I mean it wholeheartedly when I say I love my wardrobe. Finding amazing clothing in sizes larger than 12 is challenging, so keeping my clothes like new for as long as possible is a major priority. To put this into perspective: I still have items from affordable stores like Forever 21 from 9 years ago that I kid you not, don’t look a day over 2 wears and washes! Here are my tips for making clothes (and intimates) last longer:
DELICATE FABRICS
To prevent wear and tear of delicate fabrics (like georgette, crepe, satin, chiffon and polyester blends) always hang dry, and steam instead of ironing. Ironing can burn or damage fabric.
Steaming is also faster than ironing! This is the steamer I currently use and love.
This is especially important for affordable garments (from stores like Forever 21, H&M, Charlotte Russe and Old Navy), because lower fabric quality makes clothes more susceptible to damage, so treating these items with care is the key to making them last.
INTIMATES | Intimate apparel like bras, panties with intricate details and lingerie should be placed in an intimates wash bag before placing in the washer, then hung to dry. Also remember to hook your bras before placing in the bag, to prevent snagging.
Before I discovered wash bags, the wiring in my bras would pop out after just a few washes and delicate lace details would fray much faster. For ultra intricate intimates, hand washing is best.
DENIM
To prevent denim from fading and shrinking both in size and length, turn inside out, always wash in cold water, then hang dry.
Most denim blends will shrink back to their normal fit and shape with each wash, then easily stretch with wear.
Until I realized that hang drying prevented shrinking and color bleeding, I always ended up with faded jeans that were a size too small and way too short after the very first wash!
KNITS | Folding knits versus hanging, helps keep shape in tact and prevents shoulder stretch caused by hangers.
Don’t have enough space to store folded items? Here’s a great, space-saving way to store sweaters and other knits in your closet.
TAGS: how to, tips