Since before starting this blog, I've been obsessed with getting myself some dungarees for the summer. They're so comfy and laid back and you don't need to do too much thinking about how you'll wear them. Because ain't nobody got time for that when it's 34°C outside (it was here in France/Geneva 2 weekends ago) In other terms, PERFECT!
Rokit Indigo Stonewash Short Dungarees, £25

These are the 'shorteralls' I got from the online vintage store Rokit (they also have physical stores in London) when I was still in Exeter.

I saw this tutorial by Drifter and the Gypsy and decided to get on with it to add some chic to these overalls and lose the tomboy kid vibe! It did NOT go as smoothly as planned!

First of all for extra safety I decided to sew the front pocket shut to keep the blue from fading too much (kind of a fail in regards to Drifter and the Gypsy's tutorial, but I kinda like mine in the end!).



Struggle #1 – Machine bleaching. Not working.

Then I put the overalls in my washing machine and filled the bleach compartment fully and started a 40°C cotton wash. And when I took them out, nothing had happened... 


 Struggle #2 – Bucket bleaching is not for the faint-hearted.

So then I decided to put them in a bucket (this is how I usually bleach denim but I wanted to try the machine way for once. Not for me I guess!) with 1 part bleach for 3 parts water. I waited 10mn. Nothing. 20mn slightly more discolored but not enough. I was too scared for the denim to start splitting (it happened to me once already!) so I decided to stop and wash them AGAIN. Once it was dry it was still not light enough. So I started the process again with 1 part bleach for 2 parts water this time.


 Struggle #3 – RUST STAINS!

I left the overalls for 30mn straight (I checked every 10mn just to make sure) and guess what happened..?! One of the metal buckles started RUSTING and it went all over my dungarees! Somebody was testing me I think..!

So again, I turned to my best ally, Pinterest! I looked for solutions against rust stains on clothes and this is what I found (that could come in handy for you, you never know):

  1. Wet the stains with a bit of lemon juice.
  2. Sprinkle some salt over the stains.
  3. Wet with lemon juice again
  4. Wait for several hours, or even overnight.
  5. TA-DA! No more rust stains!
  6. You may want to wash your clothe again or at least rinse it.
In my case it was not so easy (is it ever?) because the rust stains had happened while in a bleach solution. And of course as you might have guessed, bleach is the absolute worst enemy of rust stains and makes it even harder to remove... I think I was really out of luck that day! So this lemon-salt mixture worked BUT instead of having no stains, I ended up with white bleach-type stains... Which is honestly not too bad considering the light color of the denim.

Next step, unstitching the front pocket! Quite easy and straightforward (even for me!). I was a bit disappointed that the color under the front pocket was not darker, but as I said I like the end result anyway :)



And finally, after all this hardship (jk) I came up to this result, which I'm quite proud of!

Notice I did a little accessorizing for you! I'd style dungarees with anything a bit classy/sexy under, e.g. crop tops, lace, sheer or even see-through fabric, the overalls are covering you enough not to reveal too much! Some nice jewelry and you will look summer chic yet casual :) 

DIY overalls, DIY painted vintage handbag, Topshop Top (bought way prior to challenge!), Necklace found on an open air market in Brighton, Shoes from Zalando (borrowed from my Mum)


You can also just embrace its street vibe and wear it with Chuck Taylors, a printed tee and a cap, or more grungy with Doc Martens and a beanie! I'd say a 'marinière' (striped tee) paired with espadrilles or sandals are a safe bet too! Just play with it and wear it the way it feels right for you! I have a whole Pinterest board for inspiration if it helps!


 Lessons for the future: what I should have done (and what you should do!)

  1. Remove metal buckles to avoid any potential rust stains (!!!)
  2. Bleach the overalls in 1 part bleach for 2 parts water for 1/2h (check every 10 minutes to make sure everything goes smoothly and remember it looks darker when wet!)

You guys... This was not an easy process but hey I'm glad it might serve some of you out there and that you won't make the same mistakes I did!

See you soon and don't forget to subscribe to my blog by email to be notified of any new articles! (on the top right —>)

Bryna Nicole Maxi Clutch