do you think I could wash this dress?

[traviata]

Hobbs Eimear dress

The label says:
Do not wash. Made of 65% polyester, 33%viscose/rayon, 2% elastane.
lining 100% polyester.

I am thinking of trying it on a short cool wash then drip dry.

opinions or experiences?

Viscose/rayon has a tendency to shrink

oh .

that's very useful, thankyou.

Even if it only shrinks a bit, I guess it would affect the shape and the finish.

I have washed various silk dresses, including a Hobbs silk/acetate one gently in cool water, using M&S silk and cashmere wash. Squeeze out in a towel (folded not rumpled), then hang on a coat hanger to dry near a radiator. Hope that helps.

I know you know op but viscose S a little bugger, whenever I buy viscose even if it says to wash at 40, I always get the size bigger. I try not to buy it at all but sometimes something slips through the net! I have two beautiful tops that no longer fit my boobs in! So gutted!

Viscose is terrible for shrinking. :( however the polyester might help. Hard to say for sure, it's definitely a risk...

I have this dress. It's beautiful but I would worry about washing it. It's heavy and I would be concerned that it would lose shape.

If you're prepared to pay £££ for a Hobbs dress then I think you should take care of it and get it dry cleaned. I wouldn't risk it.

all good points, thank you.

I once had a lovely skirt that was dry clean only. It was made of synthetic fibres of some sort, but I can't exactly remember what.

I thought I would hand-wash it, and it was a disaster. The texture of the fabric all stretched, and the skirt was ruined, basically.

I wouldn't risk it.

I would, however, hand wash silk or cashmere, or other natural fibres, even if they said to dry clean. People have been hand-washing them for hundreds, if not thousands of years!

I wouldn't risk it for a dress that cost that much.

Based on experience, I suspect the dress will shrink a bit and the lining won't, so the lining will be all baggy.

you are right.

I wish I'd looked properly at the label, I don't like dry cleaning .

I would guess if you do a cold handwash using a delicates detergent ( like Woolite or Persil silk it would be fine).

Many clothes marked dry clean only don't need to be dry cleaned

The main problems with washing are:

• colour run - particularly for brightly coloured silks which may run and lose vibrancy on a cold wash.

• shrinkage - can normally be avoided by cold wash and hand wash.
• features of the garment that are not amenable to washing (eg. shoulder pads in suits, leather or suede trim etc).

Doesn't look like your dress is likely to come a cropper if you wash it cold and treat as delicates. But as always running a risk.