The trouble with white... - YouLookFab Forum

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The trouble with white...

Lesley

Veteran

I love wearing white. All season long, I look at my white jeans hanging in my closet and wonder why I don't reach for them more often. This morning, I counseled myself, "Don't save them for a special outfit... just put them on!" and I wore a delightful head-to-toe white outfit.

Problem was, I was filthy by lunchtime. Luckily, since I WFH, I could change. But, I wish I didn't have to! How do you people do it, white wearers, and those who have to commit to the look all day? What do you do when stains hit midday... or am I just too sloppy to wear white?

Dressing

26 replies

Latest reply was from Angie

Jessikams

(website)

Veteran

I tend to be sloppy no matter what. Even if I’m wearing color , I still spill things! So I try not to worry too much about it, even with white. The thing that bugs me with white tops is that I often get makeup on them, around the neck. Gross.

Runcarla

Veteran

I love to wear white, and if it gets horribly dirty, I just send it through a hot wash with a bit of bleach (along with sheets or white towels) and that does the trick.

I’ve managed to wear my white jeans up to 5 days before laundering. I don’t wear them on chore days or for gardening, but do wear them year ‘round and have worn them on walks in rainy or snowy weather. They are cropped. I DO wear a long apron when cooking, and will sometimes wear it when I’m eating. After 60+ wears, I did ruin my skinny Levi’s when I dropped a chocolate sundae on my lap. I was travelling, so it was 3 days before I could get it in the wash and the stain had set.

I have better luck with white bottoms vs white tops, but the white linen button down is getting a lot of wear this year.

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Lesley

Veteran

Wearing an apron while eating. I bow to your wisdom, Runcarla

Roberta

Veteran

Years ago, when I moaned about yhe risks of wearing white, a friend wisely said to me, "that's what bleach is for".

But I make sure not to order spaghetti when I'm wearing a white blouse.

Sal

Veteran

I find white pants pretty good. And white tees hopeless! I think wovens are better than knits? I have just added a white tee shirt - I did miss having one for layering under blazers and jackets. WIsh me luck!!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

White denim is easy -- pants especially. Yes, I sometimes sit on something and once in a while I spill something on it, but it washes (or bleaches) easily. More typically, I can go several wears without washing white jeans, especially crops, or shorts. As Carla said -- I don't wear them for gardening or yard work. But I do wear them on my bike, on transit, etc. I've travelled with white jeans and shorts. A white denim jacket is also pretty easy to wear.

I'm usually good with white tops, too, unless there is tomato sauce involved. Like Carla, I opt for an apron if cooking --- or eating at home. The thing that is problematic for me with white tops is the yellowing under the arms that can develop from perspiration stains. I try to nab those stains right away, but eventually there can be an ineradicable stain if the fabric is not bleach-friendly. Apparently some of us are more prone to creating these stains than others and I seem to be one of the stainers. But I have learned tricks to prevent and then wash them out before the situation gets out of hand.

Irina

Veteran

I don’t wear white at home. I like wearing white tops, shirts and jeans when I’m out. And like others I wear most of the garments multiple times before wash. And yes to treating any stains as soon as possible. I have white linen pieces that are almost 10 years old and they are stain free although fabric is already frail.

Chiara

I wear a lot of white and cream, which means laundry! I try to always chose cotton or linen which can withstand cleaning.
My tips are
-as others suggest, wear an apron when eating at home or cooking
-if you get spill try to treat immediately.
-hot water is helpful for fat based stains but can ‘set’ protein stains, or stains from foods with lots of pigment (that’s why spag bol and chocolate are so diabolical- fat and pigment, just like oil paint on canvas!)
-If in doubt, I spray the stain, wash first in cold water and then wash again in hot.
-some stains are extra tricky because they only appear when the item is washed (green tea!) and the stain has set. It will fade eventually, but in the meantime…
-non-mineral sunblocks and sweat can cause yellowing; I seem to recall this can also be due to water quality, as minerals from the water are deposited in the fabric. Bleaching, hot wash and drying in direct sunlight can help but may not remove entirely.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I wear a lot of white and cream everything! (Except t-shirts).

I don't wear foundation or tinted moisturizer so I don't have the make-up challenge with white shirts, knitwear, jackets, scarves and coats.

I wipe my white footwear after I've worn it. White bags too. Wash white sneakers regularly.

I wear white jeans and pants all the time! I can usually wear them twice. Then I wash and press them.

I ALWAYS wear an apron when I cook! Scrunch the sleeves. I always place a napkin in my lap when I eat.

I am not prone to messing, spilling, or staining. That's my one and only super power

If I do mess on my white clothes, I try to treat the stain asap. I use SHOUT and oxyclean. Them put it through a wash cycle.

quietloud

I wear white or cream tops probably 90% of the time, and manage to keep them fairly clean most of the time. My most common issue is makeup on the collar, like Jessikams. I try to remember to do my makeup after I put my shirt on, and if I notice a stain I clean it off with a makeup remover wipe.

