Men – How Can You Care For Your Suits

Suits are not cheap, at least not suits of quality. And if you are going to invest in your suit men, you certainly want to be sure to care for it properly. A good suit should last you a long time if you take care of, and let's be honest, it may be one of the most expensive things in your wardrobe. So what are some tricks in caring for your suit?

1. Don’t stuff your pockets with keys, change and other assorted items. These types of items will put strain on the seams and wear them down before their time.

2. Unbutton your suit jacket before you sit down. As you are sitting down, pull your pants up at the thigh just a little so you don’t stretch the fabric too much. Both of these things will also make you more comfortable.

3. Brush your clothes. A clothes brush is a great thing--brush your suit when you take it off to keep it clean and looking good.

4. Hang your suit on a good quality hanger that is made for suits and store it in a breathable garment bag for protection. Avoid cramming your suit in between lots of other clothes, which will cause it to wrinkle. Make sure your closet is free of moths, moisture, and sunlight as well.

5. Dry clean your suit only when necessary but at least once a season. Many people dry-clean their clothes much too frequently. Dry-cleaning can discolor and/or wear down fibers and can give your clothes an undesirable sheen. It can also shrink your clothes if overdone. Sometimes a simple spot cleaning and/or steaming/pressing will be all that is required. And always choose a dry-cleaner that comes highly recommended. If your suit is wrinkly, the best solution is to steam it before you wear it. This will remove the wrinkles without the pressure and stress of an iron. Owning a steamer is a must and will not only eliminate wrinkles but also help remove lint.

6. When your suit is new there are a few things that you can do to preserve its life, and this applies to almost all clothing.  Try dabbing the center of each button with clear nail polish to seal the threads.  When brushing your suit to remove dust and lint, you'll get better results if you brush with the nap rather than against it.

7. Add a liner. A crotch liner can be added to your suit pants to reduce abrasion between your thighs and the suit's fabric, and to help your pants last longer.

If you have old suits that are already overused and fraying, it may be time to replace them. If they aren’t in too bad of shape you can always donate them to a local thrift shop. When starting over you can invest a little more in your suit knowing now you can properly care for it. A good suit fabric to start with is wool, that is 100% wool. Wool is a natural fiber that breathes, which means you'll be more comfortable and you'll sweat less than in a suit made of man-made materials. Wool is also durable and travels well.

Fabrics other than wool have their drawbacks, and probably should not be considered. Polyester suits should be avoided, as they do not breathe, but if you need to keep costs down, a polyester/wool blend might be a reasonable choice.

There is no need for a cheap suit when you can buy one quality suit and care for it properly so it will last you a long, long time.