Making Your Wardrobe Last Longer

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We all know the pain of buying an outfit for a stupid amount of money that in hindsight was a stupid move, only to wear it for two weeks of summer and then have it go completely out of fashion by next summer. It’s an idiotic thing, but we all do it. Clothes are so expensive, and shopping at cheap clothing shops can be harmful due to seriously unethical practices. And even when you do have items that you love, you wear them so much that the wear out quickly. No one wants to have to keep replacing items of clothing because they keep breaking, and making items that you have spent your hard-earned money on last longer is always going to be a winner.

Quality over Quantity

Rather than heading to a cheap store and buying a basket load of clothes, spend your money on a slightly more expensive brand that produces higher-quality clothing. Not only will this help reduce unethical practices, but it will also ensure that the items that you buy will last for longer - and that goes for anything you buy in life. More expensive clothes means that you are paying for better quality materials and, often, better made. A dress bought cheaply is likely to be hemmed with an overlocker and consist of one layer. Where if you spend a little extra, that overlocked hem should be folded and seamed and have a lining, which reduces friction and snagging, and doesn’t give away the lines of your underwear.

Washing

Rather than just bunging all your clothes into two loads of washing; light and dark - actually look at the instructions on the label. There aren’t there for the fun of it and the symbols are easy to understand with a cheat sheet. Split your whites from your lights, cotton from synthetics. Woolens have their own cycle, as do your delicates. Black jeans should always be washed inside out, and coats, jackets, suits, dresses and cashmere often need to be sent for a great dry cleaning service. Don’t use a dryer for your delicates and anything cotton. Some woolens are fine. But 100% use on for your towels, bedding and jeans. Hang shirts on a hanger as soon as you can - it drops out wrinkles and reduces the need for ironing. When placing items on a clothes dryer, make sure the seams a straight, nothing folded and that the fabric isn’t stretched.

Storage

Hang up as much of your clothes as possible, but anything created with a stretchy fabric should be folded so that the hanger doesn’t stretch out the shoulders. Hanging your clothes also ensures that the fabrics are getting aired; when you have clothes that you don’t wear often tucked into a draw, they can often smell dusty by the time you get round to wearing them. You can counteract dusty-draw smells with scented bags placed inside. It might sound like an old lady trick - but it really works. Use dried lavender, rose petals or jasmine in a little bag to keep your clothes smelling fresh.