Great ‘Take care of your wardrobe’ Hunt

Ladies, if your white underwear has gone a bit grey, dye it a nice bright colour to tone in with your fave wardrobe items.

I would also suggest investing in having your "colours" done so you don't waste money buying things that don't suit you, never will, and just take up space. also when you know your best colours most of your clothes will go together and you will look GREAT in them.

As far as black cotton and linen that fades, and also shows up white threads, cat hairs, your hairs, etc even if you do wash it inside out - re-dye the lot black every few months. It will cover over the hairs and threads too and all your blacks will match each other again instead of being shades of grey.

(off topic, but I cannot resist saving those little strips of ribbon that are inside everything from sweaters to trousers these days. I snip them off as I don't use them for hanging things but they must be useful for something .....???)

This is not a tip but a question related to this thread - does anyone know where I would get a handbag lining repaired? I have alovely Fiorelli handbag which the lining is completely ripped in. I know Timpsons etc will do the leather bits but anyone ever heard of anywhere who could do the lining?

I am another user of washing soda with the detergent in the washing machine - I'm using about half the detergent I used to - better for the environment, my clothes and my pcket.

I also use white vinegar instead of fabric softener - we found it cheapest in a big container from the greengrocer and it lasts for ages. No nasty niffs, either, if used sparingly.

I just overdyed some black trousers and a cardigan to refresh the colour and it worked really well - saved a fortune. I also dyed some linen trousers and a dress where the colour just wasn't working for me and they now have an excellent new lease of life: I'm thrilled. I even managed to disguise a scorch mark on a blouse with the dye treatment - a new lease of life for another garment.

There's an interesting blog - Google Wardrobe Refashion - which publishes loads of ideas for making over or up-cycling clothing and other textile items.

I used the good bits of a pair of worn-out linen trousers to make a great pinafore to wear when I'm crafting - saves getting fluff and stains on my clothes.

Its almost digresiing, but theres method in my madness.

Obviously try and avoid clothes that say Dry Clean only, but as most coats / suits etc are "Dry Clean only", please avoid any shade of red.

I use to work in a dry cleaners and if anyone brought in an item of red clothing and there was a stain/mark on it, we couldn't pretreat it, so it was really a 50/50 whether the stain came out.

But any other colour we could pre-treat, and 99% of the time the mark would come out. x

Only iron things that absolutely need it and even then do it before wearing not before hanging up (as hanging creates creases sometimes!).
Dry inside out, especially if sunny, to avoid fading.
Wash as low a temp as possible.
Visit charity shops, I have got lots of nearly or brand new Next, M and S etc clothing in the past for pennies, and still lasting well!