January 1, 2026 • 26 mins
Leigh Campbell's edit of the best 100 per cent wool knits you'll love this winter.
Do you ignore that little tag on the inside of your clothes. Maybe you even cut it off? You're not alone... but you might want to rethink.
In this episode, we dive into the essentials of fabrics. From cotton and silk to wool and synthetics, we’ll cover the best practices and what to look out for when you’re buying online. Consider this a fabric encyclopaedia lesson.
That fine print you've probably been ignoring is actually going to save you money and extend the life of your wardrobe.
THE END BITS
If you loved this episode with Nicole Bonython-Hines you can listen to her episode on how to look after your clothes.
Want to shop the pod? Sign up to the Nothing To Wear Newsletter to see all the products mentioned plus more, delivered straight to your inbox after every episode.
Listen to The Quicky's episode on dupes
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CREDITS:
Host: Leigh Campbell
Guest: Nicole Bonython-Hines
Producer: Grace Rouvray
Audio Producer: Tegan Sadler
Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
You're listening to A'm Mom with Mere podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Hey friends, it's Chelsea Hoy Here. The team and Nothing
to have sifted through the archives to bring you some
of our personal favorite episodes for you to enjoy every
Monday and Friday over the next three weeks, in addition
to our brand new Wednesday episodes, giving you even more
content to enjoy while you soak up the sun. Now,
we're constantly getting dms asking how to best look after
our clothes to get the most use.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Out of them.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Longtime listeners know Nicolebynnithan Hines is one of Lee's favorite
guests to have on the pod, and we're lucky to
have her back again today. She's telling us exactly what
we need to be doing to keep our clothes in
pristine condition for as long as possible. So have a listen.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
Whoever said orange is a new pink with seriously disturbed
laurels for spraying groundbreaking? Oh my god, you.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Have to do it. You live for fashion?
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Hello and welcome to Nothing to Wear. The podcast solves
fashion problems and levels up your wardrobe. I'm Lee Campbell
and every week I talk to an expert who is
going to help us work out how to get more
out of the clothes we already own and tell us
exactly what is and what isn't worth adding to our wardrobe.
One of my favorite episodes we have ever done was
(01:23):
about garment care. Sound boring, but it was an absolute
game changer, and I realized all the things I was
doing wrong when it came to laundry, as well as
discovering some super handy gadgets and products that help us
look after our favorite garments. So today I've brought back
nicolber Nith and Hines to answer every single fabric question
(01:43):
we have, and I have a lot. Before we get
into the incredibly confusing world of fabric, I've got one
question to ask you. What is the oldest purchase in
your wardrobe that is still going strong? Gosh, I have
a lot of really old things. Yes, the beautiful Cashmi
jumper you were wearing today, I commented before we started recording,
And it's got your daughter's name on it because she
(02:04):
used to wear it for school for horse riding. She did,
so that's been around a tie.
Speaker 4 (02:07):
It's got a Cash's label in it that I stitched
in because I was never going to succumb to that
nasty iron on label thing and that had to be.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
All hand stitch. Oh my gosh, I should did that
up at night. That's your way. I love it. But
you're such an advocate for you know, caring for your
garments and keeping them a long time. So you've probably
got a lot I do.
Speaker 4 (02:25):
Actually, I've honestly got stuff I've had for probably thirty
years still in my wardrobe.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
I still work commendable. You're going to teach us how
to do that with this episode. Good, okay. I want
to start with natural fibers because in my head they're
considered quote unquote better.
Speaker 4 (02:42):
I do prefer a natural fiber because I feel like
they breathe better. That's not to say they have lungs,
but they just allow the osmosis of moisture in air,
I suppose better than a polyester based But then there's
a difference. So there's petroleum based fibers in like Viscos,
which is a wood based fiber.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Oh okay, So we'll get to synthetics in a moment.
So I had to google natural fibers because I knew
a few. We've got cotton wool, silk, cashm which I
don't know if if that's different to well, I'll ask
you in a moment. Bamboo linen, which I thought was
cotton but might be suede leather shurling, which I'm guessing
is like basically the whole cover of a sheet. So
let's just quickly go through those good old cotton is
(03:22):
one hundred percent cotton all the same, because then I
saw on some websites it's one hundred percent Australian certified cotton. Okay, yeah,
are we getting too far down the line.
Speaker 4 (03:32):
Look, I love cotton, and I think everyone feels like
cotton's kind of their go to. Apparently it's really environmentally
not good, uses a shitload of water.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
Well that's the thing, because when I say naturals better,
it depends I guess how you're looking at it. It's
better for sustainability and that we wear it for longer
or compleach it. But some of the processes of making
the fabrics aren't that great. But cotton's good because I
guess I've got a few pretty affordable, great cotton T
shirts that are white and I can use the wonderful
products you suggested in that laundering episode and keep them fresh.
(04:03):
Let's talk wool then why some all scratchy? I think
it's the way they.
Speaker 4 (04:06):
Twist the Obviously, a higher quality like a marino wool
is going to be less scratchy. Okay, that's the sort
of when they grate it. So you get the Tasmanian
wool that grows in less sun. It's just a bit
of a finer fiber.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
And so it's actually like the hair type of the animal,
Like we've all got different hair types.
Speaker 4 (04:25):
So all the crappy stuff gets made into carpet and
stuff like that. Wow, And then the really fine, nice
stuff gets made into beautiful knits. And then there's a
process that they do with the wall that makes it
even softer. I wore a browd the other day, which
I really should try and remember I can't. Anyway, it
was the softest butter. It wasn't scratchy at all.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
Okay.
Speaker 4 (04:43):
The wool is meant to be the greatest fabric of
all because it keeps you cool in the summer and
warm in the winter.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
It does. And what's cashmi is CASHMEI wool is a goat.
