Being at home more has given me time to write about something readers frequently ask about: how I store my clothes.
The short answer is, with difficulty, particularly given how much I care about looking after them.
Tailoring cannot be too cramped, lest it cause wrinkles; knitwear cannot be stuffed onto shelves, as it exacerbates pilling; the only trousers that can be folded are jeans or heavy chinos.
And I’m fortunate to have a lot of clothes, so there is always a fight between wanting to be able to see as much as possible, and giving everything enough room.
My basic solution is that I have the double-height wardrobe shown in our bedroom, which houses tailoring, shirts, trousers and most knitwear. Then a second, small wardrobe in our study for coats. Everything else is stored in the attic.
Up there I have two hanging rails, with tailoring sitting in garment bags (below). Some of this is seasonal storage, such as linen suits that won’t be needed until Summer. When the seasons change, this will be brought downstairs. (Although only gradually: unlike New York, seasons here change slowly, and inconsistently.)
However, some of those in the attic are Autumn/Winter pieces too. So every couple of weeks I take some from the wardrobe up to the attic, and bring down new ones. There is a gradual rotation.
Those racks in the attic are my limit in terms of the total size of the wardrobe.
Obviously Permanent Style is now a business with requirements of its own, such as keeping examples of tailoring that can be featured in the future. But at the same time, I dislike having clothes that aren't being worn – particularly when someone else could be enjoying them.
So I’ve got better at giving away or selling pieces I don’t wear. My brother and brother-in-law get a fair few, and I’ve been regularly selling things through Marrkt.
Hearing from PS readers how much they’ve enjoyed pieces they've bought has been lovely.
Getting back to the wardrobe, shirts are all folded up on shelves. This isn’t ideal, as they will crease, no matter how carefully they're folded.
But as I’ve always cycled into my office (in my old job, almost every day – now running Permanent Style, probably two days a week), they have to be folded for transport anyway.
And I’ve never been that fussed about a few wrinkles in shirts – most shirts look wrinkled in the body after half an hour or so. Plus I wear more casual, denim and oxford shirts these days, which wrinkle less.
In an ideal world all the shirts would be hanging up, if only for easier access. And the same goes for trousers.
My odd trousers (not part of a suit) are all hidden away on the hangers of the jackets in the wardrobe, which means I can’t see them or get to them easily. I need to flick through the various jackets to find the charcoal flannels. (I do try to keep the same trousers with the same jacket, but that always falls down at some point.)
At one point I did have the lower of those two rails dedicated to trousers. But the desire to have more tailoring on view eventually outweighed the inconvenience of having the trousers hidden.
The knitwear is a little more organised, with roughly one shelf per style. So one shelf is crewnecks, another V-necks. There is a shelf of vests and cardigans (above, top) and another for roll necks (below that).
This helps particularly when – as with much menswear – colours like navy and grey pre-dominate. But even then it's not perfect, as I find I have four navy crewnecks (one cotton, one lambswool, one fine and one chunky cashmere).
And of course, the number of pieces in each category never fits perfectly into each shelf. So a few stray bits end up elsewhere.
At one point I tried to categorise shirts in the same way: patterns, oxfords, denims, poplin. But their numbers never worked out as easily - and they vary more than knitwear, so they're easier to find at a glance.
One place where categorisation works well is in the attic.
Here, the tailoring is all kept in garment bags, as an extra protection against moths (though I haven’t had any problems since I started fumigating).
This means I can’t see where everything is. The small plastic windows on some bags are not much help, given the lack of good lighting.
So instead I keep the two racks in order: the left is mostly Spring/Summer, the right mostly Autumn/Winter. And then on each, suits are hung at one end (the one closest to the entrance) and jackets at the other.
This means that even if I don’t know where my tobacco-linen suit is, at least I only have to look through one half of one rack.
Back in the bedroom wardrobe, the two lower shelves are kept for denim and, above that, chinos. The latter are heavier pieces, like the Armoury or Blackhorse Lane chinos, which would gain little from hanging.
It makes sense to have these at the bottom of the wardrobe too, because of their weight. They’d be trickier to get in and out if they were above head height.
And then the ties: as you can see, they're all hung on rails screwed into the wardrobe doors. Four rails of them seems like a lot, but even that has been reduced recently.
There are many other areas (of clothing, and of the house) we could go into, including shoes, socks and bags.
That would include the lovely Turms modular shoe system above, which has two old Lodger drawers on top, and wooden bespoke boxes on top of that. (My daughters were responsible for the labelling.)
