Advice on cleaning vintage dress

[DaisyandStella]

Hi all,
I have a 1970s 'Concept 70's Swirl' searsucker sailor dress that is need of a little bit of cleaning.
However i'm worried the red tie and trim on collar may bleed if I wash. The tie is partially attached at sides of neckline so I could remove but would need to stitch back on.
I'd love any advice on this.
Thanks!
Brooke

 

[joules]

I'd test for color bleed first, carefully, with a small portion of the red tie, held away from the rest of the dress.

Or just remove, better safe than sorry. It's very cute!

I have a Swirl maxi from this era. Mine is chambray mostly. Swirl items were designed for wash and wearability, and in the 70s, they were using poly blends, so you may be okay, but test first.

Mine's a Park East by Swirl:

Park East by Swirl

 

[Circa Vintage Clothing]

Nice dress! I would remove the tie and hand wash the rest in warm water - you should be safe, and it will wash better (and easier) without the tie to get in the way. Wash that separately and then stitch together when dry - or it could probably be worn around the neck without restitching it.