The clothes we buy

[Philipa Jane]

Today some e-parcels arrived.
Quite excited to see what I had got. Yes I do remember but the pictures often don't match the article.
I try to purchase items that are sot and silky. One because I like the feel and two because they don't need ironing.
Now I am pretty good with the iron but some of the balloon sleeves are a chore and more so when it is cotton and linen.
I am inclined to buy a steam type closet but these are rather expensive. The ones I looked at online are in the 1 to 2 thousand dollar range. Has anyone got a good solution for this. And no getting the SO to do it does not count.
By the way who amongst us hides their wardrobe and manages to iron or wash clothes without the SO seeing?

[CharlotteCD]

I don't wash or iron my clothes. I wear them so rarely that they don't really get dirty these days.

If my wife goes away for a weekend with her mum, I will wash them then, as I can let them dry naturally outside - no neighbour will question underwear etc on the line because the assumption would be it's my wife's.

[Heather76]

I hand wash all my clothes. I simply hang the items, whatever they are, in the guest bathroom to dry. I wash them out of view of my wife as there's no reason for her see me washing them. However, when I hang them up to dry, they are readily visible to her should she use that bathroom which she often does as it's immediately next to her sewing room - a/k/a her girl cave. I tend to wash only 2 or 3 items at a time. Since I don't wear my dresses outside, and would average maybe 3 hours/week per dress, I don't feel the need to wash them after each wearing.

[AngelaYVR]

Viscose dresses and skirts need ironing. Guess what I own a lot of? Completely worth it though, it's the material that gives clothes that authentic vintage look with lovely drape and flutter. I'm rather used to it anyway, all my boy shirts need ironing, and it's a guilty pleasure to iron your dress while in undies and heels!

[alwayshave]

I wear things so rarely that they don't need cleaning. However, I have taken some items to the dry cleaner.

[kimdl93]

Most of my clothing is deliberately casual style in wash and wear materials. I avoid things made of rayon or viskose cause these materials are difficult to maintain.

[bre]

I work from home now and most of my clothing is casual, whether drab or femme. I'm not sure that I even know where the ironing board is located in our house. SO works from home, and she has no-iron attire as well.

However... This week I had to travel for business and had to dress "business casual," which meant dress shirt and slacks (and of course panties and a low-key cami underneath). Because it was my first overnight travel in over two years, I celebrated by buying a new nightie for the trip. I must say that wearing my new nightie while ironing my business clothes in the hotel room was a totally new experience; so was shaving while wearing the nightie.

I am out recently to my wife and - while she seemed open - we are still establishing our own comfort zones with my dressing; so far panties are OK 24/7, as are casual tops and camis as long as they "could" be also viewed as drab. Other lingerie was mentioned, but not specifically addressed. Beyond that, it is unexplored territory, with a general "DA" of "don't advertise" outside home. Because I shop for panties at Lane Bryant for the two of us now and I have often bought her lingerie over the last 30+ years, she knows that I know my way around the ladies' department and that I will shop in public.

Just before bedtime on the day I returned home, my wife showed me a new long top that she said she might actually wear as a nightie. She did leave it on the hanger for that night. What wanted to say was, "What a coincidence, I just bought a new nightie for the trip; want to compare?" But, I was unsure what her reaction would be and mine was still in the dirty clothes bag and did not look it's best, so I kept quiet. I do wonder if I should wait until she wears her new nightie, compliment her nicely, and then test the waters. Any thoughts from the group?

[Stephanie47]

My wife has a weekly routine to be away from our home on to days a week for sufficient time to wash and iron my clothes; female and male. Most of the fem garments I wash run through the gentle cycle which is faster than others. I still need to break out the ironing board and iron to press my guy shirts. I iron my nylon slips and nightgowns first. I do not do it intentionally to avoid an unexpected entry by my wife, but, the outer storm door is always locked. She has to knock to alert me she has arrived.

[Maid_Marion]

I'll buy cheap clothes on ebay that say dry clean only.

[Bobbi46]

I choose carefully and buy on line so far no problems and i now have a huge choice of clothes to choose from when i go out

[kayegirl]

My wife is fully aware of my dressing, and although she does not want to be involved, we have no secrets. We share the domestics, including washing and ironing, and as she knows just what I have in my wardrobe, its no problem..
But I do share Philipa's thoughts on ironing balloon sleeves, now that is a oroblem.

[Natalie5004]

I am ham fisted with an iron for sure.

Here is a real experience I had. I was in Las Vegas and getting ready for dinner with my SO and my brother. I needed to iron my shirt. I turned on the iron. Got it hot. Put it to my dress shirt. I burnt right through the shirt in 1 second.

[docrobbysherry]

Philipa, a GG friend of mine has a streamer. After I saw how well and easy they work? I bought a couple at a Hollywood auction.

They r so easy to use and work very fast while your clothes r hanging up!

I know in the States they sell for about $50 to $100. Not sure about Oz, tho.