But I think it was the tailoring readers were most interested in, given how much it dominates everything else. Do let me know if I’m wrong.
Overall, I think this perhaps shows that I'm not as fussy as some might expect about storage. I want to avoid the big things: crushing, pilling, scratched leather. But I don't obsessively label everything, or keep it all in zip-lock bags.
There's a good middle ground to be found between leaving your coat on the floor, and panicking when your perfect patina gets scuffed. Clothes should be cared for, but also lived in.
Photography: Jamie Ferguson or (the amateurish ones), me
Hi Simon
A great article, as ever. Can I add my penny-worth?
1. (though this is obvious) never put anything away unless it is completely dry. Mould, or even mould smells, spread easily.
2. (this is obvious too) always check and brush your clothes before putting them away – that way you don’t find (always when you’re in a rush and usually when you have decided that you want or need to wear a particular outfit) that you can’t wear what you planned because it’s dirty or needs mending.
3. (a hassle I know, and not really necessary if you do 2) consider covering unworn suits/jackets with an old shirt – any dirt or grease doesn’t then risk rubbing off on adjacent clothes.
Very similar in approach to me.
I have hangers with tailoring on, together with a variety of shelves and drawers too.
I have separate piles for knitwear; organised by style, eg V neck, crew etc. My shirts are hung based on colour, texture etc. I split my sock drawer into casual on the left and business on the right. Ties hang on a Heath Robinson style product.
My shoes tend to be grouped in colors, but I am thinking about this currently and may change it. Outdoor coats are kept separately and closer to the front door.
Great article.
Hey Simon,
this is a very interesting piece but…shirts definitely on hangers;-)
I also keep each knitwear in a kind of plastic bag to save them from dust.
It would be nice to do also on other people’s wardrobes. I know this is something has been already done before but not from your point of view?
Stay safe!
L.
Cheers Luca… I wish I could keep shirts that way!
And yes, that would certainly be better on knitwear, though I guess less so on ones that are worn regularly. Not much dust is ever evident on these, but they are all worn fairly often, and are obviously shut away.
Yes that’s a lovely idea for a post
Maybe we could get a hastag going on Instagram?
Other people’s wardrobe ?
I Definitely second that ,Simon .
For those of us with much less space, I was wondering, is there something wrong with hanging shirts and trousers under the jacket?
And to avoid crushing the lapel roll, is there a downside to storing jacket with collar up and lapels closed?
Trousers under the jacket – no, that’s what I do, and just means you can’t see them as easily I find.
On shirts, you could do that, although they will get a little crushed and wrinkled in there.
On keeping the collars up, I haven’t tried it but if there’s so many in there that the lapel roll is getting crushed, then even the turned-up collars will be squashed flat a little bit I think. And the jacket elsewhere will get wrinkled from the pressure.
Dear Simon,
I believe your post is very nice especially as it shows that not everything has to be perfect in order to work. You have more clothes than perhaps most of the readers for quite understandable reasons, but face storing challenges like most of us (without absurd 300sq.m. wardrobes etc.). I personally am a little more OCD than you with my suits and jackets in bags at all times expect when airing, but I believe that’s partially because I have more storage and much much less clothes. And to anyone reading the blog and looking at Simon’s wardrobe, you really don’t need that many clothes. I wouldn’t call myself a minimalist, but I firmly believe in buying less but buying the best.
Keep well
Peter
Hi Simon,
I guess it’s down to the ‘on display’ point but in my previous property I had wide drawers included when installing a new closet which gave me some comfort around keeping off dust and moths from lesser worn items, plus it looked more organised; so essentially 1 large drawer for knitwear, 1 for t-shirts, 1 for undergarments/socks and all shirts, 1 for sportswear and trousers, jackets, coats hung separately on rails, but granted I have a smaller clothes collection! Have yet to do the same on our new property, so knitwear is now folded on shelves, similar to yours. Very interesting article and concur with Luca’s point, would be great to see other people’s solutions!!
Thanks Colin. Yes drawers are certainly good for knitwear, if you have enough of them
Simon,
Thanks for the article, I will for sure be using some of the methods in my own collection.
I somehow stumbled upon a green PS crew neck on Marrkt maybe a month ago, in my size at over 50% discount brand new. After wanting to try a piece over the past year I snapped it up immediately.
