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The Ultimate Guide to Fashion Maintenance: From Clothes to Shoes

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The Ultimate Guide to Fashion Maintenance: From Clothes to Shoes

Admit it—we all love looking our best. That’s why we take great care of our favorite apparel, the ones that make us feel and look fantastic. However, maintaining them isn’t always as simple as wearing them. Different materials require different care methods—some items can’t be machine-washed, and others can’t be cleaned with water. Let this ultimate fashion maintenance guide show you the best ways to keep your clothes and shoes in top shape.

Shoe Care

Know How To Clean Them

Different materials require different shoe cleaning methods. To simplify the process, we’ve created a handy guide for you:

Shoe Material Cleaning Tools Cleaning Process
Suede Suede brush, eraser, suede cleaner Brush away dirt and debris with a suede brush. For light scuffs, use a suede eraser. For deeper cleaning, use a suede cleaner and follow the product instructions. Let air dry completely.
Leather Soft cloth, leather cleaner, leather conditioner Wipe away dirt with a damp cloth. For a more thorough clean, use a leather cleaner formulated for the specific type of leather. Apply leather conditioner after cleaning to keep the leather soft and supple.
Canvas Soft brush, mild detergent, warm water Brush away loose dirt. Mix warm water with gentle detergent, then use a soft brush to scrub away stains gently. Rinse with clean water and allow to air dry.

 

Pro tip: Condition and leather shoes every few weeks to keep them soft and supple.

Use Proper Storage Techniques

Proper shoe storage is important for keeping your footwear in tip-top shape and condition. Boot shapers and shoe trees can help prevent damage and extend the life of your shoes. However, even with careful storage, they may eventually require professional care. Investing in shoe repair services can revive worn-out soles, fix broken heels, and make your shoes look new. From there, consider these additional storage tips:

  • Boot Shapers: Help maintain the shape of your boots to avoid creasing.
  • Shoe Trees for Leather Shoes: Inserted into your leather shoes to help absorb moisture and retain the shape.
  • Shoe Racks and Cubbies: Keep your shoes organized and off the floor to prevent scuffs and damage.

Clothes Care

Decode the Labels

When you look at the tags of your clothes, you’ll see a bunch of laundry symbols. Those aren’t just random doodles the manufacturer put as design; they are a roadmap to proper care of your items. You can’t be a wardrobe maintenance guru if you’re clueless about these symbols. So here’s a guide:

Symbol Meaning
Bucket with Water and Temperature Maximum water temperature for washing (hand symbol means hand wash only)
Bucket with a Line Underneath Permanent press cycle (warm wash, cool rinse)
Bucket with Two Lines Gentle or delicate cycle (cooler water, slower spin)
Triangle Bleaching instructions (plain = any bleach, X through it = no bleach)
Square Drying instructions (circle inside = tumble dry, lines in corner = line dry, horizontal line = dry flat)
Iron Shape Garment can be ironed
Iron with Dots Maximum ironing temperature (more dots = hotter)
Iron with an X Do not iron
Circle Dry clean only
Circle with a Letter Specific dry cleaning instructions for solvents
Circle with an X Do not dry-clean

Wash with Care

Now that you understand the laundry symbols, it’s time to actually do the laundry. Start by separating your clothes by color. Washing darks with lights can lead to a major wardrobe disaster because some strong dyes can bleed into lighter-colored fabric, which is difficult to fix.

After that, turn all your clothes inside out so that delicate fabrics and embellishments are protected from getting damaged in the wash. This is a key step in learning how to keep clothes looking new.

From there, you can start washing. Be mindful of the water temperature you’ll use. As a general guide, hot water can fade colors and shrink your clothes, while cold water is usually gentler.

Must-have item: Mesh laundry bags. They are lifesavers for bras, lingerie, and other delicate items.

Dry Your Clothes the Right Way

If there’s one tip in fabric care that we want you to practice, it is to always choose air drying whenever possible. It is much gentler on fabrics and helps prevent fading and shrinkage. Plus, it’s eco-friendly!

But we can’t deny the convenience of machine drying. So, if you want your clothes to dry in just a few minutes, try to do it properly to protect your beloved delicate outfits.

