How to care about your clothes

Sometimes I'm thinking - there are many posts and advice what clothes we should get, what clothes we should wear, but once we have them, no one is telling us how to care of them. That is a very important question you should be asking, especially if you are keen on good and quality stuff.

Shirts

My rule one is always giving your shirts pre-treatment of the part behind the neck and other crucial parts of the garment before machine wash itself. This part tends to get dirty, probably worse than the others. If wearing shirts with french cuff, cuffs deserve pre-treatment as well. Washing inside out is also the right choice; however, in my opinion, this is more important with other than white shirts as on white, the effect is not that significant. By the time, the shirt colour will fade and even if most of the shirtmakers forbid that, Emma Willis once mentioned that if you are washing purely white shirts, do not be afraid to put in a bit of bleach. Remember on the right hangers, never wire ones, these will damage any garment you put on them. Hang them with slight spaces between them, and I personally tends to button a neck button and a few others under it as well. In my opinion, it holds a better collar shape.

Suit

Invest in a good quality hanger if not supplied with the suit. Once in a while, you can use a brush specifically meant for the suit. It'll help you get rid of fibres, fluff, pet hair and light dirt. Please do not wear your suit two days in a row, let it rest on the hanger at least for 24 hours. And be careful about dry cleaning. If the suit is not dirty, it may require cleaning less than you think. Wool is a magical material with the ability of self-cleaning. Also, probably I don't have to tell you that, but have the right size of garment which suits you just right. Tight can damage faster, and too loose doesn't look good at all.

Steamer

An excellent way how to make your clothes last longer and look good in a sensitive way, it's a steamer. If you wear your shirt just a while, there's no need to put it in the washing machine right away because that will not prevent excessive wash-out pattern. Instead, you can use a steamer, which will kill some bacteria that cause bad odour. It, unfortunately, won't remove any dirt. However, it will freshen your shirt and remove any wrinkles. The great news is that you can use it pretty much for any fabric except leather. You can steam your cashmere sweater, silk shirt or any suit or trousers.

Coats

Only a few essentials are needed to have a great coat after a few years looking as good as in the day you bought it. First thing but the most important one is don't save up money on your coat, meaning, I have cheaper coats and I have more expensive coats and even if I take care about them the same way, less costly after few years indeed does look poorer. Now, the essentials. Proper hanger, when you wear it in the rain, always let it dry naturally. To dry cleaning, it should go in case some dirt will occur, or sweat stains are present. Otherwise, from time to time it pays off to brush it with soft brush intended for wool or cashmere, which will help to get rid of some light dirt and steam will refresh coat as well.

Shoes

I apply straightforward rules when it comes to shoes. It is essential to take care of them as shoes are usually quite an expensive part of your wardrobe. The first rule is - always use shoe trees. Spray impregnation generously, it will help you avoid dirt and moisture and cleaning will be easier afterwards. Wipe any visible dirt with a damp cloth, after that use wax on formal shoes and colour neutral detergent on other leather shoes. Brush suede after cleaning with a recommended cleaner, after some time you may use Saphir renovateur to regain colour brightness. If you care for your shoes properly, they will serve you many more years to come, and your investment will be much smarter.

Ties

Ties are probably one of the most challenging things when it comes to caring. When I put it straight, do anything NOT to make it dirty or greasy. If an accident will occur, your chance is to let them dry clean, but note that even this doesn't have to help you entirely. Silk is a very delicate material, and every piece of silk clothing can be only hand washed.