Pet Peeves - wool that pills, heels that wear away!

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Pet Peeves - wool that pills, heels that wear away!

Tara

(website)

Veteran

Arrggghhh! Just have to vent.

Two of my pet fashion/style peeves: winter woolens that pill in 5mins, and heels on shoes that wear away to expose the metal underneath after, like, 2 wears!

And I have both on my person this very day.

Gah!

Is there any solution to these persistent problems? How can I prevent pilling and how can I prevent wearing of my heels? I noticed the heel on my fave boots today made a distinctive "crunchy", metal-on-concrete sound every time I made a step. It breaks my heart because I love wearing them but don't want to make it any worse!

Solutions, ladies?

Signed,
A Frustrated Wearer of Worn-out Woolens and Wonky Heels.

15 years ago

General

10 replies

Latest reply was from Frances

londonkiwi (now back in NZ)

Veteran

OK, neither of these things should happen after a coupe of wears, but...

Where are the woolens pulling? Is it at your sides? If yes, could it be your handbag rubbing?

Second are your heels narrow or wide? What material are they covered with?

15 years ago

Louise

Veteran

The smaller the heel the quicker it wears away, I think the only solution is to have them reheeled regularly. You can get metal heels which last longer but you'll still get that metal sound when walking x

15 years ago

Lisa

Veteran

I sometimes use a pill brush to remove them on sweaters. I've gotten them in Target by the hangers/laundry section. I also get pills on my cashmere sweaters, just as annoying.

15 years ago

biscuitsmom

Veteran

Velcro strips work well for removing pills also....

15 years ago

florida

Veteran

Ugh! Hate it when that happens!!!
For pilling, I shave my sweaters with a disposable razor. Just be careful--one nick and you've got a hole! My dry cleaner said that he uses a pumice stone to get pilling off.
Ah, the shoe thing... Back when I wore lots of spiky heels, I had the same problem. Click, click, click! Have a cobbler replace the cheap hard plastic heel caps with rubber ones. Rubber will last longer than the shoes do! Cost is about $6 USD per shoe.

15 years ago

taylor

Veteran

Garments that are cut big in the armholes!!!

15 years ago

Frances

Active Member

I'm with you, Tara. Pilling is one of my top five pet peeves--not just with clothing-related issues, but of all time!

St4rrgrrl, a disposable razor? Really? That never would have occurred to me, and I get so frustrated with those little sweater shavers you buy at the drugstore because the motors burn out so quickly and they don't do a good job. I've seen a pumice stone type of device sold at the Container Store, but wasn't sure if it would work. Maybe a genuine pumice stone is the way to go.

Tara, I'm also frustrated with the heels that wear down. I recently took some cheap Bandolino pumps in to the cobbler to get the heels recapped, and even after their work, the caps are twisting all around. I think the heels are just destroyed beyond repair because I'm hard on them--I do a lot of literal pavement pounding in any given day. And considering how inexpensive the pumps originally were, it's not worth it to waste any more money on them at the cobbler. But if they were beloved boots like yours that wore down after only a few wears, I'd be mad as a hornet!

15 years ago

florida

Veteran

Frances, really, a disposable razor. One of those sweater shavers chewed a hole in my favorite black cardi. I am better able to control the amount of pressure that I'm applying with a razor than I have with those sweater shavers.

Practice on an old sweater--lay it flat on a firm surface (ironing board, table) and use very light, short strokes. Use a new, sharp razor. Shaves off those little fuzzballs like a charm. Works for knits, too.

15 years ago

motherofms

Active Member

Helpful info, st4rrgrrl. Thanks. I'm going to try that.

15 years ago

Frances

Active Member

St4rrgrrl, thanks for the instructions! I'm definitely going to try that disposable razor trick. Maybe there's still hope for my closet full of pilling BR sweaters...

15 years ago

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