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Reader Request: Favorite Fibers

by Sal on May 1, 2012 · 46 comments

Becky dropped this into the Suggestion Box:

I found your discussion of ponte very useful and I’m wondering what other fibers you seek out and/or avoid. For example, I’ve noticed that many brands label certain rayon blends as machine washable but said garments quickly fade and pill, even on the delicate cycle. I’ve learned the hard way to avoid buying them. On the other hand, I’ve noticed that some (usually natural) fibers/fabrics that are labeled “dry clean only” actually hold up well to machine washing on the delicate cycle (and air drying). … Do you have any fiber-related rules of thumb that you follow when selecting clothes?

Fibers are surprisingly personal, I’ve found. With sensitivities, allergies, budgetary concerns, and upkeep all playing into fiber choices, we’ve all got our own favorites and nemeses. My favorite fibers depend heavily on which area of my body I’m clothing, so I’ll break it down for yas:

For scarves

Silk: As I’ve said approximately 23 trillion times, silk is a magical fiber that will keep you warm in winter and cool in summer. People tell me it comes from silkworms, but I’m inclined to believe that it comes from A MAGICAL FAIRYLAND. My house is old and drafty, but even on finger-freezingly cold days, winding a silk scarf around my neck warms me instantly. Silk is my ideal scarf fiber because it is a 4-season option: Silk scarves in summer feel weightless and breezy, look effortless and chic.

Cashmere: I’m cold most of the time, but I DO refrain from wearing my cashmere scarves in August. However, this fiber is second only to silk in warming properties and just as soft. It’s got more loft, too, if you’d prefer something weighty or bulky for proportional reasons. I vastly prefer sweater-knit cashmere scarves, as they feel softer against the skin and trap body heat more effectively.

For tops

Cotton: I sweat constantly and hate dry cleaning. Therefore flattering, versatile cotton tops are my Holy Top Grails. I am most comfortable in cotton because I can wear it without worry: If I pit out my top, it’ll just get thrown into the laundry. If I spill something on it, I can glob some Palmolive onto it, wait a few days, and wash. Cotton with a hit of spandex can look a bit more sleek and polished than 100%, so blends work, too.

Merino wool: This fiber comes in a distant second. Very distant, in fact. But if I’m considering a non-cotton option, I gravitate toward the graceful drape and soft knit of Merino in cardigans and pullovers alike. It’s definitely warm, but in thinner weaves can work year-round, especially if you work in Icebox Office conditions during the summer.

For pants

Stretch twill: Every office job I ever held had a “business casual” dress code, so I never had to invest in lined wool or drapey crepe dress pants. And that means I’ve been faithful to stretch twill since my early twenties. It’s just polished enough to work in most office environments, but just casual enough to transition beautifully to weekend wear.

Ponte: Well, I’ve got a whole love letter to ponte written right here! At this point in my style evolution, the majority of my pants are slim-fitting, and my ponte pairs are stretchy and comfortable yet still look more structured and polished than regular leggings.

For skirts

Wool blends: My favorite skirt in the whole wide world is a wool blend Banana Republic full skirt, and I wear it year-round. Skirts are, by nature, extremely well ventilated so wool can be done in all but the hottest, most humid weather. And I’ve found that smooth-knit wool blends are durable, heavy, relatively wrinkle resistant, and work well in both formal and casual contexts. Of course “smooth-knit” is essential: Thick, fluffy wool weaves will look a bit odd on a hot July weekend.

Stretch twill: Again, it’s just a great option for bottoms! Although I seek out fabulous wool skirts, I end up buying more stretch twill skirts since they are more popular and widely available. I’ve got full, pencil, and A-line versions that all remain in rotation throughout the year.

For dresses

Polyester: Oh, I know. But I’m just being honest. Polyester/spandex blends are comfortable, drape beautifully, refuse to wrinkle even at gunpoint, and are eternally washable. Vintage polyester seems to have more stink-retaining properties than the stuff you’ll find on the racks at Target.

