Garments that are well cared for last longer and look better over the course of their life. No matter the quality or price, a suit that has been poorly looked after will be unenjoyable to wear and you'll find yourself replacing it far too often. We’ll address a few common mistakes and the most important factors when it comes to caring for your suit.
DRY CLEANING
The biggest and most common of all errors we need to set straight is dry cleaning too regularly. The chemicals involved in the process are really harsh for most fabrics and can deteriorate the finish, longevity and shape of your suit. Instead, opt for spot cleaning on food and drink stains as well as steaming to refresh after long periods of wear. If you must dry clean, seek out a professional and reputable service and avoid dry cleaning more than once per year.
STORAGE
An often overlooked but crucial step in keeping your suit clean and retaining its shape. Always hang your suit on a wooden hanger that is designed with thicker ends to fill out the jacket's shoulders. A shirt hanger or wire hanger will not do! Trousers should be hung over the bar with both cuffs aligned and straight. This will help your trousers hold their crease and look crisp when you're ready to wear them again. During periods where you're not wearing your suit, it should be stored in a garment bag to avoid the risk of mold/moth holes.
ROTATE
Possibly the single best way to extend the longevity of your suit is to have multiple. Wearing the same suit every day will put stress on the fabric and wont allow it to rest and recover after each wear. Instead of replacing every year, build a wardrobe of 3-4 suits that you can rotate every couple of days. This gives versatility and difference in what you're wearing each day and hopefully will lead to some enjoyment out of wearing your daily uniform.
FURTHER ADVICE
Brushing your suit with a horsehair garment brush will remove dirt and dust particles accumulated from the day's activities.
Get into the habit of hanging your suit up as soon as you get in the door. Slouching on the couch with a snack is a surefire way to add creasing and stains.
Think about how your work/lifestyle impacts how you wear your suits. If you're in and out of a car all day, commuting or travel to warm climates then think about hard wearing or crease resistant fabrics. If you run hot and wearing a suit feels stiff and uncomfortable, opt for a lighter more breathable fabric or suits with less structure and padding to it.
Purchasing an additional pair of trousers and rotating between the two every few wears is a great way to add years to your suits life. Inevitably, trousers will always wear out quicker than your jacket due to longer periods of continuous wear.
If you have any questions about caring for your suit or would like to learn more, please drop by the showroom or get in touch via email or phone.