I have no tolerance for stains, pilling and misshapen knits. I always make sure my shoes are clean before putting them away. However, other than that, I don't do much to maintain my clothes and they seem to last. I wash them on the regular cycle and put pretty much everything (except bras) in the dryer. I have a few items that I know will shrink that I make sure get lined dried. My clothes seem to last. Maybe I have a big enough wardrobe that I don't wear items out? Or maybe it's that a good portion of my clothes are second hand and, like Shevia said, already launder well?

Nodding along with lots above. When I lived in a rental house in Las Vegas, my clothes got chewed through so quickly due to poor laundering conditions that I didn't have much control over -- extremely hard water (I would've invested in a whole-house water softening system if the house had been mine), an old washing machine with an agitator (love the HE front loader I have now!), and a tiny yard with intense sunlight and little-to-no shade depending on the time of year (line drying is great, but too much UV will break down most fibers over time).

I don't have too much trouble with clothes wearing out more quickly than I expect. I wash as necessary -- usually every 2-3 wears and try to hang/air out between wears (trying to train DH to do the same, but it's an uphill battle!). Lingerie/delicates bags for things that need it, sweater stone for pills, avoid the dryer, lay knits flat to dry to avoid stretching them, treat stains as immediately as possible, store wool with cedar sachets to deter moths, wear an apron when cooking... Honestly, it's a lot of habits to develop and a lot of work (and line drying takes up valuable space, especially in the winter when it has to be done indoors), and I can understand the temptation to just throw everything into the washer/dryer and not have to think about it.

Ditto to most of these ideas about gentle wash cycle, hang to dry except for socks, undies, pajamas, and some jeans which need to be tightened up between wearings. I do have a few tops that do better in the dryer because if I hang them to dry, they seem too big. Black items never go into the dryer, as I find that’s what fades black pants, tees, shorts and jeans the fastest. Heat is also hard on stretch things like athletic wear and elastic waists on running shorts.

For shoes, I’ve been able to buy nail polish to touch up hot pink, mint green, silver and black patent leather shoes, and use regular polish often. I have several pairs available for every shoe purpose so I can rotate shoes to protect my feet from soreness and that probably contributes to shoe longevity. I can honestly say most of my shoes are discarded for going out of style before wearing out.

Winter coats last me for years as I am diligent about washing them a few times during the winter so they stay fresh. The same goes for hats, scarves and gloves. I can’t think of recent coats that required dry cleaning. I seriously doubt I would purchase new clothing now that needs to be dry cleaned, or I would turn to gentle hand washing instead.

For most of my clothing items, I feel keeping them frequently and gently washed and air dried is better for them than not washing as often.

Everything Carla says!

I don’t have a large closet so my clothes get cleaned and re-worn frequently but I’m meticulous about laundering methods, aprons, ironing, brushing, polishing, airing, repairing, spot treatment—you name it. I use wooden hangers and shoe trees, fold items carefully, and keep a tidy closet where nothing is crushed against its neighbor.

I like to keep my clothes in perfect condition, but that doesn’t mean the same thing as “new”. I actually don’t like the feel (or smell) of “fresh from the store” clothing next to my skin so I always launder those items before their first wearing. Too many chemicals, fungicides, and pesticides—plus the handling and try-on history—which is part of new clothing. On the other hand I adore the softness and drape of my older cashmere and linen items, the suppleness of my “experienced” leather boots and jackets, and the comfort of my “broken-in” tweed jacket, denim jeans, and cotton shirts.

I always use the "Handwash" Cycle on my washer and do not use fabric softener. I always hang my clothes to dry, but not DH's. I also make sure that clothes are not crammed in too tightly in my closet.

For sweaters that pill, I bought a razor that has different heads for different fabrics. I am about to use it on a Lands End fleece jacket that I love.

I now always wear an apron when I cook, since I have ruined quite a few tops otherwise.

Ditto, resoling shoes and I always use shoe polish to refresh and moisturize the leather (Though these days I do not wear shoes that often anymore)

Wow I have picked up some great tips here. I should be more careful with weights of clothes in the washing machine- and consider air drying outside more often instead of washing.

I also am going to buy a new apron - one I love - and wear it.

I heard that it is the aluminium in deodorant that causes the yellowing. I am going to look for one that does not contain that (I currently use standard brands like Nivea or Rexona)....And investigate what is the ingredient that causes the yellowing in sunscreen.