Cotton blends: Straight-up cotton dresses seldom work for me. Voile is such a lovely idea, but in practice it wads, wrinkles, and attracts absolutely appalling amounts of lint. Cotton blends, however, seem to be less linty. Most of my dresses are cotton/spandex blends, but cotton mixes well with silk, linen, and many other fibers, too. And so long as it remains both absorbent and washable, it’s A-OK by me.

Rayon: Most of my twirly, floaty dresses are crafted from rayon, which has some of the fluidity of silk but is (generally) machine washable. Rayon is generally pretty thin, so this group of dresses is worn in warm weather.

Fibers that I avoid

Linen: Unless it’s a linen KNIT, I avoid this fiber altogether. I am too tightly wound to deal with the rumpled look that goes hand in hand with linen. It feels great on my body, but the wrinkling drives me batso.

Silk tops: Unless it’s a silk KNIT, I avoid buying and wearing silk tops. They’ve got the warm in winter/cool in summer thing going on, sure, but they also excel at showing pit stains. I’d feel more self-conscious in a long-sleeved silk blouse than I would in a cotton blend tube top. No lie.

Straight-up wool: I’ve got a few garments, including a sweaterdress purchased in Iceland, and they are marvelously warm. They are also so unbearably itchy that I can hardly sit still. I stick to softer blends and weaves.

Neoprene and similar: I know this may seem a bit “out there,” but scuba-inspired fashion is trending for spring. I kid you not. I’ve ordered a few items from Athleta that turned out to have that spongy, neoprene feeling and they just make my skin crawl.

Becky also had some questions about care instructions, and I am very loathe to generalize since disobeying those cryptic little symbols on the garment tag can lead to disaster. So here’s what I’ll say: Always follow garment care instructions if you have any doubts at all, if a garment is delicate or valuable, or if you cannot risk any shape shifting or damage whatsoever. Just do what the tag says and rest easy.

If you’re willing to experiment a bit and live with potentially ruinous results, the basic rule of thumb is that natural fibers can be hand-washed in cold water and hung/laid flat to dry. This treatment is unlikely to destroy anything cotton, linen, wool, cashmere, silk, rayon, or other plant- or animal-derived material. Most polyester is washable, too, despite care instructions UNLESS it is blended with something exotic, has loads of embellishment, or any other mitigating factors.

And that is my extremely wussy advice on garment care instruction rebellion.

NOW. Let’s talk about your preferences. Get yourself over to the comments and tell us which fiber is your favorite for:

Scarves
Tops
Pants
Skirts
Dresses

And while you’re at it, share any tips you’ve got for deciphering/ignoring/judging garment care instructions. What are your rules of thumb?

**Disclosure: Actions you take from the hyperlinks within this blog post may yield commissions for alreadypretty.com. See Already Pretty’s disclosure statement for more details.

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Wardrobe Organization Best Practices

by Sal on April 27, 2012 · 30 comments

A few requests have come in for folding, storage, and clothing care best practices. And honestly? I had to scrape the bottom of the brain-barrel for a few because – like most of you – I’ve got limited space and employ many makeshift solutions. In an ideal world, our sweaters wouldn’t get rumpled because we’d all have stadium-sized walk-in closets populated by sweater-fluffing robots who kept everything looking pristine and smelling of lavender. In the real world, we may fold them neatly but then cram them into overflowing dresser drawers, which undoes all the folding-related goodness almost instantly.

So here’s what I’ma gonna do: I’ll give you the theory. I’ll lay out some wardrobe organization best practices and why they work. You can decide if they’re worthwhile, applicable, or possible given your budget, storage, wardrobe, and preferences. THEN! You can tell me and everyone else your own storage and organizational tips in the comments, and we’ll get some real-life solutions into the mix. Sound good? Fabulous. Here we go:

Don’t crowd

Why do clean, fresh clothes emerge from the closet looking wrinkled and rumpled? Nine times out of 10 it’s simply crowding: Overstuffed drawers, packed closet hang bars, overflowing armoires. Hung clothing should be able to move freely – at least a few centimeters between hangers. Folded clothing should have plenty of breathing room, too.

