Remove Dirt and Stains From Hats Without Damage
Some folks have owned their caps for years, and the attachment is more than utilitarian – it’s emotional. There’s a real chance a grungy, well-worn baseball cap may be damaged by improper cleaning. Maybe the cap will lose its shape. The brim might be damaged or deformed. Or the cap could shrink. Better to wear a dirty hat than roll the dice.
Cleaning a favorite cap may be a little nerve-wracking, but the following tips can provide a little peace of mind.
Preventive Medicine for Baseball Hats
It’s best to keep dirt and stains off a new cap if possible, but hard-worn caps will pick up dirt, especially if used in sports.
Spraying with Scotch Guard before wearing, or with a product called Hat Saver, will help to protect the cap from dust and dirt, at least for the short-term, and give it a longer life.
Before Washing the Baseball Cap
First, check the cap’s tag. It should list the material the cap is made from, and may also provide the manufacturer’s suggested cleaning instructions.
Baseball Hat Materials
• Most baseball caps are made from cotton or polyester; both of these materials withstand washing well.
• Cotton Twill is a good, durable fabric, as are the Cotton/Polyester Blends. This material is tough and bright, more than likely color fast.
• Jersey Mesh is a stretch fabric, also durable.
• The other main material is wool. Wool is warm, even when wet, but can shrink in hot water or air.
Testing Ballcaps for Color Fastness
Once the baseball cap’s material is determined, it’s time to check for color fastness. Add a splash of mild detergent (Zero or Woolite) to a wet cloth. Choose a spot on the cap’s inner rim, one not readily visible. Rub gently with the cloth. Rinse the spot with a clean cloth and cool water. If the color’s don’t run or fade, proceed with confidence.
Alcohol and hairspray have been used in the past as home-remedy stain removers, but according to the National Cleaners Association, hairspray or alcohol should never be used on caps having heavy grease or ink stains. Alcohol and hairspray can cause color damage and may contain resins or lanolin that could actually create more stains. Read the rest of this entry »
Much ado is often made in discussions surrounding men’s fashion about neckwear, blazers, dress shirts, and leather outerwear – often at the expense of understanding the rest of a gentleman’s wardrobe. Not only are well appointed and properly fitted pants and footwear extremely important to the overall look and image of any particular outfit – they are integral to your comfort throughout the day!
Considerations of Colour
Whether they be dress, casual, corduroy, denim, or any other fabric – pants are ultimately the most flexible and important part of any man’s professional wardrobe. Pants anchor the look entirely, setting the tone of the wardrobe conversation and immediately setting in motion the overall feel of any particular outfit. For example, corduroy pants imply comfort, a relaxed feel, maturity, and a sophistication not normally found in denim. Fine wool dress pants, on the other hand, send a signal of refinement, class, and high style.
Socks should, whenever possible, match the pants they will be worn with – the major exception being of course with denim, in which case they should either be navy (as worn with most blue jeans) or tan (as worn with brown shoes). Important to keep in mind when considering matching socks to pants is that they should preferably be within range of the shade of the pant fabric without being too much the same. For example, a nice chocolate coloured argyle print sock with blue accent colours might be an excellent match for a pair of tan or bark coloured casual pants coupled with a french blue sportshirt. Read the rest of this entry »
New Lighter Fabrics Are Now Becoming Available
Wearing a suit in hot weather is rarely much fun – especially during what promises to be a hot summer. But the good news is that as temperatures rise suit fabric weights are falling with some of the lightest, coolest ever cloths being produced this year.
A lightweight fabric for mens suits is made from fine yarns, which are usually then finely woven. “In terms of wool we consider the fabric light when it weighs no more then 170gsm. Previously a wool fabric of 200gsm was considered light,” says Pier Luigi Loro Piana of the fashion house and fabric producer Loro Piana in an email interview with the author of this article.
Cashmere and Silk Light Fabrics
Loro Piana has a cashmere and silk fabric weighing only 100gsm. Specially processed, it has the strength necessary to withstand weaving and a kilo of this yarn would extend for around 570 km, the company has calculated.
The GSM is the weight of the cloth in grammes per square metre. One of the lightest available find at the moment is, for example, just 190gsm with Ermenegildo Zegna’s Trofeo 600 fabric while the heaviest is around 480 to 500gsm and is used for coats, according to a company spokeswoman in an interview with the author of this article.
There are wool-only fabrics which weigh just 110gsm but few tailors can work with something so light just in wool unless they’re treated or mixed with something else. Read the rest of this entry »
Suit anxiety should not be a problem for many first time suit buyers; young men going out to their high school prom or perhaps a college interview are always confronted with this somewhat daunting task.
In some instances, men later on in years who have never worn formal or business apparel may have to attend a wedding, funeral, or other function demanding of dress code may also find themselves in this set of circumstances.
Regardless of the situation, it is important to know what to expect from the experience – to look forward to it, more than anything!
Relax, and Be Sure to Bring the Personality
Buying a suit, optimally, is actually more like a service than a simple shopping occasion. Good wardrobe consultants and men’s fashion sales experts are a talkative, dynamic lot by nature and take a keen interest in discerning the needs of their client and presenting them with accurate, professional advice.
One should always be relaxed and open minded, be sure to engage in a dialogue with your salesman or saleswoman.
A well-trained wardrobe consultant should be able to offer suggestions and share knowledge on a variety of topics ranging from designer trends, accurate measurements, colour co-ordination, and general fabric care. Read the rest of this entry »