September is here and that means wardrobe transition time. This is the week, say fashion experts, when we start to pack away our sarongs to make space for the onset of autumn.
There is, however, nothing so likely to prompt a forensic examination of your wardrobe than the process of packing or unpacking it.
Where have those cracks in your best winter handbag come from? Can those trainers be described as ‘white’ any more, and wouldn’t you be better off just chucking them and buying a new pair next year?
FEMAIL spoke to a selection of experts for the best tips on storing your summer wardrobe this autumn
Don’t despair, because with expert help and some innovative techniques, it’s possible to protect your summer items for next season and spruce up your existing autumn/winterwear.
Goodbye summer . . .
TREAT TRAINERS TO A MANICURE
No longer the preserve of twentysomethings, 2017 has been the summer of the ‘white trainer’. We’ve been wearing them with everything from floaty, midi-dresses to crisp cigarette pants.
But the trouble with the dazzling white trainer is that it doesn’t stay that way for long.
So now is the time — says wardrobe consultant Anne Hamlyn, of top styling agency dressme.biz — to pep them up before putting them away.
‘Remember that matt white nail polish that came in those French manicure sets? Well, nobody wants a French manicure any more, but the polish beautifully covers any scuffs on white leather that can’t be cleaned off,’ she says.
Also, try using nail polish remover wipes to lift off light stains, plus a diluted bleach solution to brighten grubby soles.
‘What you shouldn’t ever do with white leather is scrub,’ she warns. ‘The white is just a top layer and the leather underneath is brown, so you’ll just make the trainers look worse.’
Another cheap but effective tip is to replace the laces before you put the shoes away ready for next summer.
KEEP T-SHIRTS HANGER-FREE
Jigsaw brand ambassador Sarah Corp recommends rolling t-shirts to avoid stretching (file image)
Never store T-shirts on coat hangers. ‘The cotton in T-shirts can stretch by as much as an inch if you leave them hanging up,’ says Sarah Corp, a leading stylist and brand ambassador for High Street chain Jigsaw.
‘I always roll mine into little sausages before I put them away for the winter, which stops both stretching and creasing.’
Sarah says it’s also a good time to sort your T-shirts into colours: ‘That way, when you come to unpack your spring/summer wardrobe next year, you can see at a glance what you already have.
‘So many women buy duplicates in spring simply because they’ve forgotten what they bought the year before.’
SHAMPOO YOUR SWIMSUITS
She also says to retain the shape of swimwear its important to wash them with a gentle shampoo and lukewarm water (file image)
Chlorine, sea salt and strong washing detergents can pull swimsuits and bikinis out of shape, adds Sarah.
‘Treat your bikinis like you would silk lingerie. Never machine-wash, even in a laundry bag — they’re too delicate.
‘Instead fill a sink with lukewarm water and add a bit of something gentle: hair shampoo works particularly well. Once dry, roll up the top and pants and put them together in a bag to store them. It’s baffling the way bikini bottoms go missing over the winter.’
TOUCH UP JACKETS WITH TOOTHPASTE
‘White collars or cuffs often get grubby, and I find a good whitening toothpaste and a toothbrush work brilliantly,’ says Polly McMaster, co-founder of The Fold, a label specialising in chic workwear.
On the subject of pale colours Polly also has a tip for anybody who has noticed their pastel-coloured bags or sandals are looking less than daisy-fresh.
‘Johnson’s baby wipes are genius on leather and plastic if you want to spruce up accessories before you put them away,’ she says. ‘They lift marks and they’re also impregnated with oils which condition and shine.’
. . . hello autumn!
MOISTURISE THAT PRIZED HANDBAG
Sarah says its important to moisturise leather to restore handbags and avoid cracks. She recommends using a non-coloured leather polish or gel (file image)
If your autumn/winter handbag looks a little dry or, worse still, has developed cracks while you’ve not been using it, then you need to moisture the leather, says Sarah Corp.
‘Non-coloured leather polish should bring your handbag back to life,’ she adds. ‘To soften it up, moisturise it three or four times over the course of the autumn and winter months using a cream conditioner or gel made for leather.’
If your handbag looks lopsided, stuffing it with tissue paper and leaving it for a couple of weeks should rectify that.
‘If the handbag was expensive enough to have a dust bag, use it when you store the handbag again,’ Sarah adds.
‘It will stop the leather getting scuffed by things around it or faded by sunlight.’
PUT DENIM IN THE DEEP FREEZE
As autumn begins, you’ll want to bring out your dark denims — the indigos and blacks in particular.
If they smell a little fusty, says designer Donna Ida (dubbed the ‘Jean Queen’), then a spritz of fabric freshener will work wonders.
Designer Donna ida says it’s best to freeze denim to remove dirt rather than wash to maintain it’s quality (file image)
Don’t over-wash your dark jeans. ‘Denim doesn’t need to be washed with every wear,’ says Donna. ‘I’ll happily pull the same pair on three or four days in a row.
‘If you find any tough surface dirt on a small area, try freezing it off rather than washing. Put the jeans in the freezer for a couple of hours then use a brush to scrape the debris way.’
DRY CASHMERE IN A SALAD SPINNER
From high-end luxury brands to more affordable High Street ranges, cashmere has been hugely popular over the past five years — but caring for it can be a headache.
Even if a particular brand says it is machine-washable, advises Sarah Corp, you should never use a cycle that features any kind of spin. ‘Cashmere will shrink with any kind of aggressive spinning or drying technique,’ she explains.
‘As strange as it sounds, I find it easiest to hand-wash cashmere cardigans and sweaters and then get the excess water out using a large salad spinner.
‘That way you remove excess water without having to wring the jumper [which will pull it out of shape], or wait days while it drip-dries.
‘After you’ve gently spun the item, you can re-shape it damp and leave it to air-dry.’