How to Care For Your Tuxedo
You’ve made the decision to buy your own tuxedo. Now you’re prepared for any formal event. Still, you can’t just throw your new tux in your closet and forget about it until your next black-tie invite comes along. Caring for and storing your formalwear properly is essential. A classically styled tux can take you through years of dinner galas and black-tie weddings, but without proper care, it will never look as good as the day you bought it.
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Cleaning Your Tuxedo
It’s important that you clean your tux after every use, even if it doesn’t look dirty. Tuxedos, especially white tuxedo shirts, can develop stains and smells if they aren’t cleaned. Find a drycleaner who is experienced with formalwear; you might have to pay a bit more for a quality cleaning, but it’s worth it. Make sure that you point out any stains when you take your tux to the cleaners. These areas will need to be spot cleaned. When you drop off your tux, also request that the shirt be starched and pressed.
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Tuxedo Storage
After cleaning, the most important thing you can do to ensure a long life for your tux is to store it properly. Don’t just hang it up and forget about it! A tuxedo needs a special garment bag to keep it in good shape, especially if you don’t plan to wear it often. Hang your tux on a special hanger for suits--cedar works well. Then, place the outfit in the garment bag and hang it in a corner of your closet. You might want to add a few mothballs to the bottom of your bag if you don’t plan to wear your tux soon.
A tuxedo can be stored safely for years, but for the best results, you should take it out and wear it every now and then. Let your tux see the light of day at least once each year. Find an excuse to wear it--go to a fancy dinner or buy tickets to a gala. If you don’t want to put it on, at least take the tux out of the bag and let it get some air.
Caring For Your Formal Shoes
Patent leather shoes are a big part of a formal look for men, but they can be easily damaged without proper care. Always polish and clean your shoes after you wear them. Store them somewhere out of the way in your closet, where there will be no change of damage. You might want to invest in a plastic container or keep them in their original shoebox. Keep your shoes smelling fresh with cedar inserts, which are available at many formalwear stores.
Caring for your tuxedo will cost money, but it will be a lot less than the cost of buying another ensemble. Think of your tuxedo as an investment that you must upkeep regularly. If you put a little work into it, your formal outfit will serve you well for years to come. |
