A sequin or satin dress is the piece you reach for when the evening matters, and the one you are most afraid to wash. Both can be cleaned at home if you go gently: the risks are heat, friction and wringing. Here is how to wash, dry, de-wrinkle and store them so they are ready for the next party.
Reading time: 5 min
In brief
- Read the care label first: satin can be polyester, silk or acetate, and sequins can be sewn or glued.
- Sequin dress: hand wash cold, inside out, never wring, dry flat. Never in the dryer.
- Satin dress: hand wash cold if polyester, dry clean if silk or acetate; dry on a padded hanger.
- Wrinkles: steam only for sequins; steam or a low iron inside out with a cloth for satin.
Contents
- Start with the care label
- How to wash a sequin dress
- How to wash a satin dress
- How to get wrinkles out of sequins and satin
- How to store a sequin or satin dress
- Do and don't, at a glance
- Frequently asked questions about sequin and satin dresses
- Ready for the next party
Start with the care label
Always read the label sewn inside before anything else. It tells you two things that change everything: the fiber, and whether the piece can be washed at all.
- Satin is a weave, not a fiber. It can be silk, polyester, acetate or viscose. Polyester satin is the easiest to wash; silk and acetate are the most delicate.
- Sequins can be sewn or glued. Sewn sequins survive a gentle hand wash; glued sequins and some plastic sequins do not like water or heat.
- "Dry clean only" means exactly that, especially on a lined or structured dress.
When in doubt, spot clean first, and test any product on a hidden area such as the inside of a hem.
How to wash a sequin dress
- Turn it inside out. This protects the sequins from rubbing against each other.
- Hand wash in cold water with a small amount of mild detergent for delicates. Swish gently for a few minutes; do not scrub.
- Rinse in cold water until the water runs clear.
- Never wring or twist. Press the water out, then roll the dress in a clean towel to absorb the rest.
- Dry flat on a dry towel, away from radiators and direct sun. A heavy sequin dress hung while wet will stretch at the shoulders.
If the label allows machine washing, use a mesh laundry bag, a cold delicate cycle and the lowest spin. Never put a sequin dress in the dryer.
For a single mark, spot clean instead: dab with a cloth dampened in cold water and a drop of mild soap, working from the reverse side if possible.
How to wash a satin dress
- Check the fiber. Polyester satin can be hand washed; silk and acetate satin are safer with a dry cleaner.
- Hand wash in cold water with a mild detergent, gently, for no more than a few minutes. Do not soak.
- Rinse, then press the water out without wringing, and roll the dress in a towel.
- Dry on a padded hanger, away from heat and sun, which can fade the sheen.
Satin shows every water mark and every snag: keep jewelry, bag clasps and rough surfaces away from it, and treat stains quickly. Acetate satin dissolves with acetone, so keep nail polish remover well away.
How to get wrinkles out of sequins and satin
- Sequins: never iron them directly, as heat can curl, dull or melt them. Hang the dress in a steamy bathroom, or use a steamer from a distance on the reverse side.
- Satin: steam is the safest option. If you must iron, turn the dress inside out, use the lowest setting and a pressing cloth, and never spray water on silk satin.
More methods in our guide on how to get wrinkles out of clothes without an iron.
How to store a sequin or satin dress
- Sequin dress: fold it loosely with acid-free tissue paper between the folds and store it flat in a drawer or box, or hang a light one on a padded hanger. Heavy sequin dresses stretch on a hanger over time.
- Satin dress: hang it on a padded hanger, in a breathable cotton garment bag rather than plastic.
- Before wearing: put on perfume and deodorant first and let them dry. Both can stain satin and dull sequins.
- Keep spare sequins and sew back any loose one straight away, before others follow.
Do and don't, at a glance
| Sequin dress | Satin dress | |
|---|---|---|
| Washing | Hand wash cold, inside out | Hand wash cold (polyester) or dry clean (silk, acetate) |
| Drying | Flat, on a towel | On a padded hanger |
| Wrinkles | Steam, on the reverse side | Steam, or low iron inside out with a cloth |
| Storage | Folded flat in tissue paper | Padded hanger, cotton garment bag |
| Never | Dryer, iron, wringing | Wringing, water spray on silk, acetone on acetate |
Frequently asked questions about sequin and satin dresses
Can you put a sequin dress in the washing machine?
Only if the label allows it: inside out, in a mesh bag, on a cold delicate cycle with the lowest spin. Hand washing is safer.
Can you put a sequin dress in the dryer?
No. Heat can curl, dull or melt sequins, and tumbling makes them snag. Always dry flat.
How do you get wrinkles out of a sequin dress?
With steam, from a hot shower or a steamer held at a distance on the reverse side. Never iron the sequins directly.
Can satin be washed at home?
Polyester satin, yes: hand wash in cold water and dry on a hanger. Silk or acetate satin is safer with a dry cleaner.
How do you store a sequin dress?
Folded loosely with tissue paper and stored flat, so its weight does not stretch the shoulders.
Ready for the next party
Looked after this way, an evening dress lasts for years of parties. Ours are made in France from deadstock and upcycled fabrics, in limited runs: the Rebecca sequin midi dress, the Caroline satin dress and all our dresses.
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By Guillaume Aubagnac, designer of Guillaume Alexandre.