they go with pretty much everything and I love the scalloped design. Plus there is nothing like sequins to add a bit of sparkle!

I have never bought shoes from Barratts before, and I was very impressed with the variety and range of their website, not to mention how affordable they were. These shoes are now just £24 in the sale and Barratts also frequently have flash deals too - for example, currently they are offering 10% off when you spend £30 and 25% if you spend £60. They are definitely worth checking out when you need your next shoe fix!

Thank you so much to Kieron for giving me the opportunity to review these gorgeous shoes. Have you bought from Barratts before? Or will you be checking them out for the first time?

<3
xx

Florals and Dungarees

Hello! It's time for another outfit of the day:

Dungarees: Asos. Crop top: New Look. Boots: Primark. Bag: Zatchels.

I love the recent dungaree trend and Jazmine from Jazzabelle's Diary is my ultimate dungaree-wearing icon. I tried to style them my own way with a floral crop top from New Look and my trusty heeled boots. Not the most summery outfit, but the weather hasn't given me much choice unfortunately. I am pining for a holiday away and some sunshine!

I love these dungarees - they are comfortable and easy to style thanks to their colour and simple cut. My torso was slightly too short for the straps so I crossed them over, as you can see, and I like the look that it creates. The only problem with them is how easily they attract mess! I am not the tidiest person, but the material of the dungarees means that I have to be very careful, else I look like a total slob. Otherwise, they are just perfect - I adore the high-waisted style and although they are slightly baggy around the waist, the trousers fit great. I can't wait to experiment with them; I'm thinking of wearing them with more crop tops this summer, then layering them with jumpers as the weather gets more chilly.

What do you think? Do you love the dungaree trend too?

<3

xx