Use good hangers

Crappy, wire dry cleaner hangers do the job, but wider and/or softer hangers are less likely to cause shoulder nipples and distension. Many people swear by velvet-covered Huggable Hangers, others use padded lingerie hangers or wide plastic hangers.

Fold carefully

I prefer this method for folding sweaters and other drawer residents. Fold however you’d like, but be mindful of how folding patterns create creases: Any method that has you folding a garment in half vertically will place a crease right down the center of your torso. That said, any folding method is likely to leave a garment in better shape than throwing it into a pile on the floor.

Learn from your mistakes

Some garments appear relatively sturdy, then sag and unravel when hung. Some garments seem like ideal candidates for folded storage, but then wrinkle beyond all comprehension. If an item doesn’t do well in one storage method, try another. Simple, but important.

Be prepared to steam or iron

No matter how you store your clothes, they WILL get a little wrinkled and crimped. Don’t expect anything to look freshly pressed unless it’s been … well, freshly pressed. Or steamed, which can be a quicker way to spruce up a jersey or knit that’s got some storage creases.

Just so we’re clear, my hung and folded items are all crammed into their allotted spaces, I use crappy dry cleaner hangers, and seldom iron. This is a list of best practices that assumes you’ve got loads of time, space, and energy. I’m short on all three, as I’m sure you are. For some other tips on storage, organization and maintenance that might seem a bit more do-able, see:

But, in addition, I’d LOVE to hear from you folks! What tips can you share for keeping sweaters looking fluffy and fresh? How do you keep your closet organized? What are your organizational best practices? Help us all out, and share them!

Image courtesy The Daily Green.

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What to Wear When You’ve Got Nothing to Wear

by Sal on March 23, 2012 · 25 comments

Most people spend 10 minutes per day thinking about style, clothing, and outfit assembly. Those 10 minutes are typically spent staring, panic-stricken, at the contents of a messy closet, wondering what the hell to wear.

Sadly, there’s no universal solution to morning wardrobe panic because each person will need to deal with the “I’ve got nothing to wear” crisis differently, depending on how she’s wired. But here are some possible starting points to consider next time sartorial stress begins to set in:

Pick a piece

Often, the quickest way to build an outfit is to pick an anchor piece and select other items to accompany it. So start with your favorite pants or sweater or shoes, and reach for items that you know will work well with that fave.

Pick a color scheme

A “scheme” doesn’t need to be any more complex than two colors. Mustard and navy, red and black, green and teal. Or go for all neutrals: Gray, black, and brown. Use your color scheme to pick the necessary pieces for a complete outfit. This one may prove a bit more challenging, but when you’re absolutely sapped of inspiration, just having a starting point can help.

Pick a print

Printed pieces can seem daunting, but they actually make for marvelous outfit glue. Prints generally contain multiple colors or shades, which means that they can tie together seemingly disparate garments. Grab a printed piece and then track down the remaining garments needed.

Pick a recent winner

The likelihood of anyone remembering that you wore that same outfit a week and a half ago is extremely slim. Don’t worry about repeats. Reach for an outfit that has worked in the past. And, if the very idea makes you cringe, consider swapping in a different but similar item for one of the pieces.

Of course, none of these can truly replace preparation. The absolute best way to avoid Morning Closet Panic Syndrome is to make an outfit list, keep track of combinations of garments that work for you, and/or be well aware of your closet inventory. Dressing is like any other task: It requires practice, patience, and the ability to utilize the tools at hand. I’m not saying you should spend hours each week studying the contents of your wardrobe, but allotting a couple of hours every few months to assess and evaluate will help TONS.

For more help with closet organization and outfit planning, check out these posts:

Image via weheartit.

