The leather bomber jacket remains one of the most popular styles of men’s outerwear. Featuring a genuine leather construction, it’s soft, comfortable, durable and stylish. But if you plan on buying a leather jacket, you’ll need to know how to care for it; otherwise, you may find yourself having to replace it just a few years down the road.

Read the Care Label

As with most garments, it’s a good idea to read the care label on a leather jacket. Typically found inside the collar (around the neck area), the care label contains specific instructions by the manufacturer regarding how to clean and care for the jacket. Being that different manufacturers use different techniques to produce their leather jackets, you should always heed the advice listed on the care label.

Choose Genuine Leather

When shopping for a new leather jacket, make sure it’s made of 100% genuine leather and not fake or “faux” leather. Only the former is true leather. The latter is actually a synthetic fabric that’s designed to mimic the appearance and characteristics of real leather. As a result, fake and faux leather jackets don’t offer the same level of quality as their genuine counterpart, which can make them difficult to care for.

Moisturize with a Leather Conditioner

Leather jackets are generally considered low maintenance. However, there’s one thing that you will need to do: moisturize it. Using a special leather conditioning product, try to get into the habit of moisturizing your leather jacket once a month. When leather becomes too dry, it can crack open; thus, creating serious damage. This problem is easily prevented, however, by using a leather conditioning product. The conditioner will add moisture to the leather, protecting it from drying out and cracking.

Storage

You’ll also need to store your leather jacket in a climate-controlled environment. Why is this important? Well, leather needs some moisture, but too much can damage it. This is particularly true when speaking about moisture vapor in the air or what’s more commonly known as humidity. Airborne moisture vapor can saturate leather, causing it to develop mildew. To protect your leather jacket from this, store it in a climate-controlled environment with a relative humidity of 40% to 50%.

These are just a few tips to preserve and protect your leather jacket. Most importantly, though, remember to check the care label for specific instructions by the manufacturer. Following these tips will make your leather jacket last a lifetime.

References:

https://www.wikihow.com/Care-For-a-Leather-Jacket

With Labor Day now in the rear view mirror, there’s no better opportunity to prepare your wardrobe for the cold weather. Perhaps the most luxurious and comfortable winter-weather garment is a cashmere sweater. Made from cashmere wool, it offers an unmatched level of softness and comfort. But like all high-end fabrics, it requires a little work to properly maintain. So, consider the following tips when caring for your cashmere sweater.

Don’t Clean in the Washing Machine

Don’t make the mistake of trying to clean your cashmere sweater by placing it in the washing machine. Cashmere wool is simply too delicate for rotating-drum machine machines. While it may clean your sweater, it will probably stretch it out and cause other damage in the process.

Hand-Wash

Instead of placing it in the washing machine, it’s recommended that you clean your cashmere sweater by hand-washing it. Simply fill your sink with cold water, add a small amount of baby shampoo, and gently rub the fabric with your hands. After doing this for 5-8 minutes, drain the soapy water and rinse it with fresh water. You should continue ringing the sweater until the water drips clear, at which point you can remove it from the sink and hang it on a line to dry.

Dry-Cleaning

Alternatively, you can clean your cashmere sweater by taking it to the dry cleaners. It’s a non-invasive technique that’s great for delicate fabrics such as cashmere wool.

Read the Care Label

The single most important thing you can do when caring for a cashmere sweater is to read the care label. Typically found inside the collar, this label reveals the manufacturer’s instructions on how to clean and care for the sweater. Being that different manufacturers use different processes to create their cashmere sweaters, care instructions may vary from brand to brand. So, always look at the care label for more information on how to maintain your cashmere sweater.

Store in Humidity-Controlled Area

When you are finished wearing your cashmere sweater for the season, you should store it in a humidity-controlled area. If the humidity is too high, excess moisture will saturate the delicate cashmere wool fabric, potentially damaging it. This is why it’s a good idea to store clothes made of delicate fabrics in an environment with a 40% to 50% relative humidity level. Assuming you store your cashmere sweater at home, invest in a humidity reader so you can check, and control, the humidity level.

References:

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It’s frustrating when you buy a pearly white dress shirt, only for it to fade to a darker tone after just a few washes. While clothes of all colors are susceptible to fading, whites are particularly problematic. It’s not that whites fade more than other colors, but rather the fading is more noticeable because of their original color. Thankfully, there are several steps you can take to preserve the color and brightness of your white dress shirts.

#1) Wash Whites Separately

Try to get into the habit of washing your whites in a separate load. While it’s probably easier to toss all of your clothes into the same load — whites, blacks, blues, etc. — doing so causes the colors to bleed together, in which case your whites are more likely to fade.

#2) Pre-Treat Stains Before Washing

Before washing your white dress shirts, check them for stains. Assuming it’s a topical stain that hasn’t “set” yet, water and laundry detergent alone should clean it. You can give your washing machine a helping hand, however, by pre-treating stains on your white shirts beforehand. Simply apply a small amount of color-safe stain remover to the affected area, gently scrub it with an old toothbrush, and place it in the washing machine.