  • Regular/Heavy Duty: For sturdy fabrics like cotton.
  • Permanent Press: For wrinkle-resistant fabrics.
  • Delicate/Low Heat: For delicate fabrics like silk and synthetics.
  • Air Fluff/No Heat: For refreshing clothes or fluffing pillows.

It’s wise to clean the lint filter before each use, especially when drying in batches. Also, take out your clothes immediately to prevent wrinkles.

Store Them Properly

How you store your clothes has a huge impact on their longevity and appearance. Here are some strategies on how to store clothes properly:

  • Fold sweaters; don’t hang them so they won’t lose shape.
  • Use wooden hangers for coats and suits to prevent shoulder bumps.
  • Use cedar blocks to repel moths and pests.

Conclusion

A little effort in wardrobe care can go a long way. Follow our tips to extend the life of your clothes and shoes while staying in style. For those inevitable wear and tear issues, don’t hesitate to seek professional help from a local shoe repair shop. Invest in proper care and timely repairs to enjoy your favorite pieces for many years.

About the Author

Tony Kantzavelos is the CEO of Love Your Shoes, a company that has been cleaning and repairing shoes, boots and other footwear for over 35 years. Its operations is Canada’s largest state-of-the-art shoe repair facility, specializing in shoe color restoration.

Permanent Spark: Embracing the Trend of Forever Jewelry

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Permanent Spark: Embracing the Trend of Forever Jewelry

In today’s changing world of trends and fashion, there is a longstanding favorite that has never gone out of style – forever jewelry. These timeless pieces have been cherished for generations, and their popularity only continues to rise. From engagement rings to family heirlooms, forever jewelry serves not only as an accessory but also carries profound sentimental significance and symbolic importance.

1. The Allure of Enduring Jewelry:

Forever jewelry holds immense significance for those who possess it. Unlike other fashion items, it defies trends and remains perpetually graceful. This lasting appeal is rooted in its craftsmanship, often handed down through family lines. Each piece narrates a tale, serving as a memento of important life moments. Whether it’s a necklace passed down from a grandmother or a diamond ring representing love, these treasures are intricately intertwined with our experiences. Hence, if you’re looking to buy something special for a loved one, it’s always a great idea to get a piece of forever permanent jewelry for her.

2. Prioritizing Quality:

In today’s fast-paced consumer society, where disposable fashion prevails in our closets, opting for forever jewelry offers an escape from this cycle. Rather than amassing low-cost accessories that fade or lose their luster with time, selecting high-quality pieces crafted from resilient materials guarantees longevity. Silver and gold are top choices for their durability and timeless charm. Precious gemstones like diamonds or sapphires further enhance the beauty of the pieces, adding to their significance over time.

3. Significance That Lasts Generations:

What makes forever permanent jewelry special is its ability to be passed down through generations, creating connections within families. These unique designs often carry deep meanings or stories that are passed on along with the jewelry. By inheriting a piece of jewelry, individuals not only receive an accessory but also continue family customs and create lasting memories that will be treasured for years to come.

4. Accompanying Major Celebrations:

Forever jewelry holds a vital place in celebrating life events such as milestone birthdays, graduations, and engagements. These occasions deserve lasting symbols that mark the importance of the moment. For centuries, engagement rings have symbolized love and commitment between partners. As a symbol worn daily, an engagement ring serves as a reminder of love and dedication.

5. Personalization at its Finest:

Another appealing aspect of jewelry is its potential for personalization. Adding a name to a piece of jewelry or incorporating birthstones into earrings adds value to each piece. Customization extends beyond looks: it forges connections between the wearer and their loved ones. Crafting personalized jewelry adds a layer of emotional attachment to what will eventually become a cherished family heirloom.

6. Accessible Luxury:

Contrary to popular belief, the trend of timeless jewelry isn’t reserved solely for the elite. With a wide range of options, from common trinkets to high-end masterpieces, embracing forever jewelry is within reach for anyone seeking enduring beauty and expert craftsmanship. Recognizing artisans through awards and accolades not only celebrates their artistry but also assures customers of the genuine value and quality of their creations.

