Q. I’m a traditional dresser and take very good care of the items I own. I have a pair of Alden shoes that are nearly 25 years old, if that tells you anything. As a lawyer I wear suits, ties, and always well-polished shoes. I don’t understand why people who buy good shoes don’t keep them polished and in good repair. Like my dad, I polish my dress and casual-dressy shoes before they go on my feet for the day.
A. Thank you for your email; I hope more men will recognize that keeping clothing clean and in good shape is indeed extremely important for business clothing that they want to wear for years, if not decades. The advantage of men’s clothes’ not quickly going out of style means that they need to be cared for to last. This has different meanings for different elements of your wardrobe, I believe some specifics will help others and may add some new information for you as well.
SHOES – As you obviously know, polishing fine leather shoes regularly keeps them in good condition so they last and look good for years. Shoes, like suits, should not be worn two days consecutively, if at all possible. They need time to air out. Cedar shoe trees, when placed in shoes, will absorb moisture from within; just as keeping them polished will help protect them from rain and rough treatment. As heels and soles wear, reinforcing or replacing in a timely manner will ensure that the wear does not reach a point of no return
SUITS – The other expensive item in your wardrobe, suits, also need to be cared for properly. Taking a suit off immediately upon returning home, hanging the jackets up on thick or padded hangers and the trousers on special pants hangers, all help extend their life and maintain their fresh looks. Since most suits are wool or wool blends, it is important to protect them from moths when storing them between seasons. You may want to look into purchasing some cedar blocks. Be aware that choosing a top-quality (perhaps expensive) dry cleaner can be a wise investment. Suits do not need to be dry cleaned often (and actually, should not be dry-cleaned too often), but they do need to be handled by knowledgeable, and skilled, workers. Off season, most quality dry cleaners will store your suits at a reasonable fee that both protects and frees up closet space.
The same methods should be taken for blazers and finer dress pants.
SHIRTS – Shirts are treated differently by different men. Some like to have the laundry fold them so they can then keep them in a drawer. But most men prefer to keep their dress shirts (and business-casual shirts) hanging in their closets (again, on hangers that are fatter than those flimsy wire hangers).
Whether by yourself or professionally, shirts should not be heavily starched. The more starch, the more the fibers break down, causing the collar and cuffs to fray. Light starch, if you like starch at all, is better for your shirts. If your shirts are laundered at home, the best technique is to use no starch on the body of the shirt and apply spray starch lightly on the collar and cuffs during ironing.
TIES – The primary advice I can provide is to eat carefully and use a quality spot remover spray on oil-based or grease spots. Other spots are harder to remove. You may need the services of a professional necktie cleaning and repair company; Tiecrafters, a shop in New York City that has been in business since 1952, is widely known as the ultimate experts (212-629-5800). Of course, if you should become a bow tie wearer, you will have an advantage; your ties will rarely get splashed. I would hope it would go without saying, but I will emphasize that at the end of a wearing always remove your tie fully (never keep a knotted tie loosened to slip back on) and gently (don’t pull and stretch the fragile silk or knit fabric).
SOCKS – Men do not put much consideration into sock washing, but if you are going to splurge on quality and want them to last, then care is needed. Wool, cashmere, or fine cotton lisle – ideally should be washed by hand or washed on the gentle cycle. But if this is impossible or impractical, then machine-wash them but allow them to dry lying flat or draped loosely over a rod. No matter which washing method you use, never machine dry them. The dryer destroys elastic tops and shortens the life of socks. It may shrink them as well.
One final basic rule for longer life in the clothes you wash is to separate laundry into four piles: Wash all whites together, wash all darks together, wash all reds together, and wash all other colors together. Perhaps you will do a load of reds only once a month, but don’t make the mistake of sneaking one red item in with your whites. Your favorite shirt could emerge as a pale shade of pink or it could come out a splotchy rose color . . . which will distract from even the best quality, immaculately-cared-for shoes.
Please send your men’s dress and grooming questions and comments to MALE CALL: Lois.Fenton@prodigy.net
