STYLE DOCTOR: Fashion First Aid

What you need to keep your clothes in good shape - after they leave the store. 

Have you ever wondered why some clothes look amazing in the shop and then seem to deteriorate after time spent in your closet? Chances are, they are in poor fashion health. 

Try these quick tips to help make your wardrobe gleam with delight.

1. Invest in a garment steamer.
This will be the best fashion advice that you ever take. Ever. There are very few people in this world that can say hand-on-heart that they love ironing. Owning a clothing steamer means you will only have to take an iron about 10% of your clothes, ever again. A steamer will breathe new life into clothes after a day of wearing. It will also instantly revives jackets left lying slumped over chairs. If the prospect of ironing feels like a marathon across the Sahara desert, then steaming your clothes will be a stroll through Central Park with the daffodils are out.

There are two types of garment steamers. The consumer model such as the Philips Clear Touch Garment Steamer (RRP $350 - on sale now for $249!) or a professional model like the Propress Clothing Steamer (RRP $1104). The Philips model is great because it's less expensive, heats up quickly and is compact. The Propress, the Rolls Royce of steamers, has a metal handle which heats up and performs like a hot steam iron when it touches the clothes without overheating and burning the fabric like an iron can.
Either way - your clothes will love you for it!

From left: Philips Clear Touch Clothing Steamer, $220, Propress Professional Steamer, $1104 (also available in other colours!).

2. Baby wipes are hands down the best spot remover on clothes.
One brand in particular = Wet Wipes. There is something magical in the wet wipes solution on clothes for removing dust spots, food, wine and various unwanted marks that we encounter in everyday life. Ask a fashion editor what is their #1 quick-fix is and they will always say baby wipes. Note: not all are created equal for their spot removal qualities. Generally the cheaper the baby wipes, the more porous meaning so are the chances of leaving little lint spots behind.

3. Behold the sticky lint brush. In a perfect world, these would come complete with every pet! The best lint rollers I have encountered are sold on the counters of drycleaners. More solid than their supermarket counterparts they seem to take off everything that attaches itself to clothes in a single sweep. Look for refills that say "extra sticky". These do the job properly and are also great for suede boots and jackets too.

4. Use leather wipes to clean leather jacket collars. There is something about leather that seems to be a magnet to makeup and hold onto it for dear life. Leather wipes found at the supermarket can revive marked leather jackets with lightening speed. They are also great for cleaning leather shoes, bags and furniture too.PPi

5. Aim for air between the hangers in your wardrobe: Every six months, give your  wardrobe a good hard cross-examination. Chances are if you haven't worn a garment in a year, it is time for you to separate (even if just on a trial basis). Look at every piece and assess whether your life would feel less without it. If the answer is NO, it's time for you to move on. Keep any off-season styles stored somewhere else. Then revisit these at the beginning of a new season. When it comes to buying, invest in high quality basics as these will see you through the years without dating. Then add new season star pieces as your mood and budget allows you.

First published in Paula STYLE magazine, August 2017 issue.