Where to press a suit?

[runners n jeans]

Alright, I'm going to ask a question that will probably be very obvious to you suit wearers, but since I don't wear a suit regularly, I don't know the answer to it .


I ordered a suit that got delivered in a small little box and I'm going to bet that it has wrinkles due to the packaging. I'm pretty sure one doesn't just iron a wool suit--so where would I take it to get it pressed?


Is the answer obvious like a dry cleaners? Aside from being pressed, the suit must be maintained in it's new, unaltered state (I don't know if dry cleaning invalidates that like washing a new garment would) since I need to return it if it doesn't fit (it's a Kent Wang suit).

[bj]

I just take my suits (all two of them) to the dry cleaner around the corner and they've done a good job of pressing when I didn't need them cleaned.

[LesserBlackDog]

Take 'em to the drycleaner and ask specifically for them to be steamed and pressed. Should cost $4-8 per piece, depending on the cleaner. You'll get the wrinkles removed without the wear-and-tear inherent with drycleaning.


Personally, I maintain my suits and other dryclean-only items by brushing them after wear, steaming them myself, and occasionally having them steamed and pressed professionally. Unless you have actually stained the garment, I wouldn't generally advise drycleaning more than once a year, if at all.

[runners n jeans]

Dry cleaners it is. Thanks guys.

[LesserBlackDog]

Before you spend the money at the cleaners, you might also try the shower trick. Hang the suit up in your bathroom and take a nice, long, hot shower (no fan). That can sometimes relax some lighter wrinkles, though it sounds like your wrinkles might require a little more work than that.

[JT10000]

@BenR - how many times do you wear a suit each year?


Would you advise that rarely if it was worn 25 times? I feel like my pants get sweat on them over time and worry about smell.

[LesserBlackDog]

I'd say I wear a suit 12-25 times per year. I let it air out between each wearing so smell is never a problem.


Steaming should take care of most anything that causes smells - the hot water will kill off anything living in the fibers of the suit. If you wear suits regularly, I'd recommend buying your own steamer and steaming after 2-3 wears. If you wear suits daily, you should probably own at least five, so that each one can air out for a week before being reworn.


Physically removing debris from the suit (with a horse hair brush) will also help reduce odor and remove any food source for bacteria or other critters that might try to take up residence.

[tomservo]

I think a steamer is a must own item for the dapper gentleman. Easy to find for around $60-$70 and will save you a ton over time on dry cleaning fees