The Ultimate Guide to Fixing Clothes

Clothes are an important parts of our daily lives. They can make or break an outfit, they can be a way to present our personality, and they are part of our livelihood when it comes to uniforms and dress codes.

Unfortunately, clothes aren’t always cheap. You can save a lot of money if you buy preloved clothing, but even if you’ve not spent as much, you still want your vintage clothing to stay in good condition so that it looks nice and lasts as long as possible.

No matter how careful you are, damaging your clothes is almost unavoidable. When you’re wearing something out and about, or even just around the house, there are things to spill or get caught on that can create stains, rips and holes.

Clothing damage can be caused by several different things. Some of the more common causes are:

1) Accidents – spilling some food or drink, or catching something on a latch or door handle

2) Excessive wear and tear – clothes can naturally pick up some holes and tears when they’re worn a lot

3) Carelessness – not taking care of your clothes when washing or putting them away can cause damage

Sewing or stitching is a great way to repair your clothes and keep your wardrobe in good shape for a lot longer! Some of these methods include:

1. Sewing - using a needle and thread to mend a hole or tear in the fabric. You can sew up any hole, shorten hems, or even add patches if you have a hole in the elbow of your favourite jeans. It is also a great way to personalise your clothes if you don't like how it looks, or you want to add some patches and new colours. This Wikihow article is a great way to quickly learn how to sew up your clothing.
2. Darning - sewing over a hole in the fabric with a darning needle and wool thread.
3. Patching - covering an area of damaged fabric with a piece of cloth, either by hand or machine stitching, usually to cover up stains or holes in clothing.
4. Iron-on patches - attaching patches onto clothes using an iron and iron-on adhesive backing, which can be found at most craft stores.
5. Sewing machine - using a sewing machine to mend ripped seams and hems on clothes that cannot be mended by hand sewing techniques, such as darning and patching.

Buy clothes that are made from quality materials.

Using colder water during a wash can prolong the life of your clothes, and it’s better for the environment too.

Keep an eye on the weather forecast before wearing your clothes outside.

Avoid using harsh detergents on delicate fabrics.

Be careful about what you put in the tumble dryer and which heat setting you use as this can shrink your clothes.

Take care when eating, drinking, and moving around in general!

If you’re looking for quality vintage clothing, check out the range at Messina Hembry. All of our stock is checked for quality before we list it, so with some of the tips in this article, anything you buy from us could last you for years!