Dark-wash denim can rub off onto shoes, clothes and skin. This is especially annoying when you’re wearing white. You’d think that merchandise would fail quality control standards if dye bled off garments, but sadly this isn’t the case. Instead you’ll find a swing ticket attached to the garment stating something along the lines of “garment dye may stain clothing”. So what is a girl to do when we’ve painstakingly found the perfect pair of jeans?

Stephanie recently shared the answer on the forum: soak those jeans in a bucket of vinegar and water overnight. The acidity of the vinegar helps to set the dye. Wash and hang dry afterwards and you’ll notice less bleeding the next time you wear them. I tried this in January with my ink blue denim clamdiggers from Zara and it has definitely helped. The dye has set a little more, and my hands aren’t blue after a day’s wear.

I believe that you get your money’s worth when it comes to jeans. I have two pairs of ink blue Diesel jeans that were expensive. They have never rubbed off onto my clothes, shoes, handbag or skin. I suppose setting the dye is just too expensive a process for the manufacturers to use on less pricey jeans.

Your everyday bras will give you comfort and support for a full 12 months if (and it’s a big “if”) you do the following:

• Purchase great quality bras
• Rotate at least four bras so that each of them gets equal rest and wear
• Launder them with love and NEVER use the tumble dryer
• Don’t use them for working out; that’s for sports bras
• Store them neatly to preserve the molded shape of the cups

Purchasing fabulous bras can set you back a pretty penny and it’s therefore worth the effort to make them last. Yet another way to increase the ROI of your wardrobe.

By the way, Nicole started a very informative thread on bras in the forum. Be sure to take a look.

Wrapping paper, or gift wrap, is usually wrapped around a long cylindrical roll of cardboard. Save these rolls and cut them in half because they make superb long boot shapers. If you don’t have proper boot shapers, try this cheap trick instead (rolled up magazines are another cheap, but effective, option).

I stumbled across the new approach yesterday as I was wrapping Christmas presents. I had a new pair of boots that were in desperate need of shapers, so I temporarily used the wrapping paper roll to keep them upright and neat. That did the job perfectly and the rolls are now there to stay.

The December issue of Lucky Magazine shared an interesting laundry trick. You can wash beaded and sequined pieces at home instead of traipsing them off to the cleaners if you follow a few simple steps. I tested the method on one of my own sequined cardigans and altered the process a little.

Here’s what to do:

• Check that your washing machine has an ultra delicate “hand wash” cycle. If so, that’s the cycle to use. Use cold water and mild detergent (Woolite will do the trick).
• Turn the embellished piece inside out and pop it into an old pastel or white pillow case (you don’t want the dye of the pillow case to run). Close the pillow case with a tight knot and proceed to wash.
• Hang the damp garment over a rack or chair to dry, or flat-dry on a towel.
• Steam if necessary.

I took the chance with this piece because I felt I had nothing to lose. The last time I took an embellished piece of knitwear to the cleaners, it came back a size smaller. Dry cleaning can also cause sequins to melt. Some items do deserve to be professionally laundered (I wouldn’t risk using Lucky Magazine’s laundry method with my partially sequined mesh and satin party dress, for example). My embellished skirt, on the other hand, is soon to befriend a damp pillowcase.

If your have marks on light coloured leather or patent shoes, try cleaning them with acetone (nail polish remover). Soak a piece of cotton wool in the acetone and rub it over the mark. I haven’t found a need to be gentle with my patent shoes, but am a dash more careful with soft leather (I haven’t tried this with metallic leather).

This method works wonders. The colour of the shoe somehow remains intact, and in most cases the marks either disappear or are substantially reduced. It’s particularly effective for removing dark blue stains that end up on the top, or at the back of your shoes after wearing dark blue wash jeans. My yellow and cream patent heels continue to look new because of this easy trick.

If you’ve been here before, you probably know how I feel about perfect pant lengths. In most cases you’ll be buying pants that are longer than you need and having them shortened, but it is also possible to go the other way: taking down the hems of pants is a solution that we often forget.

Unfortunately, it’s impossible to do with jeans, where there is no real hem. But it does work well with other types of pants if you alter them correctly:

• You’ll need enough of a hem before you start: an inch or more will do the trick. A good tailor can utilize an entire hem if they use bias binding. Bias binding is sewn onto the edge of the hem and acts as an additional piece of fabric. This allows the tailor to take down the hem without having to borrow from the fabric to sew another hem back in. You’ll be surprised how effective this method can be, and an inch can make all the difference.
• Have pant hems altered before wearing them because hem creases can be steamed out successfully before the dry-cleaning or washing process. Crease lines tend to become permanent after laundering.

