Wear it - love it, Wash it - hate it... what to do?

[dieseldude03]

please tell me I'm not completely crazy. everytime I get something new, I wear it and love it... then I wash it, and it's like I never want to wear it again... what's wrong with me? it's not that I want to walk around in dirty clothes, but I just feel like everytime I wash something, it comes out of the wash different from the way it was when it went in the wash... I'm a stickler for detail and it bothers me if the neck of the shirt is slightly looser than it was before, or if the fabric feels rougher than it did before... what should I do? get psychological help? or is there some sort of washing trick you guys know about that I don't? haha... I mean, I wash my clothes on the most gentle cycle possible and I usually use Tide detergent... then, I hang dry most of my stuff... after a load of laundry, there's always tons of hangers all around my house with my clothes hanging from them..

 

[Goddesss]

i guess its the way you hang your clothes then, like for example, i think the way you hang it or peg caused it to be streched.
Why dont you try dry-cleaning your clothes? Maybe it will be better.

and dont worry, u aint the only one who 'get something new, I wear it and love it' and later chuck it aside. I am gulity of that too. And I guess alot other girls are too. That accounts for 50bags, 60shoes and countless tops.. haha

cheers

 

[Melisande]

Like Goddesss says, if you're not dry-cleaning:

1) hand wash with gentle detergent
2) air dry properly
3) iron properly (starch if necessary)
4) buy good quality

...buying quality is essential if you want your clothes to look good after washing. Cheap knits like t-shirts especially can almost be relied upon to lose their shape after one wash. In fact I try and buy clothes that look even better after repeated washing and use...these need not be expensive if you know what you're looking for. (Petit Bateau t-shirts are a good example.) Ironing is often overlooked but can really make your clothes look better. Read the care label too. Taking care of clothes is really a complex skill, so study, try, and practice! Good luck.

 

[dieseldude03]

how do you guys suggest taking care of polos? like lacoste, ralph lauren, etc...

 

[larien]

^i think you shouldnt wash them so frequently.it is better to hang them when you sweat and think that they need to be cleaned.i use this way for my t-shirts because they're delicate and if you dont wash them so often they look as if you bought them yesterday=)

 

[SophieKawaii]

I hand wash my shirts/tops/cardigans with laundry gel. Gel is important since once laundry powder destroyed my shirt and that ugly white spot doesn't go out anymore.
I'm still not an expert if it's about drying (how to hang or just lay it ) but i'll figure out soon i really hope.

 

[monkey siesta]

I totally understand you. in my case it's even weirder because I already hate clothes that have gone through the wash one single time and have not changed in the slightest way. so apparently disliking them has nothing to do with the fact that they have been washed but that they're not new anymore. strange indeed.

 

[fashionista-ta]

Well, it sounds like you're a perfectionist, and that is definitely something to work on

In the meantime, though, you might try taking your stuff to a top-notch dry cleaners (eco friendly would be good too). I do my own laundry, but most of the stuff I wear out of the house I send to the "green" cleaners.

PS For laundry I use Mrs Meyers Clean Day lavender laundry detergent http://www.mrsmeyers.com/

 

[stilettogirl84]

whenever I buy something, I wash it before I wear it, because I don't like the chemical/ store smell, and I don't like to think that anyone else tried it on before me. I feel more comfortable with my clothes if they don't seem new, and I like sweaters and things better when I've worn them to death and have a little hole or wear here and there. Especially very high quality/ expensive stuff, when it's worn. it looks more "down to Earth" or more like I'm comfortable in my skin

I think you might have a little obsessive compulsive behavior there- not trying to be mean, but it doesn't sem healthy

 

[softgrey]

it depends on the garment...
with some things it's true...
they are never the same once they have been washed...

i totally feel you...
i can usually tell now by looking at a garment and feeling the fabric...
so sometimes i avoid certain things like that on purpose.......