Ask Harry: How Do I Care for My Suit?
Your suits don’t need as much attention as you think they do. Here are a few simple suit care rules to live by.
Keep a Rotation
As with your shoes, it’s advisable to skip a day between wearing. Suits are made from natural fibres that need time to rest and recover. All fabrics have memory, and this time-off allows your suit to revert to its natural, proper shape.
Down With the Wire
Those wire hangers your dry cleaner gives you? We implore you not to use them for your beautiful suits. Wire hangers can damage your shirts and jackets. A proper hanger with rounded corners, for example, will contour and fit the shape of your suit, letting the shoulders and sleeves fall naturally while eliminating any distortion in the seams and fabric of your jacket. A cedar hanger is an especially nice upgrade that will not only prevent creasing but repel fabric-hungry months.
Brush It Off
Over the course of a day, a wool suit can trap lint, dust and hair. In time, this can damage the fabric of your suit. We suggest investing in a quality clothes brush to gently remove these unsightly blemishes.
After hanging your suit in the closet, take your brush and start from the shoulder, working your way down. It will leave your suit looking great and reduce the need for additional cleaning.
Dryclean, Seldom.
There’s a misconception that if your suit gets dirty or wrinkled, you must have it dry cleaned. We’ve heard cases of men dry cleaning their suits after nearly every wear. We recommend avoiding dry cleaning all together unless necessary.
Harsh cleaning chemicals can damage the fibers of your suit, taking years off it. You may dry clean your suit every six months to a year, but we generally like to keep to the Stain Or Smell Rule. If it smells, go ahead and have it cleaned. A small stain? Try spot cleaning it with water and a plush towel first. Only when failing to get it out yourself, should you take it in. Otherwise, send it to the cleaners for a simple pressing to keep things looking crisp.
It’s also important to remember that not all dry cleaners are created equal. If you visit one of our Harry Rosen stores, we will gladly recommend a cleaner in your area.
Have Suit, Will Travel.
When you travel, a garment bag is your suit’s best friend. We recommend a bag that is light, breathable, and will protect your suit during travel.
Short on space? One handy way to pack your suit jacket is to turn it inside out, tucking one shoulder inside of the other and then loosely rolling it up. If your suit becomes creased, hang it in the bathroom while you run the shower–the steam will reduce the wrinkles.
One last word of advice: Be sure to take advantage of our Lifetime Maintenance Guarantee. After you’ve purchased a suit from Harry Rosen, should you need a button replaced or seam repaired, bring your suit to any one of our locations and our team of professional tailors will tend to your needs free of charge. Will also make adjustments for weight loss or weight gain on trousers within one pant size. Find more details on our Lifetime Maintenance Guarantee page.
For more details on tailored clothing, please see our Tailored Clothing page.