Taking Care of Business
This month's topic is not something that I talk about a lot, yet it's essential to maintaining your wardrobe. So for this issue of the "Monthly Fashion Updated", I've decided to address how to take care of some of the most important items in your closet.
A good pair of jeans that hug your hips and make your butt look oh so nice is hard to find. So when you do find that special pair, it's important to make them last as long as possible. The first piece of advice is to wash your jeans inside out. I also suggest that you do not dry them all the way as most jeans have some element of stretch to them. Drying them completely, can cause them to shrink - this is something that no amount of squats in your jeans can help.
Now another item that is one of the most important in your wardrobe and probably the most delicate is your bra. You need to rotate your bras as a day of rest will give them time to return to their original fit and will prolong the elasticity of the fabric. Your bras should also be hand washed in cold water or in a lingerie bag on the gentle cycle. Most importantly, they should never be put in the dryer. The need to by line-dried.
Just like your bras, you also need to give yourshoes a rest. If you can, it's better to rotate your shoes. As with your bras, this helps them maintain their shape and structure. For boots, I suggest storing them with tall shoe trees, or placing them sideways in a box. And before boot season begins, it's a good idea to have a cobbler put a small plastic tip on the front of your boots to protect them. Just a few ideas to keep you well-healed!
One of the hardest items to keep looking clean and bright is the infamous white shirt. Eventually, all white shirts will need to be replaced, but it's best to wash them yourself and not send them to the dry cleaners. Instead washing them with Oxi Clean and soaking them with other whites works well. If you like the pressed look that you get from your cleaners, then you can have them iron your shirts, but not clean them.
One final note is that you should not keep clothes in dry cleaner bags, as the fumes can stay in the bags and reek havoc on your clothes. However, it is ok to keep things in garment bags. I keep my white shirts, white pants and beeded tops and skirts in garment bags to they don't get caught on anything or dirty.