Preserving The Investment

There are certainly times in life that require that we look nothing less than fabulous. So, we venture out to find and purchase amazing ensembles that suit the occasion...and sometimes break the bank. Once you have debuted your look and knocked them all dead, what do you do with your garment next? Preservation is the key to ensuring your fashion finds are there for you in the future. It is imperative to hang, store and clean garments correctly.

I would like to echo a famous line by saying "No wire hangers!!" Just because the dry cleaner provides them does not mean that you have to use them. Everyone has experienced the misshaping of shoulders and sleeves that often happens as a result of wire hangers. It is best to use something that has both padding and grip, so that the shape of the clothing is protected and the slippage is reduced.

Plastic garment bags are not as great as you think. Plastic does not allow the fibers of the clothing to breath and can encourage the growth of mold if the temperature of your closet if wrong. YUCK! Closets should be kept dry, cool and as uncluttered as possible. There is no sense in jam packing your closet and wrinkling everything in there, you might as well have your clothes balled up in a corner. Forgetting what you have and not being able to find what you need is also a consequence of the disorder.

Lastly, it is important to have items professionally cleaned if that is what they require. During my trip to New York last week, I happened upon a fabulous cleaners for the most delicate and expensive articles of clothing. I have to admit that seeing this really made me second guess who I am entrusting my clothes to. I have never had an incident, but I think it may be a disaster waiting to happen. I am currently on the hunt to find a place like this locally.

Be good to your clothes and they will be good to you!