Care and Fashion Tips

How much can we help when the size isn’t right? Blouse a shirt sleeves can be shortened, collars and cuffs replaced. Moving the collar button a quarter-inch can improve fit. The shoulders and chest are unalterable.  Pants can usually be taken in or let out two to three inches. Shortening legs is easy, lengthening not so.  Of…

Popular Scienceadvises how to get more life out of your clothes, with four easy tips.  Launder less often, some even advise washing jeans once a year! Turn your clothes inside out before washing to reduce friction. Avoid heat, especially for synthetic fabrics and blends. Try line drying to make everything last much longer.

There’s a lot to learn about the differences between natural and synthetic fabric, since every fabric needs different cleaning procedures. Synthetics are sensitive to heat and oils, like sunscreens. They hold color better than natural fibers and don’t shrink or wrinkle like cotton. Garment care tags are the best guide to effective cleaning, whether you…

Winter boots can serve for many years, but proper care will extend their wearable life. Clean them often with a brush to dried-on soil. Store them upright, using boot trees to avoid creases. Use a boot dryer when they get soaked, never prop them next to a heat source. Oil the leather regularly, especially the…

Start the year by clearing the old — Toss last year’s beat-up bag; 86 any undergarment with holes or stains; saggy sweaters; not-right jeans; trophy shoes (you know the ones) and anything you’ll never wear again. Donate what’s usable, recycle what you can and say hello to a fresh start.   

Laundering your fleece sweater every six or seven wears is easy. To keep the nap smooth and soft, turn the garment inside out and wash with similar colors and nothing linty like towels. Rinse twice and air dry. Avoid fabric softeners or dryer sheets if your fleece is water-resistant. Pet hairs? Before washing, wipe down…

Figuring out how to fit the fitted bottom sheet can be frustrating – which side is the long one and which the shorter? If you chose a striped sheet, it’s easy since almost all bedding stripes run the long way. For everything (and everyone) else, here’s the secret: find the care tag. It’s always in…

Treat yourself to the right hangersfor every garment. Start with solid wood hangers like you see at fine clothing shops. They help retain the garment’s structure and are recommended for shirts, blouses and light jackets. For suits, choose a hanger with wider, contoured shoulders and a bar to drape trousers. A special clip hanger for pants…

Before you stow away remains of the celebration, make sure everything is clean and ready for another year. We clean messy Santa suits, pitchy tree skirts, eggnogged lapels and almost everything else. We regret the ugly that’s woven into Christmas sweaters is beyond modern cleaning technology.  Here’s to a bright (and clean) New Year for everything…

Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.” Even the most extreme optimists will agree with Oprah Winfrey on this New Year’s wish – a fresh year with new opportunities and challenges, new rewards and surprises. New friends and new ideas. We wish you all the very best and…