Although I've done a lot of dyeing, I've never really looked into the sumptuary laws or anything similar, so I can't help you there. I have heard the "blue was so cheap that only servants wore it" comments, but they don't ring true to me. Indigo blue is available from more than 10 different plants found world wide, however in Europe it would have come from both woad (Isatis tinctoria) and the imported indigo (Indiagofera tinctoria). The exact same pigment (indigotin) is present in both plants, but there's way more pigment (upwards of 10 times) in the indigo plant. Therefore when they started importing indigo (16th C I believe), it really reduced the need for woad and put the woad growers/processers out of business. But both plants produce the exact same dye, exact same colour, same light-fastness etc.
Even with the importation of indigo, dyeing fabric was still a big job and indigo dyeing is one of the most complicated dyes to use. And the indigo had to be imported, which doesn't lessen the cost either. Finally, let’s face it, colours were limited - I wouldn’t disallow a lovely colour when I had only a relatively small colour palette to choose from.
re: machine dyeing. For best dyeing results with modern dyes, you need to use a dye specific to the type of fabric you're dyeing. Cellulose fibres (e.g. cotton) use different dyes than the protein fibres (e.g. wool). If your fabric has any sort of synthetic in it, you've added a whole new variable to the mix. Some synthetics will dye (e.g. nylon) while most won't.
Because the Dylon people don't know what type of fabric you'll be dyeing, they produce what's known as a union dye. These are a combination of protein and cellulose dyes and half of the dye is thus not useful for whichever fiber you're using. This means that there will be a lot of colour left in the dye liquor when you're finished. And if you don't rinse out the fabric really, really well, this unused dye just tends to sit on top of the fabric rather than penetrate into it. This means it will rub off (called "crocking" in the dye world), wash out in subsequent washes, or sweat out.
Given how much work you've put into the outfit, I would hesitate to recommend dyeing it. I think blue looks good on you, and I think the dress looks good in blue. Consider dyeing it maybe only if you do find some sort of definitive evidence about the "blue is for servants myth". And if you do find the evidence, I'd love to see it please!
no subject
Even with the importation of indigo, dyeing fabric was still a big job and indigo dyeing is one of the most complicated dyes to use. And the indigo had to be imported, which doesn't lessen the cost either. Finally, let’s face it, colours were limited - I wouldn’t disallow a lovely colour when I had only a relatively small colour palette to choose from.
re: machine dyeing. For best dyeing results with modern dyes, you need to use a dye specific to the type of fabric you're dyeing. Cellulose fibres (e.g. cotton) use different dyes than the protein fibres (e.g. wool). If your fabric has any sort of synthetic in it, you've added a whole new variable to the mix. Some synthetics will dye (e.g. nylon) while most won't.
Because the Dylon people don't know what type of fabric you'll be dyeing, they produce what's known as a union dye. These are a combination of protein and cellulose dyes and half of the dye is thus not useful for whichever fiber you're using. This means that there will be a lot of colour left in the dye liquor when you're finished. And if you don't rinse out the fabric really, really well, this unused dye just tends to sit on top of the fabric rather than penetrate into it. This means it will rub off (called "crocking" in the dye world), wash out in subsequent washes, or sweat out.
Given how much work you've put into the outfit, I would hesitate to recommend dyeing it. I think blue looks good on you, and I think the dress looks good in blue. Consider dyeing it maybe only if you do find some sort of definitive evidence about the "blue is for servants myth". And if you do find the evidence, I'd love to see it please!