Designer regory Parkinsons tie-dye shirt dresses arent the Grateful Dead T-shirts of the past. The polished pieces can be made at home in 30 minutes or less. A single-process dress, center, takes 15 minutes. Double process, left and right, takes 30.
Click ahead for a step-by-step tour of the process. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
Designer Gregory Parkinson folds a shirtdress (H&M, $24.90) that will be tie-dyed. The shirt, which started out white, has already been dyed pink — the lighter of the two colors selected for this particular design. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)
Parkinson ties the strips of muslin fabric that lend the dress its stripes. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)
Strips must be looped, tied and knotted as tightly as possible so the dye doesnt penetrate, the designer says. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)
The making of a horizontally striped pattern but the formula isnt set in stone. Playful experimentation will yield different results. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)
Tie and tie again. Parkinson uses all his might when looping and tying. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)
The designer pours dye into a pot of boiling water. For a bold look, pick two very contrasting colors, he advises. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)
Parkinson dunks the dress and stirs for one minute to achieve a rich color. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)
Extra dye is rinsed away. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)
Excess water is removed and strips are untied. Luckily,” Parkinson says, “Ive got strong wringing hands.” (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)
Tie-dye comes around like a comet, says the artist, showing off his double-processed, 30-minute masterpiece. But it really never goes away. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)
