Pleated skirts come in fabric of all sizes, ranging from short, flouncy styles to long, relaxed shapes. Depending on the garment's weight and style, it can be worn during a fun day out with family or a fancy night out with friends. While pleated skirts have plenty of versatility, they're nowhere near easy in terms of care as a wardrobe staple. Hanging them in a closet at random or folding them any which way just won't do!
Maintaining Pleated Skirts
The way in which pleats are made directly correlates to how difficult it is to maintain a pleated skirt in the first place. First, fabric is rolled tightly between two cardboard pieces. It then goes into a steamer. The material will keep the pleated shape well enough for a while, but over time, the pleated shape will change because of physical damage, wrinkling, or improper ironing.
For some pleated skirts, the washing machine should be skipped altogether since the pleating will lose shape given the heat.
Compared to ordinary garments, the pleated skirt has a unique shape that makes it more complex in terms of care. Repair is, in turn, tough as well for skirts that were simply not cared for properly given the way pleats have complicated repair issues.
Here are some key tips when it comes to maintaining pleated skirts:
Maintain Pleated Skirts By Cautiously Ironing Pleats
There's a big risk when it comes to pleated skirts being ironed. Specifically improper ironing which takes pleats out of the skirt completely. The following steps will go a long way:
- Pick the lowest possible setting available on the iron.
- Turn on the iron's steam, if it's part of the settings.
- Follow the original pleats direction.
- Push the fabric's top layer into the material.
A flat iron will do well instead of an iron that seems too large. When there's a knife pleat (the kind that overlaps), the "paperclip method" is ideal:
- Take a paperclip, fastening one to each pleat.
- Iron like one normally would, using the predetermined folds as a guide.
Do not iron accordion pleats and similar pleats that should not be ironed in the first place.
Maintain Pleated Skirts By Picking the Right Fabric For Pleats
Certain natural fabrics can lose their shape over the course of time and become unreliable. Silk is a material that does just that. It is because they can change or shrink quickly while in use, such as being sat on for hours on end. Being worn in places that are heavy with moisture can affect pleated skirts made of the wrong fabric, too.
Don’t want to spend a lot of time ironing a pleated skirt? Then choose a wrinkle-resistant fabric, such as cotton or poplin, or even a synthetic material like polyester. Then, spray a pleat-stiffening spray on the skirt before leaving the house to keep the pleats in place over time.
It should be noted that some synthetic fabrics cannot be ironed at all. A good rule of thumb is to read the label of a pleated skirt made of a synthetic fabric before it goes anywhere near an iron.
Conclusion
Pleated skirts are a great fashion choice, but maintenance can be tough. This is largely due to the need for the pleats to maintain their shape over time. Maintaining pleats is best done through picking the right fabric and ironing with caution.
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