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Silk Blouses & Skirts

Nothing is more luxurious than a silk blouse and silk skirt. Silk is the ultimate fabric to work with and is almost guaranteed to earn you compliments. But working with silk often comes with a number of challenges. At Janice’s ateliers, they know exactly how carefully to handle the sewing of a silk blouse or skirt.

The stretch silk used in the Janice collection is carefully selected for the right thickness, the ideal elastane ratio, and the most exquisite finish.

In this blog, we’ll explain how to style your pieces, how to care for and treat silk, and why you definitely need a silk blouse and skirt in your closet! Get inspired by the most beautiful silk clothing at Janice.nl.

Silk is a super chic fabric that drapes beautifully over your body. That’s exactly why you see it everywhere. In blouses, tops, and even skirts! Silk skirts are perfect for a casual look with a nice knit sweater , but they also look edgy paired with a T-shirt and leather jacket . The fabric lends itself well to creating a contrast between feminine and edgy.
You can pair your skirt with a pair of edgy biker boots, but also with a pair of pretty heels or even sneakers. So it’s a versatile piece you can wear to work during the day and to a party in the evening! Scroll down for inspiration—and, of course, to shop.

This season at Janice, we have four beautiful silk skirts again: black, brown, red, and purple. Which skirt will you choose?

Why You Need a Silk Blouse!

A silk blouse is a must-have for every woman. This lightweight, airy, top-quality classic is incredibly versatile and, above all, timeless. The perfect silk blouse drapes beautifully, works for any occasion, and features a timeless design with a modern twist. In this piece, you’ll always look elegant and feminine without being overdressed.

Here you can see the silk blouse paired with a women’s suit, worn under the Luke blazer. Because the blouse is so light and thin, it’s ideal for wearing under a tailored blazer.

How do you care for silk clothing?

You should avoid leaving silk in water for more than a few minutes. So never let silk soak in water.
Silk is a strong, natural fiber and, like all animal fibers, consists of protein. This means that chlorine or optical brighteners should not be used, as they cause erosion and will damage the silk.
Do not use harsh detergents that contain bleach. We’ll discuss suitable detergents later in this article. See the blue links.
Do not use detergents containing alkali when washing silk. This will damage the silk fiber.
A good detergent for silk (and wool) is the Ecover brand.
Avoid drying silk in direct sunlight, as sunlight can cause damage to silk garments over time.
Substances containing alcohol will also damage silk fabrics. It’s best to let your perfume and hairspray dry first before getting dressed.

Hand Washing Silk

If you take the best possible care of your silk, your garments will last longer and stay looking their best. That’s why we recommend hand-washing even your silk garments that are labeled as machine-washable.
We recommend hand washing or dry cleaning for silk. Machine washing is not recommended. Dry cleaning is recommended for special garments, such as a wedding dress, or if the garment includes explicit instructions that it must be dry cleaned. We recommend taking your silk blouse and silk skirt to the dry cleaner.

Color Check

First, check whether the garment can be washed at all: perform a test on a small piece of the fabric beforehand to see if it bleeds color. Take a white cloth, dampen it, and press it against the garment to see if it bleeds color. If so, the garment should be taken to the dry cleaner, and it’s not advisable to wash it… but also check the next bullet point to set the color yourself.
Does the garment bleed color, or have you not washed it yet? If so, you can set the color by washing the garment for 3 minutes in water mixed with half a cup of natural vinegar. The vinegar stabilizes and sets the colors. It also neutralizes odors. Silk garments will then retain their colors under normal conditions. Vinegar also adds a nice sheen and removes some grease. However, vinegar does not remove stains.
Is the garment not bleeding color? Then remove the initial stains with a pre-treatment: dab the stains on the fabric with cold water and diluted cleaning vinegar. Note: cleaning vinegar is harsh. Use it diluted—and first check if regular white vinegar works.

Tone-on-tone look

If there’s one thing we love at Janice, it’s the silk tone-on-tone look. Because silk drapes so beautifully, a silk blouse paired with a silk skirt looks incredibly elegant. Let the silk Bobby blouse hang loosely over the skirt, or tie it in a stylish and feminine way over the hem of the skirt. If you’re going for a sportier look, pair it with sneakers and a wool cardigan. If you want to head out dressed up, grab your pumps or ankle boots and drape a beautiful leather jacket over your shoulders. The Clive coat also looks incredibly elegant with this trendy combination.

Stretch Silk

Have you always wanted a beautiful silk blouse or silk skirt but thought you’d have to be very careful with them? Janice’s stretch silk is comfortable to wear thanks to the fabric’s elasticity. It gives way where needed and is therefore very durable.

Thanks to the stretch, the blouse and skirt give way at the points of tension as you move. Without elastane, silk can dig into areas under tension because it doesn’t stretch. Also, thanks to the thicker stretch fabric we use, the silk doesn’t show through.

Are you starting to get a little curious about our silk blouses and silk skirts? Feel free to check out Janice.nl to see our selection.

Silk in the washing machine (a no-go!)

Silk gets damaged in the washing machine.
If you do decide to use the washing machine, use the gentlest cycle (wool cycle) and a mild detergent.
Do not use detergents that contain enzymes or “lighteners.”
When washing silk, use a detergent specifically formulated for wool or silk. Normally, we recommend only powder detergent, but this type of specialized detergent is only available in liquid form. For example, this detergent for silk (and wool).
Use the lowest spin speed setting.
Silk garments should not be spun.

Drying Tips for Silk

Hang silk garments to dry. This will help them retain their shape.
As with any delicate fabric, never use direct sunlight to dry silk garments. This will fade the color and damage the silk fibers. Wet silk turns yellowish in direct sunlight.
Also, do not place silk on a radiator.
We do not recommend drying silk in a dryer. This causes the silk to become static. Dryers can damage silk garments in two ways. Excessive temperature and heat cause the colors to fade and make the silk shrink. In addition, friction against the drum causes the fibers to break.

Ironing Silk

Most wrinkles can be removed by hanging silk garments in the bathroom while you shower. Let the humidity do the work!
Is ironing still necessary? It’s best to turn silk garments inside out before ironing.
Too much heat can cause the colors to fade or turn yellow, or it can burn the silk.
Do not sprinkle water on silk while ironing. This causes stains.

Note: Do not use vinegar if your garment has a colored stain, such as a paprika or curry stain. In that case, you should not use vinegar because it stabilizes the colors.
Use lukewarm water and mild soap (such as Ecover). Baby shampoo also works.
Never wash silk at temperatures higher than 30 degrees.
Never let silk soak; rinse it out immediately.
Do not wring, rub, or twist silk. Roll it in a towel to remove the water.

I hope you found all this information about our silk blouses and skirts—and how to care for this fabric—helpful.
If you have any questions, feel free to send us a message on Instagram!

Love,

Janice