There are a lot of variables
- lifestyle and job
- size of wardrobe - smaller wardrobes wear out more quickly
- washing facilities available - line drying is not possible in some apartments

Thanks for all the advice to date - and feel free to keep on adding it!!

I absolutely agree with Gaylene that there's nothing like the character of an older garment that's been well cared for. It takes a season or two of steady wear, I'd say, for things to start feeling like they're really mine. I always feel a bit odd wearing brand-new things, and my very favorite items tend to have many, many (100+ ??) wears -- that's when things like denim and linen and good shirting really start to "come into their own" I feel. So maybe it's partly an issue of selection and choosing things that will age well...

I agree La Ped - I get very fond of some items of clothing as they get older and worn - and am reluctant to give them up. I think casual/traditional outdoor wear is great for this - but not so easy for suits, work shirts etc...

I am fine with signs of wear but not with marks - and this is something I am prone to - and want to avoid. I badly marked two items this summer which are otherwise in good shape (coffee and oil) and also ruined a cotton beach overshirt (sunscreen yellowing). All new pieces - the tee is wearable with a scarf but not alone, the overshirt is now a gardening shirt and I am not sure about the dress - I suspect a duster.

LOL! This thread motivated me to do a mid-summer mini purge. The stuff went into the garbage since it fit the category of 'worn out'. The jeans really needed to go, as did a pair of running shoes that I had been holding onto too long. I've included a pic of the clothes line DH made for me. We have tons of sports clothes that all get line dried. After a big wash day all four lines are full!

The jeans look in danger of ripping across the butt LOL!! Saved from that one Carla.

Indoor drying lines are great - I don't have one currently though

Between Jon's cycling gear (gloves are the bane of my washing - but there are also arm warmers, leg warmers as you will know), my run and gym gear, boys tennis and rugby - we do lots of gear washing. Rugby is the worst as it is muddy as well!!

Matching and rematching socks is a big job here!!

Hah, Carla, DH is actually holding a grudge against me right now for throwing out his old-old pair of running shoes! No tread left and so musty from living on the porch (I'd already banished them from the house). I told him he'll just have to suck it up and demote his second-oldest pair to lawn-mowing duty now...

Sal - I must confess to just wearing mismatched socks to work out a lot!

Me too Anne!! And occasionally under boots.

We are at the slightly strange stage where we all have similar sized socks and shoes - although the two boys have slightly overtaken their parents. But we can all wear each others socks.... I love to buy obviously feminine socks because then they do not get stolen/borrowed as much.....(I have the same approach with beanies.....)

I’m really loving the observation that if something is high-quality and you love it, wear might not be as much of an issue. I’m wearing linen pants today with patches on the inside both thighs because they tore and I wasn’t ready to give them up. Wearing them, even patched, makes me feel good about my choices.

I agree some garments actually get better with wear! Hooray for those :).
I always buy plain thin black men’s socks, that way me and hubby just share them all and we don’t need to match pairs. Yay.

Yes, Jen! I was just remembering an amazing linen tunic I bought second hand and then wore for many years until it was essentially a rag. At the end, it had patches inside both elbows. But it just felt awesome and fit like it was custom made. Finally, my husband had to have the "it's time" talk with me. I still miss that shirt. Lol.

After reading about all the TLC so many fabbers show their wardrobe, I guess I must admit to being quite hard on mine. I like freshly laundered clothes, so wash and dry often. I hate ironing and shoe care; lucky for me, I'm married to an ex-Marine who happily keeps my clothes pressed and shoes polished. I will say I'm diligent about wearing aprons when cooking or cleaning, like my mother and grandmother before me. And I tend to choose fabrics that wear well like denim and linen.

Thanks for raising this topic, Sal. I hate to be wasteful, so I'll have to give the subject more thought.

I am interested in how forum members:

• maintain their clothes to keep them in good shape
• choose clothes and shoes in the first place to allow for longevity (in terms of wear)
• feel about wearing pieces with signs of wear.

1. I only wash when needed -- I'll wear some tops and most pants two or more times before laundering, depending on the situation. Many times I can get away with hanging things to air out before putting it back in the closet. I put jeans in the pile folded backwards so I know what's been worn and what hasn't. Tops that have been worn and not laundered get hung on one side of the rack.

