SUITS
A well-made and properly maintained suit will last many years. Most people tend to dry clean their suits too often, which will shorten its lifespan.
Some tips on getting the most out of your Don Morphy garment:
- Rotate your suits.
- Wear a suit once or twice a week at most, and allow for a few days between wears. This allows it to recover its shape and release wrinkles accumulated throughout the day.
- Get an extra pair of trousers whenever possible. Trousers get the most use and tend to wear out more quickly than jackets, so rotating the trousers can extend the life of the suit significantly.
- Brush off the garments with a suit brush after wearing, it removes any excess dust or dirt that could settle into the fibers.
- Hang the suit correctly. Be sure to use a hanger with a wide and proper curve to preserve the shape of the shoulders, and hang the trousers correctly to avoid creases. Let the suit breathe on the hanger after being worn. Give it a good amount of space to air out before putting it back into the closet.
- Treat and spot clean any stains as soon as possible, whenever possible.
- Try and avoid dry cleaning wool suits. The high temperatures and chemicals can deteriorate the fibers, and the pressing machines flatten the chest and lapels. Once a year is usually sufficient if it must be done, be sure to find a cleaner that will take good care of your suit.
- Don’t steam a wool suit or put it into a steamy bathroom to release wrinkles. It may successfully get rid of a few wrinkles, but it also could make the rest of the suit lose the shape that’s been expertly pressed into the cloth with heat and pressure. Wool fiber has a memory, and steam can cause the fibers to lose that memory.
- Get garments altered when necessary, clothing that is too small can wear out more quickly at the seams and can stress the cloth.
- For storage, ensure the above steps of brushing and hanging are completed and place the suit in a garment bag to keep it free from dust and away from moths.
TOPCOATS & OVERCOATS
Care for your topcoats and overcoats exactly as you would a suit. See above.
SHOES
Every man should be proficient in caring for his shoes.Some tips on getting the most out of your Don Morphy shoes:
- Prepare an area. Shoe polish stains clothes and upholstery, so make sure you’re working someplace where you’ve laid down some newspaper or something to cover anything you don’t want to possibly damage. Wear an apron, or clothes you don’t want to see stained, just in case. Also, latex gloves can be useful to prevent polish from staining your fingertips.
- Begin by using a rag or brush to remove any dirt or dust. Using a soft cotton cloth, apply a small amount of multi-purpose leather cream in small circular motions. For shoes with built-up wax (you can tell if there is excess wax polish built up because it looks cracked, dry, and irregular to the rest of the color of the shoe) it may be necessary to put some energy and force into the motion to remove the buildup. Allow drying for 4-5 minutes. The surface of the shoe should appear hazy. Use a polishing brush to remove the excess cream.
- Using a different section of cotton cloth, apply cream polish to the entire shoe in small amounts, applied in circular motions. Be sure the color of the cream is a good match for the leather when in doubt apply to a small section first to be sure. The pigments in the cream polish restore color to the leather. If the cream is darker than the leather, it could cause it to darken over time. To preserve the color of the shoe, especially lighter shoes, use a cream that is lighter than the leather of the shoes. Allow the cream polish to dry for 4-5 minutes, then remove the excess polish using a polishing brush.
- Repeat the step above a few more times, allowing the polish to dry each time, and removing excess polish with a polishing brush. At this stage, the shoe should have a nice, matte polish, which may be sufficient for some men who don’t want a glossy shine.
- Use a wax polish to enhance the shine further. Apply using a cotton cloth, in small circular motions. The wax polish provides a high gloss shine, and can further waterproof your shoes. One or two applications over the shoe is sufficient. Allow to dry, and remove excess polish with a polishing brush.
- For a mirror-like shine, focus on the toe box and heel of the shoe only (the excess wax polish will crack in areas where the shoe bends). Apply more wax polish in small circular motions, this time add a drop or two of water to the leather and work it into the leather along with the wax. Allow to dry, and buff with a cotton chamois using a fast side to side motion. The heat from the friction produces the high gloss shine. Repeat this step several more times until your desired finish is achieved, but remember to only apply a small amount of wax each time to avoid build-up.