the tale of the ombre tight disaster

It all started out according to plan: Rit dye, salt, measuring cup, oven mit.

I went with the off white version. 

My little cup of black dye. 

Here is the 'ombre' version hanging in my garage to drip dry.

Here is the 'tie dye' version crumpled in a ball.

The ombre version later on that night. 

You may be thinking to yourself, well fashionhead, these certainly do not look ombre to me. No need to get a dictionary to check the definition people. Cause these tights were a straight up disaster.

Well maybe disaster is putting it a bit harshly. When purplish-grey tights that make your legs look really bruised come into fashion, I'll be the first one ready...

Sigh, they had such potential too. 

Shirt - Express

Skirt - AA

Shoes - Steve Madden

Dress - Lux from UO

Shoes - Kate & Kelly or Kelly & Kate or something from DSW

Shirt - Jagermiester compliments of my dad the bartender

Flannel - Triple Five Soul

Skirt - AA

Boots - Blowfish

I know they're not like awful or anything, just pretty far from what I had set out to accomplish. I don't know, maybe they're still wearable? Thoughts? Opinions? I'm not giving up on this concept though. I fully plan on trying it again. The dye box said to add detergent and I feel that's what made the tights all spotty so next time I'm skipping that part.

I tried to find a more picture friendly background, so I took the pictures this time in front of my closet with my mom's old vanity chair, you know to spice things up. I forgot to clean up all the crap around my feet though. But I think the spot has potential...

Peace and DIY setbacks,

TheFashionHead

another diy!

Holy crap, how cool are these tights? And I'm definitely not a colored tights kinda gal but I could totally see myself in some of these...

Well, maybe not these pink/purple ones, but keep reading...

Purple into white, I think I could pull that one off...

Grey into peach-y. Mmm.

Anything into white looks nice and do-able.

Beautiful colors and a bold statement.

Wouldn't wear this color combination but it's still pretty...

I like.

(pictures from elle.com)

I like the ones with white or grey fading into another color, like orange, pink or light blue. While I was looking around on the Internet for tights like these I came across a DIY from the coveted. All you need is a pair of light colored pantyhose (they say white works best so I'm going to start out with white but I would like to do a light grey pair as well), powered dye in a pretty color, salt, and a bucket. The coveted says to wet the pantyhose first and then dip the stocking into the dye as far as you want the color to go. Then she says to hang the pantyhose in the shower for an hour or so and let gravity create the gradient for you. Her results are here.

I also found another method earlier and I forget the site. They recommended white pantyhose as well. And you'll still need a box of dye, salt, and a bucket. Rinse the tights first then dip the tights into the bucket as far as you want the color to go. Pull the tights out slowly so the feet remain in the dye much longer then the top. You can repeat this process if you are not satisfied with the color. When you are done, wash off the tights but don't ring them out. Hang to dry.

I think I might follow this second method since it seems like it won't create as big of a dye mess as the first. Or maybe I'll go nuts and do both. I'm going to head to CVS and get white tights, and to the craft store to get the dye. Which color? I think I'll probably be boring and start off with a black dye and do a white faded into black look. It seems to be the more wearable. I'll have to get a bucket somewhere but I need a cooler for this weekend so WalMart, here I come. I have a lot left to do this week (make 6 pounds of chicken nuggets, regular and buffalo, for this weekend, get a cooler, buy beer, dye my hair, get my eyebrows done, try to fix my pedicure without actually getting another one, buy some cheap-o F21 dresses for this weekend, take my bff out to dinner for her bday...) so this project will definitely not get done this week but perhaps next week!

Peace and do-it-yourself-ness,

TheFashionHead