I also air dry most things. I'll pop stuff in the dryer to knock out wrinkles and get them to where they're not soaking wet, and then hang to dry the rest of the way. Even gear and t-shirts.

I use garment bags for washing for anything remotely on the delicate side. I wash my husband's denim and any other rough fabric separately from my stuff to preserve the fabrics.

2. I try to assess longevity when I buy, but sometimes it's a guessing game. The more expensive, the more scrutiny it gets. I don't expect a lot of longevity out of cheaper items, but sometimes they surprise me.

3. I hate pilling and don't have much tolerance for stuff that has visible pilling. I'll use the sweater shaver if I love a piece, but it does annoy me. Rips and tears are a no-go unless it's a RATE piece like distressed jeans. Once something has a hole (for instance a nice Vince tee I had a few years ago), I tend to demote it to loungewear. Even if I mend it, and it's not on a seam so pretty much invisible, it's kind of ruined for me. Stains that won't come out are a no-go as well -- ruined unless I can wear as loungewear or put in my "cleaning out the garage" capsule.

Fabrics on nice garments like blazers or trousers that get kind of shiny with wear or faded black garments also make their way into the donate bin. I just don't feel fab when dressier items show wear. Moth holes -- gone. Fraying on the ends of sleeves or the like -- gone. I have too many other things that don't look worn to wear stuff that looks shabby.

Depending on the style and purpose of footwear, I'll tolerate some signs of wear, but I'm pretty vigilant about replacing heels and soles if needed, and having shoes repaired and polished when possible. But I don't have a high tolerance for things like torn leather on a covered heel, or scraped or damaged finish. Again, the dressier the item, the less tolerance I have for visible signs of wear.

I wash most of my clothing inside out. Everything except clothing marked dry flat goes into the machine. My machines are in the garage and it isn't a clean enough space that I would dry clothing there. So I hang clothes over closet and bedroom doors and over the shower door. This is not a good look or one with space for much, so I can't hang more than a few items.

I have almost no tolerance for clothing that is not in like new shape. I have more tolerance for shoes if I don't have a replacement yet for the purpose that they serve.

I have bookmarked this thread - purchased a new apron, and have new/more mesh bags on my shopping list.

And to my frustration on Saturday I went to put on a new bomber jacket (added 16 June - worn maybe 7 times and not washed) and one of the seams has split. I called the retailer who said they have no more in NZ to buy - so I will try and mend it myself tonight. It is on the inner arm so not a terribly visible place.

This jacket was from Dotti - a cheap faster fashion place - but one where I have purchased the odd item from with success in longevity.

I am not going to bother chasing a refund or store credit - it is a timely lesson for me.

I definitely notice a difference in how long my clothes last in New Zealand where the water is soft compared to London where the water is hard. Soft water seems to increase how long clothes last.

I don’t own a drier so everything gets line dried.

Shoes I will re-heel and re-sole as necessary.

Bane of my laundry life is my daughter’s white long sleeved shirts she has to wear as part of her school uniform. Keeping the cuffs white is a tough ask!

Also I always separate into whites and lights, colours and darks.

Reading through all these I guess I don't do that much. I do not wear antiperspirant, just deodorant, and I air dry a lot of items. But other than that I just wear and then get rid of things. Wovens definitely last longer than jersey knits, but then, anything with Lycra/spandex will eventually fall apart, way faster than something without it will.
Interesting article along these lines: https://www.atlasobscura.com/a.....use-museum

I've read only a few comments so far, but will add even if many people rave about it's utility, I don't have a drier:-) so only linedry but use special detergent for knits, whites, colored and black clothes-each has it' s own and my clothes are really pleased:-). Oh and always was inside out.

I line dry everything, as we don't have a drier [and no space to hook one up :(], but other than that, I don't tend to do anything beyond washing powder & vanish in the wash. I don't tend to sort lights/darks/colours or by weight, unless I have more than one load to do, when I will sort by weight simply to make it easier on the washing line!
I haven't noticed any particular decline in the durability of my clothing, but then I tend to prefer lived-in pieces anyway, especially when it comes to denim!

The few times a piece of clothing has ripped in the wash, it generally was getting towards worn out anyway, and then gets relegated to pyjamas or housework clothing.