I must say I’ve never handled a sweater like it, it’s levels above smedley in material and make. Gave it a first hand wash over the weekend and it hasn’t softened further.
Hey Ricky,
You were lucky – that was a sample of our Finest Knitwear, which is no longer something we offer. It was deliberately made to be the finest knitwear in the world, in terms of yarn and make.
We currently offer just the Dartmoor polo-collar sweater, which is the same level of make, but a very slightly thicker yarn.
What manufacturer would you recommend that offers similar quality to the now defunct PS worlds finest knitwear ?
I don’t know anyone that makes at that level apart from Brioni and Hermes I’m afraid – and they’re both more than twice the price
Any reason you decided not to keep doing the knitwear. I love my green one and regret not picking up the navy when I could..
A relevant point for this article is you can fold it up so small (or even leave it scrunched up like I did by accident once) and because it is so fine it’s back to wrinkle free and new instantly
We just can’t keep on adding products without taking some away unfortunately. We don’t want to have things just there for a season, but there comes a point where (as a small company) you can’t afford a huge inventory.
I decided to introduce the Dartmoor and the Finagon that’s coming soon, instead of the crew and V-neck, because the former have aspects of them that are unique in design as well as in make. So they’re more different to anything on the market. Hope that makes sense.
Hi Simon, could you (and anyone reading) please suggest the best kind/brands of garment bags (for jackets, suits, overcoat)? Should they be 100% cotton, or are the synthetic ones good and safe enough on the long time?
Thank you (sorry if I missed the already-existing answer somewhere in the comments)
GB
Hi Giovan,
As long as they are fairly robust, and in some part breathable, I don’t think there’s a big difference between bags if just used for storage.
The Hanger Project does some high-spec ones, but I just use the ones provided by tailors.
Thank you Simon, I guess I’ll start using my Lanieri and Suitsupply bags (that’s my level in the tailoring game, so far) and then buy some more with a comparable quality.
GB
I think that’s a good idea. There are much better things to spend money on in menswear (it’s not like shoe trees in shoes…)
Dear Simon,
thank you very much for an article many of us were waiting for!
The next question, however, is: What do you do with worn-but not yet dirty cloth?
Suits get a brush (and I only put them back in the wardrobe after another day outside it, even if not sure why), shirts etc. go into washing. But cords, chinos, jeans; above all knitwear certainly should not be washed after one day of (normal!) use. What do you do with these? I find sometimes an empty chair covered with three or four trousers and different knitwear which are all used „in rotation“ for one or two weeks – surely a kind of „messy solution“ but what other options I am missing besides washing too often or putting „clean-but-worn“ clothing back in a densely packed wardrobe?
Many thanks again! Michael
Hi Michael,
Thanks, and yes keeping suits outside of the bag for a day can be helpful, if there’s any moisture in there for example, such as sweat, it helps it dry out fully before being put away.
To be honest, anything that has been worn but is not dirty enough yet to require cleaning is just put back on the shelves with everything else. It’s not as if it’s smelly or dirty enough to transfer anything onto the other clothes in there.
What specifically are you afraid of, in keeping the two together?
S
Very good point. I have this bamboo ladder contraption in the bedroom for all the casual stuff in rotation and in between clean and dirty. Tailoring and knitwear go back into the wardrobe but t-shirts, shorts, jeans, OCBDs etc are in this purgatory (sometimes for weeks)
My wife and I have separated dressing rooms.
My storage consists of four hanging bays; business suits, casual suits, odd jackets and odd trousers. I then have a double height bay for shirts; formal on the upper level and casual below.
Open shelving designed as a grid, ten bays each two foot square; this is for knitwear which I have ranged by style, polo shirts etc. Items less frequently worn are stored in cotton bags. Various drawers are used for underwear, socks etc, with one with individual compartments for keeping my ties, which are always rolled.
Shoes are on purpose built racks along one wall. And I have a rather handsome chair on which I sit to put my shoes on and remove them. Finally, a chevalier mirror.
Wow. How I wish I could build all that out
I had clothing storage problems until the children (eventually) moved out. My wife is quite the clothes horse as well. This opened up a further two bedrooms as well as the study and attic which also had clothing of one form or other in them prior to this. Marie Kondo it aint….
Now I know what to do when the kids leave! Unfortunately we have a new baby, so it’s going to be a good 18 years…
At least!
Hi Simon,
Curious to see you use rather narrow hangers for most of your tailoring, rather than bulbous/broad ones. Is this due to necessity (limited space)? And do you find there is little difference between narrow hangers and the bulbous ones?
