Meet Jackie of Dyetology

Meeting interesting, creative women is one of the best parts about blogging and the investment of time on social media platforms. Some time ago I began to see posts by Jackie and by other women wearing her creations and raving all about them. Tie dye has been trending at least since last year and is going strong this year. Perhaps you were a fan of tie dye back in the 70’s. If you’re an FTF follower, you know that I’m a big fan of tie dye. To see a previous post, click HERE.

What sparked your interest in tie dye?

“I have my BFA (bachelor’s of fine arts) in Fashion Design. While I was getting my Fashion degree I took 2 years of “Surface Design” where I learned how to dye fabric, screen printing, batiking  – anything to do really with adding color to fabric! I fell in love with it and then when it came time to do my senior collection, which consisted of 7 outfits that we had to design, draft the patterns for the designs, sew the pieces etc…I ended up hand-dyeing most of the collection.” 

When and why did you decide to start your own business?

“I spent 17 years in Corporate designing for big brands. I had worked my way up the ranks and had a title, a salary, a team etc….however I wasn’t happy and I wasn’t fulfilled. I had started dyeing again as a creative outlet from my day job. I wanted to do something completely different than what I was doing in my day job. It lead me back to working with my hands (vs on a computer all day). I am a kinesthetic person which means I love to touch and feel everything! I love working with fabrics and I love working with color- so dyeing is the perfect combination of the two. I didn’t return to dyeing with the intention of starting a business, that happened organically.  I eventually left my Corporate job to go all in on Dyetology and haven’t looked back.” 

How do you decide on the colors you use in each item?

“I do so much color development and testing before I land on a final colorway. I am constantly collecting color inspiration on my phone (so easy basically having a camera with you at all times). Nature is a huge source of inspiration to me as nature’s color palettes are perfect aren’t they? From there and I will tinker with dye combinations that I think will yield what I’m going for in my head!  It can take as many as 5-10 “tests” to get it right…and sometimes it just doesn’t work out! Additionally, I have learned through the years which colors my ladies LOVE and always try to have that in my line for them to choose from.”

How long does it take you to create a piece?

“It depends on the piece- the hand dyeing process takes 2 days from start to finish and takes approximately 11 steps. Then if the garment has additional embellishments, details etc that can take additional hours to complete.”   

What’s your favorite item/s to make?

“I just launched some “One Of A Kind” denim jackets that combines my love of denim (I spent 5 years at Lane Bryant designing denim and to this day was one of my favorite things to design). They are hand-dyed and embellished with all sorts of embellishments, trims etc and each one is unique. These have been so much fun to make!!”

This embellishment loving gal will definitely be getting one of these amazing denim jackets as soon as they’re ready!

What’s the best part about being a business owner?

“So hard to narrow down to 1 thing so I will tell you where I get the most enjoyment- creating pieces that are beautiful and also feel amazing on (I use natural fibers for my materials like cotton, silk, rayon, bamboo etc so it’s soft, breathable and feels great) and women also feel beautiful while wearing them. That gives me so much joy to get notes from my ladies telling me how much they love their new piece and how wonderful they feel in it! That’s priceless. The other part of being a business owner you get to decide to where/how you want to make a difference. After I read an article that socks are the most needed clothing item in homeless shelters, I decided right then and there I was going do a sock mission. I was already making socks and so it would be easy to do. So now for every sock purchase, we donate a pair to a local homeless shelter and they are the same yummy bamboo sock quality that you buy as the customer.  Our “Socks for Hope” mission was started in 2017 and we have donated over 2k pairs to date. I also have been able to donate and parter with local organizations and give back.” 

What are your tips and tricks for styling tie dye pieces so you look current and trendy vs. old school; or maybe old school is new school…LOL

“Since the “tie dye “ trend started on the runways a few years ago and now trickled down to mainstream I’ve seen an evolution from the the high end designers doing more a traditional tie dye look with bright colors, spirals etc….It’s evolved into so many more colors and patterns and that’s been fun for me since what I do is really hand-dyeing vs. the traditional tie dye look. I wrote a blog post for my ladies on“How to Wear Tie Dye in a Modern Way” . I love to mix it up with a statement jewelry, a fun shoe, graphic tees with your hand-dyed/tie dye piece to look modern!!” 

Drape Front Hoodie

While we’ve been sheltering in place during the pandemic, I was trying to support small businesses and especially women in business. It made total sense to order the drape front hoodie from Jackie! The drape front hoodie is so unbelievable soft and super easy to style! It’s truly a unique piece as I haven’t seen it anywhere else. I chose moon stone because I felt as though the colors (kind of neutral) would be super easy to pair with so many other colors. I have to admit that I was really torn between moon stone and candy land…so candy land is also still on my radar!

The hoodie pairs great with a graphic t-shirt, and jeans…for a casual and hip look! I would wear this for a day of errands, fun with girlfriends, seeing my husband’s band play…the options could be endless! The hoodie drapes beautifully and covers the back side and hip area quit nicely especially if those are areas of concern for you.

The hoodie can be worn many ways and throughout all of the seasons which makes it so versatile! The second way I opted to style it was by pairing it with biker shorts, a cami, statement necklace and peep-toe shoes. (Biker shorts are trending so look for a future post on that trend…think leggings but shorts!) The biker shorts and cami create a column of black, which is slimming. This look could easily be worn for all the same activities as the look above.

Details make my heart sing! When I received my drape front hoodie, Jacki included a tie dye face mask and a wrist wrap just because; and I have to say that the mask is my favorite of all my masks! Additionally, she sent a hand written note of thanks. Lastly, I adore that the hoodie has a Dyetology tag! You know that I have many tie dye items in my wardrobe but none as special as the items by Jackie!

Jackie’s passion about her work and supporting others is so evident! On her website she writes:

“I love making clothes for women that not only make them beautiful but also get them noticed- in a good way. I mean who doesn’t love it when someone sees your outfit and says “ Oh my goodness, I LOVE your shirt! It’s so beautiful! Where did you get it? 

I am passionate about helping women to look and feel their best! I hate seeing women frustrated with their closets and getting dressed each day. I love to give quick and easy styling tips to help women get out the door quicker and stress-free.”

I hope you’ll give Jackie a follow on all of her platforms and add some beautiful one of kind tie dye pieces to your wardrobe. You won’t regret it!

Get Connected with Jackie and Dyetology

Jackie Ayres
Owner/Designer
www.dyetology.com

Email: jackie@dyetology.com
Ph: 614.259.7330

Instagram: @dyetology
FB: Dyetology
Twitter: @dyetology
YouTube: Dyetology
Pinterest: Dyetology
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Isn’t Jackie’s creativity and passion contagious?! What’s your favorite way to wear tie dye? Do you have a favorite small business? Leave us a comment! We love to hear from you!

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