#3) Follow the Care Label

Of course, it’s also a good idea to read and follow the care label on your white dress shirts. Here, you’ll find specific instructions by the manufacturer regarding how to wash, clean and care for the shirt. Because different shirts are made with different fabrics and construction, some have different caring instructions. Following the advice listed on your shirt’s care label will help preserve its pearly white color.

#4) Wash with Cold Water

Some people assume that washing clothes in cold water is less effective than hot water. In reality, there’s very little difference between the cleaning power of hot and cold water. Furthermore, washing with hot water increases the risk of color bleeding. So, if you’re worried that your white dress shirt will fade in the washing machine, set your machine to cold water instead of hot.

#5) Wash with Vinegar

In addition to cold water, you can also preserve the brightness of your white dress shirts by washing them with vinegar. Adding one cup of white vinegar to the load helps “set” the color and subsequently reduces the risk of fading and bleeding. Furthermore, vinegar acts as a natural fabric softener, making your dress shirts softer and even more comfortable to wear.

References:

https://www.birchbox.com/guide/video/5-tips-for-keeping-your-dress-shirt-crisp

When it comes to lint, many men throw in the towel by wearing clothes riddled with lint. While it’s nearly impossible to avoid all lint, there are steps you can take to minimize it. And by doing so, you’ll create a cleaner and more formal appearance. So, consider the following tips to rid your clothes of lint.

Wash Wool Sweaters Separately

Some fabrics produce more lint in the washing machine than others, with wool being the most problematic. Washing a new wool sweater, for instance, may produce a substantial amount of lint. Now, if you wash the sweater with other clothes, your other clothes will also accumulate this lint. This is why it’s a good idea to wash wool sweaters and other wool garments separately. After washing them, you can then remove the lint without worrying about your other clothes.

Clean the Lint Trap

I know this probably sounds like common sense, but it’s still worth noting that you should clean the “lint trap” in your clothes dryer before each use. When the lint trap becomes clogged, excess lint will remain trapped inside the dryer, resulting in more lint on your clothes. Furthermore, failure to clean the lint trap is a serious fire hazard because the lint obstructs the hot air from being released outside through the exhaust vent.

Dryer Sheets or Ice Cubes

When drying your clothes, try adding either a dryer sheet or few cubes of ice. A dryer sheet is the best solution, as it’s designed specifically to reduce static cling. When clothes become statically charged, they’ll attract and hold more lint. If you don’t have any dryer sheets, however, you can always use a few cubes of ice instead. Ice cubes also reduce static cling by adding a small amount of moisture to your clothes — just enough to prevent static cling.

Lint Roller

We can’t talk about ways to prevent lint without mentioning a lint roller. Consisting of a cylinder-shaped roll of one-sided tape, it’s an invaluable tool for keeping lint off your clothes. Simply run the lint roller across your clothes, at which point it should capture most of the lint.

Anti-Static Spray

Finally, consider using an anti-static spray on your clothes. These products are designed to reduce static cling and subsequently prevent lint. You can find anti-static sprays available at most home goods stores.

References:

15 great ways to keep LINT off your clothes

Are you wearing the right accessories with your outfit? When you’re busy choosing an outfit in the morning, it’s easy to overlook the accessories. After all, how much of an impact will accessories really have on your outfit? Well, more than you may realize. If you’re struggling to choose the right accessories, keep reading for some helpful tips and tricks.

Belt and Shoes

If there’s one accessory that you don’t want to miss, it’s a belt. Whether you’re heading to work, a job interview, a dinner party, or just running errands around town, you should accessorize your outfit with a belt. But it’s important to choose the right color belt, as this will affect your entire appearance. A good rule of thumb is to match your belt with your shoes. So, if you’re wearing black shoes, you should also wear a black belt. On the other hand, a brown belt is a better choice when wearing brown shoes.

Wristwatch

If a belt is the single most important fashion accessory for men, a wristwatch is a close second. It serves both functional and aesthetic purposes. Wearing wristwatch allows you to keep track of time, but it also enhances your appearance with additional colors and style. Generally speaking, you have one of two options for a timepiece: you can wear a leather band wristwatch or a metal band wristwatch, the latter of which typically provides a more formal appearance.

Pocket Square

What is a pocket square and why do you need one? This otherwise small piece of fabric is folded and placed in the breast pocket of a suit jacket to enhance the wearer’s appearance. Pocket squares don’t serve any functional purpose, rather they are worn strictly for visual purposes. However, this doesn’t mean you should skip it. On the contrary, a pocket square is one of the most beneficial accessories to wear with a men’s suit. Just remember to choose a color that flows cohesively with the rest of your suit.

Cufflinks

When wearing a men’s suit, you should also wear cufflinks. Granted, some dress shirts have buttons sewn into the cuffs, in which case cufflinks aren’t necessary. If your dress shirt lacks these buttons, however, you’ll need cufflinks to secure them and hold them in place.  One of the great things about cufflinks is the sheer variety of options. Some are made of metal, while others are made of glass and stone.

References:

http://www.artofmanliness.com/2012/03/20/mans-guide-wearing-jewelry/