Cashmi is a goat. Oh wow. So if you sometimes
see a will cashmi blend those two animals correct. Oh wow,
And just the fleece on a kashmi goat is softer.
Talk to me about silk, because I love silk. I
always butcher it in the washing machine because well, you're
not meant to put in the washing machine, but you can.
(05:11):
Did you ever grow silk cores? And you had those
mulberry leaves and then they would die and you mum
would be like, have to put them in a bin?
And I'm like no, And they spin their little cocoon. Correct,
And then we use the cocoon. Yes, the threads that
make up the cocoon. I know, it's pretty amazing.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
I saw this amazing thing on Instagram the other day,
the way they do that in China or Minar or
somewhere else.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
Yes, And interestingly, depending on how you feel about animals,
I mean, that's obviously not vegan, because some of these
are vegan cotton, bamboo, But silk isn't, wall isn't, cashmir isn't.
So there's that whole other spectrum. True, linen is linen
type of cotton. Generally it's a fibrous plant. Oh it's
a different plant. It's a different plant. Leather and swage
(05:54):
they come from.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
Cows, cows or sheep, depending on what type of pigs,
even whatever type of leather it is, nine percent of
the leather, will we come across cow?
Speaker 1 (06:05):
But like that and now example yes, and that fancy
Chanell bag is lambskin. Yes. So in general, with these
natural fibers, if you care for them properly, do you
feel like they last longer or they're easier to launder
or are they harder or to depend.
Speaker 4 (06:21):
On which fiber whether in suede are always going to
be tricky. You've always got to track them to the cleaners.
And you know, it's all hit and miss depending on got.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
A beautiful swede coat and it's heavy and will keep
me warm, but the only way I want to wear
it in is when it's raining.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
I can't wear it when.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
It's a tough one.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
If it's a shiny enough leather you consider white clean. Yeah,
But when it.
Speaker 4 (06:43):
Starts absorbing, sweating things like that, Yeah, it's harder to cleaner.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
Yeah, and you a specialist dry cleaner. But good old
cotton in general, if you've got a good quality cotton item,
that should be pretty. It should be pretty, shouldn't lose
a shape.
Speaker 4 (06:56):
Well again, depends on the caliber of it and how
it's made and the weave and how loose or tight
it is.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Wow, I know it's confusing.
Speaker 4 (07:05):
I just think the safest to do anything is just
to stick it through in a warm wash and hang
it on the line.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
And a gentle not too spinny. No, I think you
can go hard on it. I think the tumble dryer
part is the thing that's really like you, I've really
pulled back on my dryer, right. Good for you. It
has been raining a lot here, but you've been in
the back of my head and I wasn't that terrible?
All that rain and no clothesline? Correct? Okay, we might
come back to some of those in a moment. But
I wanted to ask, what about natural blends, or like
(07:34):
there's some natural fiber and then there's some synthetic because
we're going to get into synthetics later. But like, there's
a T shirt I was looking at, it's a cotton
and lysol blend, or sometimes there's a linen blend. Why
do they blend these two together? Is it a finish thing?
Is it an affordability thing?
Speaker 4 (07:51):
I think cotton linen just gives a bit of a
slub because linen is not as fine a texture as cotton.
I think it's more of an appearance thing. I'm not
sure what life cell is.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
I did, and it's some sort of synthetic fabric that's
used a lot in active wear. So it might be
a stretch. He's going to say, is it a stretch
because none of those natural fibers we've talked about a stretchy.
It depends on the weave again, like you could get
a cotton knit like a fine cotton jersey. Ah, oh yeah,
is a.
Speaker 4 (08:19):
Jersey actually, or some people call it a knit, and
then depending on the weave of that, you can get
really stretchy once, but not as stretch as if they
are the lastin.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
Okay, so maybe that's how they add the stretch more affordably.
When I'm looking at silk, I just think in my head,
I'm supposed to look for like slip dresses that are
cut on the bias. What does that mean? I just
know to look for it. Okay.
Speaker 4 (08:42):
So you can have a silk spice cut skirt, which
is more about the shape. So if you cut it
on the rather than cutting it straight, you cut it
on an angle. It just makes it fall in a
different way.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
Okay, so when they cut out the pattern, the fabrics
kind of turn. Yes, correct, I'm picturing myself at the
spotlight when she's like gliding the sleep and that's a
straight that's a straight sight.
Speaker 4 (09:01):
But then when you put the pattern on that fabric,
if you're going to make your own thing, you put
it on that angle gives it that sort of fluting
at the bottom.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
Okay, synthetics, this is where my brain explodes. So we've
got rayon acrylics, spandex, nylon, polyester, and I think there's
types of polyester. So doing some googling to prepare for this,
I didn't even realize. You know, they can date back
to when each fabric was kind of invented in the
fifties or a seventies. Some of them have got like
actual specific names to the factories.
Speaker 4 (09:37):
That may yes, fascinating. Spandex is a brand name actually.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
Yes, probably, but to me that's just really really stretchy
leggings or something. Well, it's the likera component. I think even.
Speaker 4 (09:48):
Like brand name Elastin is probably the more generic name. Okay,
but Spandex and like I think are actually brand names.
It's a bit like calling a vacuum clean or a hoover. Yes, yeap,
wh tissues your kleenex. Okay, So what's acrylic? I think
it's a petroleum based fiber. Polyester is probably the least
environmentally friendly of all the fibers. It's petroleum based and
(10:10):
it doesn't break down.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
If you're shopping online, you scroll down to the fabric composition,
you'll often see polyester, but it might not give you
any more description because I looked through my wardrobe in preparation.
