Proper suit care – Every good professional needs at least one bespoke suit. Whether a seasoned executive or a new recruit, a beautiful tailored suit shows a more sophisticated, professional attitude towards business — an attention to detail that clients will notice.
But given the expense of buying suits, it is vital to know how to properly care for them, so as to maintain your suits for years to come.
Too much dry-cleaning can be hazardous
For many professionals, dry-cleaning seems like a great option. Drop the suits off; pick them back up looking great. But the chemicals used in dry-cleaning can wear down the material of your suit, meaning that frequently dry-cleaned suits will not last as long as those dry-cleaned less often. Sometimes, dry-cleaning is the only option, but to keep your suits lasting longer, space these appointments out. Dry-clean only when the suit really needs it.
There are some Proper suit care at-home alternatives to frequent dry-cleaning
There are several DIY options that can keep your suit looking professional in between cleanings. One is a clothing brush. Wool, the most common suit material, is a natural material that can retain particles from the environment encountered over the course of the day — dust and lint, for example — and these particles can wear down the suit if not removed. A brush with natural bristles is a gentle way to remove these particles without subjecting the suit to harsh chemicals. Many professionals also swear by a lint roller, which rolls some of these particles off of the suit material without any invasive procedures.
Proper suit care – Steaming is also a good option for maintaining the quality of a suit at home. While the direct heat of an iron can cause the material to deteriorate faster, steaming is a gentler way of removing stains and odours from the suit. If steaming is not an option for you, and you need to remove wrinkles right away, be sure to place a barrier between the iron and your suit to protect it from the heat.
Rotate suits
Once you find a suit that fits perfectly, it can be tempting to wear it every day, or at least several days in a row. But repeated wear without a break can damage your suit, just like excessive dry-cleaning, causing it to deteriorate faster. Because your suit is composed of natural wool fibres, it needs time to recover from a full work day before you wear it again. Try to rotate outfits throughout the work week; your suits will thank you.
Store the suit by hanging it up
The steamer is a great way to remove wrinkles, but an even better one is of course to avoid these wrinkles in the first place. Always store your suit hanging up to prevent wrinkles that occur from folding. When you’re traveling, try use a garment bag, if possible. The stress of travel can damage your suit – and you won’t want that to happen to your dearest friend, would you?
Always hang your suit up in a well-spaced area when you’re not wearing it. Don’t hang it with one of those flimsy metal hangers that will leave hanger divots in the shoulders. Don’t make that mistake. Invest instead in a proper wooden hanger with a wide-spread contoured shape to ensure that you’ll preserve the shape and drape of the suit. The hanger should be wide enough to touch the edge of the shoulders and wide enough to fill up a portion of the shoulders. When out buying hangers, try to buy one that is made of natural wood, as they will help absorb the moisture from the fabric after a long day of wear.
Your suit can even suffer damage while you wear it
Although most of what we think of as “Proper suit care” occurs after removing the suit at the end of the day, taking some preventative measures while wearing the suit can help it stay intact longer. For instance, be sure to unbutton your suit jacket before sitting down, as this position tends to put more strain on the seams and buttons compared to when standing. Similarly, pull up on the trouser leg before sitting. Pants rip most often at the knee because of the additional strain placed on them by bending one’s legs, and moving the fabric up helps alleviate the pressure.
Traveling
A garment bag is (or at least should be) the favourite companion for your suit when you’re out traveling. Make sure to use one that is not only easy to carry, but also one that will protect your suit properly. Garment bags should be breathable and light to keep your suit cool during transit.
Traveling without a Garment Bag
More often than not, it may be impractical to travel with a garment bag for a suit. For those rare occasions, where space is a luxury you don’t have, you’ll be needing to know how to properly fold and pack a suit in a way that minimises wrinkles. Click on the link above to see a video on how to fold a suit. You’ll quickly see that this is how your suit was folded when it first came out of the bag when it was delivered to you from us, and into your life.
Bonus Travel Tip
If you’re traveling and don’t have access to a steamer, then hang your suit on your bathroom door while you take a hot shower. If you don’t like hot showers, then give your suit some steam treatment of its own by hanging it up in the bathroom, turn up the hot water and leave the vent off and close the door. In matter of just a few minutes, your suit should be relaxed and relatively wrinkle-free from the all the hot steam.
That’s all for this week. We wish you safe travels wherever you go!
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