My mother is a bodger. I grew up watching her distress modern woodwork and fix basically anything with super glue. It’s a lost art in this world.

Part of my Chronic Idea Disease is that I am drawn to the potential of an object, because I know I can mend it, tailor it, dye it, patch it, reuse it. Makes it hard not to live in actual hoarder hell.

Today, it’s a beautiful vintage ribbon work shirt. It’s giving Victorian mourning, it’s giving doublet.

It was also giving STAINED, honey. But I was undeterred because why would I be.

Got it home, rinsed it in the bath and then soaked it in warm water, vinegar and Vanish. Still bad. OK, what if we…put it in the washing machine???? 😬😬😬😬😬

I put it on a delicate cycle but changed program like 20 times to get the exact effect I wanted (yes, I sat and watched my washing machine). Hot enough for hygiene, firm zzsouggje for stain lift, thorough rinse and a quick, gentle spin.

Nah, still bad. But clean af. And that meant plan C: fake it!

Purple fabric pen to cover the stains. The ribbon is an ombre effect anyway, so not hard to add to at all. I’ve used fabric pens to cover stains several times and it’s so easy and effective that you stop seeing a stain as a reason not to buy something incredible. And that opens up a WORLD of true vintage.

Took me five minutes.