I don't mind the synthetic fabric, but some polyesteretoms I
have don't crush amazing for trouble, and then some polly
is awful. It's like scrunched up plastic. Correct. So it's
not all synthetics are created equal. They're not in terms
(10:33):
of wear or not. And it's also not prohibited by
price either.
Speaker 4 (10:36):
No, you can get a really cheap jacket in a
polly that never creases and falls really well, and then
vice versa.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
Yeah, that's it. So how do you feel about synthetics?
I mean, for you generally what you wear, but also
styling your clients. We're generalizing here, but more affordable sometimes
other synthetics and like we said, they can wear. So
do you mix and match natural fibers and synthetic fibers.
Speaker 4 (11:01):
I mean I should be a bit more environmentally aware
when I do it. I had someone snap at me
once because I was searing. I've got very expensive designer
I've bought it on sale, but you know shirt and
she leaned across and she said, you know that's polyester
And I said, oh, is it?
Speaker 1 (11:15):
It's the worst thing you can wear. What about vegan leather?
This is the reason why I wanted to get you
back on I messaged you a few weeks ago and
I bought the most amazing pair of vegan leather pants secondhand.
But they've got a little mark on them, and they're
like a beige. If it was black, I honestly would
just color it with a posca and no one would notice.
And I said to you, how do I clean my
vegan leather? And you sent me on a spiral, this
(11:36):
amazing laundering account from New York millions of followers, and
they explained that vegan leather is basically just fabric with
a plastic coating. Yeah, yeah, okay, so it feels and
looks like leather. Some are crunchy and hideous. Some are
quite buttery. Yet, So would you ever recommend that to
clients depending on budget?
Speaker 4 (11:57):
Sure, you know, if I'm not thinking with my environmental hat, sure,
I mean I think it's a good cheaper option. And yes,
there's you know, there are some brands that are kind
of expensive that do really great shapes.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
Yes, and they use that more buttery soft and it
could be more durable in a way. Upsides to synthetics
and downside to synthetics. Is it that taking away the environment,
which of course we absolutely care about, but we're talking
about shopping and longevity and maybe travel. Are the items
that are just great in a synthetic? Could it be
a slip dress? Could it be I really like a
(12:30):
poly or an acetate? So acetate is actually a wood pulp?
Oh yeah, what are the ones that are from natural
stuff that are now synthetic acetate? Acetate? Is it could
have something else in it?
Speaker 4 (12:41):
It might have a bit of poll in it as well,
but it's essentially a wood pulp fabric.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
So not all synthetics are petroleum based or like kind
of plustin based, But I think any of those synthetic fabrics,
poly or acetate crape is one of the best fabrics
in terms of not creasing its suiting and drape. So
the weave of the fabric is the thing too in
regards to how it wears. So gabardine is kind of
(13:07):
your traditional suiting kind of fabric. And if you held
it up to a microscope, it's got a kind of
a line through the weave, or it's a cross hatchy.
Speaker 4 (13:15):
It's a very flat fabric. It doesn't have any sheine,
or it is a polyester or cotton or anything. You
can have a cotton gab you can have a polygas
kind of like you could have a cotton flannel and
synthetic flannel a similar kind of yeah, exactly. Oh, but
it's kind of your traditional suiting. Wool gaberdine is probably
(13:36):
the most prolific type of gabon interesting because that's what most.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
Men's suits are. Wool gaberdine, for example. Okay, downsides are
the environment. You can't die synthetics like you can you
can die. Oh wow, okay, great, because I've got some
stains on some lighter like shift dresses and stuff that
I could just make me turn them navy or black.
So would you do that yourself or send it to
a dye. Well, I was going to try it myself
for your face. Scared.
Speaker 4 (14:02):
There are people that do it. There's a place called
color Change and they'll do. Someone might have a wedding
dress they love the shape of but they never wear
becuse it's white. Yes, okay, but usually it requires heat,
doesn't it to do or die? I know there are
cold water dyes, but I wouldn't trust them. Well, I've
only done the Ti Diet cotton T shirt with my
nieces and that was fun. So I feel like maybe
(14:23):
natural fibers at home, if it's an item you're going
to throw out anyway, Okay, it's got a stain on it.
But yeah, synthetics for experts. Yeah, if it's something expensive,
I would definitely outsource that.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
Okay, interesting in a bucket, I was top. Well, in
my head, I thought, can die natural fibers, can't die synthetics.
But then you die everything, Okay. One thing you can't
bleach synthetics. You can't bleach synthetic. It makes them go.
Speaker 4 (14:46):
I remember one of my kids went to a friend's
house and his mum said, oh, I bleached his cricket gear.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
And I, oh, and sure enough it's all yellow. Yes,
I've done that myself. Now I know what happened. I
just thought I was bad at laundry, which I am. Okay,
So speaking of stains and laundering, that's good to know.
You can't bleach synthetics, but if you've got a white
natural fiber, you can generally try and get a stain
out harefully. Yes, fabrics that are best for what you know, travel?
(15:15):
You mentioned gaberdine. No, you could do a gabetine.
Speaker 4 (15:19):
If you're a corporate and you're jumping on a plane
for eating some sort of a crapy thing is probably
going to do you the best.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
Okay, what if please say, please say is good for travel?
That's oh kind of or that very fine pleated? Yes? Sure,
sometimes you may get a silk in please say, but
you like it is in they levels probably.
Speaker 4 (15:40):
Ninety nine point nine p. It'll be synthetic because it
holds that crease. Natural fibers can't hold that crease. Yeah,
sure they Sometimes you could have a cotton, but it
would need to have a moticum of polly in it
for that.
