Proper Suit Care (Vintage and Modern)

[farnham54]

Hey gents,

I figured there is not a better place in the world to post this question, so here it goes.

I'm looking at purchasing a new suit, a pinstripe black which fits like...well...fits like a suit should! However, they are asking 350 bones for it (which is out of my price range at this point in time). But, the salesman said "A suit like this will last 10 years, easy, if you take care of it).

That got me wondering: What exactly is the best way to care for a suit? I'd assume keeping it clean, but how often should a suit be cleaned? What about general wear and tear? Chime in with your thoughts on the subject and advice!

Cheers,

Craig

 

[Mycroft]

I recomened a good pants press, and a suit brush. I do not clean mine constenly, but I press the pants when I finish wearing them and clean them every so often.

 

[Johnnysan]

I would recommend a clothes steamer and a good brush. I have a steamer and use it often...it works great and is what many tailors recommend. As a general rule, I only use the dry cleaner when my suits are soiled or stained. Steaming removes the wrinkles by allowing the fabric to relax and the heat of the steam will freshen the suit. A good brushing follows to remove any dust or lint that the steamer may have missed.

Your salesman is right...a good suit will last a long time if properly cared for. With regard to specifics, I ususally dry clean my suits 2-3 times per year depending on their condition and steam them after every wearing. I would also recommend good solid wooden hangers to help the jacket keep its shape through the shoulders.

 

[Mycroft]

Oh, a good quality wooden (ceder maybe) hanger, so they can stay fresh and wrinkle free in your closet or where ever you kee your suits. Maybe a suit travel hanging bag too, if you travel with your suits.

 

[Kentucky Blues]

10 years? My suits in darn good condition (a couple small holes, andsome wear and tear, but far from unwearable) and its 62 years old....

 

[farnham54]

Thanks for all the tips, gents, I'll be sure to look up a decent steamer in the near future!

Cheers,
Craig

 

[Wild Root]

I clean my suits only when I get a spot on them. I don't really wear them that oft to really need to clean them after every wear. Also that gets at my cash flow.

So, what I do is wear them here and there and if I happen to get a spot on it, say the coat, I'll just clean the whole suit. That reminds me, I have a few things up at the Cleaners right now that I need to pick up.

I'm not looking forward to the bill! 58 bucks... AAAAAAAAAA!

Root.

 

[Merlin]

And when you get your suit back from the dry cleaner, take it out of the plastic bag right away. The plastic can actually give off petrochemical fumes that, over time, can weaken the fibers of the suit. I'd suggest investing in an inexpensive garment bag to keep the dust off of your threads; you can generally pick one up pretty cheaply at most men's stores or tuxedo rental places.

 

[JerseyJones]

I wear my suits every day for work, so I tend to murder them a bit faster than most. The steam and brush help a lot though, as does a tape roller for lint et. al. Febreeze has also been a good friend to freshen them up in a pinch, though I am not so inclined to use it on my lighter cololored suits.

K

 

[Wild Root]

With vintage suits or any vintage clothing for that matter, each cleaning takes life off of the item. I know some guys who would dry clean their stuff after every time they danced in them. Well, what you know, they just fell apart!

It might sound grouse but, when I dance in something vintage, I just hang it up after I wear it and then I let it air out. Works! Never a foul smell! Just that smell of 60 year old wool. Ahhhhh, I like it! Smells like the 40's.

Root.

 

[jitterbugdoll]

I read a tip in a 1940s women's magazine that said you should hang a garment inside out after each wear. Do so away from other clothing so that it can dry/freshen up, and then put away. this will extend the life of the garment and also save you from pressing it before each wear.

Dry cleaning is pretty harsh, so I tend to hand wash most of my items every few wears (never a suit of course, or any fabric that bleeds when wet.) I use Ivory soap though, as I’ve been told that Woolite is actually a very harsh product!

Also, when pressing a garment, try not to iron all the way to the edge. With time, doing so weakens the garment (the fold is already a stress point) and will cause it to tear/fray.

 

[Matt Deckard]

Same advice. Hang it up.

Buy a heavy weight material. The higher the number such as super 100 or super 150, the faster the suit will wrinkle up and wear out. It's is just another way to say the material is super thin and not durable. Buy a suit that you know can take a tumble... it may be hotter to wear, though that's why jackets can be removed.

Dry cleaning is harmful, dulls the colors and shorten's the lifetime, problem is that if your suit just needs a presisng it's hard to find someone who will simply sponge and press a suit nowadays. Wet cleaning is a new service that is coming into it's own in California and works better than dry cleaning... no harmful chemicals and the clothes get cleaner. If you have a place near you that offers wet cleaning, do that instead.

If you do bag your suit for storage, find a bag with ventilation so air flows.

 

[jamespowers]

If you do bag your suit for storage, find a bag with ventilation so air flows.

Definitely some good advice there. My wife was going through my closet and found a suit that I haven't worn (or fit ) for about fifteen years. Somehow it got mold in the suit bag! That suit was donated really fast even though I know it could be cleaned---wouldn't fit anyway.
Ventilation is good idea for a suit bag. Look at some of your older homes. They have closets with a window that opens to the outside in them! At least they do around here. That would give your clothes quite a bit of ventilation. I would install a screen though if I had one of those---moths you know.

