Reworking and refreshing vintage

[J67X4]

i tend to spray my perfume on whatever smells musky and hang it out the window for a day but the trick is to leave it there overnight (if it doesnt rain) AND turn the garment over so you air both sides

 

[~Blythe~]

ok....

so I put the leather pants in a bag with coffee grounds for about a week and it didnt help.
I put them on for about an hour and they really still dont smell good enough to wear...

So, now I'll try the baking soda in a bag for a week.
and the spray febreeze as well. Maybe its that simple.

Fabreeze will do the job, but it will leave a chemical smell for a while.

 

[newprincesita]

For leather jackets changing the lining is a great idea. It´s a lot of work and sometimes it doesn´t come cheap, but if the piece is worth it, I´d definitely do it.

 

[goosemaster]

aaa, at this point I think I'm going to try frebreeze. Even though it's not recomended for leather....
I'll try the inside first....
see what happens....

 

[kokopuff]

Hmmm... what I usually do to get "fried foods" smell out of my clothes is just hang them in my closet with cedar blocks - I have these little round cedar disks that I hang on the, er, hanger - I leave the item in there for a day or two, I think it neutralizes the odors... I think cedar "absorbs" the odor rather than masks it, so that might help? I just bought a cute houndstooth jacket from consignment, if the dry cleaners can't get the musty smell out, I'll try the cedar...

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=13481920

 

[Rova]

So, I was going to save some money this month but tonight I stumbled upon this authentic 1920's art deco dress and the auction was ending in a few minutes. Instinctively I made a purchase. That wasn't wrong was it? ; )

The dress is fully beaded with tiny beads. I have no idea what size. Seller wrote that it was in very good condition but too fragile to be worn. I thought; I bet it can be worn anyway!

I'll decide whether to sell or keep when I receive it and know if it's my size, if it can be worn etc.

My question is when it comes to this type of collectible item if it's good or bad to restore it? You know sometimes on Antiques Roadshow they blame the owners for restoring items : ) Is it wrong to even secure beads if you do it well?

I'll post pictures of this dress later because I'd like to share it with all vintage lovers and hopefully get some comforting comment that this wasn't a stupid purchase. I felt I had to see this dress irl even if I decide not to keep it.

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ I don't know much about the proper way to restore vintage, but I'm sure there are resources online. I'm sure that securing the beads would have to be a good thing, otherwise original components are likely to be lost.

My understanding in general of good restoration is that it's reversible. So cutting into the dress would not be good. Usually the problem with antiques is that people have refinished them, destroying the original finish and patina.

 

[Rova]

^ Thanks, good points I'll keep track of all beads and secure them first thing I do so they wont gets lost.

I looked at the pictures again and I spy some holes in the fabric...
I have other vintage dresses with holes in them. I find that the hardest thing to mend. Small ones are ok but bigger ones...

While waiting for my antique to arrive I'm going to slaughter an old jumpsuit and make into a dress : )

 

[Rova]

This dress reminds me of someone beautiful but torn, can't think of who, Iggy Pop? Anyway it's decadent alright!

It's cream and black and I can't really see any discolored bits on the cream which is better than I expected. The fabric is a bit transparent.

There are plenty of holes and the dress is a little heavy from the beading so I think it has to be supported by fabric on the inside where it's torn or else it will just fall apart again.

 

[gimmethatbag]

Oh my goodness, that is absolutely gorgeous! I hope you can fix it, because it is soooooo stunning. I think it was a smart purchase -- if you can get it fixed, it's an absolutely amazing dress. I have no words.

 

[YoninahAliza]

Holy smokes, that dress is certainly a stunner! I love the design of the garment, the beading, the colors. Everything about it is just lovely. I really hope you are able to give it some tlc, and are able to restore it to it's full glory, best of luck!

 

[Rova]

Thank you, both of you^ I'm starting to think it was a good buy even if I can't restore it. It's nice to have around, it glows in silver, smoke or gold depending on the light. It has more life than any piece of clothing I owned before.

I've searched for information and I think I'll settle for "reasonable restoration", something between the preservation done for museum pieces and the more drastic changes sometimes made to a wearable.
I'll try to preserve the overall design and shape because I think that's more important than the beading when it comes to design integrity. It's tempting to cut it up to get hold of extra beads and fabric and make it a bit smaller but I won't do that even if it would make the dress less fragile...

I think it might be possible to add beads that aren't a precise match, esp. the black ones, or just leave it with some beads missing. I think the shape and pattern is more important than detail.
Would like to hire a pro for this but I can't afford that.

Not sure if it will ever go out dancing again because it's sooo fragile but it would be nice to see it on a person or on a hanger at least once...

If anyone knows an online shop for antique beads, please let me know Eller om ni bor i Sverige och känner till en fysisk butik ; )

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ Maybe you could hang it as art ...

 

[softgrey]

i just cut the lining out of a leather vest and it's SO much better...
yay!

 

[softgrey]

i used the leather from a pair of pants to make a nice sash belt for my coat...


now i'm eyeballing some lovely rayon dresses that used to be my mom's but are TINY...
trying to figure out some sacai kind of move that i can do to make them fit me now- like inserting panels on the sides or in the back somehow...

 

[lucy92]

i used the leather from a pair of pants to make a nice sash belt for my coat...


now i'm eyeballing some lovely rayon dresses that used to be my mom's but are TINY...
trying to figure out some sacai kind of move that i can do to make them fit me now- like inserting panels on the sides or in the back somehow...

unfortunately, that isnt cheap.

i recently bought a size 38 IT giambattista valli skirt for a steal. it ran even smaller.
i took it to my tailor and they made it bigger. (i think they took material from the bottom or perhaps the material in the hem (tucked inward) i think i paid around 60 bucks. you cant tell at all that the garment was altered.

another time i had a an XS marios schwab dress made bigger. its a bit obvious in the back where they made it bigger by adding panels (by the zipper) i think i paid around 40 bucks for that.

maybe if you shop around bit maybe you can find a tailor that will give you a good deal.

 

[softgrey]

40 bucks sounds fine...it's a lot of work and it means i have a whole new dress...
sounds like a bargain to me...



i have finally found someone i trust to do this kind of thing, so i'm trying to get as many things done as possible while i have him and before he gets busy with other stuff...