Speaker 1 (15:50):
What does moticum mean? Mix a titch? I love it
and underwear. Cotton only cotton guss it. Yeah, that little
bit that looks like.
Speaker 4 (16:03):
That could just be a hangover. I'm sure that my
mother told me they only have cotton.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
No, I'm the same.
Speaker 4 (16:07):
Let it breathe, yes, well, then again, there's a vagina
with lungs going. But like you said at the top
of the episode, back to breathe ability. If anything needs
to breathe, it's generally an other regions.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
Yeah, totally.
Speaker 4 (16:18):
And also you're sweaty or whatever, you want something to
suck it up a bit.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
Shoes, leather, synthetic, Oh gosh, I know, leather would definitely
wear longer and better.
Speaker 4 (16:28):
Yes, synthetics will crack so with the surface, so where
the color is on a synthetic.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
Like the top. I love them their new affordable red
pointy synthetics. They're not gonna ask me forever. No, they're
going to crack oa asually, like the color will crack.
And is the synthetic shoes the smelly shoes or can
leather shoes get smelly too?
Speaker 4 (16:49):
I think it depends on your feet. But you can
get these good like charcoal inserts that you can buy
the super.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
Mud Okay, because you always try and wear a sock.
But sometimes a shoe doesn't go with a sock, depending
on which those secret sock thing is. But yeah, they
have to be fine enough. Therefore, you know, it's the
cotton factor again. They're probably made of synthetic. Yeah, they
probably if they're fine, they're made of synthetic. I never
thought of my fine invisible socks. They are synthetic, one
hundred percent. Interesting.
Speaker 4 (17:13):
I buy the toweling secret sock. Okay, you can wear
on the sneakers, but you couldn't really wear them in a.
Speaker 1 (17:18):
No, not like a point No. With a leather shoe,
is it called toppied top. You know how if you
buy a fancy leather shoe and you take it to
the shoe man and they put that little plastic because
the sole often of designer shoes or fancy shoes is
also made of leather, that's gonna wear out pretty quickly, right, Yeah,
it depends how much you were wear them. Yeah, say
it's a business shoe or a men's shoe. Do you
(17:39):
think there's a benefit in getting that investment? Dofinitely, because
it's about fifty bucks. But if you paid a lot,
it is. I just had a pair of boots, and
actually I was like wall, But then I was like,
hang on, Lee, you paid a lot for the boots
and you're gonna wear them a lot. So it's just
if you are going to wear them a lot, then
sure something you have to cop one last question, and
I guess let's bring it back to shopping in our
own wardrobe. I remember you saying in a previous episode
(18:00):
that when it comes to fabrics, shopping in real life, touching, feeling,
assessing the same. If you don't know a lot about fabrics,
do you recommend maybe a visit to the shopping center
just to literally look at fabric tags and learning what
things are in terms of touching a feeling, or maybe
going through your own wardrobe and looking at the tags.
Speaker 4 (18:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (18:19):
Probably.
Speaker 4 (18:20):
I mean the thing is, it's not going to tell
you on the tag if it's Gabardine or but it
will tell you if it's Polly, or what sort of
percentage it is Polly or not Polly, or cotton or
I mean, I would definitely say, if you're in a store,
or even if you're online, I would avoid cotton, polly anything.
Speaker 1 (18:35):
It's like water and oil. Yeah, I just find that
pills and any piled anything makes it look cheap. We
talked about someone had a very expensive atom one that
was piled, and of course someone bought the wonderful pill
shaver you recommended and spent a Saturday night shaving my
clothes and it was so joyful. So yeah, I guess
looking online, looking at your tags, you can kind of
get a better idea, yes, of what things are made of.
(18:57):
It doesn't.
Speaker 4 (18:58):
I mean, I still think going to a store is
probably the best thing, like feeling it, and you know,
if you are one of these people that is concerned
about creases and scrunch it in your hand and see
what it does.
Speaker 1 (19:08):
Yes, that's me because I don't even know an iron. No,
I've got a steam of those steamer You need irons
for some things. What about your sheets? What? No one irons?
Speaker 3 (19:19):
They're sheets?
Speaker 1 (19:33):
It's very expensive. How wond are these.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
All?
Speaker 1 (19:39):
Right? Bougie and budgets. So I have brought two different
things basically to get your approval, but I don't know
do you want to go first? You have stores to recommend.
I didn't recommend you to Glow because I know that
we've talked a million times and I thought you might
recommend their wall and their Cashmere. The cashmiir is pretty good, okay,
and it's a good price point.
Speaker 4 (19:58):
It's a good price point and they do last, you know.
I mean this knit i'm wearing now as well. It
was my daughter's, but I think I probably bought it
when she was about third how old?
Speaker 1 (20:08):
Now twenty two? Wow? That's good. So how have you
laundered that Cashmir sweater?
Speaker 4 (20:12):
I hand wash, sometimes I machine wash, but sometimes I
hand wash and then machine watch, but on the wool
cycle because it does a better spin than me.
Speaker 1 (20:20):
My budget is actually two jumpers from Country Road because
I wanted to ask you, and they're expensive. I won't lie,
but my bouhie is more expensive. I wanted to ask you.
So there's this beautiful brush crop cardigan and it's just
kind of a v neck crop comes in five colors.
It's two hundred dollars. That's a lot of money, but
Country Road's kind of around that at least. What sobric
is it? This is what I want to ask you.
