How to take care of your clothes, the rebranding of the Bronx — and more.

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Friday, August 18, 2017

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T magazine's new guide on how to take care of your clothes is online now. Illustration by Konstantin Kakanias, animation by Jonathan Eden

Alainna Lexie Beddie

Digital editor, T magazine

Outside of buildings and books, it's remarkable to think of most things lasting 100 years (though just this week, I read a story about a fruitcake that has lived to be 106 and still smells edible. It was naturally preserved by Antarctica's extremely cold climate).

Our clothes never age so well. One step inside a vintage store, and we're reminded that things often look — and smell — worse with wear. But they don't necessarily have to.

In fact, I spent the past few months talking to fashion insiders, from designers to the dry cleaners they trust, for advice on how to take care of our clothes. Initially, I was shocked by how often they pretended not to bother.

"I generally wear the same pair of shoes often until they are no longer in decent shape and then move into a new pair," admitted Tull Price, the founder of Feit footwear. Simon Miller's Daniel Corrigan told me, "The best-looking jeans are those that have been lived in, ripped — not washed." Even Bruce Pask, the men's fashion director of Bergdorf Goodman, shyly said about his perpetually impeccable look: "Very little effort goes into it."

Like an old frozen fruitcake, some wardrobe items don't need much care to last and look good (and others don't need to last at all). But for the pieces you do love and want to continue wearing for decades to come — or even pass down to future generations — read our guide to wearing, storing and even cleaning your clothes and accessories correctly. You'll learn the best way to fold a T-shirt, steps for conditioning shoes and how to make a leather handbag last. There's even a reliable stain-removal tip, which I have been using for years. (It works — I promise.)

Elsewhere, we're reading insightful beauty advice from Salma Hayek; getting to know the homegrown artists, designers and entrepreneurs rising up in the Bronx; and poring over stories from T's new Women's Fashion issue, which is out in this weekend's Sunday paper.

Philip-Lorca diCorcia

Jun Takahashi, the Sorcerer of Fashion

The Japanese designer has developed a singular, theatrical vision. A trip inside his strange, beautiful world.

• The making of the story

Andre D. Wagner for The New York Times

The Rebranding of the Bronx

A cadre of homegrown artists, designers and entrepreneurs are giving the South Bronx an image transplant.

Photograph by Patrick Demarchelier. Styled by Marie-Amélie Sauvé

Men's Silhouettes, Tailored for the Female Form

This season, crisp shirting and men's-style suiting finds a new shape.

Salma Hayek Isn't Trying to Fool Anyone

Why she doesn't color her hair or follow a strict diet. And: her favorite D.I.Y. face cleanser.

In a Body-Positive Moment, Why Is Hollywood Out of Step?

Melissa McCarthy has broken through in Hollywood, but her success is viewed by studios as an anomaly. Danielle Macdonald hopes to flip the script.

Bella Hadid in Fendi, photographed by Karl Lagerfeld on the cover of the September issue of Vogue Arabia.

Bella Hadid: Covered-Up Cover Star of Vogue Arabia

The supermodel was photographed by Karl Lagerfeld, five months after her big sister, Gigi, was on the cover of the magazine's debut issue. She, too, is causing a stir.

An engagement ring at a Tiffany store in New York. Tiffany was awarded more than $19 million after it sued Costco for trademark infringement and trademark counterfeiting.

An Engagement Ring Shakeup For Costco and Tiffany

A federal district court judge in New York has ordered the discount warehouse giant to pay Tiffany for using the jeweler's name to market diamond rings.

Laura Wass, the founder of WXYZ Jewelry, in the design she wore when she met Erykah Badu.

Meet the Creator of Beyoncé's '7/11' Crown

Laura Wass's other designs include the headpiece from the cover of Childish Gambino's last album and bracelets favored by Erykah Badu.

At Tom Ford the style is oligarch's pied-à-terre. Here, a men's tailoring section complete with lounge and custom artwork.

Where the Rich and Famous Go to Look Rich and Famous

Other retailers experiment, but Tom Ford has found a style that works for him: unapologetically expensive.

Your Style Questions, Answered

Every week on Open Thread, we will answer a reader's fashion-related question, which you can send to us anytime via email or Twitter. Questions are edited and condensed.

Q: "I'm a mid-30s professional who travels throughout the city a lot. My interior design job requires that I carry heavy marble samples, paint fans and hardware around to various job sites. Very dirty ones at that. Due to this, my handbags & purses have taken a serious beating. I've given up leather bags completely as they always seem ruined after a month or so and I have succumbed to carrying generic canvas totes. While they serve me well, I feel they are not appropriate for client meetings and a professional lifestyle. Can you recommend a stylish but very durable bag that can put up with the wear and tear that I place upon it?" — Nell

A: Good, durable bags are hard to find — especially the kind that will get better with age. I find it especially difficult to find totes with straps sturdy and wide enough that they won't dig into one's shoulder when one is carrying a heavy load. I asked T magazine's women's style director, Malina Joseph Gilchrist, for ideas. "Troubador is very understated, and yet because the bags are made of nylon, they're much more durable and easy to clean," she says. "The leather handle gives them a more elevated look." She also recommends dragon — a kind of braided leather (that quite happily has nothing to do with "Game of Thrones.") "With leather woven bags, the more you wear them, the better the leather gets," she says. "And because they're leather, they're nice for all seasons, too." (Here are good ones from J.Crew and Garmentory.) Finally, if you do opt for canvas, stick with black — like these from Herschel or Everlane — which doesn't appear as dirty as a khaki color, and looks slightly more professional than an L.L. Bean tote. — ISABEL WILKINSON

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