By Denise Miller
We spend a lot of money on our clothes, don’t we? Most of us have summer and winter wardrobes, including sweaters, coats and jackets, swimsuits, eveningwear, work clothes and casual.
How many shoes do you have? Many women have easily twenty pairs of shoes, including boots, sandals, slippers, dress shoes and everyday shoes and sneakers.
So, we need to be mindful of taking care of our investment! Here are some reminders on how to get longer wear from our clothes, saving money and enjoying our favorite outfits longer.
Always rotate the items in your closet; never wear an outfit two days in a row. Hang your clothes or properly fold them to prevent wrinkling and damage. Don’t throw that $150.00 suit or that silk blouse in the corner!
When you come home from being in a place that has second hand smoke, air that coat out! Many odors, from smoke to food, get trapped in the fabric of our clothes. In the closet, cover items not often warm with plastic, or with special suit covers available in many stores. If that jacket has closet dust, use a natural bristle brush to remove the dust.
When washing your clothes, remember to separate the dark from the light and try to do your whites separately. This prevents stains from crossing over to other items. (Ever get pink underwear?) Turn items inside out to protect special appliqués and beading. Liquid detergent can be easier on fabric than powder. Hand-wash those delicates! There are many good products for delicate items to choose from.
When ironing – be careful of the setting the iron is on- see label on clothing to determine proper setting. Never leave the iron alone! Keep it moving and not too hot so you do not burn the fabric. Sometimes putting a damp cloth like a handkerchief between the iron and item is recommended for delicates.
Professional dry cleaning is necessary for some things, yet today there are products on the market that allow you to use your dryer to “Dry clean”. Use them carefully, reading the labels.
A note on accessories, be careful of pins and brooches that may damage the fabric of your blouse or blazer. When you take the time to care for your clothes properly they will last longer, save you money and make you always look fantastic!