(20:41):
So thirty four percent Marino wall, thirty three percent nylon,
fifteen percent our Packer, fifteen percent mo hair, and three
percent spandex. So it's a real mish mash. Okay, so
that one keep that in mind. But then there's a
beautiful Australian Marino will rip detail pullover. So just another
simple one hundred and thirty nine, So sixty bucks more
(21:02):
affordable and it's one hundred percent wall If I'm going
to buy one, do you think for longevity the one
hundred percent wool probably? Is it more soft because it's
got the I can't tell you looking online. Oh okay,
I'm gonna have to go in store. But preparing for
this episode, I thought, let me look at the composition,
and I immediately thought the two hundred dollars one would
be all fancy natural woolen stuff. But no, they've got
(21:24):
a real mix in that.
Speaker 4 (21:25):
It's a real mix, and it's got that bit of
nile on it which helps it to hold its shape.
The elastin gives it a bit of stretch when you
put it's not all bad. I mean, there's a method
to that madness. But if you're looking for longevity, I
feel like one hundred percent something it is probably.
Speaker 1 (21:38):
Better in a classic gray sweat or knit I'm looking
for longevity. Okay, if you're doing a sweat shirt like
I call them a sloppy joe.
Speaker 3 (21:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:47):
Yeah, So you.
Speaker 4 (21:48):
Want the one hundred percent cotton bonds, have one that
is one hundred percent cotton.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
Always check on that drop shoulder and on bonds immediately. Okay,
So do you have a bougie for me? That could
be synthetic, could be natural. It's just an item that
you love or have your eye on that. It's a
fabric that you enjoy. I mean, Cashmere's probably my lux thing.
So if you're not getting a uniclo Cashmire, what's a
fancy where you.
Speaker 4 (22:12):
Could get I mean, gosh, you can get Kashmir in
any brand and all those beautiful sip soft coats a cashmere.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
But and you can get the mineral price point like
a full on big coat. Yeah, I only ever think
of a knit.
Speaker 4 (22:22):
Oh no, you can get like a Melton type weight,
so it's sort of like Melton.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
Mean it's a type of weave. Again, it's very smooth.
Speaker 4 (22:30):
A lot of coats are a melting so they're thicker,
so almost like a blanket, but not as oh yeah
as a blanket. Like you get very in weights in
and that can be synthetic or you probably could get
a synthetic melting, but usually it's.
Speaker 1 (22:42):
A wall or a cashmere.
Speaker 4 (22:44):
Okay, I did buy I haven't worn it yet because
I bought it when it was on sale at the
end of European winter.
Speaker 1 (22:50):
Great time to shop, particularly online.
Speaker 4 (22:52):
I know it is, but it's sort of hard to
imagine wearing a cashmere full length coat.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
You better go to Melbourne or Tasmania soon. Anyway, it's
hanging up in my coat. It's a franky shop Kashmere coat.
It's almost ankle length and it's just super dark navy.
And hopefully I will wear the crap out of it.
Because it was even on special. It's pretty pricey. You'll
have trust me with your fabric knowledge. You'll have it
to pass on to your daughters. That sounds amazing.
Speaker 4 (23:18):
I guess when long coats are out a fashion, I
could always ham it.
Speaker 1 (23:21):
You could ham it, crop it off, just don't bleach it.
I definitely won't bleach it before I tell you, my bougie.
Can I ask one more fabric question. Those coats that
feel like felt almost like kids craft felt.
Speaker 4 (23:33):
Oh yeah, that could be a type of melting as well. Okay,
but it's sort.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Of crappy one because I feel like linp sticks to
it likes and it looks really heavier sort of and
look to be honest, I've seen it in a lot
of the cheap affordable store. Yes it's probably got a
bit of polly in it, okay, and yeah it catches everything,
catches everything.
Speaker 4 (23:51):
Not good okay, but all like those. I mean, you know,
my navy cashmere is going to require a roller. Yeah, right,
and this time of year, being winter, you've got to
keep a roller on you at all time.
Speaker 1 (24:00):
I have one in the car. Good on you. I
found when it came out the other day. It's a
mini one that fits in your handbag. Oh that's so good.
Well as other of two two long hair cats. My
life is eighty percent lint rollers. Okay, my bougie. I
have not purchased, but gosh it's beautiful. It is by
the brand Silk Laundry, which I'm sure you know I've
only recently discovered it. It is the relaxed blazer in Midnight.
(24:22):
It comes in i'd say like six or seven colors.
It's one hundred percent silk, and I just it's a
double breasted, oversized navy blazer. It's four hundred and five dollars.
That's a lot of money, although their pants aren't that
more affordable, whereas I feel like a blazers, you're getting
more bang for your buck. For some reason, if I
was to be brave enough to purchase a one hundred
percent silk blazer, how would I care for it?
Speaker 4 (24:44):
You'd have to dry clean it, bug, Anything that's tailored,
you can't wash it yourself.
Speaker 1 (24:48):
No, So you could carefully wash like a silk skirt maybe,
but any sort of tailoring. Yeah, and lapel and your
buy skirts you could do, okay, but not a blazer.
Anything that's got tailoring, darts in it, lining, any of that,
buttons and all that just or just it'll be horrible.
You won't like it. Okay, that's good to know. Well,
what I do is with my almost all blazers, usually
(25:10):
the weathers. If you're wearing a blazer, you've got a
T shirt underneath. But if I happen to have a tank,
I just get the women's pantyliner and put it in
the oh in the jacket, in the jacket, yeah, and
it just saves you a few more weares and like shitzy,
you know, but I think people dry clean things way
too often. Okay, good because Drake Cleaning has yeah, and
super bad for the environment too. Nicole, honestly your brain.
(25:31):
I just wish I could download it into mine. You're
a wealth of fashion and fabric knowledge. Thank you so
much for joining me. Thank you for listening to Nothing
to Wear. Don't forget to sign up to our free
Nothing to Wear newsletter. There's a link in the show notes,
and if you loved Nicole's knowledge on this episode, She's
been on three times in the past, so we'll pop
a link in the show notes. She's talked about garment
care and also how to make your clothes look more expensive.
