Curse the Dreaded Wrinkle! - YouLookFab Forum

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Curse the Dreaded Wrinkle!

Mae

Ok, I just got a glimpse of myself in the mirror for the first time since I left this morning. And all I have to say is: "ARRRRGGGGHHH!!!!!!!". I have become a wrinkle. I am one with the wrinkle. My pencil skirt is completely and utterly wrinkled. And I teach in, oh, 40 minutes.

I *love* this skirt, but it's not loving me right now. Please tell me that there is something I can do in the future to decrease the wrinklage. What are the tricks? Please tell me there are tricks. Starch? Keep a steamer in my office? Don't sit down?

Today, I will face my classes looking wrinkled and feeling terrible. But I'm hoping that this won't have to happen again. Ok, ladies, what's the trick?

General

21 replies

Latest reply was from Mae

RoseandJoan

Veteran

I have no advice but I'm sending hugs. I'm keeping a close eye on the thread for tips as this is a pet peeve of mine.

Queen Mum

Veteran

honestly, this is one reason I avoid pencil skirts.
I posted a similar post about "frumpling" recently and Angie chimed in to say that this is when fabrication and quality really helps out. (not all all accusing you of wearing cheap clothes)
I do think remaining in a straight vertical position helps.

taylor

Veteran

Ha...thought you were talking skin here. In which case I have no solution for either:)

Mae

Queenie, the pencil skirt in question is modeled in this thread: http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....on-part-ii
No wonder it was reasonably priced.

Looks like I'll need to obtain a higher desk to facilitate the vertical stance required to wear this skirt to work. Maybe someone can install a moving walkway from my house to work, too. That way I won't have to sit or move at all and I'll be wrinkle free! These are expensive solutions. I'm holding out for some magical source of de-wrinkling or wrinkle prevention...

Queen Mum

Veteran

ah- i think sateen is going to be difficult to keep smooth.
a steamer in your office is probably not a bad idea.

Jonesy

Veteran

It's the sateen! It wrinkles like crazy (think of celebs on the red carpet with their satin dresses, already completely wrinkled from the limo ride). Wool crepe or something like that will wrinkle less; patterns on pencil skirts will help to make the wrinkles less noticeable.

shana

Veteran

I don't have any good solutions. I find that pencils skirts with linings seem to wrinkle less. Maybe wear a slip???

I once read that some celebrities lay down flat in their limos so that they won't be wrinkled when they get to the red carpet!!

crwilson

Veteran

It sounds like you have two choices - either remain completely vertical or completely horizontal. These are the sacrifices we must make in the name of fashion.

Ok, seriously. Would you be able to use that Downy wrinkle spray during the day? I'm not sure how it works on sateen fabrics, but maybe it would help.

Dashrashi

Veteran

I troll online reviews before I buy for precisely this reason. Also, and this is probably extremely shady, I'll sometimes give skirts a workout before I decide whether to keep them (i.e. wear them around the house--sitting on the couch--or even *ducks* to work, keeping the tags still in them so I can return them if they turn out to be ridiculously wrinkle-prone). I don't do it with pants or tops, though--just skirts, and just for the wrinkle-issue.

If your office has a door (and a lock), I might look into a steamer.

Katja

(website)

I grew up surrounded by linen and seersucker, so I say embrace the wrinkle...be one with the wrinkle...

Scarlet

Veteran

I have a pencil skirt in a wool blend with a little elastic and it holds up really well. I never noticed wrinkles. But frankly if any of my lecturers were fab enough to wear a pencil skirt I would be too pleased to notice any creases.

sinead

Mae, I just picked up a steamer from Goodwill in brand new, still-in-the-plastic condition. (Probably a wedding gift to a young couple who had no idea how handy they can be) So you could watch for one of those- this isn't the first one I've seen in the thrift store.

I was also going to suggest trying the wrinkle spray- I never have, but I would try it in this case.

Good luck!

Louise

Veteran

My first thought was skin and I was going to suggest not looking in a magnified mirror as I did a few months ago and went screaming to the Clinique counter looking for wrinkle cream and the lady assured me that I shouldn't look in magnified mirrors and flogged me some preventative cream!!!
Anyway I digress! though I don't have an answer as I've not come across this with mine x

April

Veteran

Oh yeah -- the sateen problem. I have a pair of "city shorts" in this fabric and half an hour after I put them on, there is a sunburst of wrinkles radiating out from what I shall indelicately call the crotch point. If you live in the burbs and have to drive your car everywhere, there's just no way around it. Sorry about that.

I love the idea that there's a "wrinkle spray," however! Definitely try that and let us know how it works. As for the steamer -- just don't use it while the clothing is on you!

Mae

Wrinkle spray?! That sounds right up my alley. I'll check it out...

Sinead, oooo- good idea. A thrifted steamer. I do have a door and a lock, so that's an option.

I have to say I'm leaning toward the Katja solution... steaming in the office seems a bit OTT. Embracing the wrinkle and its majesty sounds better. But it certainly doesn't catch my eye as appealing.

CR- now you're talking. Horizontal sounds much more appealing than vertical. I could have a bed installed in my office. Hmm. I'm liking this.

Scarlet- there is no NOT noticing these creases. They are lining my body horizontally like a freaking lattitude map. Fab to drab in just minutes! I may have broken a YLF record here.

Louise & Taylor- The wrinkles on my face are part of me, and there's nothing I can do about them. I will, however, absolutely steer clear of the magnifying mirror.

Bottom line? I need a new pencil skirt. Wool crepe, lined. Or patterned! Thanks jonesy! {Switching to whiny toddler voice}...But I like this one. Boohoo.

Mae

Sounds like the Downy spray may be a new "need to keep in the car" item... If it works.

You do need to dampen the garment with the stuff, then smooth out the wrinkles by tugging gently. I'd really like to see this done in a parking lot, April. You may need to keep a hair dryer handy (one that plugs into a car outlet)- or I suppose you could run around the parking lot with damp shorts until they dry... You also may need to briefly remove the garment before the dampening and tugging occur. The Downy website does mention that this may be necessary for child-sized (April-sized) clothing. Then put the garment back on once it's dry. THEN enter the store feeling fresh and lovely. Tip: Do not wear radiating-wrinkles-from-the-crotch shorts when you have multiple errands to run. These are one stop only shorts.

Frances

Mae, please do report back on how the Downy dewrinkle spray works out. I've only recently ventured into wearing skirts consistently in the past year, but the wrinkling issue is driving me absolutely bananas! It's the front panel of the skirt that does it, and the fabric of the skirt seems not to matter. It happens to me with cotton skirts, wool skirts, silk skirts, linen...well, linen goes without saying...

RandomThoughts (Andrea)

Veteran

When I'm "dressed" and have to commute I usually change on site. Case in point, (though it's been a while) I show dogs and that usually entails a pencil skirt and upwards of 1 1/2 hours in the car often times. So my skirt and coat stay on hangers until I arrive.

If you're wrinkling up in the car, you might consider it.

Scarlet

Veteran

Louise - LOL!

AJ

Veteran

Oh I like that idea of bringing the skirt and changing right before class since you have a lock on your door.

Mae

Excellent. I never even thought of that possibility. On sateen pencil skirt days, wear something else, bring skirt on hanger, and change right before class. Nice.

I'll also give the spray a go and report back.

Random- what kind of dogs do you show?