By now, you’ve probably pulled sweaters out of storage and hung up your winter coats. But, there are many steps to getting your wardrobe truly winter-ready beyond unpacking your cold-weather gear.
Just like other seasonal errands such as putting on winter tires and cleaning out the eavestroughs of your home, prepping your clothes and accessories for extreme temperatures and other winter hazards in advance will help them last longer, and look better throughout the season.
1. Faux Fur
To prep your faux fur pieces for the new season, gently use your fabric steamer to revive the fur, get rid of bacteria, and eliminate lingering odours. If there are any stains, feel free to machine wash your synthetic fur coats on the gentle cycle and lay flat to dry.
2. Layering Essentials
From Uniqlo’s Heattech knits to Kit and Ace’s machine-washable cashmere, numerous high-tech fabrics and design innovations have been introduced to the fashion and outdoors apparel markets in recent years. Invest in a handful of these smart layering pieces and you’ll be ready to face the next polar vortex in style.
3. Down Coats
Believe it or not, dry cleaning is not recommended for most down-filled garments. So if you didn’t have time to wash your jackets and parkas in the spring, now is the time to hand or machine wash them—using the delicate setting on a front-load machine only. Make sure to use a soap or cleaner designed for down, and machine dry on the lowest setting to avoid clumping and mildew.
4. Boots
Slushy sidewalks and salt-stains are the natural enemies of your suede and leather footwear. Get them through the winter season by coating each pair before the first heavy snowfall with a clear, breathable spray specially formulated to repel water and stains.
5. Knits and Sweaters
If your sweaters have been sitting in a stuffy box all summer, make sure to air them out and mist the wool and cashmere ones with a deodorizing fabric spray. Then, manually inspect each one for snags or holes, and remove any lint or pilling using a fabric shaver, sweater comb or brush before wearing.
6. Winter Accessories
Extend the utility of your favourite all-season garments by incorporating a few clever, winterizing accessories such as sheepskin insoles, fleece boot socks, and wool arm warmers into your wardrobe. Stock up on these extras now, before the most popular sizes and colours sell out for the year.
Truc Nguyen
Truc Nguyen is a Toronto-based freelance writer, fashion stylist, and creative director. When she’s not covering fashion week or working on shoots, Truc is an amateur mycologist and enjoys world travels with her family.
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