(25:54):
See you next week. This episode was produced by Grace
Roobray with audio production by Lou Hill. This podcast is
powered by our subscribers. If you believe in independent women's
media and want to support us, a subscription to Mamma
Mia costs less than the price of a coffee each month.
There's a link in the show notes and a big
thank you to all our current subscribers.
You're listening to A'm Mom with Mere podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Hey friends, it's Chelsea Hoy Here. The team and Nothing
to have sifted through the archives to bring you some
of our personal favorite episodes for you to enjoy every
Monday and Friday over the next three weeks, in addition
to our brand new Wednesday episodes, giving you even more
content to enjoy while you soak up the sun. Now,
we're constantly getting dms asking how to best look after
our clothes to get the most use.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Out of them.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Longtime listeners know Nicolebynnithan Hines is one of Lee's favorite
guests to have on the pod, and we're lucky to
have her back again today. She's telling us exactly what
we need to be doing to keep our clothes in
pristine condition for as long as possible. So have a listen.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
Whoever said orange is a new pink with seriously disturbed
laurels for spraying groundbreaking? Oh my god, you.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Have to do it. You live for fashion?
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Hello and welcome to Nothing to Wear. The podcast solves
fashion problems and levels up your wardrobe. I'm Lee Campbell
and every week I talk to an expert who is
going to help us work out how to get more
out of the clothes we already own and tell us
exactly what is and what isn't worth adding to our wardrobe.
One of my favorite episodes we have ever done was
(01:23):
about garment care. Sound boring, but it was an absolute
game changer, and I realized all the things I was
doing wrong when it came to laundry, as well as
discovering some super handy gadgets and products that help us
look after our favorite garments. So today I've brought back
nicolber Nith and Hines to answer every single fabric question
(01:43):
we have, and I have a lot. Before we get
into the incredibly confusing world of fabric, I've got one
question to ask you. What is the oldest purchase in
your wardrobe that is still going strong? Gosh, I have
a lot of really old things. Yes, the beautiful Cashmi
jumper you were wearing today, I commented before we started recording,
And it's got your daughter's name on it because she
(02:04):
used to wear it for school for horse riding. She did,
so that's been around a tie.
Speaker 4 (02:07):
It's got a Cash's label in it that I stitched
in because I was never going to succumb to that
nasty iron on label thing and that had to be.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
All hand stitch. Oh my gosh, I should did that
up at night. That's your way. I love it. But
you're such an advocate for you know, caring for your
garments and keeping them a long time. So you've probably
got a lot I do.
Speaker 4 (02:25):
Actually, I've honestly got stuff I've had for probably thirty
years still in my wardrobe.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
I still work commendable. You're going to teach us how
to do that with this episode. Good, okay. I want
to start with natural fibers because in my head they're
considered quote unquote better.
Speaker 4 (02:42):
I do prefer a natural fiber because I feel like
they breathe better. That's not to say they have lungs,
but they just allow the osmosis of moisture in air,
I suppose better than a polyester based But then there's
a difference. So there's petroleum based fibers in like Viscos,
which is a wood based fiber.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Oh okay, So we'll get to synthetics in a moment.
So I had to google natural fibers because I knew
a few. We've got cotton wool, silk, cashm which I
don't know if if that's different to well, I'll ask
you in a moment. Bamboo linen, which I thought was
cotton but might be suede leather shurling, which I'm guessing
is like basically the whole cover of a sheet. So
let's just quickly go through those good old cotton is
(03:22):
one hundred percent cotton all the same, because then I
saw on some websites it's one hundred percent Australian certified cotton. Okay, yeah,
are we getting too far down the line.
Speaker 4 (03:32):
Look, I love cotton, and I think everyone feels like
cotton's kind of their go to. Apparently it's really environmentally
not good, uses a shitload of water.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
Well that's the thing, because when I say naturals better,
it depends I guess how you're looking at it. It's
better for sustainability and that we wear it for longer
or compleach it. But some of the processes of making
the fabrics aren't that great. But cotton's good because I
guess I've got a few pretty affordable, great cotton T
shirts that are white and I can use the wonderful
products you suggested in that laundering episode and keep them fresh.
(04:03):
Let's talk wool then why some all scratchy? I think
it's the way they.
Speaker 4 (04:06):
Twist the Obviously, a higher quality like a marino wool
is going to be less scratchy. Okay, that's the sort
of when they grate it. So you get the Tasmanian
wool that grows in less sun. It's just a bit
of a finer fiber.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
And so it's actually like the hair type of the animal,
Like we've all got different hair types.
Speaker 4 (04:25):
So all the crappy stuff gets made into carpet and
stuff like that. Wow, And then the really fine, nice
stuff gets made into beautiful knits. And then there's a
process that they do with the wall that makes it
even softer. I wore a browd the other day, which
I really should try and remember I can't. Anyway, it
was the softest butter. It wasn't scratchy at all.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
Okay.
Speaker 4 (04:43):
The wool is meant to be the greatest fabric of
all because it keeps you cool in the summer and
warm in the winter.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
It does. And what's cashmi is CASHMEI wool is a goat.
Cashmi is a goat. Oh wow. So if you sometimes
see a will cashmi blend those two animals correct. Oh wow,
And just the fleece on a kashmi goat is softer.
Talk to me about silk, because I love silk. I
always butcher it in the washing machine because well, you're
not meant to put in the washing machine, but you can.
(05:11):
Did you ever grow silk cores? And you had those
mulberry leaves and then they would die and you mum
would be like, have to put them in a bin?
