Preservation

When it comes to preserving the state of your wardrobe nothing is more important than properly caring for your clothes. The place that most clothing starts to deteriorate is in storage. Improperly storing clothing will allow pieces in your wardrobe to lose shape much quicker than wear and tear. The rule is that clothing is made to be hung on the body only, so hangers must mimic the shape of the shoulders or else the garment will not be in good condition for long. Wire hangers are something to be avoided, especially on sweaters and other knits. Knits that are not kept on padded or rounded hangers will stretch through the neck and shoulders, not to mention that the wrong hangers leave those bumps at the shoulders which just look silly. Even dress shirts kept on wire hangers will start to fall awkwardly on the upper body because they are not supported correctly during storage. As for structured sport coats and overcoats, these should be kept on fuller wooden or plastic hangers that are broader through the shoulders. All the interfacing and padding on the inner structure of these garments needs to be supported in the closet just as it is on your body when you are wearing it. Allowing the inside to lose shape will make even the best fitting jacket look strange on your body. So take stock of you supply of hangers, and remember, mommy dearest was right, wire hangers are not for you.