Regards to all,

J

 

[Matt Deckard]

Put some cedar in the closet.

 

[jamespowers]

The closet has cedar floors. They probably don't smell much anymore but it is there. I just stick tons of moth balls in there. Call me strange but I don't mind the scent of mothballs. It reminds me that I am keeping the moths out. if I don't smell the mothballs, I add more.
It is also a good idea to keep the closet door closed. No need to invite them in.

Regards to all,

J

 

[Canadave]

I think moths must really be a west coast thing. We live in a house from the 20's with neither windows nor cedar in the closets, and moth holes are never discussed in my circle of friends. I don't think they are a big problem.

David

 

[jamespowers]

well, it is too cold up there for moths to survive. They come here for the winter and summer.
I am sure your locality has the good sense to also spray for such pests though. That makes all the difference in the world. The people here are so stupid about nuisance insects that they think the moth is the state bird.

Regards to all,

J

 

[wackyvorlon]

Couple things: Those adhesive lint removers are MURDER on chalk or pin striping. They're very hard on the fabric. Also, dry cleaning is very hard on a suit. It's very difficult to properly press a suit after a process like dry cleaning, and the vast majority of dry cleaners haven't a clue how to do it. Gradually, the jacket will become misshapen, and the crease in the pants will lose their crispness.

The way to go is to steam and brush. I also often wear an undershirt with my dress shirt - I find modern white shirts too transparent for my taste(even cotton ones). That tends to very effectively hold back any perspiration from reaching the jacket. With proper care, you can expect a quality suit to last for the rest of your life, often longer.

 

[jamespowers]

Couple things: Those adhesive lint removers are MURDER on chalk or pin striping. They're very hard on the fabric. Also, dry cleaning is very hard on a suit. It's very difficult to properly press a suit after a process like dry cleaning, and the vast majority of dry cleaners haven't a clue how to do it. Gradually, the jacket will become misshapen, and the crease in the pants will lose their crispness.

The way to go is to steam and brush. I also often wear an undershirt with my dress shirt - I find modern white shirts too transparent for my taste(even cotton ones). That tends to very effectively hold back any perspiration from reaching the jacket. With proper care, you can expect a quality suit to last for the rest of your life, often longer.

I agree, especially about the lint things and dry cleaning. Like Matt mentions, go for the wet cleaning if they have it avaialable. It will not cause the suit to lose its shape or have the creases lose their crispness.
I hate wearing an undershirt of any kind but a good Broadcloth or Premier Pima Cloth shirt does a pretty good job of keeping the suit clean. The broadcloth is pretty thick and so is the Pima. If you are going to sweat though, it is going to get through just about anything. :kick:
Yes, indeed a good quality suit will last a long time. I have a 1908 frock coat that is still here and kicking and several from the 40s and 50s. They will last if you keep the moths away. :kick:

Regards to all,

J

 

[Andykev]

Wet Cleaning

I have been told that suits and other garments should ONLY be dry cleaned when necessary. A steamer, clothes brush, and proper storage is key to keeping things servicable for a long time.

Men's shirts, DO NOT PUT IN CLOTHES DRYER. What wears out clothing? Heat and friction (when you wear), and you guess what the dryer does........yup!
I gently machine wash with MILD and LESS soap. Treat collar with soil remover as that is my worst part of the shirt to have looking nice. Then I remove from machine propmtly, and hang on a plastic hangar to drip dry. Then a very cool ironing to remove wrinkles. I don't have a steamer yet..but that is far better than the iron.

Oh and buy quality shirts to begin with...they last longer.

Dry vs. Wet cleaning:

Wet Cleaning
October 2000

If you have any of the rebel—or cheapskate—in you, you've probably been tempted to ignore the "dry clean only" label at one time or another. Perhaps more than tempted if you've heard anything about perc (perchloroethylene), the solvent used by 90% of American dry cleaners.

This toxic chemical can cause headaches, nausea and memory problems, is associated with various reproductive disorders and is a suspected carcinogen. While the workers at dry cleaning establishments, and their neighbors, are at highest risk from exposure, customers may also be affected. When perc gets into the air and water, everyone can suffer.

Until recently, there was no alternative that was safe all around—for your health, the environment, and your clothes. But now, you can have your clothes professionally wet-cleaned.

Like home laundering, wet cleaning involves immersing garments in water (instead of a chemical bath), followed by drying and finishing. But wet cleaners' machinery is different from yours. Theirs controls the elements most responsible for shrinkage—water temperature, agitation and drying—in ways that yours can't match. Their expertise is also superior, enabling them to customize treatment effectively to specific fabrics and stains.

Preliminary research indicates high rates of customer satisfaction with the way clothes turn out. People say they look as good as dry-cleaned garments—and smell much better.

Depending on where you live, availability could be your biggest obstacle. If you can't find a wet cleaners nearby, ask your dry cleaners if they do wet cleaning too. You'd be surprised how many do.

Unfortunately, the cost of wet cleaning is comparable to dry cleaning, so switching won't satisfy the cheapskate in you. But the rebel (and the do-gooder and the health nut) should be happy. And the clothes horse shouldn't mind a bit.