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Closet Alternatives

by Sal on February 8, 2012 · 52 comments

Discussions of wardrobe organization always center on closets. How big is your closet? What kind of shelves and racks are inside? What gadgets do you use to keep it in ship shape?

But many of us have dinky, cramped, turn-of-the-century closets (see me waving my hand in the air?), and are forced to find other, creative ways to store and organize our goodies. Here are some of the most common non-closet clothing-storage solutions:

Armoires

These monsters are, essentially, freestanding closets and are sometimes referred to as “wardrobes.” What better place to stash your clothes? The one shown above is among the most common layouts, with a cupboard-like section up top that typically features a hang bar and a drawer or two below. I’ve got one with sliding doors on both sides and shelving above the hang bar, so there are definitely variations on the theme.

ADVANTAGES: Armoires are generally big, so they hold a lot. They’re also pretty grown-up looking – even the cheap, Ikea versions – so they may enhance your bedroom’s decor. Certain versions are configured to accommodate short hanging pieces only, but it’s still nice to have a non-closet option that can store must-be-hung items.

DISADVANTAGES: Armoires are generally big, so they take up a bunch of space. If you’re living in a microscopic studio apartment, a hulking armoire may look comically out of place. Big can also mean expensive, although you can certainly go the thrifted/Target route to minimize cost.

Chests of drawers

Yeah, I know: Duh. It’s that base-covering urge that I just can’t seem to squelch.

Very few furnished houses and apartments are without a chest of drawers or two. (Chest or two of drawers? Hmmm.) This storage staple comes in all shapes, sizes, materials, and configurations and can be nabbed at virtually every price point if you’re willing to buy used.

ADVANTAGES: Again, generally qualify as grown-up furniture. Chests of drawers often serve as dressers since they have open space up top for jewelry boxes, accessories, and miscellany.

DISADVANTAGES: Obviously, everything stored in a chest of drawers must be folded. Or wadded. Anyway, nothing delicate, easily wrinkled, or required-to-be-hung is gonna thrive in there. Although these guys can be procured for cheap (or even free), some show wear-and-tear pretty easily. Simple to spruce up, but buyer beware.

Beneath-the-bed solutions

Although some beds are actually equipped with drawers built into their frames, there are plenty of less permanent options: Bags, bins, and boxes designed to slide under a bed and out of sight.

ADVANTAGES: For most people, this is a wasted space anyway. Why not fill it with clothes? Since many closet-less spaces also lack basements and deep storage, under-the-bed storage is a great alternative for less-used or off-season items.

DISADVANTAGES: Out of sight, out of mind! I always make sure to utilize under-the-bed storage for items that get infrequent use yet are extremely memorable because otherwise, they’re as good as gone. This solution is obviously best for foldables or durable goods like shoes and bags, since anything fussy will get wrinkled and mussed. And unless you’ve got a mondo bed on stilts, the storage area itself is pretty limited.

Roll racks

Although they were designed for use in retail environments, roll racks have made their way into the bedrooms of many fashionistas. Some use them as 3D inspiration boards, but others employ them for extra storage.

ADVANTAGES: If you’re the type of person who draws inspiration from what’s right in front of her, this is a great way to let those sparks fly! Roll racks are obviously mobile, so they can be temporarily stashed in another room as needed.

DISADVANTAGES: Even a roll rack hung with gorgeous duds is still a roll rack, and probably won’t look terribly sophisticated. This solution is more fun and less grown-up, in most cases. Roll racks are limited, too, since everything on them must be hung.

Wall displays

Pinterest is absolutely lousy with wall display ideas: Towel racks for your scarves, corkboards for your jewelry, crown moulding for your shoes, and on and on. I’ve even seen photos of clothing on hangers tacked directly to walls. There are infinite ways to transform your wardrobe items into displayed works.

ADVANTAGES: Nearly all wall displays are DIY-able, and therefore, cheap. If you’re a fashion-y, arty person showing off bits of your wardrobe in creative ways can feel rewarding and fun.