Good point.
No, I’ve never noticed a difference between the bulbous ones and the more narrow ones. And I’ve had suits hanging on them for over 10 years.
I wouldn’t put them on a wire hanger, but a decent wooden one is fine. It’s also how Anderson & Sheppard, for example, has always hung all its tailoring.
I think it’s slightly more important to have the right width hanger – if my shoulders were a lot broader or narrower than the average, then I would probably get specific ones. Because a shoulder hanging off the end of a hanger, or one poking into the top of the sleeve, is going to cause more damage.
Ouch. Simon, how much of the shoulder extended past the hanger is a problem? I believe some of my sportcoat hangers are just a centimeter too short. And I doubt I could get bigger hangers for cheap
A centimetre is fine. Just keep an eye on whether anything going beyond the end of the hanger looks to be drooping. It’s a fairly easy issue to spot
Hi Simon, great to learn your own experience on the topic, a good example for future reference.
Panasonic has a revolving closet system which I’m planning to get one once I can manage to have my own place back home in Shanghai. I think it will be a great alternative for your hanging rails in the attic in terms of capacity and accessibility (Although my plan is to build an actual wardrobe based on its size, it can easily handle dozens of shirts). I don’t think they sell it here in the UK but they do in the US and Canada, but if you really like it and want one I guess it won’t be too much trouble to buy one there and ship it here.
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAtKEE9xVIU
Great to see how you handle storing your clothing. I think it’s very healthy not to be to fussy about it. It could be way more over the top than what you are doing. So, we’ll done if you ask me. However if I would own that much high end tailoring Im sure I would pay way to much attention to keeping it all in place. For me personally I changes everything after reading the book of Marie Kondo. You might know her. The technique she uses is not just for your clothing but for the kichen as well for example. Most useful I think is after folding keeping things not on top of each other but keeping them in a drawing horizontal. That way they don’t get pressed down because of the weight and you can always see what you have. Saves a lot of space too.
True Jasper, I wish I had that draw space. It’s also always a reminder to me to not try and pack too much into those shelves. They all need breathing space, and to not be weighed down.
Now that I’m home for the foreseeable future, I thought I’d ad my 2peneth.
I’m pleased that I’m not the only one that likes the middle ground ie not obsessive about anything. I love some of my old suits and ties (some between 20-40yrs old. The only thing I always do is roll my ties, never hang them.
Hmmmmm … those luscious scarves.
Great piece. Glad to see i’m not the only one fighting the eternal storage battle.
The Photos reminds me like storing a beautiful Ferrari under a tent…but once dressed it looks superb…
I Have started to put luggage tags on the hangers of my suits when in their bags when hung up with a description of each on the label for easy identification due to lac of visibility of the item.
I find this works very well as I can quickly look at the label to discern the item inside.
Nice Gary, thanks. I wish I could find a good garment bag which was completely transparent, yet also breathable in some part
New permanently style shop idea…
No photo of your clothes valet, Si?
The lovey one from Honorofic? No, but it is there – on the opposite side of the room.
With that valet, the struggle actually is to avoid putting clothes on it. It’s nicest to use for putting together outfits, maybe for the following day, but it’s really tempting to just hang a jacket on it when you take it off – and then it will just stay on there for days!
Funny article on Put This On a few weeks ago about there being a direct correlation between wardrobe space and the scope a chap actually has to be able to wear some nice clothes in the street without being ridiculed. Point being you can wear what you like in cities like New York and London but nobody can afford the wardrobe space! Certainly true for me in Crystal Palace!
Ha! PS and PTO are two of my go to’s
Dear Simon, based (solely) on this website and the different collaborations / PS products I have witnessed / experienced, I think you are entitled to allow yourself a little bit more space and materials to build the perfect wardrobe system. One small apartment, office space or industrial/mixed use room sort of next door would do, wouldn’t it? Since you turned fulltime prof, why would you keep all your things af home?
Keep up the strong work!
Cheers Jan. If only I could afford that! The site makes decent money these days, but not enough to buy a separate room/appartment as a wardrobe I’m afraid…
Great article! question about the bit about cycling to work and transporting your shirts folded: how do / how did you transport your tailored clothing while cycling to work? I’ve been interested in trying this out but have come up short with reasonable solutions. Any input would be wonderful. Thanks!
