Julie Diana

The Secret to Clothes that Never Age

Just as a classy gal like you needs special care, your fine garments need special handling too.

For years I've been sewing couture frocks, and crocheting dresses and coats. I've also been fortunate enough to wear designer pieces from upscale stores.

In this article, I bring you some of the wardrobe wisdom I have learned and gathered from books, classes... and personal mishaps.

Keep reading for my 5 top tools to keep fine garments looking like new. Scroll to the bottom for my two daily habits that keep delicates lasting for years... and years and years!

1. Delicate detergent

There are a number of special detergents for fine fibers like cashmere, silk, and linen. Among the most popular are Soak, The Laundress, and Woolite.

My personal favorite is Eucalan No-Rinse delicates wash. I also use their lavender-infused detergent. It seems pricey, but all you need is one teaspoon of detergent for every gallon of water.

Best part: there's no need to rinse! To dry, roll the garment into a bath towel and squeeze.

2. Spot cleaning

Overwashing can cause delicate fibers to break down over time. When possible, spot clean stains, instead of washing the entire garment.

Dab on gentle detergent with a cotton swab, let it sit, then dab with water.

3. Pill shavers

Sometimes washing machine agitation and regular wear can cause fibers to pill. Knitwear and sweaters are especially vulnerable.

Handheld pill shavers remove the 'bobbles' without tugging on the garment. I once did a number on a cashmere sweater using a metal comb-style shaver. Oops.

Luckily, I got a little smarted and bought this Conair pill shaver. I have now been using it for years. I love that it's battery-powered and portable.

I run it over sweaters once or twice and season to extend their wearable life. At less than twenty dollars, it's a no-brainer to keep one in the laundry room and one in my bedroom.

4. Drying racks

I avoid machine-drying delicate garments. Heat and agitation can break down the fibers. This is especially true of wool, which can shrink and become matted, aka 'felt.'

To prevent this, I air-dry my clothes on collapsible drying racks. They are easy to fold up and stash away.

I also love this 3-tier mesh drying rack for garments that might easily stretch out of shape.

5. Protect if machine washing

If you do machine-wash your delicates, wash them inside-out in mesh laundry bags.

Bonus tips

I have two daily habits that protect my garments. They reduce the need for laundering, so I don't need to wash a garment after every single wear.

First: cute aprons. My favorite are boldly printed aprons from Anthropologie.

Apron: Anthropologie, similar here

Second, I wear underarm shields like its my job. My favorite are from Kleinert's.

Underarm shield: Kleinert's / Hat: Betmar, similar here

In addition to Kleinert's 'garment shields,' I also love their pin-in dress shields. I find the beige and black colors most useful. Attach them with safety pins, then remove to wash (in an above-mentioned mesh bag, of course).

May you have the time and strength to care for your fine garments--and for yourself.