How to take care of vintage clothing

by Linnet Montgomery

If your beloved item of vintage clothing has lasted this long, it deserves to survive a few generations more! This style care guide will help you look after your vintage dress / ensemble.

There are few events quite as glorious as the moment you unearth the perfect vintage dress in a dark, messy second hand shop. Every vintage find is a conquest in its own right; it is unique and precious. The tragedy of vintage clothes lies in the fact that they are already old, and sometimes rather weather-beaten. "But... but... I don't want to wear my 40s cardigan until it dies. I want to wear it until I die", I hear you scream in anguish. Read on, because there are ways to make your vintage treasures last longer.

Washing vintage clothes

Vintage garments are not happy if they are constantly exposed to the joys of the washing machine. In fact, it is best if you always hand-wash vintage clothing. If you do it often enough, you will get used to it, and it will cease to be a chore.

Use lukewarm water and a mild detergent. If you'd like to get rid of stains, let the item soak in soapy water for ten minutes. Be careful as this doesn't apply to wool. Woolen garments will shrink when soaked for a long time. While washing, pat and gently squeeze the fabric but don't rub sections of the garment against each other as that can discolour the cloth or make it fray. Afterwards, rinse thoroughly with cold water until it runs clear. If you're washing something you've only just bought, several rounds of soapy water might be needed – some clothes collect dust in vintage shops for a long time before somebody scoops them up.

In the past, clothes were not cleaned as often as they are now. That's why it's important to ask yourself if your vintage garments really, really, really need washing. Sometimes it's better to air said clothing for a few hours and remove stains with a soft damp cloth.

Drying vintage clothes

It is not particularly nice to tumble dry vintage garments, it makes delicate stitching wonky and destroys some types of fabric. Spin drying is evil too. Some garments might survive tumble drying but I'd rather not plunge into the depths of probability. Better safe than sorry, n'est ce pas?

Wringing can damage vintage items, but you can squeeze out (some) water without rolling the fabric. Once you've done that, wrap the garment in a clean towel and pat gently. Remove the towel, hang the garment and leave it to dry. Padded hangers are very useful as they prevent stretching. If you're in a hurry, use a hairdryer, then let the garment air for a while. Avoid hanging vintage items in direct sunlight as it can turn some white fabrics yellow. A very ugly yellow.

Storing vintage clothes

When you decide you won't wear a garment for some time, fold it and place it in a bag. Avoid plastic bags - bags made of soft fabrics are much better as they allow the garment to breathe. You can use mothballs (indeed, it is advisable!) but make sure they're not touching the fabric. If you want your stored garments to smell nice, slip a perfumed sachet in the bag. I'm always surprised when I take out my winter clothes after a long summer and discover that they smell of roses.

More Burlesque and Vintage Clothing Ideas on Mookychick

More alternative style tips

• More: Alternative style | Health and beauty tips

Mission statement

Mookychick believes that climbing trees and riding giant turtles is more fun and girly than worrying about make-up. But if you want to worry about make-up instead of turtles? Fine by us. Be you feminist, kitten, punk, emo, indie, goth, witch, vegan, horror junky, intellectual, christian goth, corset queen, geek, unicorn, sea monkey... be you into alternative style, alternative health, spirituality, comics, manga, j-pop, harajuku or jock culture... we will always love you.