To be honest, I just fold carefully and then put the shirt in the backpack carefully, with perhaps other clothes either side of it. I tried shirt boxes and things, but they were bulky and didn’t make much difference to wrinkling
Amazing. Thanks for the reply!
What do you recommend for storing leather jackets ?
I hang them, but they’re also robust enough that they can be laid on shelves without any issues
Simon,
So good to see you use garment bags…Some clothing advice I have read has gone all in on the hermetically sealed mothball, etc. route…I have in a pinch used the plastic wrap from the cleaners (actually does a great job of minimizing creases when travelling – just pack everything separately in them…And that works for shirts, just hang them separately, fold in your suitcase/bag, and they are usually good to go, with barely a touch up with the iron…)
Question for you – if you are trying to maximize your space, have you considered off – season storage using those vacuum seal systems? They look to reduce volume considerably, and have the bonus of making your items semi – hard, (the bags themselves are made from a heavy duty grade of plastic) which means you don’t have to be so gentle with them…
Hey. Yes I have tried those vacuum bags. They do save space, but to be honest I don’t need to save that much space now we have the attic.
Great insight into your wardrobe Simon. I’ve my clothes on hangers in this order: shirts,knitwear,polo shirts, sweatshirts,t-shirts,trousers,waistcoats,hoodies,blazers,denim jacket, light rain jacket and bomber jacket. I store Jean’s in drawer with scarf and gloves. Ideally would love a walk in closet. Shoes/boots around the walls.
Simon: What has really helped me is replacing part of the wardrobe ( or closet here in the US) doors with a glass insert. This allows perusal of the clothes without opening the door and prevents or at least minimizes the danger of moths from sneaking in and attacking my cashmere sweaters that they seem to enjoy feasting on.
Nice suggestion, thanks Zubair
Good to see this topic covered. The nosey Parker in me has always been curious.
I’m surprised to see the ties hung on the doors in that way. Not that it’s doing them any harm, it’s just that I saw you as someone who would store them rolled up in some sort of rack or shelf. The type with little pigeon holes. Perhaps you just have too many.
There are a lot, and this is more efficient for space.
But also rolling them and unrolling them is much more time consuming if you’re trying different ties with an outfit, then putting them back. It’s more fussy, basically.
Do you hang knit ties as well?
Yes. I was always told that there was a risk that if you hang them, they will stretch over time.
But (a) I’ve never noticed that happening, even after 10+ years, and (b) knit ties are always too short for me anyway, so extra length would be a bonus
Hi Simon,
Have you succeeded in working out a fail-safe organizing principle for storing your ties?
I must confess that this issue has utterly dified my imagination. To me, even applying the broad devide between Autumn-Winter and Spring-Summer ties doesn’t seem to work well as I intend it to be, even though I don’t have a huge collection like yours of this item.
Thanks for your input.
John
Hey John,
I just go by rough colours usually – and purely so they’re easier to find.
So those doors you see are meant to be: browns and beige etc, top left; green and some other strong colours, bottom left; navy and other blues, plus club stripes, top right; and greys and blacks, plus gabardines, bottom right.
It’s not a strict system, but given they’re all so easy to see, it’s not as required as the suits in suit bag, or even knitwear on shelves
I own two heavy cardigans. Can they be hung or do they need to be folded and stored on a shelf?
Best to fold. Of all things, they are the most likely to stretch if hung
When I’ve seen you mention storage in other posts Simon i always assumed you just moved each seasons clothing to an off site commercial storage facility.
A post on all your shoes and the stories and craft behind them, and how you utilise them day to day would satisfy us shoe nerds! I feel quite guilty as i have over 50 odd pairs of Northampton high end shoes but i find they bring the most value. I store them in Ikea Cabinets in the manufacturers dust bags.
Sure Ian, I can plan something like that. Perhaps in a couple of weeks if we’re all still in lock down!
Hereafter is an aside question about ties, Simon.
I assume the stored ties we see above are those you wear in Spring Summer. Ok, they are muted enough to be bearable to me. Mind you, I’m not that radical as Jake Grantham and Alex Pirounis at Anglo-Italian seem to be! No, my point is that I personally find a great deal of ties made specifically for that time frame too bright and even really flashy in some cases to my taste.
So I just want to know whether the tendency to wear such ties is moored to a specific rule or rather just a matter of aesthetics related to how the natural environment is taken into account when it comes to composing an outfit. And since a tie usually is not the first item a man picks up when doing so, we don’t expect that it would then be given the power – so to speak – to unduly dictate the choice of the remnant items (notably, jacket and shirt) one is to make when framing an outfit.