DISADVANTAGES: This is another option that may seem a little casual or young to certain eyes. Items on display in full light are likely to fade eventually.

So! Those of you with small or non-existent closets, do you employ any of these alternatives? What others would you suggest? If you’ve got links or tutorials, please share those as well!

Image via Linens N Things.

**Disclosure: Actions you take from the hyperlinks within this blog post may yield commissions for alreadypretty.com. See Already Pretty’s disclosure statement for more details.

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How to Consign Your Clothes

by Sal on January 16, 2012 · 33 comments

Purging your closet can feel marvelous. Jettisoning items that have gone unworn for months (or years) alleviates anxiety and guilt, gives you room to really see what you own, and allows you to focus on items that you truly adore. But if you’ve spent big on something and never worn it, or know it’s a quality item that just doesn’t suit you, it can feel frustrating to simply admit sartorial defeat. Donating clothing to charity is always, ALWAYS a generous and admirable choice, as is handing over quality duds to organizations like Dress for Success who can use them to help women further their career goals. But sometimes you just want to recoup your losses. Or some of your losses.

Enter consignment stores. Many major metropolitan areas have them, and they’re a great resource for items that still have life and value but might not be worth selling on eBay. How do you decide what items will work well for consignment? Here are a few tips:

Is it a recognizable brand name?

Although this may not be the case universally, the consignment stores I frequent are very brand-focused, and I can understand why. If you’ve got a gorgeous sweater but it’s made by a brand that no longer exists – like Petite Sophisticate, a thrift fave of mine – or even a high-quality foreign brand that most shoppers in your area wouldn’t recognize, it’s simply less likely to sell. Mall/high street brands are always good bets, as are any designer items you’re prepared to part with.

Is it in very good shape?

Consignment items needn’t be 100% flawless, but they definitely need to be free of substantial damage. Rips, shredding, stains, damaged hardware or zippers, or anything that renders an item unwearable means it should be repurposed or possibly just thrown away. (Thrift stores can’t resell truly damaged goods either, so don’t dump ‘em there.)

Is it contemporary?

Some of the more trendy, young, fashion-forward consignment shops will consider your vintage items, but many want modern clothes and accessories only. In fact, my main consignment source is looking for clothes made within the past three to five years. The newer the better, in many cases.

Now, if you’ve got an item that is extremely trendy, made by a covetable manufacturer, and in pristine condition, you might consider selling it yourself on eBay, Bonanzle, Etsy, or another more direct route. Designer items and higher-end brands with loyal followings – like John Fluevog, Desigual, Coach, and similar – are good bets for direct sale. Think about items, brands, and styles that YOU might search for online to determine what would fit this model. I’ve only ever sold on eBay myself, and can’t offer any magical tips for success, but can point you to the site’s seller tutorial, which covers important basics.

So! You’ve got some items that you want to consign. You’ve still got to convince the store to accept them. Here’s what I recommend:

Launder : They WILL give your items the sniff test. Take washed or dry-cleaned items only. Make sure accessories and shoes aren’t stinky, either.

Press: Wrinkles are a total turn-off. Hang up all clothing and steam or iron every piece. Including scarves. You want your stuff looking as new and fresh as possible.

Touch-up: Bust out the lint roller for any stubborn pet hairs or dry schmutz. Invest in a sweater shaver to deal with pilling. Trim or mend any stray threads, and make sure buttons and hardware are properly affixed.

Before you pack up the car and head to your local consignment outlet, you’ll want to explore your options. Some will take your items, sell them, and pay you out afterwards. Some will evaluate your goodies on the spot and hand over cash or credit immediately. Percentages will vary by shop and geographic location. Don’t assume that larger or more well-known shops will give you better deals! Sometimes smaller outlets have a better sense of what is truly valuable and what will work for their specific clientele.

