Of Every Stripe
Thursday, April 25, 2013Have you ever bought a piece of clothing that is so soft to the touch that you can't bear to wash it? I have, and it's this blue & green striped cotton tee that I know would change in texture after laundering. I probably wore it 8-10 times before finally giving in. To prolong wears between washing, I treat it like outerwear and try to avoid direct contact on skin as much as possible (especially the armpit area). I'd wear it with a tissue-thin tank with sleeves underneath. I'd also avoid wearing it to places where smells stick onto clothing and skin (ie: greasy restaurants). Do you employ any tactics to make clothing last?
sunglasses: Walmart aviator (similar)
lips: Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in wink for pink (sold here)
necklace: gift from aunt (similar)
top: Saint James Galathee tee (this season's sold here)
bracelet: Madewell knot cuff (similar)
jeans: LOFT modern skinny (this season's sold here)
bag: Balenciaga city (this season's sold here)
nails: OPI South Beach Paint My Moji-toes Red
shoes: LOFT Vaughn t-strap sandals (sold here)
lips: Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in wink for pink (sold here)
necklace: gift from aunt (similar)
top: Saint James Galathee tee (this season's sold here)
bracelet: Madewell knot cuff (similar)
jeans: LOFT modern skinny (this season's sold here)
bag: Balenciaga city (this season's sold here)
nails: OPI South Beach Paint My Moji-toes Red
shoes: LOFT Vaughn t-strap sandals (sold here)
14 comments
The only thing in my closet which I treat with extra care (meaning I only wear it occasionally) is a silk blouse. Besides that, I'm ok with washing and wearing my other items. I don't have investment pieces. But if I did, or had pieces I loved, I'd take care just like you. Especially when going to Korean BBQ ;). I always dress down for that, haha.
ReplyDeleteHaha, I hear ya! Add pho with Korean BBQ and they're the top two greasiest types of food in my book ;) They sure taste good though.
DeleteSuch a cute, comfy, casual outfit. Your sandals finish it off perfectly.
ReplyDeleteI believe this is my first pair of solid brown shoes... so I don't know how I've been living my life without one before! Great neutral and so easy to pair :)
DeleteLove your outfit. I totally know what you mean about washing an item and it never being the same.
ReplyDeleteDon't forget to link up today and enter my stella & dot giveaway.
Agi:)
vodkainfusedlemonade.com
Great idea! I should get some cheapo tees from Target to wear under items. Jean's pantyliner idea comes to mind, too!
ReplyDeleteTotally forgot about Jean's clever idea. Thanks for the reminder!
DeleteDenim heads (the people, mostly guys, who buy super expensive raw denim and never ever wash them because they feel it ruins the denim) put their jeans in freezer bags and keep them in the freezer overnight to kill bacteria and smells. I've never tried it, but I bet it would work for other items to prolong the time between washes. =)
ReplyDeleteWhoa! I've never heard of that before but that sure is clever. Plus it doesn't sound like a whole lot of work either. Thanks for sharing, Kelly!
DeleteI love this outfit! You always look so put together and comfortable. All of your clothes are beautifully taken care of, and your style is so distinct.
ReplyDeletetheoriginalbrynn.blogspot.com
great comfortable outfit. i love your stripe top. i know what you mean about not wanting to wash it since it never is the same anymore. :( i normally will not put certain things in the dryer just to make sure it won't shrink.
ReplyDeleteI've found myself hanging up clothes more often rather than drying now too =/ So much more work, haha. As much as I'd like to use hot water to wash away germs, washing on the cold cycle is better to prevent shrinking too.
DeleteI'd love to see a post compiling washing/care instructions to minimize that dreaded texture change. The best I've come up with so far is to use a specialized detergent used by fabric dyers --
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dharmatrading.com/Dharma_Professional_Textile_Detergent/index.shtml
-- or a powdered laundry soap I found on Etsy:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/74354880/laundry-soap-3-bags-more-than-one-pound?ref=shop_home_feat
and then add a little extra liquid laundry softener... and wash on the gentle cycle... and tumble on air after air drying...
Hey Georgette, thanks for the suggestion -- I'll keep that in mind :) But really, I think you've already had far more experience than I have when it comes to washing and taking care of clothes, so thank you so much for sharing. Cold cycle & dryer/air dry is about as much as I can handle... everything else I send to the dry cleaners, haha.
DeleteI'd love to hear from you. Constructive criticisms welcome!