I've also recently started to get some yellow pit stains, after upgrading my deodorant to a stronger antiperspirant, and find that rubbing with a little white vinegar and washing up liquid before laundering does the trick.

Other than that my biggest problem is chocolate stains, but they usually only appear in the evening anyway, and they come off easily in the wash...

Bijou

Veteran

Lesley - I can get messy half-way through the day and need to change - puppy paws, make-up or food are the usual culprits. It seems that whenever I wear white, I end up eating something challenging. It does not stop me from wearing white, but I find I often wear black the very next day and appreciate how much more relaxed I feel when when wearing black!

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Lesley, I hear you. I don’t really wear white much on my lower half, so at least half of me is not quite as inclined to get too visibly dirty, LOL. But yeah, I always end up with some sort of mystery smudge or spot or stain…

I sometimes chalk it up to our big dogs who rub on stuff out in the yard and woods and then rub on me. Or my general klutziness, city grime, having to squeeze in and out of a cramped garage, etc, etc.

I try to limit how much I spend on white items, and also try to make sure they’re safe to launder. I have also had the underarm stain issue, so I tend to save my one nice white silk blouse for only good occasions. Consequently it hasn’t been worn in over three years, LOL!

cat2

Veteran

Janet and quietloud, the under arm stains went away when I switched to Degree deodorant, the one that is supposed to be black dress safe I found to be white blouse safe as well. You might test it on an inexpensive tee first, though.

Lesley

Veteran

Ha, this time the culprit WAS the napkin on the lap--I think the napkin had food on it that transferred to my lap!

Janet, I think what you said is key--not spending a ton on white. In terms of tees, I learned years ago to not spend too much, so that when pits yellow in a few years I can toss them without feeling too bad. Regarding jeans, I keep seeing white jeans that I love, but then I remember how infrequently I wear the pair I have due to all these issues.

Val

Hm, wearing white tops doesn’t bother me too much, even though I’m a messy eater and drinker. I agree with the others who mentioned treating stains ASAP. When stains hit midday on a white item, I often duck into the nearest restroom and do a quick spot wash right there and then. It’s usually tea or coffee and usually on the chest or sleeve, which are areas I can reach without taking the garment off. Then I blot it with towels so it doesn’t look *too* wet, and go on with my day. Otherwise, I treat the stain at home at the end of the day.

Treating stains doesn’t feel onerous to me. On the other hand, I am completely lazy about white soles on sneakers and just let them get grubby.

Carol

(website)

Veteran

I sat on the ground at work to put together a display—in white pants. I came home with a brown butt…my boyfriend was aggravated I had sat down. He’s an image guy aware of clothing.

So I, too, am a person who doesn’t get too precious with whites…just buy another.

In terms of pit stains, I, too, used to be plagued…i greatly improved it by doing multiple liver and colon cleanses.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I’m bothered by the way that white coats and jackets can get grimy around the wrists on the sleeves after a bit of wear. I had a white leather jacket years ago that got like that and having it professionally cleaned cost a pretty penny. And I ended up only wearing it a few more times after that before letting it go.

judy

Veteran

Ah yes, white jackets...I had a gorgeous cropped down one that got grimy too, around the cuffs. I do wear white t shirts and button downs, but don't wear make up. I have some natural canvas painter pants that I didn't obsess about staining because they had some stains when I bought them, though they did wash out. I'm at the stage of life where I'm not sitting on the grass or curbs any more which was a good reason to wear dark denim in younger years. And I always wear an apron when I cook and if I can, when I eat too!

Just adding that I am prone to messes and stains and I've been using a stain remover called Forever New that years ago a waitress who had spilled something greasy on her beautiful dress told me about. It works!

bj1111

Veteran

When you are out and about…

Two words—tide pen

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I have actually switched sunscreens for my neck because of these problems. I am the anti-hero in Angie's superpower movie. But I still wear white and do my best.

Lucy

Veteran

My main problem with white is sunscreen - I live in the warmer end of Australia, so it's not really negotiable. Does anyone have tips for sunscreens that don't yellow clothes?

Chiara

Lucy, I find that zinc sunblock will temporarily stain but washes out.
But the absorber sunblocks cause yellowing. I use oxy bleach and a hot soak, which addresses the issue mostly but not entirely. And of course, if you are dealing with silk or other tricky fabrics, not a very good option. As others have said, I avoid spending a lot on white clothes I know will get worn with sunblock.

Zaeobi

(website)

Veteran

I don't wear pure white (so YMMV) but Tide To Go pens are my hidden superpower whenever I wear light neutrals (I keep one in both my belt bag & backpack haha). Only works if I use it straight away or ASAP after discovering the stain, though.

I think Shout also does a similar product.

laura

Those of you who wear an apron when eating, is it only when you wear white, or always ?

DonnaF

Veteran

I *always* wear an apron and have quite a wardrobe of them. A big reason is that they have large pockets in front so I can tote my reading glasses and phone since so many women’s garments lack large pockets.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I don't wear an apron when I eat. Only when I cook!