How to Make a Tie-Dye Dress

Joyann King: Joyann here, Fashion Editor at Elle Girl. I am here with my friend Marsha Welcher designer for Thayer. Today Marsha is going to show us how to take your basic t-shirt dress and turn it into a Tie dye masterpiece. Marsha Welcher: Exactly since tie dyer and all these styles were so big on every spring runway; we are going to show you how to make your own version. Joyann King: We are here, at American Apparel on Lower East side to shop for the first and the most important supply, the dress. Marsha Welcher: Let's do this. Joyann, I love it, it has a modern shape, it's definitely not too clingy and it'll still show off your figure and then it's cotton, so it's going to hold the dye really well. Joyann King: I think it's perfect, let's go to the studio. Marsha Welcher: So there are four simple steps. That's all we have to do, it's going to be really fast. Step one, you literally just pinch the center of your garment, like this you have to get a good grasp and we are just going to twist it. Basically, you just screw it around -- Joyann King: But how tight do I want to twist it? Marsha Welcher: The tighter you twist it, the less color you are going to see and the more white fabric or whatever your fabric color is, is going to show. Joyann King: I see. So it's starting to look kind of like a flower. Marsha Welcher: Yeah, you can use your second hand to help it. If the ends don't twist that well, depending on what garment you have selected. So just use both hands at center and twist it and then, the other one just helps everything else, fold around. Joyann King: And it doesn't need to be perfect, right? It is -- wrinkle. Marsha Welcher: Definitely not. But the more folds you have in your fabric, the more exciting the final product will be. Joyann King: More crazier the design. Marsha Welcher: Step two, you are going to take your primary color, shake it a little bit and then it is always a good idea to just give it a little test spray, all systems go. Now, what you want to do, this is a center color; it's going to be the primary color on your garment. You just want to spray, the center and don't be scared, you can use as much paint as you want and even it feels like a lot -- Joyann King: Oh! Am I messing it up? Marsha Welcher: No, even if it feels like a lot there is still going to be plenty of white showing through, so spread. Now step three, shake and spray again your accent color and what we are going to do with this, is we are just going to strike rays or lines out from the center all the way around. So you are just going to do straight lines out from the center and again, don't be scared with the color. The more color the better it looks, really. Yours is looking so good, I wish I use brighter colors. Joyann King: I think you are using a little bit -- Marsha Welcher: I am going to try to add red. I am changing my color, I need some life here. Joyann King: Alright. Marsha Welcher: So when you feel like -- Joyann King: I think I am done. Marsha Welcher: You got enough color then, all you have to do is step four, which is maybe you want to wear gloves. Joyann King: When are we going to do the other side. Marsha Welcher: Exactly, maybe you want to wear glove. If you are not wearing a glove, all you need is a piece of paper to hold on one side so you don't get your hand dirty. Joyann King: And just sort of flip it. Marsha Welcher: And then you slide your hand underneath and flip it. Joyann King: Oh! And that wasn't so bad. Marsha Welcher: It's not so bad and then, you can just rework the pleats --. I think it's really fun; it's really easy, we are over half way done. Joyann King: Okay, and then the same thing. Marsha Welcher: Exactly, the same thing, one, two, three. You take your primary color in the center and then again, accents and just strike it out. Joyann King: Strike it out. Alright, so okay I can't stop, I can't stop. Marsha Welcher: And we are done it was literally five minutes. Joyann King: Okay, so we should probably, let them dry just a second -- Marsha Welcher: Let them dry a second and then, when you are probably so curious of such a surprise, you just hang it up and let it dry even more and there you go. Joyann King: So like 24 hours, later it's ready to go? Okay, I can wash these normally, correct? Marsha Welcher: That's Joyann, that's spray paint, you can totally wash it. It's not going to run; it's not going to fade. Joyann King: I don't think, I can wait any longer. Marsha Welcher: I don't want to wait either. Joyann King: Okay, ready? Marsha Welcher: Ready. Joyann King: Wait, I haven't reached yet at the top. Set, go. Oh! my God, they are so cute. Marsha Welcher: I love it and see we sprayed a lot of paint and it's hardly covered. So if you are at home thinking about it -- [Voice Overlap] Marsha Welcher: -- use a little bit more. Joyann King: Yeah, you can totally use more. Marsha Welcher: So what do you think? Joyann King: They are so cute, I love them. Marsha Welcher: I am so happy you like it, I love it. I can't wait to put it on. Joyann King: Let's go and try them on now.