A few consignment shops that I both sell to and buy from, many of which are national chains:

Do you consign any items from your wardrobe? How do you decide what to donate and what to consign? What gets sold on eBay or given to friends/relatives instead? Any other tips for successful consignment experiences? What are the best consignment shops in YOUR area?

Image courtesy InspirationDC.

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This Week I Love …

by Sal on January 5, 2012 · 27 comments

… my sweater shaver.

Remington Battery Operated Fabric Shaver – $5.99

OK, this one isn’t MY sweater shaver. I bought mine at Target about 10 years ago. But this one looks the same, costs the same, and is made by the same company. So we’ll call it good enough.

Pilling sweaters are a pain, and a sweater that pills after a single wearing miiiiiight be a piece of crap. But some underarm pilling after years of wear is almost inevitable in certain weaves and fibers, and shouldn’t be cause for abandonment. I’ve never had much luck with sweater stones or other pilling remedies, but my trusty sweater shaver has saved many sweaters from appearing tired and worn-out. And/or covered with creepy sweater spores.

Do you own a sweater shaver? Sweater stone? How do you deal with pilled sweaters?

**Disclosure: Actions you take from the hyperlinks within this blog post may yield commissions for alreadypretty.com. See Already Pretty’s disclosure statement for more details.

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Quick Shoe Storage Tip

by Sal on December 23, 2011 · 16 comments

OK, maybe you’ve all heard this one a billion times, but just in case:

If you store your shoes on shelves of any kind, you can increase your capacity by turning one half of each pair backwards. I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’ll double your space, but it goes a surprisingly long way. I utilize over-the-door shoe storage and standing racks, too, and clearly this little trick won’t work for either of those methods. But for all sandals, shoes, and boots that are stored soles-down on a flat surface, I’ve long utilized this technique to make the most of my limited space.

How do you store your shoes? Any tips or tricks for maximizing your space?

Image courtesy Cupcakes and Cashmere

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Unexpected Sartorial Uses for Water

by Sal on December 21, 2011 · 11 comments

Clothing maintenance is so important, but can be such a chore. Washing, ironing, folding, dry cleaning, mending … it’s enough to make a gal consider the burlap sack route. OK, not really, but we all know that keeping your duds looking fresh and new is a time-suck and an energy drain. And in can get expensive, too.

So to combat all that, here are a few simple clothing maintenance workarounds that can be performed with nothing more than a few ounces of my favorite beverage: Water.

Substitute static guard

Your skirt absolutely insists on clinging to your thighs, your slip is just making matters worse, and you left the static guard at home. No problem: Just duck into the bathroom, moisten your hands, and pat down your tights. Some folks suggest using hand lotion or hairspray in a pinch, which may help, too … but I’m not too keen to gunk up my hosiery with either substance. The tiniest bit of water does the trick beautifully.

“Shoulder nipple” eliminator

Oh how I wish I’d created the term, “shoulder nipples.” If you’re the clever person who did, please stand up. Shoulder nipples are the little bits of distended cloth that occur when a stretchy or delicate garment has been sitting on a hanger too long. You don’t even notice they’re there until you pull on your shirt or sweater and see the little protrusions atop your shoulders. Luckily, all you’ve gotta do to return your shirt to normalcy is dampen the protruding area. Wet it down, smooth across your shoulder with your hand, wait a few moments, and the material will be flat and flush once more. Again, works best with natural fibers, but many synthetics will cooperate, too. Here’s a little demo.

Last-resort lint brush

Truly, nothing beats sticky tape. Nothing. Especially for embedded cat hairs. But if you’re dusty or linty and sadly without a lint roller or supply of packing tape, moisten your hands and run them over your clothing. This will backfire SPECTACULARLY if you’re covered in anything that turns goopy upon contact with water, such as copious amounts of dried dirt, so proceed with caution. But if you’re dealing with threads, lint, some pet hair, human hair, or anything non-goopy, a wet hand can do some makeshift lint brushing for ya in a pinch.

Any other unusual clothing-care uses for water that you care to share? I’d love to hear ‘em!

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