7. Timeless Jewelry as an Investment:

Apart from its sentimental significance, timeless jewelry can also be viewed as an investment. While fashion trends may fluctuate, crafted jewelry often appreciates in value over time. Opting for pieces crafted with precious materials not only ensures longevity but can also offer financial returns in the future. When considering investing in timeless jewelry, factors such as craftsmanship, gemstone quality, and reputation should be carefully weighed. Seeking advice from experts or reputable jewelers can help guide this decision-making process to ensure that your investment holds both significance and enduring worth.

8. Taking Care of Forever Jewelry:

To fully appreciate the enduring beauty of forever jewelry, it is important to provide care. Like any item, these pieces need occasional attention to maintain their optimal appearance. Common practices for maintaining jewelry involve cleaning with gentle soap and warm water or specialized cleaners designed for jewelry. It is crucial to store each piece in pouches or boxes to prevent scratches or tangling. Apart from cleaning, it is advisable to have a jeweler inspect the pieces periodically to detect any damage or signs of wear and tear that may require repair. By taking these measures, you can ensure that your beloved forever jewelry remains stunning for years to come.

In Conclusion:

Forever jewelry continues to captivate hearts and inspire, even as trends evolve over time. Its allure stems not only from its timeless grace but also from the tales it unveils with each passing era. By investing in these pieces, individuals can embrace symbols that transcend fashion trends while leaving a lasting impact on history. So go ahead and embark on your journey with forever jewelry: let its enduring nature create treasured memories that span generations.

little bit Unveils New Single ‘Out to Dry’

Konstantinos Pappis
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little bit Unveils New Single ‘Out to Dry’

little bit, the project of Los Angeles-via-Boston singer-songwriter Hannah Liuzzo (formerly of Lilith), has shared a new single. ‘out to dry’ is taken from her upcoming debut EP, talk a blue streak, which arrives September 20 via Hit the North Records. Listen to the new track below.

“‘Out to Dry’ is the emptiness you’re left with after you decide to consciously let go,” Liuzzo explained in a statement. “For me, letting go requires giving myself permission to wallow and retraining my thoughts to focus on other things. When you’re in the throes of a fixation, letting go can feel like the completely wrong decision, and it’s not until you’re out of the thick of the feelings that you can look back and realize it was the right thing for you.”

talk a blue streak Cover Artwork:

talk a blue streak Tracklist:

1. lead you on
2. long drive
3. on the mend
4. lying to you
5. out to dry
6. utility thought

Poise Announces New Album ‘Hell or High Water’, Shares New Single ‘Give’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Poise Announces New Album ‘Hell or High Water’, Shares New Single ‘Give’

Poise, the moniker of NYC-based songwriter Lucie Murphy, has announced her sophomore album, Hell or High Water. The follow-up to 2021’s Vestiges is set to arrive on October 4. It features collaborations with Half Waif and TOLEDO, and you can hear its new single ‘Give’ below.

“It’s about the ways in which I lose myself in my relationships,” Murphy told FLOOD. “If I feel close to someone, I cling to them, for better or for worse.”

She added: “I learned to trust my instincts as a producer while arranging ‘Give’. It’s only the second song I’ve completed in the pop sphere; I mapped out the structure entirely on my own in Garageband before bringing it to my co-producer, Sam Skinner. Sam is a very discerning listener—his enthusiasm for the song instilled a lot of confidence in me. We replaced some of the Garageband sounds with higher-quality samples and acoustic instruments, but ended up keeping a lot of the built-in synth patches, too. My drummer, Theo Munger, really let loose in the outro. We’ve been playing music together since we were kids, yet he still manages to exhibit parts of his musicality I’ve not yet witnessed. His performance is raw and powerful. It still gives me chills when I hear it.”

Revisit our Artist Spotlight interview with Poise.

Dawn Richard and Spencer Zahn Share New Song ‘Traditions’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Dawn Richard and Spencer Zahn Share New Song ‘Traditions’

Dawn Richard and composer Spencer Zahn have unveiled a new track, ‘Traditions’. It’s the second single from their upcoming collaborative album, Quiet in a World Full of Noise, which is out October 4 via Merge and was led by ‘Breath Out’. Take a listen below.

“Dawn’s intimate vocal style on this brings me into her world while also making me think of my own life and family,” Zahn said of the song’s production. “I wanted to frame that feeling in the composition.”

