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Swimwear care.
After each use, rinse swimwear in cool tap water to remove sunscreen, sand, sweat and chlorine. To wash after a few wearings, turn the swimsuit inside out and hand wash in the sink, using a few drops liquid detergent in warm water. Gently squeeze the suds through the garment, don’t wring or twist. Rinse well and…
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Quality pays off.
Well-made garments are getting harder to find and they’re always more expensive, but in the long term they’re almost always a better investment. Treehugger.com tells to look for signs of quality: thicker fabric with a better “hand,” tight weave and more precise sewing. Check the lining, the buttonholes and look for loose threads. Above all,…
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Sparkling white sneaks.
White canvas shoes are perfect for summer – until they start looking beige. Here’s how to freshen stained sneakers, thanks to How to Clean Stuff. Scrub away dirt stains with shampoo on a nail brush, wipe residue away with a damp sponge. Use dish soap on grass stains and nail polish remover on grease or…
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Classic jeans.
We all have a favorite pair that fits like an old friend. When you buy a pair made of untreated raw denim, some experts recommend wearing for six months before washing. Why? It takes wear to break down super-stiff fibers, and during the process the jeans actually conform to your shape. When you do wash…
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Stains ahoy.
Summer boating adds a chance you’ll bring home more than memories, even on the cleanest vessel. Rust stains are common wherever there’s water and metal. We use concentrated professional products but for home use, try Oxyclean or Wink. Mold and mildew can stain sailing whites in a second—diluted laundry bleach removes just as fast. There’s…
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Chino alert.
Warm weather means chinos for most guys, dressed up with a white cotton shirt, dressed down with t-shirt or polo. Chinos come in colors way beyond khaki like classic blue, green, grey, brown and black. And there are a lot more colors in chinos than ever before (try Dockers). For a crisp tailored look, let…
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Summer wedding tips for men.
Women have it easy with a simple non-white dress. In summer, a man’s traditional dark suit can be too warm, somber and predictable. For a city wedding, choose a lightweight suit in gray, blue or a subtle pattern. Style it up with a pastel Oxford or poplin shirt. In the country, blazers and sport coats…
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Wedding flowers.
Choosing in-season flowers makes great sense. They’re not only less expensive, they’re fresher and travel less to your bouquet. Favorites include elegant delphiniums, showy dahlias, garden roses, classic astilbe or cosmos. Hydrangeas and sunflowers add splashes of bright color, while Queen Anne’s lace and tuberose fill out a bouquet with volume and delicious fragrance. We’re…
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Audrey Hepburn’s famous Burberry trench coat.
Christie’s London sale room will feature a collection of the beloved star’s clothing this fall. Key fashion pieces include a Burberry trench coat, with an estimated price tag of $8,000-10,000, a selection of her ballet pumps and a blue satin cocktail dress by Hubert de Givenchy, one of Hepburn’s favorite designers. Of course, we can…
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Linen, the summer classic.
Linen’s looser weave allows more air to flow than with tighter wool or cotton. It’s also very absorbent and conductive —wicking moisture back into the air and naturally feels cooler. The wrinkled, rumpled look of linen is a side-effect of the flax fiber’s inherent structure, considered by some to be a sign of comfortable elegance.…