Therefore, to my eyes at least, a lot of mismatch between ties and the rest we very often see in Spring-Summer outfits. Thus, the ties seem to have been foisted upon the rest, as if anything goes were the motto since … the Sun is shining.
John
Hey John,
To be honest, I rarely think about ties in terms of seasons. I am unlikely to wear a woollen or cashmere tie in summer, and equally unlikely to wear a bright printed silk in winter. But it’s not something that’s often front-of-mind.
As you say, the majority of the time I am picking other clothes first, and there I am often thinking about seasons – primarily weight, but then colour also. I would say perhaps 10 or 12 times a year, I pick an outfit led by the tie – and then it is often because I want something summery. But it is the exception.
As to the reason for wearing brighter ties in summer, it is aesthetics, yes. In the same way white or cream trousers, or white bucks, will look a lot nicer with the sun around. But that’s also what informs any ‘rule’. Those rules, as I have often said, are merely conventions built on observations and practicality.
I do think things might be different if I lived in a country where it was sunnier more consistently, though. If I knew the weather would be very bright for three months of the year, I can see myself exploring more dedicated summer clothes, including ties.
S
Great article, Simon. Reading it, one thing I realised was, that I have too many clothes. And shoes. And ties. And kerchiefs, and cuff links and jumpers and……..
A useful piece which many have been eagerly anticipating.
I am surprised at the relatively modest space. Thoughtful organisation does compensate. At a guess (unless you have a precise inventory) how many articles of clothing including hats and ties do you have on the one hand and shoes, on the other hand, do you currently possess?
Hi Richard,
I have no idea on clothing as a whole I’m afraid, particularly if it had to include ties. On shoes, I’d estimate 35
Great article Simon, nice to get a glimpse into how to store a large wardrobe. Im something of a minimalist but its nice to have ideas on how to condense items for storage like odd trousers on same hangers as jackets. Would you ever reccomend more than one pair of say chinos on the same hanger?
Cheers Corey.
I have done that occasionally, but I’d avoid it to be honest. It’s hard for that not to create creases, or bulk out the jacket too much and push it against other things around it.
Particularly with chinos, which will be thicker than suit/worsted trousers, for instance.
What is surprising about the photos of your jackets is how the sleeve lengths vary relative to the length of the jackets themselves.
Some jackets appear shorter with shorter sleeves, others longer with shorter sleeves, others shorter with longer sleeves.
It’s as if they were not made for the same person.
Surely bespoke it supposed to fit an individual? Do your dimensions change so much over time that your arms get shorter whilst your torso gets longer?
I think that’s just the photography! They’re not all lined up precisely. Some are at slightly different angles to each other, tipping towards us or away.
The sleeves will all be exactly the same, as it’s not a style point to have them longer or shorter with different tailors, really.
But the body lengths will vary, as you can see spelt out across the Style Breakdown series, for example.
Great review, Simon. What is the price or price range for beaver hats by Cody? Secondly, would you consider using a maker like Cody for a Panama hat? Here in LA that could perhaps get even more wear. Thanks.
Thanks Justin.
The prices are all set out on the previous article, going through Cody’s background. But they are:
“A bespoke hat in hare is $500, while beaver is $650 and mink/beaver $800. Ready-made hats (only available in the shop) are around $100 less, while heavier ‘Western weight’ hats are about $50 more. Details like bound edges and vintage trimming add a few dollars.”
Neat, and except for the few nitpicks you described pretty much efficient. It really comes across that the clothes are both loved and enjoyed.
By the way, where do your casual outerwear pieces go?
Good spot Joseph. I keep two or three on the same rack as the overcoats, in the spare room. They do need swapping more than other pieces though, as a result
If anything, this post really made me think on how much I can reduce my wardrobe. I wear the same 10% on rotation, the rest barely gets used. I guess I should disregard nostalgia and original cost and make sure the clothes gets worn somewere else. My wife would be happier for sure as I’m ashamed to say she can barely fit her stuff due to my excess…
May I sugges btw Simon, take a photo of each trousers (or indeed a hand written note) and put on the hanger much like a coat check badge would hang. That way you can easily find which trouser go under which jacket.
I think that’s a great idea, JB, and I think you’d find it very rewarding. Almost like a weight lifting off.
That’s a good idea on trousers too. I always find notes a bit annoying, but a picture would be better.