Quiet in a World Full of Noise follows Richard and Zahn’s 2022 collaboration Pigments.

Drake Shares 100GB Data Dump Including Three New Songs

Konstantinos Pappis
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Drake Shares 100GB Data Dump Including Three New Songs

Drake has shared 100 gigabytes of data, including three new songs, behind-the-scenes clips, studio footage, unused cover art, and more. The database is available on a new website, 100gigs.org. The three new songs – ‘It’s Up’ featuring Young Thug and 21 Savage, ‘Blue Green Red’, and ‘Housekeeping Knows’ featuring Latto – can be found on a folder titled “NEW.” One notable clip sees Drake rapping the reference hook for Kanye West‘s 2018 track ‘Yikes’.

This marks Drake’s first release since his feud with Kendrick Lamar, outside of features on tracks like Snowd4y’s ‘Wag Gwan Delilah’ and Gordo’s ‘Sideways’. During an appearance at PartyNextDoor’s Toronto concert last weekend, Drake announced he is working on a collaborative album between them that’s set to drop this fall.

Pharmakon Announces New Album ‘Maggot Mass’, Shares New Single

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Pharmakon Announces New Album ‘Maggot Mass’, Shares New Single

Margaret Chardiet has announced a new Pharmakon LP titled Maggot Mass. The follow-up to the New York noise musician’s 2019 record Devour will arrive on October 4 via Sacred Bones. Today’s announcement comes with the release of the new single ‘WITHER AND WARP’. Listen to it below, and scroll down for the album cover and tracklist.

“Maggot Mass is bred out of a disgust for the dysfunctional relationship that humans have developed with our environment and the rest of life on earth,” Chardiet explained in a press release. She went on:

It touches on the wounds of loneliness inflicted by that broken bond, and asks us to face the mirror in acknowledgement of our personal and systemic culpability.

What peace can be made with privilege, when we understand the true cost of our comfort is death and not dollar? What peace can be made with death when we impose on it the same bankrupt pecking order in which we organize our lives? To what extent is life worth living in the solitude of this self-imposed species loneliness?

Human beings measure our worth only in relation to our selves, on the scale of an endless and exponential accumulation of things. This is what we call wealth. This is what we deem to be power. We calculate our meaning in money, assets and objects. Influence, superiority, and control. Western heritage dictates a hierarchy of beings, and places ourselves at the very apex of evolution. We think of ourselves as somehow separate from the rest of the “natural world,” its’ primary narrators, and at the center of every orbit. This delusion transforms bodies into objects, land into property, and people into expendable tools.

If our value were determined instead by the richness of our reciprocation to the very fabric of being, the very existence of existence, our role in the ecosystem of land and of people… then who could say that a human being has more worth than a measly maggot?

A maggot eats death and alchemizes it back into life: breaking down matter and recycling its’ nutrients. One gift begets another. It soon undergoes its’ miraculous transfiguration into a fly, and continues on to pollinate 70% of plants: midwives and messengers to the flora of Earth. And we? We pollute instead of pollinate. A select few profit from scouring, pillaging and staining the dirt at the expense of the many, with net losses to the diversity of life on the planet, and by the degradation and death of those who are trampled just to serve their greed.

In an attempt to reconcile grief and loss on both a personal and global scale, I sought solace by envisioning rebirth through death. I longed to revel in the reciprocation of decay, to celebrate the beauty of regeneration through degeneration. But these dreams were impossible not to wake from, and I had to acknowledge the gaping chasm between those possibilities for communion with the earth and the feasibility of that connection in this reality, under the thumb of our ruling systems. The grip of capital that squeezes dry every facet of our lives and even our deaths.. I imagined one of many possible paths through this chasm. What if our final choice, our last act and lasting legacy was one of giving back what we received from the chaos of creation. If we gave not only our lives but our deaths to the cause of the existence of existence…

Lyrically, in the past I didn’t allow myself to rhyme, use traditional structures of poetry, and avoided pronouns at all costs. So this time I incorporated all of those tropes, and wrote from a more familiar and direct voice to the listener. I also wanted to explore new ways of using my voice besides speaking or screaming, and experimented with new vocalizations balancing strain and hoarseness with melody and cadence.

