Keeping Clothes Wrinkle Free - Fashion Advice, especially for men

Ironing clothes is usually right up there on the list of chores people, especially men, despise, or should I say, lack the time to do. But many of us, esp. when single, have had to take out an iron and ironing board at one point or another in our lives. Unless, of course, you wanted to look like a slob or can afford to have a big dry-cleaning bill each month.
So if you're typical, short on time and can't stand ironing, read on for some easy tips that will help shorten your ironing time.

Proper Prevention of wrinkles

Prevention is key. A simple thing like taking good care of your clothes and storing them properly can prevent wrinkles from setting in. Result - you keep away from the ironing board.

Never "wait until tomorrow"
The first tip is to fold and hang your clothes as soon as the tumble dryer's spin cycle is finished and while the garments are still warm. Garments bunch up at the drying stage, and the dryer creates wrinkles that set in even more once the clothes cool down. So take your clothes out as soon as you hear the buzzer go off, flatten them out on a clean, flat surface, and smooth out as many wrinkles as you can with your hands before folding or hanging your clothes. Remember though that this step won't necessarily prevent wrinkles from setting in completely , but it will make the article wearable. If you like to iron everything regardless, this process will help cut down your ironing time.

Store clothing properly
You can also decrease your ironing time by properly hanging and folding your clothes. But before I give specific wrinkle-prevention hanging tips, keep these simple tips in mind.

Always store a piece of clothing as soon as you take it off, whether you're at work or at home - even if that means having a coat hanger on the side of your cubicle. Avoid hanging your clothes on hooks or on the back of your chair, as this will leave lumps and bumps that will cause wrinkles to set in, and in the long run, cause your garment to go out of shape.

Sit down wrinkle free
Another tip is to avoid pulling up your trousers when sitting down. Instead, just as you're about to take a seat, try pulling down on your trousers so that they don't bunch up and wrinkle behind the knees and below your back pockets. It's worth compromising some comfort for wrinkle-free trousers. But don't make the fashion faux-pas of doing this if you are wearing a low-rise waisted skirt or trousers and your chair has a space that shows this.

Moving to hanging and folding tips:- Different garments need different storing.

Coats, jackets & blazers: Coats, jackets and blazers should be hung on thick wooden or molded plastic hangers, not wire ones, because they require added support in maintaining their structured shoulders. Remember that these types of hangers are bulkier and will take up more wardrobe space, so don't overcrowd your clothes in your wardrobe as crushed clothes wrinkle.

Knitwear & Tees: Fold and store knitwear and T-shirts in drawers. Make sure they're properly folded along the natural creases and avoid piling them up in your drawers because the weight from the top ones can make folding lines set in even more, and create even bigger wrinkles in the process.

Shirts & Blouses: Casual and dress shirts tend to be delicate and are best stored on padded, or stretchy plastic hangers. Avoid wire hangers ! Again, avoid bunching your blouses together in the wardrobe.

Trousers: Jeans, cords and heavier types of trousers can be folded, as their thickness will generally prevent them from creasing. But you can also hang them if you have sufficient wardrobe space. Ideally, trousers should be hung using a clamp-style hanger, which is clipped onto the waistband. If you're folding or hanging your trousers on regular hangers, make sure to fold them along the natural creases, so that both of the legs lie flat against one another (parallel). Again, don't forget to space out your trousers..

Getting rid of wrinkles without an iron

You'll never be able to totally prevent clothes from wrinkling. So here are a few simple tricks to get rid of wrinkles; they won't replace an iron, but they're helpful when you're short on time or don't have an iron at hand.

The tumble dryer method:-
An easy but rather costly way to get rid of wrinkles on T-shirts, trousers, and less delicate blouses is to put the garment, by itself,in the dryer for 10 to 15 minutes. You can always spray it lightly with water before putting it in - it should work every time

Use a wrinkle-free spray
If you're in a hurry and look like you've slept in your clothes, you can always use a wrinkle-busting spray. Just spray the product onto your garment, wait 10 seconds, and smooth away the wrinkles. Wrinkle-free sprays work on almost any fabric, and they're the perfect solution when traveling.

Shower out wrinkles
Hang your clothes on plastic hangers in the bathroom while taking a long shower, for a quick way to get rid of wrinkles. Once you're finished showering, let your garment hang in a dry environment, like the hot-press, and it should be dry and wrinkle-free in a couple of minutes

Take it to the dry cleaner
Last but not least, you can always drop off your clothes at the dry cleaner, and they'll be good as new the next day. Or, buy some wrinkle-free clothing, made from wrinkle-free fabrics like polyester.

Desperate measures
As a last tip, if you're running late for work in the morning and don't have time to iron your shirt or blouse properly, then simply iron the cuffs, collar and front part. The rest of your blouse/shirt will be covered once you slip on your jacket. But this is a very last resort; if you have other blouses/shirts to wear with your suit, then wear one of those instead, until you have time to do a real ironing job.

How to keep clothes wrinkle free