Seasonal storage of clothing not only keeps infrequently worn items out of the way, it prevents damage to things that will not be used for months. And, depending on your local climate, now through May is the time to turn over your wardrobe, putting away (in the Northern hemisphere) heavy tweeds and flannels and taking out linen and tropical weight clothing.
I use a separate closet for seasonal storage but any storage space needs to be cool, dry and airy so it does not develop mildew or odors that spread to everything that is stored there. Getting odors out of clothes can be a nightmare - dry cleaning does not help - so don’t let them get started. Storage areas should be aired out, vacuumed and wiped down at least once a year.
Clothing that is going to be stored should be also be clean, meaning it needs to be washed or dry cleaned before it is put away. Moths and pests of all sorts are attracted to dirt on clothes and in the process of eating the dirt will damage the fibers. This is also a good time to have minor repairs done, while you still remember what is required.
Dust mites can also live in clothes and each month of storage increases the population of mites and allergens significantly. Air out even freshly dry cleaned clothes for a couple of hours before putting them away. Empty pockets before hanging garments up to preserve their shape, button the buttons and zip the zippers. Suits and jackets should be hung on wide, shaped hangers to preserve their shape, and then placed in muslin or canvas bags. Plastic bags are undesirable as they can trap moisture inside and impart a musty smell.
My own process of wardrobe rotation is done two or three items at a time over the course of a couple of months. I start by putting away my heaviest things and taking out regular weight clothes in warm weather colors, like tan gabardine. This weekend begins the task.
Photo: Javabali
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7 comments:
I would think that as a resident of the Bay Area you'd use the local approach to seasonal clothing, aka, year-round clothing since we basically have no seasons. (Three cold days in January and five hot days in June do not a season make, says this local who previously lived in Boston, MA, a city with actual seasons.)
Cheers,
JCS
Even if that were not a considerable exaggeration in regards to the temperature variances here, it would be a strategy for men who don't pay much attention to their clothes, precluding as it would the differences in palette between the seasons. The cream, tan and light gray suits of summer, for example, are out of place in December.
Now if only I had someplace to put them. My wife, it would appear, has appropriated all extra closet space.
@Will:
Yes, I exaggerated our temperature constancy for effect; though I'm told mine would be an accurate description of San Diego.
Good catch on the palette; I was thinking of weight only. I tend to wear the [European] uniform of my job, which ends up as variations on dark suits, with the occasional vest for temperature management. (Perhaps I should expand my suiting colors...)
Would you apply the palette constraints to odd jackets, if - say - going for a walk with friends in GG Park on a nice warm February day?
(In passing I'll note that here in the East Bay anyone wearing a shirt with buttons, long pants, and shoes is "dressy.")
Cheers,
JCS
If I was to wear an odd jacket in the park on a warm February day it would probably be a mid-weight in a typical fall pattern. Perhaps the black and white glen check I wrote about the other day.
On a warm day in July it might be a mustard linen that actually weighed more than than the February jacket but was more in tune with the time of year.
There is nothing I can do for the East Bay. Most of my readers are on the East coast and in Europe for that matter.
Will, you now have one reader in Tucson. I just discovered this site from Jeffrey's blog and have spent way to much time brousing. Your views on seasonal clothing can be applied to more than menwear. Thank you for a lovely blog. I am enjoying my reading immensely.
Theresa in Tucson
I sympathize with David. It appears that I will be forced to construct an armoire for the studio for seasonal storage. Should it be lined with cedar? We don't have moths down here in dry SoCal but it might keep stored winter suits and odd jackets fresher.
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