And I'm like no, And they spin their little cocoon. Correct,
And then we use the cocoon. Yes, the threads that
make up the cocoon. I know, it's pretty amazing.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
I saw this amazing thing on Instagram the other day,
the way they do that in China or Minar or
somewhere else.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
Yes, And interestingly, depending on how you feel about animals,
I mean, that's obviously not vegan, because some of these
are vegan cotton, bamboo, But silk isn't, wall isn't, cashmir isn't.
So there's that whole other spectrum. True, linen is linen
type of cotton. Generally it's a fibrous plant. Oh it's
a different plant. It's a different plant. Leather and swage
(05:54):
they come from.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
Cows, cows or sheep, depending on what type of pigs,
even whatever type of leather it is, nine percent of
the leather, will we come across cow?
Speaker 1 (06:05):
But like that and now example yes, and that fancy
Chanell bag is lambskin. Yes. So in general, with these
natural fibers, if you care for them properly, do you
feel like they last longer or they're easier to launder
or are they harder or to depend.
Speaker 4 (06:21):
On which fiber whether in suede are always going to
be tricky. You've always got to track them to the cleaners.
And you know, it's all hit and miss depending on got.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
A beautiful swede coat and it's heavy and will keep
me warm, but the only way I want to wear
it in is when it's raining.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
I can't wear it when.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
It's a tough one.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
If it's a shiny enough leather you consider white clean. Yeah,
But when it.
Speaker 4 (06:43):
Starts absorbing, sweating things like that, Yeah, it's harder to cleaner.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
Yeah, and you a specialist dry cleaner. But good old
cotton in general, if you've got a good quality cotton item,
that should be pretty. It should be pretty, shouldn't lose
a shape.
Speaker 4 (06:56):
Well again, depends on the caliber of it and how
it's made and the weave and how loose or tight
it is.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Wow, I know it's confusing.
Speaker 4 (07:05):
I just think the safest to do anything is just
to stick it through in a warm wash and hang
it on the line.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
And a gentle not too spinny. No, I think you
can go hard on it. I think the tumble dryer
part is the thing that's really like you, I've really
pulled back on my dryer, right. Good for you. It
has been raining a lot here, but you've been in
the back of my head and I wasn't that terrible?
All that rain and no clothesline? Correct? Okay, we might
come back to some of those in a moment. But
I wanted to ask, what about natural blends, or like
(07:34):
there's some natural fiber and then there's some synthetic because
we're going to get into synthetics later. But like, there's
a T shirt I was looking at, it's a cotton
and lysol blend, or sometimes there's a linen blend. Why
do they blend these two together? Is it a finish thing?
Is it an affordability thing?
Speaker 4 (07:51):
I think cotton linen just gives a bit of a
slub because linen is not as fine a texture as cotton.
I think it's more of an appearance thing. I'm not
sure what life cell is.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
I did, and it's some sort of synthetic fabric that's
used a lot in active wear. So it might be
a stretch. He's going to say, is it a stretch
because none of those natural fibers we've talked about a stretchy.
It depends on the weave again, like you could get
a cotton knit like a fine cotton jersey. Ah, oh yeah,
is a.
Speaker 4 (08:19):
Jersey actually, or some people call it a knit, and
then depending on the weave of that, you can get
really stretchy once, but not as stretch as if they
are the lastin.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
Okay, so maybe that's how they add the stretch more affordably.
When I'm looking at silk, I just think in my head,
I'm supposed to look for like slip dresses that are
cut on the bias. What does that mean? I just
know to look for it. Okay.
Speaker 4 (08:42):
So you can have a silk spice cut skirt, which
is more about the shape. So if you cut it
on the rather than cutting it straight, you cut it
on an angle. It just makes it fall in a
different way.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
Okay, so when they cut out the pattern, the fabrics
kind of turn. Yes, correct, I'm picturing myself at the
spotlight when she's like gliding the sleep and that's a
straight that's a straight sight.
Speaker 4 (09:01):
But then when you put the pattern on that fabric,
if you're going to make your own thing, you put
it on that angle gives it that sort of fluting
at the bottom.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
Okay, synthetics, this is where my brain explodes. So we've
got rayon acrylics, spandex, nylon, polyester, and I think there's
types of polyester. So doing some googling to prepare for this,
I didn't even realize. You know, they can date back
to when each fabric was kind of invented in the
fifties or a seventies. Some of them have got like
actual specific names to the factories.
Speaker 4 (09:37):
That may yes, fascinating. Spandex is a brand name actually.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
Yes, probably, but to me that's just really really stretchy
leggings or something. Well, it's the likera component. I think even.
Speaker 4 (09:48):
Like brand name Elastin is probably the more generic name. Okay,
but Spandex and like I think are actually brand names.
It's a bit like calling a vacuum clean or a hoover. Yes, yeap,
wh tissues your kleenex. Okay, So what's acrylic? I think
it's a petroleum based fiber. Polyester is probably the least
environmentally friendly of all the fibers. It's petroleum based and
(10:10):
it doesn't break down.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
If you're shopping online, you scroll down to the fabric composition,
you'll often see polyester, but it might not give you
any more description because I looked through my wardrobe in preparation.
I don't mind the synthetic fabric, but some polyesteretoms I
have don't crush amazing for trouble, and then some polly
is awful. It's like scrunched up plastic. Correct. So it's
not all synthetics are created equal. They're not in terms
(10:33):
of wear or not. And it's also not prohibited by
price either.
Speaker 4 (10:36):
No, you can get a really cheap jacket in a
polly that never creases and falls really well, and then
vice versa.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
Yeah, that's it. So how do you feel about synthetics?
I mean, for you generally what you wear, but also
styling your clients. We're generalizing here, but more affordable sometimes
other synthetics and like we said, they can wear. So
do you mix and match natural fibers and synthetic fibers.
