Cotton: The Suit for Spring
This spring, many designers are offering suiting pieces in cotton. They are bypassing linen and silk/cotton blends and going just for the source material. Cotton has recently been touted as the ecologically sound choice in fabric. It is sustainable, one doesn’t have to use harsh drycleaning methods on it, and it does not require the use of animals. However, I offer that I have owned many cotton items with a “Dry Clean Only” tag hanging on to the inside of the collar or pocket for dear life.
Truth be told, when a garment says Dry Clean, versus Dry Clean Only, it means radically different things. A clothing or textile maker is required to suggest at least one washing method for a garment. When you see “Dry Clean,” it is merely a suggestion. You may get optimum durability out of a garment by drycleaning it, but the manufacturer is surely not suggesting the trousers will cease to be if you should try a home cleaning kit or Woolite. When a tag says Dry Clean ONLY, this typically means that it is the only thing a person not in the top 10 of textile experts in the world should do to it without shrinking or otherwise shattering its soul.
Will the latest selections of formal and business wear be a college student’s dream? In otherwords, can you toss the trouser, jacket, and vest in the big barrel at the laundromat? My best assessment is a big fat NO. I venture that the garments are going to still require or at least suggest drycleaning as the preferred mode of cleaning. Afterall, it is not a faux pas to wear a sport coat more than once, providing that you have proper garments underneath and are not barechested. However, it is indeed a faux pas to have the garment rolling around on the floor, somewhere underneath the dog and a bag of Cheetos for a week before the next outing. Surely, your companions of choice will be able to immediately guess that you did not go on a globe trotting adventure, but merely are a slacker.
Keep your eyes open for cotton suits this spring and summer. They are not just for the Bahamas any more. In fact, sometimes you won’t be able to assess the fabric content unless you are so close to it, that you will be construed as rude or a bit too friendly to the wearer.
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