This is all a bit embarrassing but oh well. So, having been going to the gym for a few months and generally trying to be a bit smarter after years of wearing jeans and a tshirt, I need some advice! I'm hoping TSB looks at this being the trendy Londoner he is! Laundry: So, having just bought the most expensive item of clothing I've ever bought (£140 coat from Debenhams)... It's beautiful and wool and dry clean only. Are there any set rules as to how often you'd get it dry cleaned, or do you just do it as and when you need it done? I've also purchased a few pairs or wool trousers and a couple of jackets and a vest or two, same story with these. It doesn't say dry clean only on the trousers but so far as I know you can't machine wash wool stuff. Certainly the jackets anyway... help? EDIT: Also, these were off the peg (I'm not quite ready for £1000 bespoke suits!) where the hell do you go to get them altered? It's a similar story with shoes, I've always been a CAT boot man and they just need a bit of a clean every now and then with the nubuk cleaning stuff... What do you need to clean leather shoes and how the hell do you do it? And now for the most embarrassing! Having been a habitual nail biter I've somehow managers to stop biting them. Clearly they need to be looked after but what the ****... I thought I was doing quite well as an adult... Also: In before get a woman.
You are quite possibly asking these questions to the scruffiest bunch in the world. I think we need to wait on Carrie to arrive on this one.
Haha yeah but where do you go to learn this crap? There should be some kind of man book with annotations by Don Draper. There's a couple of healthy threads on top notch shaving so I presume there must be some people on here who know about this stuff!
Speak for yourself tramp boy. Mistake number one my friend, never buy tricky things to clean especially not wool. I don't own any wool garments so can't advise on that. As for dry cleaning, I only ever dry clean my suit as and when. Seriously, quit it with the wool! I know that doesn't help right now but wool is a nightmare! Think about it, before you even think about cleaning it wool trousers will be covering your man jangle and getting all hot and sweaty which is never good for first impressions with a lady. Black polish, a lint free cloth and some elbow grease. That's the easiest way to get a good shine out of them I'm trying to be helpful, whether I am or not is a different matter. It's all meant with the best of intentions.
What are you talking about man!? Wool, Cotton and Leather are king. Even when I was a tramp I knew that. Maybe I should've bought a supadry coat!? And should shoes be super shiney? I don't like shoes that are really shiney, they look odd to me... Man I'm out of my depth...
For dry cleaning if you're wearing the wool jacket quite a bit, then dry clean every 2-3 weeks. Honestly, I don't dry clean until about 4-6 weeks because in california it's never cold. Coupled with keeping the clothes clean and you should be set.
I've worn my wool coat, in cold weather for several years without dry cleaning, but I have looked after it very carefully. Brush it off quite frequently. It should be cleaned at some point but I'm too scared they might ruin it. I bought it about 10yrs ago, for £20, I assume before they were popular. It was too big at the time and I've only worn it 3/4 years in winter but would cost too much to replace. With the shoes, a cloth and polish can work but I prefer a pair of brushes. Remove the laces clean them off with a damp cloth. Use one brush to put on some polish, amount will vary on your preference, you can add more later. Brush it in a little bit, then use a second brush for shining them up. You don't need to polish them too often, again on preference, though it is good to do if they get scratched/scuffed. Nails; you can use a pair of nail clippers or nail scissors (special small scissors), I prefer the clippers personally.
I was thinking once a month, that's about how often I'd wash just my normal coat which is machien washable. I've never dry cleaned anything though so I don't know if there's a limit on how often you can do it or anything. Thanks for the advice, much appreciated. I did see a shoe shining kit in Timpsons yesterday that had a few brushes and things in. I think it had four so I presume it's for brown/black which would be handy since I have both. I'll pick one up tomorrow.
I shall concede that point with dignity. Indeed it is wool. Touche Sir, touche. Then again, I've never worn a suit to relax in or chat up lasses.
Once a month works. Honestly I haven't cleaned my coat at a dry cleaners for a good year now. Just brushing it usually does the trick. Wash it in constant use or something,
My GF just said that wool is a nightmare, you have to be careful with it as it can feck up easily. I guess treat them like you would a suit.
