Washing and storing your Feria dress

Dress and shoes wait outside to be cleaned.  I don't bring the dirt inside

Wash Your Feria dress, But Never put it in the Dryer:

Washing your dress is not so hard, you have to use common sense.  If your dress is plain, cotton/poly blend, and you are sure that colors don't run (reds are famous for this), then turn it inside out, empty your secret pocket, tie a slip knot to the neckline cord, and wash it in cold water in the washer's delicate cycle.

Yellow and red are colors that tend to run.  Make sure they can be washed.
Ask the dressmaker for washing tips.

If your dress is full of little fancy details, such as rick rack, lace, crochet details, embroidery, pom-poms, etc… then hand wash it in the tub. Dunk, dunk, a little scrubbing where it needs it, and rinse, then, I put mine (inside out) in the spin cycle of the washer, to speed up the drying process and line dry.

Remember, when in doubt take it to the cleaners.

The same goes for the "mantoncillo" or shawl, hand wash with mild soap and just dunk the shawl a couple of times, the fringes are very delicate, and you don't want them to tangle, line dry.

If the bottom of the dress is really dusty from dragging the skirt in Feria, then I like to give it a good shake outside, to get rid of most of the dirt, and then wash it.

Removing all the dust first from the bottom of the dress
 before sending it to the cleaners

Next, line dry. Around this time of the year the Levante wind, blows pretty regular, so dresses dry quickly.

Common site outside the houses in Andalusia

If you are done with Feria for the year:

• Check your dress for tears, loose or missing hooks, broken zippers, pocket placement, etc.
• Make a list of necessary repairs and do them immediately, or write a note with a list of to do things and when you clean the dress attach it to the dress.  Include a list of missing or broken accessories or flowers.
• Wash and line dry your dress
• Store your dress, if in a hanger, don't hang your dress by the shoulders, hang it by the waist or hip loops provided.
• Or store it flat in a chest, until next Feria.
• Hopefully before next Feria season you will have time to go through the to-do list and make the necessary adjustments to look your best for Feria.

Skirt, mantoncillo and dress, line dry after many days of Feria