swimsuit dye job

I, like I'm guessing many women, have a hard time finding a good fitting, flattering swimsuit. I have a short torso, for one. So, the second I put on a two-piece I suddenly look about 3 feet tall. I also don't exactly have the biggest bottom so I often get what I call "diaper butt." There is at least a handful of extra fabric hanging and sagging back there and it's just not cute.

Last year I found this suit and have been relatively pleased with it. It fit and didn't look terrible, which are really my only criteria.

Then, we ran into major problems. The colors bled. The once bright white stripes turned light blue, it looked like I had been wearing it for the past decade when really I'd worn it twice.

I tried to return it to no avail.

 ("you already wore it . . . " yes, I realize that. but it's obviously pretty terrible quality . . . )

In an effort to save her, I brought out my trusty bleach pen. . . . and made it worse.

Problem was, I couldn't just do the little areas that were now light blue - because the bleach pen made them more of a dingy ugly white than the bright white the other parts were.

It's not as evident in the photo, but basically, it's unwearable in this condition.

BUT -  it fits. and I just got it last summer and don't feel like spending money on a new one this year. Mostly, I don't want the hassle of spending hours searching the internet or standing in dressing rooms trying to find something equally mediocre.

So Michael, my brilliant crafting partner in crime recommended I dye it. Dye a swimsuit, you say? Yes.

Spandex and nylon, however, aren't exactly dye friendly. Everything I read online said it wouldn't work. It'd be blotchy, it would ruin the shape of the suit if it requires heat setting, and people even recommended fabric paint.

I went for it anyway, with nothing to lose.

I did a test run on another suit I'll show you later, but ultimately ended up going with a teal Rit liquid dye.

A bucket of hot water, a 1/3 cup of salt, about 1/3 of the bottle of dye and about 40 minutes of constant stirring later . . . .

this is what we've got.

I rinsed it out in cold water and then threw it in the wash alone just to get any extra dye out.

It's cute enough - I don't love it though. I appreciated the preppiness of the original blue and white combination, although Michael thinks teal/blue combo looks vintage, which I can also appreciate.

 It's fine enough that it will save me time and money looking for a new suit for the season. I am going to have it soak in a sink of water for a few hours just to make sure it doesn't bleed. I'm having visions of turning my in-law's pool water teal come June.