Rain drenched suit jacket, how do I dry?

[Coho]

I'd appreciate it if someone can suggest some ways to maintain suits after a rainy day. What should I do when I enter a dry area, for example, after a 10 minutes walk under the rain (without an umbrella)?

 

[Sator]

Use a cloth/towel to dry it off a bit. Then leave it out to dry on a hanger before putting it away in the wardrobe. Don't wear it again for at least 48 hours.

 

[speedster.8]

Depending on the fabric you could also try putting some gently crumpled newspaper up the sleeves, so they maintain shape. This will also aid drying as it leaves air channels. And if possible use a contoured hanger, plastic/wood like the suit was delivered with. For plastic I like the Corneliani ones, with the soft foam ends.

And by all means empty every pocket, you wish to maintain shape. If ist double breasted, id button it within a short time.

Rain usually leaves marks, depending on fabric you may need/wish to brush the jacket.

my 2c

Speed

 

[JayJay]

I stopped by a car wash to get the salt off my car and lost control of the wand. The left arm of my suit jacket got drenched badly. I blotted it lightly with a towel and then let it hang dry. It turned out okay.

 

[bobdobalina]

As they say, it's not the water that causes the fabric to shrink and deform, it's the agitation. So rule number one is to move the garment as little as possible when it is wet.

 

[newyorknoir]

does anyone know how rain would affect an 80% wool 20% silk suit? I got caught in a downpour, and the suit got wet even with a golfing sized umbrella—particularly the jacket sleeves—as I had to share the umbrella with a lady friend and sacrificed getting a bit wet. When I got home I toweled down the suit and hung it up in the open, but I'm worried that it'll be ruined once it's dried.

Thanks

 

[Jackie Treehorn]

You guys do realize that the suit was invented in England, right? Where it rains pretty frequently, yes? You'll be fine.

Unless you jumped into a pool or something, your suit will live. Next time, bring an umbrella and check the forecast.

 

[Tropicalist]

I'd appreciate it if someone can suggest some ways to maintain suits after a rainy day. What should I do when I enter a dry area, for example, after a 10 minutes walk under the rain (without an umbrella)?

I'd say don't put on a hanger - the wool will distort and stretch. I live in Singapore - so this is a constant problem. A friend of mine has a tailor's dummy that he got from a going out of business shop, and he swears by using it to dry his jackets. I typically lay the jacket flat on towel and cover it with another towel for a while and let it dry for a couple of days. After that i send it for a sponge and steam press. It generally works out ok, but in one of my suites, the canvas distorted, but the fabric was fine. I am planning on speaking with my tailor to see if at all possible to replace the canvas. This one is escorial so worth it to take it apart.

 

[Kiwi Man]



I'd say don't put on a hanger - the wool will distort and stretch. I live in Singapore - so this is a constant problem. A friend of mine has a tailor's dummy that he got from a going out of business shop, and he swears by using it to dry his jackets. I typically lay the jacket flat on towel and cover it with another towel for a while and let it dry for a couple of days. After that i send it for a sponge and steam press. It generally works out ok, but in one of my suites, the canvas distorted, but the fabric was fine. I am planning on speaking with my tailor to see if at all possible to replace the canvas. This one is escorial so worth it to take it apart.

What is tailor dummy? Do you have a picture?

 

[KObalto]



What is tailor dummy? Do you have a picture?

If you have wide hangers, like those sold by Hanger Project or provided by many upper-end suit-makers, you should be fine.