I've had a couple of wool coats for several years now and haven't felt the need to send them to the dry cleaners yet. Just hang them nicely (on the hanger preferably) and brush them off after wearing to keep them tidy. I avoid wearing mine in the rain though, except a cheapo double breasted trench I bought last year, so if they're getting wet I'd say get them cleaned a couple of times a season or so. As for shoes, toothbrushes work well for applying polish (nothing wrong with simple Kiwi or similar). Having multiple big brushes for taking off/buffing different colours is a good idea though for sure. edit - trousers and stuff you could possibly machine wash, lots of machines have a wool/delicates cycle that's low temperature shock and mechanical action. RTFM and label, if in doubt dry clean.
This = lies (kinda) There is a time and a place for wool clothing, typically when you want to look rather sharp, so yes, best to keep it clean and follow the instructions (if it says 'dry clean only', then it's best to follow the label). If your washing machine has a wool setting, use that - it shouldn't (note: not won't) mess it up, although depending on the blend of wool, some of it can just be thrown straight in with everything else normally, so long as it's not put on too high a temperature. Re getting things altered - a decent dry cleaners or tailors should be more than capable of doing so, just make sure you measure right, preferably more than once, as some I know will just cut off any excess so if it needs changing, you're going to have an issue. And as for cleaning/shining shoes, you'll need time, patience and effort if you want it done properly (ArtOfManliness.com - how to shine Mens dress shoes). There are quicker ways to do it, depending on how clean and shiny you want to get them, but there's real no quick win here I'm afraid. For me getting shoes 'work clean' means cleaning any dirt etc off, leaving a light layer of polish on overnight (either a toothbrush or cloth/finger works), rubbing any excess which hasn't set in off with a cloth, then polishing with a slightly damp cloth in circles depending on the level of shine needed.
Spend a day on Jermyn St. Look in everywhere. Look at the people on the street. You will pick up ideas which you can then recreate for a lot less on the high street. I recommend buying a proper overcoat and a smart set of shoes. No matter what you wear under it, you will always looks smart.
This is the truth. If you want to look good, get a nice jacket/coat, wear literally ANYTHING (I just wear regular plain shirts) get a dark pair of jeans and a nice pair of shoes. Done.
Do you Jeff? Going in no particular order: Nails - if you've been biting them for years and haven't done anything with them: 1) get a manicure (yes real men do) to clean them up, shape them etc. 2) if they're weak and need strengthening try this http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/300527053456?var=lv<yp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar It's great for nails and it's matt so noone will notice it on them 3) If they need filing when you've caught them, broken them or cut them, file from the outside into the middle but do not file side to side (like you're sawing something) - it weakens the nail and makes them prone to flaking, splitting and thereby breaking. And ffs don't use a metal file! Shoes - Tin of shoe polish, cloth and a brush. Don't ask Blarte cos he's ex-army and you'll see your face in them. Or do what I do, buy patent or suede heels, they just need a quick spray Wool - I'm assuming we're not talking knitted here The guys are right and wrong in as much as wool as a partial mix in a suit (which is what I'm guessing you may have as a 100% wool would be extremely warm and would definitely need to be dry cleaned) can be nice but is warmer than man-made or other natural fibres so that will partly dictate the frequency of cleaning required. Some wool can be washed in a machine at very low temps i.e. not more than 30o but it can be prone to shrinkage (cant remember if that is the washing or drying process - it's the opposite of cotton anyway). Having said that, ONLY WASH IN A MACHINE IF IT SAYS IT'S OKAY ON THE LABEL. If in doubt have it dry cleaned if you don't want to start a new fashion of trews ending at your ankles. If the fabric make-up is the same for the trousers as the jacket, and the jacket says dry clean only or has the dry clean symbol, treat the trousers the same as the jacket. Frequency of cleaning is dictated by whether you're a mucky pup, you perspire a lot, if you smoke, and the frequency you are wearing them, and finally whether you indulge in "yoghurt" The more you do any of those i.e. you wear the same suit every day for the week and you perspire a lot, the more frequently you'll need to have them cleaned. And obviously trousers will usually need to be cleaned more often than jackets. Alterations - Ask at your local dry cleaners. They often have contacts or arrange directly to have things altered/repaired Failing all that, go ask your mother, your aunt, a female on the street ... or join the army
Nonsense! I own this: I wear it all the time, because it's goddamn amazing. People routinely tell me that I look ridiculous. Do I care? Of course not. I have a red wool waistcoat and a girlfriend. My life is basically perfect.
