Wrinkle me this

[jamespowers]

And they were soft and un-starched for a long time before that.

Because they didn't know any better.

 

[jamespowers]

The other day a laundry in my town closed down and all these unclaimed high quality shirts were sent to the Salvos (Aussie for Goodwill).

They were my mate's (with 5 kids) size so I bought 'em for him. Three were Ike Behars that had been heavily starched. I must admit at first I was a little howwified but then I kinda started to look at them and like them. I agree with the above point that there is something likeable about them. But starched collars must be a devil to wear and must damage the fabric due to the stiffness and rubbing factor.

No es verdad?

PS How do you remove the starch?

I have not really had a problem with heavy starch. The collars don't wear much at all and neither do the cuffs. [huh] I don't buy cheap shirts but I have had the same results with cheaper brands. Perhaps it is the starch that they use? [huh]
The collars aren't bad at all. Like I said before, you get used to it. They are comfortable to me. They aren't scratchy either. I love a cuff that you can flick with a finger and get a crisp sound back from it. Mmmm mmmmm starch.
Even if I had to replace the shirts every year---and I haven't bought a new shirt in years---I would still go for the heavy starch. You can't get the look any other way. I hate a slovenly looking white shirt. :eusa_doh:

Regards,

J

 

[Jovan]

I forgot to mention, the wear is part of the reason I don't like using starch. Also, if the fabric is relatively thick like Oxford, it'll keep pretty well throughout the day in my experience.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

In the mid '80s, when the dollar was strong against the English pound, my dad bought many sea island cotton shirts from Turnbull & Asser, New & Lingwood, and Harvie & Hudson. Then he made the mistake of having them starched regularly. Within a year or two, these shirts were fraying at the spots where the collars and French cuffs fold over.


.

 

[jamespowers]

In the mid '80s, when the dollar was strong against the English pound, my dad bought many sea island cotton shirts from Turnbull & Asser, New & Lingwood, and Harvie & Hudson. Then he made the mistake of having them starched regularly. Within a year or two, these shirts were fraying at the spots where the collars and French cuffs fold over.


.

Note to self, don't buy sea island cotton shirts.
I don't get how people wear out starched shirts so fast. I usually get broadcloth and Pima cloth shirts and they work just fine for many, many years. How often do they wear these shirts and have them cleaned? You can't wear the same shirt day after day. [huh]

Regards,

J

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Note to self, don't buy sea island cotton shirts.

I agree. It's promoted as the finest cotton shirting of all, and it feels like silk. HOWEVER ... the stuff is so tightly woven that it doesn't breathe well at all. You end up sweating like a hog. What's the use of a silky shirt if it makes you feel soggy?

.

 

[jamespowers]

I agree. It's promoted as the finest cotton shirting of all, and it feels like silk.

They have real silk for that purpose.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Yup. To me, sea island cotton is like these 'Super 200's/300's/1,000,000's' microfibers: expensive and silky, but flimsy and short-wearing. A gimmick, really.


.

 

[jamespowers]

Yup. To me, sea island cotton is like these 'Super 200's/300's/1,000,000's' microfibers: expensive and silky, but flimsy and short-wearing. A gimmick, really.


.

That reminds me of a silk hawaiian shirt I have. The darned thing gets dry cleaned at least once a week and it still holds up well. I wonder what kind of silk they used in that shirt. Yes, it is a Tommy Bahama. :eusa_doh:

Regards,

J

 

[Tomasso]

I've used over a dozen shirtmakers in my time and to a man they've all instructed don't use starch. On the few occasions where the cleaners have mistakenly starched my shirts I've noticed how quickly they wrinkle and how deeply the wrinkles set. And, starch seriously hampers the breathability of the cloth, making the shirt wear hotter.

 

[Jovan]

Seems to be the case for a lot of lower quality non-iron shirts as well. There are a few that have fabrics that are still breathable though.

 

[jamespowers]

I've used over a dozen shirtmakers in my time and to a man they've all instructed don't use starch. On the few occasions where the cleaners have mistakenly starched my shirts I've noticed how quickly they wrinkle and how deeply the wrinkles set. And, starch seriously hampers the breathability of the cloth, making the shirt wear hotter.

Your experience has been the opposite of mine but I suppose maybe it depends on who does the cleaning and what you start with. [huh]
I buy off the rack type shirts though so it might be a different experience. I don't notice any difference in warmth but I would like it if it were warmer really.

Regards,

J

 

[Tango Yankee]

And, starch seriously hampers the breathability of the cloth, making the shirt wear hotter.

I was in basic training in San Antonio during the summer of 1980. We were told that it was the hottest summer on record at that time and were not allowed to starch our uniforms due to that reason.

Cheers,
Tom

PS That was back when we still had fatigues, not BDUs. Starched BDUs are a contradiction. They weren't supposed to be starched but many people did it. I think it caused them to fade quicker. I hated ironing my BDUs so I had them dry cleaned.

 

[jamespowers]

I hated ironing my BDUs so I had them dry cleaned.

Good man. I hate ironing and when my wife was pregnant I was not about to try. So I went the dry cleaning route as well. I had before that though and will use the previous excuse for years to come.

Regards,

J

 

[cookie]

And the score is ????

Sorry James, henceforth and in future, you are to starch no longer, particularly if you change to Sea island cotton shirts.

Sorry mate ... you lost ...starch no more... capisce??

 

[Jovan]

In my [limited] experience, machine washing on cold delicate and hanging them to dry (with the pocket flaps and pleats shaped neatly beforehand) keeps colours pretty well with ripstop cotton BDUs. Don't know how clean pressed you need yours, but they looked pretty good to me. (I had a pair of the thicker ripstop, not that paper thin stuff they're selling a lot today.)

 

[Hemingway Jones]

Unless it's vintage...

...I look at shirts as disposable no matter how nice they are or how much I like them. I wear them hard, send them to the cleaners for laundering -no starch- and once they get frayed, they go.

By then, I have rotated new ones in. It's the circle of life.

 

[Miss Sis]

PS How do you remove the starch?

You boil wash it. Hottest cycle machine will do or boil it on the stove top in a really big stock pot.

Also, starch isn't actually very good for fabric. I'm not exactly sure but it sort of ends up breaking the fibres, as far as I can understand, especially where it folds such as double cuffs or collars.

 

[jamespowers]

Sorry James, henceforth and in future, you are to starch no longer, particularly if you change to Sea island cotton shirts.

Sorry mate ... you lost ...starch no more... capisce??

I ain't gonna look sloppy. Heavy starch it is. A load of shirts just went into the cleaners for the heavy starch treatment. Ahhhhhhhhhh starch. Feel the stiff goodness. MMMMMMM.....

Regards,

J

 

[jamespowers]

Unless it's vintage...

...I look at shirts as disposable no matter how nice they are or how much I like them. I wear them hard, send them to the cleaners for laundering -no starch- and once they get frayed, they go.

By then, I have rotated new ones in. It's the circle of life.

Exactly. :eusa_clap They aren't meant to last forever. They will wear no matter what you do. Its a shirt not a suit or tie.
You need to try the starch though.

Regards,

J