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 »
Selecting the Best Style and Fit of Clothes for the Office
Along with the suit and tie, the dress shirt is the main article of clothing that creates the proper look for a businessman. Dress shirts vary by style, size, fit and features.
Choosing a Dress Shirt Style
Under almost all circumstances, a dress shirt for business that is worn with a tie should have long sleeves. In some offices, or outdoor work sites, short sleeves may be appropriate. Look at the example set by your supervisor and respected colleagues. If these people wear short sleeves, then it may be okay in that situation…
When dressing to impress, do not follow the standard of the office non-conformist. Sleeves can always be rolled up if necessary.
Collars come in different styles, usually a normal pointed collar and a spread collar. Spread collars are newer and show a contemporary fashion. The spread accents the tie, and therefore look better with a wider tie. Some shirts have different color collars than the shirt which appears bolder.
Long sleeves are closed by straight cuffs with buttons, and French cuffs that require cufflinks. French cuffs add more flair to the look, but may be too fashionable for a more conservative setting. Read the rest of this entry »
This Well Established Item of Men’s Clothing has Quite a History
The name is so well known in men’s clothing and the design so iconic that it’s sometimes difficult to believe that Fred Perry was ever a real person. But as Perry who was born just over 100 years ago, said: “I have never worried about admitting that my name is better known worldwide, not from winning Wimbledon three times, but because of Fred Perry shirts and sportswear.”
A working-class boy who fell foul of the tennis establishment but dominated the game at home and abroad during the twenties and thirties, Perry was approached to create his own branded sweat band in the late 1940s.
Father of the Polo Shirt – Fred Perry and His Legacy
This men’s clothing brand’s logo was originally going to be that emblem of sporting prowess, a pipe, before Perry settled on the laurel wreath that he wore on his touring blazer. His light but absorbent sweat band was such a huge success that it was followed by a T-shirt. This slim fit cotton piqué shirt has changed little since it was launched in 1952 although its image and cultural impact, even beyond fashion, have been quite simply enormous.
Today the Fred Perry is more popular than ever. “We’ve seen sales up 40 per cent on last year,” says Adrian Edwards, Head of Buying, Menswear at John Lewis in an interview with this journalist. “The great thing about it is that it’s smart but it can also be casual and it’s very versatile. Most men have at least two or three in their wardrobe at any one time. Men like to hang on to favourite clothes rather than shopping a lot and a Fred Perry is one of those things that actually looks better the more you wear and wash it.” Read the rest of this entry »
Designer Clothes and Vintage Style, the Best Fit, Colour
Whether one is considering purchasing an expensive designer suit along the lines of Canali, Armani, Boss, or Calvin Klein or simply cruising the local thrift or consignment shop for a trendy new look it becomes increasingly important to consider the style of closure that your garment will have – the most popular contemporary styles being the 3-button and 2-button suit.
Advantages of the 3-Button Suit
The three button suit is a a very classic look that bestows a more formal look upon the wearer – usually the case wherever buttons are concerned. The more buttons, typically, the more formal the garment. By this reasoning, 1-button suits that are very much in vogue currently are weighted heavily towards style rather than for convention.
The 3-button choice is a bit more conservative in nature and for this reason can be better suited for everyday wear in a business environment. Taller men might enjoy the higher closure of a suit of this particular make, providing a tighter fit around the chest and a typically straight silhoutte.
It can be difficult to find a fashionable and appropriate three button suit at a thrift store, or a consignment shop. The lack of variety and size range in particular styles can be limiting, as a three-button suit is possessed of a more difficult fit for most builds, the higher closure leading to a less accomodating chest measurement. This does not mean that a greal deal cannot be found, however.
Popular colours in three button suits tend to trend in more traditional colours, simple black or navy.
Advantages of the 2-Button Suit
The two button suit has been increasingly in popularity over the course of the last few years, and is now quite easily the more common of the two styles, especially amongst designer labels as the style is currently the tops when it comes to fashion.
The two button suit is an excellent choice for casual wear, lending itself perfectly to being worn with denim, whether that be designer jeans or even quality vintage jeans with a slight tint or wash. When paired with a fitted dress shirt, sport shirt, or even a well co-ordinated t-shirt or ringer, a two button blazer or suit jacket is the perfect item to pull a smart casual look together with impact and cohesiveness.
The two button suit can also be great for shorter men, especially in formal or semi-formal situations. The construction of a two button suit accents the shoulders, making them appear broader and straighter, while simulaneously lengthening the appearance of the torso – an aesthetic plus and extremely complimentary. This is not to say that taller gentlemen will not benefit from the above attributes as well, as they certainly might.
With regards to purchasing such garments secondhand, it is much easier to decide on a purchase – due in part to the logic applied earlier with regard to casual wear of two button blazers and suit jackets. An improvement in colour variety is also a great advantage when considering a two button suit, colours ranging from light gray to taupe to chocolate pinstripes are very popular and acceptable amongst this more liberal fashion style. Peak lapels really cement the fashion-forward image projected by a well fitting two button suit.
Whether a gentleman chooses a three button suit for wear at the office or a wedding or a two button blazer for wear with a sharp new pair of dress jeans, the importance of fit and construction can never be ignored.
Certain silhouettes and closures can make or break an outfit, so be sure to choose the style that best fits the figure, the outfit, and the context.
Browsing through the aisles or displays at popular department stores will yield interesting results with regards to popular consumer menswear – an increasing amount of attention being paid to fit and cut, with an emphasis on providing variety to intrepid gentlemen seeking a shirt that fits like a glove.
Athletic Fit, Aggressively Fitted Dress Shirts for Slim Men
Athletic fit dress shirts have been popular for some time, typically marketed as “slim-fit” shirts for men who were looking for aggressively tapered dress shirts for wear to a bar or nightclub, or simply as a more professional alternative to the classic cut for men with slimmer or smaller builds.
Athletic fit shirts are becoming much more commonplace in consumer brands or retail locations such as Le Chateau or Banana Republic, having always been commonplace in designer brands such as Calvin Klein, Hugo Boss, Etro, or Geoffrey Beene.
The benefit of an athletic fit dress shirt is an appeal to modern sensibilities, a cosmopolitan, urban edge that will most certainly factor into the final look of your ensemble.
Modern Fit, a Moderate Taper, Semi-Fitted Dress Shirt
Modern fit is a relatively new entrant in the menswear circuit, although shirts that would commonly now be described as “modern fit” have existed in some incarnation or another for decades, simple alternatives to the more traditional, accommodating classic fit.
Modern fit describes a moderately tapered dress shirt, otherwise known as a semi-fitted shirt. This particular cut looks great on men of average build as well as leaning either way from that starting point – the somewhat slim and the somewhat heavy. Read the rest of this entry »