I’ve lengthened quite a few pairs of slacks this way and it really works. You can also apply the same lengthening method to unlined jacket sleeves and skirts. So the next time an item falls a wee bit short in the length, remember to check whether you can take down the hem.

An example of bias binding.

The bra baby is a “revolutionary new washing system that protects your finest intimate apparel from the wear and tear of the washing machine”. It’s like a hard, plastic, oval egg shell that encages the bra and prevents it from being squashed, stretched and agitated during washer/dryer spin cycles.

This sounds like a good idea for the washing machine, but I’d still refrain from putting my bras in the dryer. Elastic does not like excessive heat no matter how well you protect it on the outside. The heat causes elastic fibers to contract and then break down, making them lose their elasticity (which is also why we should never tumble dry our jeans).

Good bras can cost up to $90 a piece and caring for them is essential. At $19.95 for two, the bra baby might be worth the expense (as long as you continue to hang-dry your bras).  I’ve been using the bra bag for years, but perhaps it’s time to update the way I baby my bras. Have you tried the bra baby? If so, leave a comment and let us know how it worked out.

The start of a new season and the end of an old one calls for a little extra organization. It’s a good idea to get niggly wardrobe tasks out of the way so that you can shop in your closet for Spring and Summer. Below is a checklist that I’ve found useful:

• Take coats and knitwear to the cleaners so that they are ready to wear next season.
• Pack away ski and snow gear.
• Unpack warmer weather clothes if you store them to conserve closet space in Winter.
• Take shoes and boots to be re-soled and cleaned if necessary.
• Take clothing that needs to be altered to a tailor.
• Make sure that you are wearing the correct bra. The size of our bust changes due to weight loss/gain, age and breast feeding, and it’s imperative to keep up with these changes. 60% of all women are in the wrong bra size so make sure that you aren’t one of them.
• Check white clothes for yellow armpit stains and irremovable spots. If tilex won’t remove them, pass them along.
• Scrutinize your Spring and Summer clothing. The aim is to have a fluid wardrobe that’s brimming with flattering, wearable possibilities. If this is not the case, do some closet clean up.
• Get a pedicure. Sandals will be coming out for Spring and those feet need to look the part.

Have fun adding this season’s luster to existing favourites. You’ll be sure to strike up a bargain in the two months of Summer shopping that are left.

You’ll keep your boots looking brand new for years if you look after them. It’ll only take a little effort and a small investment of time. Here’s what to do:

• Use boot shapers and keep them upright. There are countless types to choose from (the cheapest for as little as $9). If that’s still too much effort, rolled up magazines tied with rubber bands (to get a cylindrical form) will also do the trick.
• Clean them regularly. Boot polish or cream that you apply with a cloth and then brush are best. There are a multitude of fancy formulas out there that boast better results (like sprays and special sponges), but none are as effective as old fashioned boot polish.
• Spray on a water repellent formula. The Teflon coating keeps out rain and prevents stains.
• Remove odours. Stay fresh using a shoe deodorant.

Boots are expensive and usually a statement piece. Give them a little extra attention and they’ll take care of you for a lot longer.

Find boot shapers and shoe cream at your local grocery store, drugstore, online stores or specialist shoe stores.

How many times can you wear your knitwear items (pullovers, cardigans and sweaters) before you need to launder them? I have found that unless you’ve spilled, traveled, traipsed in muck, or perspired heavily, 4-5 times works well. Lighter coloured knitwear will need to be washed more frequently; while patterned styles survive a little longer. My cream cardigan needs to be washed every second time I wear it, but my cheetah printed one lasts a good deal longer.

This wear-to-wash ratio can be applied to any type of yarn, including cashmere, silk-blends, wool, viscose blends, acrylic and polyester. Pilling is unfortunately inevitable and can happen after one wear! Excessive laundering of knitwear can sometimes create pillage when inferior yarn was used.

Keep an eye on the entire family’s knitwear and make sure that it gets the proper attention. Appropriate wash care balances keeping knitwear items looking pristine with maximizing their useful lifetime.