Caring for Clothes in Your Closet
Fashion Maintenance For Fashionistas – Washing, Ironing & Storing
Keeping your clothes looking new is one of the smartest things you can do. A little TLC and a small investment in time and money can make all the difference.
Not least, a wrinkled, disheveled image is not one you wish to portray if you are going for the fashionista-of-the-year award or style guru to your friends and relations.
A hanging hem thread, a loose button, broken zipper or split seam can all ruin your look before you have even walked out the door. It’s no good spending hard-earned dollars on quality items if you neglect their well-being and allow your wardrobe to get into disarray. If you have an aversion to a needle and cotton then there are plenty of stores which offer alternations and repairs (although admittedly, at a price!)
The Benefits of a Owning Steam Iron
There is really no excuse for the dragged-through-a-hedge-backwards look. Crumpled, disheveled clothing is not in vogue, nor will it ever be. If you really want to take care of your wardrobe, then invest in a steam iron; it removes unsightly creases in an instant by penetrating the fabric.
Says Jaqui Ripley, author of The Makeover Book, (Piatkus 2004) “I cannot overestimate the importance of buying a good steam iron. It will cut your ironing time down by half and leave your clothes looking professionally pressed.”
She goes on to recommend that clothes should always be ironed inside out to prevent them from becoming shiny. Another alternative is to use a pressing cloth to protect the fabric, especially if it has detailing such as lace or embroidery.
How to Iron a Shirt Correctly
One of the most practical lessons any fashionista can learn in life is how to professionally iron a shirt. With this season’s trendy new spin on great white shirts, it is a safe bet that the GWS will fast become a favorite fashion staple of your wardrobe.
In the book How to Walk in High Heels by Camilla Morton (Hodder & Stoughton 2006), fashion designer Bella Freud gives her personal account of what she describes as “one of the most useful lessons of my life.” – learning how to iron a shirt.
There is a sequence which should be followed. First, drape the shirt, back down, over the board and iron the back of the collar and the yoke. Then do the cuffs, followed by the sleeves. Next, move on to the sides of the shirt, and then return once more to the back. Then, with a few final loving strokes, return to the collar.
According to Freud, the secret is in following the correct steps. Change the order and it no longer works as well. Banish those ironing-board blues by making this sequence your ironing mantra - “yoke, collar, cuffs, sleeves, sides, back and collar,” and with more attention to your ironing, you’ll see the results.
How to Wash Clothes Correctly
- Don’t take it for granted that every similar fabric or outfit requires the same care, read the label.
- Always handwash delicate items such as lingerie, ideally using a specially formulated, gentle detergent.
- Be careful when washing whites. Never mix them with colors unless you want to give a nod to this season’s multicolored patchwork look!
- Check the label for the washing temperature. 100% white cotton can withstand being washed at a high temperature, but a lot of fabrics nowadays include a cotton mix and need a cooler wash, to keep both their shape and color. Crisp, clean ice-white is a great look; grayish white is not!
- Remember to empty pockets before getting a nasty surprise when that lottery ticket or crumpled dollar note goes spinning round in the washing machine, often disintergrating in the process.
- If you overload your washing machine you are likely to get residue from detergent, which is difficult to remove. This causes garments to look dingy , so split the load in two instead.
How to Store Clothes Correctly
- Minimize that disheveled look by putting away your clothes the moment you take them off rather than draping them over the bed or chair, or dropping them on the floor.
- Try not to cram your wardrobe to overflowing. Your closet should resemble the clothing rail in a shop, giving outfits chance to breathe, with a centimeter or two between each garment. Not only does this protect your clothes from becoming creased, but it is psychologically far preferable to shifting through a closet of “immovable” clothes.
- Hanging your clothes on hooks on the back of bedroom door will leave nasty lumps and bumps. Habitual hanging means your outfit will fast become out of shape, so always make a point of going that extra mile and take the trouble to place it directly in the closet.
- Remove any debris from pockets before hanging up, as this causes the garment to stretch.
- Fold or roll knitwear; hanging then will cause them to stretch out of shape.
- Brush clothes regularly with a good bristle brush to remove any accumulated dust particles.
- Folding your jeans and pants over on a normal hanger will result in an unsightly line mid-way down the trouser leg. Use peg-style hangers, or elasticated spring loaded ones instead, to hang them from the waistband.
- If possible, pants and jacket should be given a rest for a day or so before being work again. Try to rotate your wardrobe accordingly.
- Store shoes in boxes or place them on a rack above the floor.
- If you spot a loose button or a sagging hemline, make a point of trying to repair it immediately when you get home. Don’t wait until you need to wear that outfit again; you may not have the time to repair it. The same applies to stains. Act immediately to remove make up spillage, tea, coffee and so on. Use a professional stain remover if necessary, like Vanish or Spot On.
Fashion stylists the world over enthuse the benefits of “quality not quantity”. When investing in a quality wardrobe, it makes practical sense to make an effort to prolong each garment's original shape and appearance. With that little bit of extra care it will then carry you through to next season and beyond. Remember, in order to look good, maintenance does matter!
