How to care for your winter festive wear

Reviving your seasonal wardrobe

The winter festive season is a time when even the most modest dressers may bring out some dazzling outfits to ring in the new year. But these rare occasion garments may require some extra care compared to your everyday items of clothing. In this guide, we will share some of our best care tips to help bring them back to life.

Embellished garments

Garments embellished with beads and sequins are a classic staple of the winter festive wardrobe. If your embellished garment is creased or wrinkled after months in storage, use a steamer to smooth out wrinkles without damaging the sequins or beads. Steam from the inside of the garment to avoid direct contact with the embellishments.

If you need to wash a garment with sequins, it’s always best to hand wash or use a gentle cycle on your washing machine with a sealed laundry bag to keep the embellishments from leaking into the drum or ripping off.

Garments with ruching or pleating

Structured dresses with ruching, pleating, or puff sleeves are also common this time of year. These items may get wrinkled but are difficult to iron since the hot ironing surface will flatten the fabric. Once again, steaming is the best solution to bring the garment back to its former glory. The steam will relax the fibers and allow them to regain their natural, wrinkle-free shape without interfering with the structure of the fabric.

Wash instructions will vary depending on the material, so always read the care label before washing. But with structured garments, it’s always best to let them hang dry to allow the fabric to maintain its shape without exposure to excessive heat.

Silk and satin items

Silk garments often come with ‘hand wash only’ or ‘dry clean only’ care instructions, and some silk may even be sensitive to water exposure, particularly if it’s a vintage piece. But if you only plan to wear this outfit once, it might be enough to air it out overnight to freshen up the garment before and after a night of celebrations and dancing.

If this doesn’t refresh the garment, try steaming to eliminate bacteria and reduce odors. To emulate a clean laundry feeling between washes, add a spritz of rose-scented Fabric Spray. And if the item is washable, hand wash in cold water (preferably no warmer than 20–30°C/68–89°F) with a gentle detergent, like our Delicate Laundry Detergent.

Sheer materials

Synthetic sheer materials are usually not breathable and are therefore likely to trap heat and moisture and attract bad odors. So thin garments made from materials like polyester, rayon, and acetate won’t benefit as much from being aired out, since air and water vapor cannot easily pass through the fibers.

To freshen up your sheer items, wash in low temperatures (ideally no higher than 30ºC/86ºF) with detergent specially made for synthetic fibers and workout clothes, like our Active Laundry Detergent, and let them air dry. Sheer materials tend to dry fast, so they are very easy to dry indoors. Add Fabric Spray. for a fresh final touch.

Dry-clean-only suits 

That suit that you only wear for special occasions may be a ‘dry clean only’ kind of suit. With these items, the key is to strike a balance between maintaining cleanliness and avoiding excessive exposure to the harsh chemicals used in the dry-cleaning process.

To minimize your visits to the dry cleaner’s, try to air out your suit overnight after every use to eliminate odors in a natural way and use a steamer to steam the areas that need to be freshened up, like the armpits of your suit jacket. For more tips, read our care guide for suits and jackets.

Bonus tip: Remember to store properly

After the festivities are over, proper storage is crucial for maintaining the longevity of your garments. If you know an item is particularly prone to creasing, try hanging it in a breathable garment bag rather than folding it. And remember to always store your seasonal wardrobe away from direct sunlight and in a cool, dry place. This prevents discoloration and ensures they're ready for the next year.