Dad Wardrobe Tips: To Fold, Or To Hang?

While men might not have as diverse a wardrobe as women, they still have a methodical way of putting away their clothes (No, forcefully shoving everything into a closet doesn’t count).

Men often wonder what the best way to store their clothes is, folding or hanging. Turns out, there is sort of a complex science behind the storing of clothing, due in part to an array of factors such as fabric type, weather, and shape.

Don’t let this intimate you. For the most part, putting away your clothes can be greatly simplified to be as easy as looking at a piece of clothing and deciding whether to fold it or hang it. We took the liberty of dumbing down the process even more by actually labeling which items should be hung or folded. Here are a few simple best practices for men’s essentials. 

Socks and Underwear

Socks and underwear should always be folded and put in a drawer. In order to prevent conditions like athlete’s foot and jock itch, they should be kept in a cool clean area like the inside of a drawer as these problems arise from exposure to heat.

T-Shirts and Polos

You can badly stretch out and damage t-shirts and polo shirts if you hang them since they’re made of thin cotton. Fold these bad boys up and stack them in a pile.

Button-down Shirts

Shirts can be both hung and folded. Make sure to button the collar of your shirts before storing them so that their shape doesn’t get distorted. And never ever EVER use wire hangers as these leave a lasting, piercing effect on your shirts.

Ties

If you have a collection of these from previous Father’s Days, they can be rolled up or hung. If rolled, store them near the back of a drawer, and if hung, use a tie rack or tie hanger.

Sweaters

Just like t-shirts, sweaters can be damaged by hangers, which means you have to fold them. It might not seem like they get damaged at first, but it is a gradual process, and next thing you know you’re wearing a weather that sinks down while exposing your collarbone. Cubbies make great storage choices for sweaters, since they help keep items neatly stacked.

Pants

For formal pants, never fold them and never hang them. Wait, what? That’s right. You always want your pants to be elongated, so, if you can, use hangers with clamps that grasp the waist. For casual bottoms, you can fold them, but treating them like formal pants is strongly recommended.

Suit Coats and Blazers

Always hang your suit coats and blazers. The point is for them to maintain their rigid, masculine shape. You also may want to invest in hangers that bend forward to help your suits mold into that arching form.

Equipped with these tips, you can now dress like a grown-up man.

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