Fashion Pulse

     A little TLC can go a long way in preserving your favorite pieces in excellent condition for years. You've made an investment in your wardrobe and took the time to carefully consider your purchases. With some thoughtful care they will be giving you joy and looking great as long as you have them. Here are a few of our top tips: 1.   Wood hangers are best for your garments . Clothing tends to hang better on wood hangers, keeping garment shape. Thicker and sloped more closely to the natural shape of shoulders, they help keep the form of the garment and avoid shoulder bubbles caused by other types of hangers. Wood hangers are also preferred for their durability and aesthetic appeal. 2.  Avoid the dryer. Hang or lay garments flat to dry.  This is best for all your garments that are washable. The heat of machine dryers weakens fibers over time, and may cause fading in some garments. Foldable drying racks are easy to find and they don't take up much space (Se...

Thrift stores were first established in the United States in the late 1800’s. The onset of mass production brought the cost of clothing down and the perception of clothing as disposable began to take hold. Before then used and worn clothing would be passed down to other people or repurposed into other useful items by their owners conserving the value of the fabric. It was not a sign of frugality, but of nostalgia, or a sense of romanticism. Having such fine textiles passed down was a nod to generational wealth, status, and class. The increased immigrant population and those not benefiting from the new wealth of the changing times were served by the emergence of used clothing and goods stores at the time of the Industrial Revolution. The rise of consumer consumption fed the supply of these shops. Often called “junk shops”, they needed a marketing makeover to survive by the 1950’s (from junk shops to thrift shops and consignment shops). It was Christian ministries, like the Salvation Arm...