I usually hang more than one blazer over one hanger, because the coat hangers are so voluminous. is that a bad idea?
It’s not great, no. Mostly because the one underneath is a bit crushed, and you’re more likely to get creasing
Interesting and useful article and reassuring that you and I have similar storage challenges. I’m using some of my at home time to have a good sort out across the board, so this article was very timely as I am about to start on clothing storage, and my seasonal swap around between current wear and storage.
A quick question, in regards to folding vs hanging shirts: is it purely a space issue? I hang mine however they are pretty crammed in, so they come out wrinkled. Have you tried both methods of shirt storage.
Thanks again.
Thanks Stephen, pleased to hear it. I’ll be doing a similar swap around soon – nice to have the time to do it properly.
Yes, for me the shirt storage is purely a space issue. I’d hang them if I could. Though of course, if they’re crammed in like you say, then they will also wrinkle – discipline is needed there as well!
Hi Simon, hope you’re well. A quick question about those lovely Turms shoe boxes: Are they worth the price? And do they come in different sizes just like shoes? Or for those that can’t afford the price tag what would you recommend for storing shoes that can be stacked like those, and that are fully enclosed like those? Finally, what are the main considerations in regard to storing shoes? I presume no direct sunlight, anything else? Many thanks!
I do like them Jason, but yes I do question whether they’re worth the price. They are very expensive.
I wish there were a place to buy nice sliding shoe boxes, like the Lodger ones I have (the dark-red boxes on top). They’re great, though you can’t stack more than two on top of each other.
If anyone knows a good place for storage like that, let me know.
On storing shoes, yes avoid direct sunlight and avoid dust. The latter will dry out the shoes as well as effect the finish
…. my opinion is that you have too many things, and someone tells you that he has too many things; in my opinion you should do as i did, give some to your son or some friend, because from what i see you have a lot of mess in the house, then do what you think is better, hello
Well hello Nanni.
I do indeed have a lot of clothes, but I do also give a lot away – as mentioned. This cycle of clothes is inevitable to a certain extent, in order to cover them for the website.
Thanks Simon. Be well.
Hi Simon.
A very interesting article as we are now in the season of rotating Autumn/Winter clothing to spring/summer.
As I have a very large wardrobe it is always a mammoth task to do my seasonal rotation. But I always start with suits which I check for dust and unfortunately for moths which is always a natural hazard for fine wools, pieces of cashmere, Jackets, and suits. I, therefore, ensure before storing away in suit bags clean and spray lavender or cedarwood and or cedar wood blocks. I repeat this with my knitwear and coats. May I also suggest that when changing your seasonal wardrobe you remove all items from your wardrobe and spray some lavender in the wardrobe itself to ensure no nasty moths or their larvae are lurking in the crevices.
Shoes, I ensure I clean them and store them in individual shoe bags with shoe trees before storing them in my loft. This preparation ensures there are no nasty surprises come autumn/winter 2020 going into 2021.
I have been doing this for many years and am very lucky I have adequate space to do this. But I would suggest to all lovers of beautiful clothing to invest this time and preparation to enjoy wearing choice pieces of your personal collection from season to season.
Once again a nice article and a very important article too
Cheers
Ola Solanke
How do you store suits with two trousers? Both trousers on the hanger of the jacket?
Yes, usually. Though really they should be stored separately, to avoid things becoming too cramped. The only issue is then I end up wearing just the pair on the same hanger, and not rotating them
Hello Simon, I have been following the blog for a couple of months and I must say that I am a neophyte, and that apparently I have not found my own style. Could you give me some guidelines to find my own style at 37. Greetings to all!
Hi,
Welcome!
It’s a big question, and one we have tried to gradually answer in posts over the years.
The posts you want are under the ‘Style’ section in the menu, and within that, I’d suggest be starting by reading the Essentials section of posts, and the How to Dress Like section. The former will give you a good primer in how I see style, and the latter some specific examples from dressers we admire.
Do ask questions on all those posts, and others, as your thinking evolves and your style too.
And have fun!
I really appreciate that you answered me. I will surely have more questions. Thanks again!
My pleasure. Keep them coming
Hi Simon, is there a reason you suggest wooden hangers over plastic, even when they have a good shoulder width?
It’s not a big difference, but they are better at absorbing any dampness in the clothing, and can be sprayed with moth sprays etc too or other scents if you wish. It’s also just a nicer object, usually
Quick question – how important is having hangers for jackets that are exactly long enough? I’ve noticed that some of mine are one size too short. Will this damage sport coats in the long run?
