Not sure how to care for your newest treasure? Here are a few tips to help you wear your vintage garments for as long as possible.

(1) Avoid wire hangers with delicate fabrics and heavy fabrics. Instead, use padded or velvet hangers, which evenly distribute strain. Museum-worthy pieces should be stored in garment boxes with acid-free paper; feel free to contact us for info and assistance!

(2) All UA garments are professionally cleaned and inspected for issues. To clean your garment, we recommend hand-washing in cold water with a free-and-clear detergent, then air-drying.

For more information, Vintage Fashion Guild has a fabulous article on how to clean vintage clothing. Their “no-wash” list includes:

Velvet

Brittle or powdering fibers

Moiré

Glazed cottons

Silk embroidery

Cotton embroidery that is not dye fast

Painted surfaces

Leather

Feathers

Sequins

Garments with a combination of fabrics (e.g. a cotton and velvet dress, a lined suit with horsehair construction)

Printed silks

(3) Dry cleaning can be rough on older fabrics, but works wonders for oil and grease stains when you’ve worn your 50s frock for pizza. Pressing or steam cleaning is generally fine when done with normal precautions, but remember to avoid velvet, sequins. etc.

Vintage Fashion Guild recommends steaming for velvets, satins, brocades, suits, and hats. They suggest pressing be done on the coolest temperature possible from the opposite side of the fabric, and that pressing be done in an up-and-down motion to avoid snags.