Let’s hear it for double knit!
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When I was 5, I had the most magical dress. It was turquoise, with a ruffle around the neck, and when I wore it, I was a lacy aqua enchantress; capable of great feats of book-reading, mirror-singing, and mermaid-pretending.
Since it was the 1970s, my perfect dress was, of course, made from double-knit polyester. And my aqua dress held up admirably to the many beatings inflicted upon it... until the fateful day when it would no longer zip up. I still miss that dress.
And I continue to love this indestructible and colorful fabric. No doubt there's some nostalgia baked into that, but there's also the fact that it's just fantastic stuff. Here's why:
- It's livable and forgiving, with a wondrous combination of stretch and structure. Wash it out and hang it to dry and wear it just a few hours later. Colors stay true; lines stay strong; most stains come right out.
- Textile manufacturers of the 1970s era were, shall we say, less inhibited in their design and color offerings. Consequently, we have found some amazing / crazy / beautiful / hilarious stuff to make shifts from. There are lots of interesting-yet-wearable neutrals, too.
- It's more comfortable than you think. There are some nasty-feeling ones for sure, but we would never use those. The DKPs we offer on our site are soft and cute and comfy.
- It cannot be destroyed, unless you set out deliberately to do so. In that case, you'll need to bring a flamethrower and a cross-cut shredder.
- There is a lot of it out there! Which means that, even though it's not "natural," it's still an abundant and eco-friendly resource: the greenest fabric is one that is already manufactured.
I outgrew my magic aqua dress, but I still have great feats of book-reading, mirror-singing, and company-starting to perform, and DKP shifts are perfect for all that.
