Lifestyle Choices

To keep your clothes looking good, working strong, you should know something about what they’re made of and how best to care for them. Here is a miniglossary of fabrics as well as info on proper care and handling.

Cotton.An all-purpose favorite. Comfortable, cool, or cozy and toasty, this is one fiber that really lets your skin breathe, never makes you feel hot or sticky. Can be knit into bulky summer sweaters, comfy Ts, or crisp like poplin summer slacks, starched menswear shirts. Care: Hand or machine wash. It can be dry cleaned, but that’s not necessary unless it’s a lined garment, like a jacket, or one that can lose its shape, like a dress. When washed, press with a hot iron.

Linen.One of the ultimates in natural fibers. Wonderfully cool in summer heat; no other warm-weather fabric carries with it such all-out class. However, it does wrinkle very easily, and that may bother you. Hint: dark-colored linens “show” wrinkles less, as do those with a coarse rather than a fine weave. If you still want a crisper look, buy linen/synthetic blends—they won’t feel as airy, but they will stay neater. Linen should be hand washed or dry cleaned. Be wary of machine washing unless it’s done separately on the delicate cycle. Iron while garment is still damp, and avoid starch, as it only sets new wrinkles.

Ramie. Another natural, linenlike fiber, but coarser. Very economical, it lets you have a linen feel without a linen price. However, garments frequently don’t hold their color well, and you might find that they have faded after a season or two of wear.

Silk.Another of nature’s wonder fibers, silk is beautiful, comfortable, and can be surprisingly durable. Raw or coarse silks like shantung, tussah, and dupioni can be grainy or irregular in texture and are a wonderful, rich choice for separates of all kinds. Silk charmeuse and satin are shiny, “luxury” choices that are great for nighttime allure. Chiffon is another flowing, dressy fabric, as is crepe de chine; both also go well for daytime wear. Some silks can be washed (only pale solids, not prints or darks; they may run); check the care label first. Use cold water, mild soap; hang on a padded hanger to dry, and iron very carefully, using a cloth between garment and iron. Best bet, though, is still dry cleaning.

Wool.A warm, durable, and extremely practical fabric. You’ll find that with proper care wool will last and last and go on looking great. Think meltons, merinos, gabardines, and camel hair. Look for the “virgin wool” mark on your shopping trips; otherwise, the wool may be reprocessed, which means that it will be itchier and won’t wear as well. Wool garments should be dry cleaned, but not too often; the chemicals are harsh and strip the fiber of its natural oils. Learn to spot-clean your things with a washcloth or a clothes brush to cut down on trips to the cleaner. Sweaters and other wool knits can be hand washed with mild soap in cool water. Gently squeeze out excess water (don’t wring) and block—that is, place garment on a towel on the floor; arrange so that it lies flat—to dry. Avoid pulling or stretching when wet—handle with care!

Challisis a lightweight, seasonless wool, generally in an over-all paisley design; it’s a pretty and classic choice for scarves, dresses, and blouses.

Mohair and angora are fluffy, “long-haired” wools. Angora is kitten-soft and a beautiful choice for a dressy sweater or even a special dress. It does tend to shed, so pair with light rather than dark colors. Mohair can be woven with other wools into fuzzy, textured coats, jackets, even sportswear separates (avoid them if you’re heavy, though; they add bulk). Mohair or part-mohair sweaters have a knockout weave that will add punch to your winter ward robe.

Cashmereis the queen of wools, made from the soft, fine wool of a special Asian goat. It’s supremely comfortable (even those who can’t wear wool can wear it) and quite costly. The best cashmeres are woven in England or Scotland; you’ll find that they are two- or even three-ply, making them thick and more durable as well as deliciously snuggly. Single-ply cashmere is usually woven in China and is less expensive, but less long-lasting than the European counterpart. See care instructions for sweaters, above. Never put your knits in the washer or drier unless the label specifically indicates that you may do so.

Jerseysare fluid, draping, comfortable fabrics, usually woven from wool. They can be extremely flattering for most figure types. Look for tops, pants, skirts, even a special dressy dress.

Velvetsare soft, plushy materials ideal for evening or dressy day wear. Black velvet slacks or a long velvet skirt in a deep scarlet, eggplant, hunter green, or midnight blue will be a “wear forever” classic in your wardrobe. For daytime, a well-cut velvet jacket will look wonderful with your fall tweeds and other wools.

Denim,usually made from cotton, is moving from the strictly casual to somewhat more dressy wear. Durable and comfy, this is one fabric that improves with age—it gets softer and takes on a wonderful muted hue. In addition to your requisite jeans, what about a denim jacket, skirt, or even jumpsuit?

Corduroyis another casual fabric that is moving into more sophisticated circles. Wide-wale cords are great weekend wear with rugged sweaters, but fine-wale corduroy is perfect for a shirt or even a dress. Note: wear wide-wale only if you’re slim; the thick ridges can add pounds.

Brocades and metallicslike lame do well at night when you want to really dazzle your audience. A small bit goes a long way, though. Think a brocade jacket rather than dress, and team it with solid dark evening slacks; or a little lame cropped top with a plain dark skirt, sheer hose.

In addition, you can find a number of synthetics—rayon, viscose, polyester, acrylic—that effectively imitate many natural fabrics at a fraction of the cost. It’s hard to generalize about synthetics; you have to judge on a garment-by-garment basis. High-quality polyester can look just like silk charmeuse or crepe de chine and has the added plus of being able to be tossed in the washer and dryer. In blends, a small percentage of a synthetic fiber (usually 10 to 20 percent; check label) can make a natural fiber behave, diminishing wrinkles in linen, holding the shape of knits without detracting from the natural feel. Do keep in mind, though, that despite their being cheaper and easier to care for, they don’t last as long or wear as well. Nor do they “breathe” the way natural fibers do. Learn to analyze and assess the fabric content of clothes when you shop and make the best choice for your life-style and budget.

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