Compositionally, I never allowed myself to use any traditional song structures, and this time allowed myself to dabble into “music” instead of strictly “noise”. This resulted in “solos” and “bridges” and “verses and choruses” sprinkled throughout the record.

once I slough
off this human skin
I will find my home
and ancestral kin…
in the coffin-birth
of my cadaver’s ecosystem

Discussing ‘WITHER AND WARP’, Chardiet had this to say:

The lyrics for this song began with a euphoric and vividly hallucinatory dream. In it, “I” did not exist, simply was. Without memory, identity, or ego. Suspended outside of time – only present moment. Oblivion. Without true thought, merely sensations that felt as comforting as they were unfamiliar: I sensed the prickled growing pains of an extending root, and the tingle of minerals soaking through it. I heard a chattering flow of information pass through me, all chemical communication. A vague awareness collected slowly, of being the moss that cushioned a stone. Enraptured in the beauty of existence as a plant, a producer who takes only sun, air, and water to reciprocate multitudes in return.

In this dream, I my “self” was dead. I had passed away into the earth, becoming part of it, or many parts of it – through the divine transfiguration of decay. And I was more content in this mode of being than I ever was with life as a human. This dream-logic hinged upon the hope that when we die, the body merely breaks down back into the energy that was trapped inside its’ matter. And all the carrion-eaters who might devour “you” will surely take “you” into “them”, rendering your death back into the folds of life. This song represents the ecstasy of that dream… joy in (a lack of) existence, the self scattered throughout many forms of being.

How sweet the vision of a death without waste. But as always, we must awaken from such sweet dreams…

Maggot Mass Cover Artwork:

Maggot Mass Tracklist:

1. WITHER AND WARP
2. METHANAL DOLL
3. BUYER’S REMORSE
4. SPLENDID ISOLATION
5. OILED ANIMALS

Fontaines D.C. Release New Song ‘Here’s the Thing’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Fontaines D.C. Release New Song ‘Here’s the Thing’

Fontaines D.C. have released a new single, ‘Here’s the Thing’, lifted from their upcoming LP Romance. Following previous cuts ‘Starbuster’ and ‘Favourite’, the track arrives with an accompanying video directed by Luna Carmoon. “It’s an anxious tune that twists and turns in what it wants, back and forth between pain and numbness,” frontman Grian Chatten explained in a statement. Watch and listen below.

Romance lands on August 23 via XL Recordings.

Jordana Announces New Album ‘Lively Premonition’, Shares New Song

Konstantinos Pappis
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Jordana Announces New Album ‘Lively Premonition’, Shares New Song

Jordana has announced a new album called Lively Premonition. The LA-based songwriter’s Face the Wall follow-up is set to arrive on October 18 via Grand Jury. It includes the previously unveiled song ‘We Get By’, as well as the new single ‘Like a Dog’. Check it out and find the album cover and tracklist below.

“It’s about fawning over someone so entirely that any ounce of attention from them feeds the desire even stronger,” Jordana said of ‘Like a Dog’ in a statement. “Even if that means being treated in an inhumane way…like a dog.”

Lively Premonition was made over the course of 2023 with producer Emmett Kai. “It’s about the cycle of love, heartbreak, lust, party-going, self acceptance, connections, and rediscovering yourself over and over again,” Jordana explained. She added, “The whole record is this mixed bag of tricks with plenty of cheeky lyrical and instrumental decisions. We’re taking tons of risks here.”

Lively Premonition Cover Artwork:

Lively Premonition Tracklist:

1. We Get By
2. Like A Dog
3. Heart You Hold
4. This Is How I Know
5. Multitudes of Mystery
6. Raver Girl
7. Wrong Love
8. Anything For You
9. The One I Know
10. Your Story’s End

Clairo Covers Lana Del Rey’s ‘Brooklyn Baby’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Clairo Covers Lana Del Rey’s ‘Brooklyn Baby’

Clairo has shared a cover of Lana Del Rey’s ‘Brooklyn Baby’, which originally appeared on 2014’s Ultraviolence. It arrives as part of the Spotify Singles series, and you can listen to it below.

Clairo’s third album, Charm, arrived last month. The singer-songwriter recently shared a music video for the album track ‘Juna’, which she also performed on The Tonight Show.

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