If it’s only a little too short, I don’t think it makes a big difference, no. You just don’t want the shoulder visibly hanging off the end.
It’s hard to say if it is visibly hanging. But if I put my hand up the sleeves, I can feel the shoudlerpads sticking a bit outside the hanger and folding down. Is that alright?
Yes, that should be fine. Just look at the line of the shoulder on the hanger. As long as it’s not dipping at the end, you’re fine
Hi Simon,
Great article!
I want to connect it to the question of how one can afford the clothes you feature. Many people spend too much money in a big house or car, only to then to complain that they don’t have the money to buy good clothes.
In that respect, it is refreshing to see that you deliberately spend less money on space and transportation, to be able to “afford” high quality clothes. Much of what been said here about affordability is really about setting priorities, at least for the average PS reader.
Agree. I’m not going to say clothes are more important, but it’s always worth keeping perspective on what assumptions we make about life, and our priorities
Is it perfectly OK to store my suit or jacket in it’s suit/jacket cover in the wardrobe at all times? I’m thinking about the clothes moth here. I’m also aware that garments need to be aired as well
Yes, it’s fine to store it that way, and it is an effective way to deal with moths.
In terms of airing, as long as it’s not in there for months and months, you’re fine. Even six months, over a season, is ok, assuming you’ll get it out and wear it (thus airing it) once it’s the right season for it
Hi Simon,
What’s your view on using the attic for long term storage of clothes?
It depends on what they attic is like really. You don’t want it to be damp, or dirty, or moth-ridden. But if it’s none of those things it should be fine
Hi Simon,
I’m moving into a new apartment and the closet is incredibly small. I’ve cultivated some nice items, including a few nice suits and a suede jacket from Stoffa and I am concerned about how I can store these things. Do you have any recommendations?
Well, I’d say it’s not worth sacrificing good things by squashing them too much. Perhaps they could be laid flat, some of them, in garment bags under a bed?
Do you think a suede jacket could be laid flat and stored in a garment bag?
I know there are some portable closet (https://www.homedepot.com/p/Honey-Can-Do-63-in-H-x-60-in-W-x-18-in-D-Gray-Steel-Portable-Closet-with-Double-Doors-and-Cover-WRD-09198/317314193#overlay)
Do you think that would be effective enough to minimize damage that would be done by the sun?
Yes, I think being laid flat would be fine, as would a portable closet like that
Good morning Simon! Would be fun to do another article on clothing storage, how people store their clothes. Everything from racks to furnitures. Or maybe link some inspiration from finer mens clothing stores.
Hi Kristoffer,
OK, nice idea. Let me know if there’s anything specifically you’d want to see in that.
If you haven’t seen them, Honorific make the most beautiful stands I’ve seen.
Hi Simon – slightly esoteric question, but an issue that may have affected some other readers. In the last week my house has been overwhelmed by the smell of mould following a cellar flood. A mould removal firm are planning to treat this by spraying a fine mist throughout the house. Any thoughts on what I should do with clothes – Saville row suits and a cashmere blazer in a wardrobe, merino wool and cashmere jumpers in drawers. I have removed and machine washed everything else. The mould removal firm suggested leaving all wardrobes and drawers open with clothes inside. My question is whether it would be better to remove the clothes and get them dry cleaned as a separate process or subject them to the mould removal spray in the house.
I really don’t know I’m afraid, C. But to be on the safe side, if you can’t find any real advice, I would dry clean them and then keep them out of the way. Better safe than sorry
Maybe as a joke, but I always use a flashlight (Fenix E05) when I open a wardrobe. You can immediately see the color, texture (cashmere, lambswool, merino), the same with shirts (poplin, oxford, linen), trousers. This is especially true when the family is sleeping in the morning, it is still dark and it is undesirable to turn on the general light in the room.
Hi Simon – I wonder where you would recommend buying hangers. I used to buy them from The Hanger Project, but they no longer have a UK website and it looks expensive to ship them to the UK. Do you have another recommendation about where to source a variety of wooden hangers? Many thanks.
Hi Richard. As mentioned in that piece on Hanger Project years ago, I don’t think I’ve ever bought a hanger.
But I know Nakata hangers are really beautiful – expensive, but really well made. Arterton stocks them now in the UK I think
Hello Simon, your articles are always very informative. Thanks to your articles, about storing cloth, I had a custom made closet for me.