My colleague Margo Passadore recently went shopping for a jacket in one of her more dramatic dark neutral colors, forest green. She found a jacket that had a flattering fit and feel, but it was only available in light gray. Gray is too dull a color for someone with Margo’s bright Spring coloring, and wouldn’t coordinate well with her existing wardrobe, so she decided to resort to a trick she hadn’t tried in several decades: RIT dye.
The jacket was washable, and 100% cotton (always check fabric content and washability before attempting dye!). Although the RIT website offers formulas for countless shades, their ready-made “dark green” looked about right. She used two packets of dye (total cost: $6), which is what RIT suggests for deeper tones, and followed the simple packet instructions.
For darker colors, the longer you stir them in the hot water, the deeper the color. Margo gave it 20 minutes before her arm got tired. Clothes always appear darker when wet. Here is the finished product–wet on left, dry on the right:
Want to change your shoe color? That’s just as easy and inexpensive.
And of course I’m as close as your phone if you want to know more.