How to get wrinkles out of a shirt

At Hugh & Crye, we're no stranger to this challenge. And we get this question all the time from our customers, pretty much at least once a day. Here are a few classic tips to help you keep a crisp image, either to prevent wrinkles or to get rid of them.

Avoid starch!

This might sound absurd, but avoid using starch as much as possible - either when you drop off your shirts to the dry cleaner, or at home. Sure, a little starch can go a long way, but too much can shorten your shirt's lifespan. Starch tends to take out wrinkles in an unnatural way - the shirt, especially if it's 100% cotton - doesn't retain the same level of drape and bounce as it should. You'll start to look like a lifeless robot, and that's not goal, right? One more point here - starch doesn't prevent wrinkles 

Use a spray (water) bottle

If you're trying to get wrinkles out with a regular iron, try using a spray water bottle to help ease out wrinkles. Spray a bit at a time, and let the iron glide over wrinkles much easier than if the shirt was completely dry. The key here is having the shirt be a touch damp. It has been unconfirmed by Hugh & Crye HQ, but we hear that putting a little vodka in the spray bottle works wonders to take wrinkles out as well. 

Hang shirts when not worn

Perhaps this is obvious, but even resting your shirt on a bed or dresser can start to set in wrinkles. The best thing to do is always store your dress shirts on a hanger - immediately hang them after wearing. You could also hang them on a hook or back of a chair in a pinch. And please don't ball them up into a bag, or on toss them on the ground!

Pack around other clothes

When packing for travel, here are a few tips that work well. First, ensure all of your shirts are buttoned all the way up and lay them flat on top of each other. Next, place all other items you're packing in your bag (e.g., your pants/denim, undershirts, etc) in the middle of the shirts. Next, fold the dress shirts around the clothing, crossing the arms around the stack of clothes. This magically reduces wrinkles while in transit!

Consider changing when you "arrive"

Wrinkles tend to set in when our bodies are a little cramped for extended periods of time - like a commute. That 45 min in the car, on the train, bus, etc - is the perfect breeding ground for wrinkles. If you can, try wearing something else and change when you arrive at work, or wherever you're headed.

Wear a blazer

When all else fails... throw on a blazer. Or for that matter, any additional layer: a sweater, jacket, overcoat, etc. It's not ideal, but you'll look polished!

Hope this helps! Don't hesitate to let us know if you have any questions by emailing us at service@hughandcrye.com