How to properly care for your suits

If you want to show off your impeccable style at a work function or during a formal event, nothing beats a high-quality suit. Do you want to keep your formal wear looking its best? If so, proper care is a must. Fortunately, the team at Ernest has put together a few expert tips for dry cleaning, pressing, ironing and storing your suit.

Cleaning and stain removal

Remember that the more often you clean a garment, the faster it will show signs of wear. Therefore, don’t get into the habit of having your suit dry cleaned every time you wear it.

Classic dry cleaning is an aggressive process that uses powerful cleaning products. Therefore, dry cleaning a garment too often can cause irreparable damage. It’s OK to have your suit occasionally deep cleaned if it smells bad or has stubborn stains. However, if the stains on your suit are superficial, you should simply wipe them off with a damp cloth.

Everyday habits

Some bad habits can damage your suit. For example, you should avoid stuffing your pockets with large items like your cellphone, keys and wallet. This can stretch and deform the fabric. Additionally, if you want to keep your suit looking its best, you should only wear it occasionally (never two days in a row). It's best to have a few suits in different colours that you can interchange. For example, you should have one grey, one black, one navy and one in a bright colour like ochre or raspberry.

Suits tend to retain more odours than other types of clothing. Therefore, you should get into the habit of airing your suit out after wearing it. If you store your smelly suit in a closed closet, the unpleasant scent could seep into your other garments.

Make sure you regularly brush your suit to get rid of lint, dust, dandruff and other dirt. This is especially important for dark coloured suits. Use a soft bristle brush to protect the fabric. You can also use an adhesive lint roller.

If you want to quickly freshen up your wrinkled suit, hang it in the bathroom while you shower. The hot steam will help relax the fibres.

The right way to hang a suit

Hanging your suit jacket on a thin metal or plastic hanger can cause the shoulders to pucker and deform. Instead, opt for a thick wooden hanger that fits the width of the garment’s shoulders. If you have matching pants for your suit, hang them from the bottom cuffs to prevent wrinkles. Conversely, if your hanger has a horizontal bar, you can hang them from that.

Make sure you have enough room in your closet to hang your suit. There should be a bit of space between each item. Don’t store your clothes packed together. If you're running out of space, sort through your closet and remove pieces you no longer wear.

Storage

Before putting your clean suit away in your closet for several weeks or months, slide it in a garment bag. At Ernest, we include a free garment bag with every suit purchase. 

Steaming and ironing

If your suit is wrinkled, use a steamer to instantly smooth and refresh the fabric. Steam your suit from top to bottom, focusing on one part at a time. However, if your suit doesn’t have any deep creases, you don’t need to steam it unnecessarily.

You can also use a classic iron to smooth out any wrinkles in your suit. However, we recommend using a damp pressing cloth. This protective layer between the iron and the fabric will prevent you from leaving burn marks or an unsightly sheen on the garment.

Remember to take your time, especially when ironing delicate sections such as the sleeves on your suit jacket. When ironing your pants, smooth the fabric as flat as possible and align the seams. Iron one leg at a time, moving from bottom to top.

Remember that the hot steam from these appliances can burn you. Therefore, make sure you stay focused to prevent accidents.

High-quality suits and formal wear

At Ernest, we carry stylish suits in a variety of cuts, colours and styles, including crosshatched, windowpane, faux plain, textured, twisted and more. Visit Ernest to find the suit of your dreams, as well as casual shirts, dress shirts, vests, shoes, ties, bow ties, belts and watches. We have everything you need to put the finishing touches on your outfit.

Browse our selection of beautiful suits for every budget. We carry industry-leading brands like Orvieto, Anthony of London, Horst and Jack Victor.