Speaker 4 (11:01):
I mean I should be a bit more environmentally aware
when I do it. I had someone snap at me
once because I was searing. I've got very expensive designer
I've bought it on sale, but you know shirt and
she leaned across and she said, you know that's polyester
And I said, oh, is it?
Speaker 1 (11:15):
It's the worst thing you can wear. What about vegan leather?
This is the reason why I wanted to get you
back on I messaged you a few weeks ago and
I bought the most amazing pair of vegan leather pants secondhand.
But they've got a little mark on them, and they're
like a beige. If it was black, I honestly would
just color it with a posca and no one would notice.
And I said to you, how do I clean my
vegan leather? And you sent me on a spiral, this
(11:36):
amazing laundering account from New York millions of followers, and
they explained that vegan leather is basically just fabric with
a plastic coating. Yeah, yeah, okay, so it feels and
looks like leather. Some are crunchy and hideous. Some are
quite buttery. Yet, So would you ever recommend that to
clients depending on budget?
Speaker 4 (11:57):
Sure, you know, if I'm not thinking with my environmental hat, sure,
I mean I think it's a good cheaper option. And yes,
there's you know, there are some brands that are kind
of expensive that do really great shapes.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
Yes, and they use that more buttery soft and it
could be more durable in a way. Upsides to synthetics
and downside to synthetics. Is it that taking away the environment,
which of course we absolutely care about, but we're talking
about shopping and longevity and maybe travel. Are the items
that are just great in a synthetic? Could it be
a slip dress? Could it be I really like a
(12:30):
poly or an acetate? So acetate is actually a wood pulp?
Oh yeah, what are the ones that are from natural
stuff that are now synthetic acetate? Acetate? Is it could
have something else in it?
Speaker 4 (12:41):
It might have a bit of poll in it as well,
but it's essentially a wood pulp fabric.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
So not all synthetics are petroleum based or like kind
of plustin based, But I think any of those synthetic fabrics,
poly or acetate crape is one of the best fabrics
in terms of not creasing its suiting and drape. So
the weave of the fabric is the thing too in
regards to how it wears. So gabardine is kind of
(13:07):
your traditional suiting kind of fabric. And if you held
it up to a microscope, it's got a kind of
a line through the weave, or it's a cross hatchy.
Speaker 4 (13:15):
It's a very flat fabric. It doesn't have any sheine,
or it is a polyester or cotton or anything. You
can have a cotton gab you can have a polygas
kind of like you could have a cotton flannel and
synthetic flannel a similar kind of yeah, exactly. Oh, but
it's kind of your traditional suiting. Wool gaberdine is probably
(13:36):
the most prolific type of gabon interesting because that's what most.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
Men's suits are. Wool gaberdine, for example. Okay, downsides are
the environment. You can't die synthetics like you can you
can die. Oh wow, okay, great, because I've got some
stains on some lighter like shift dresses and stuff that
I could just make me turn them navy or black.
So would you do that yourself or send it to
a dye. Well, I was going to try it myself
for your face. Scared.
Speaker 4 (14:02):
There are people that do it. There's a place called
color Change and they'll do. Someone might have a wedding
dress they love the shape of but they never wear
becuse it's white. Yes, okay, but usually it requires heat,
doesn't it to do or die? I know there are
cold water dyes, but I wouldn't trust them. Well, I've
only done the Ti Diet cotton T shirt with my
nieces and that was fun. So I feel like maybe
(14:23):
natural fibers at home, if it's an item you're going
to throw out anyway, Okay, it's got a stain on it.
But yeah, synthetics for experts. Yeah, if it's something expensive,
I would definitely outsource that.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
Okay, interesting in a bucket, I was top. Well, in
my head, I thought, can die natural fibers, can't die synthetics.
But then you die everything, Okay. One thing you can't
bleach synthetics. You can't bleach synthetic. It makes them go.
Speaker 4 (14:46):
I remember one of my kids went to a friend's
house and his mum said, oh, I bleached his cricket gear.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
And I, oh, and sure enough it's all yellow. Yes,
I've done that myself. Now I know what happened. I
just thought I was bad at laundry, which I am. Okay,
So speaking of stains and laundering, that's good to know.
You can't bleach synthetics, but if you've got a white
natural fiber, you can generally try and get a stain
out harefully. Yes, fabrics that are best for what you know, travel?
(15:15):
You mentioned gaberdine. No, you could do a gabetine.
Speaker 4 (15:19):
If you're a corporate and you're jumping on a plane
for eating some sort of a crapy thing is probably
going to do you the best.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
Okay, what if please say, please say is good for travel?
That's oh kind of or that very fine pleated? Yes? Sure,
sometimes you may get a silk in please say, but
you like it is in they levels probably.
Speaker 4 (15:40):
Ninety nine point nine p. It'll be synthetic because it
holds that crease. Natural fibers can't hold that crease. Yeah,
sure they Sometimes you could have a cotton, but it
would need to have a moticum of polly in it
for that.
Speaker 1 (15:50):
What does moticum mean? Mix a titch? I love it
and underwear. Cotton only cotton guss it. Yeah, that little
bit that looks like.
Speaker 4 (16:03):
That could just be a hangover. I'm sure that my
mother told me they only have cotton.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
No, I'm the same.
Speaker 4 (16:07):
Let it breathe, yes, well, then again, there's a vagina
with lungs going. But like you said at the top
of the episode, back to breathe ability. If anything needs
to breathe, it's generally an other regions.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
Yeah, totally.
Speaker 4 (16:18):
And also you're sweaty or whatever, you want something to
suck it up a bit.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
Shoes, leather, synthetic, Oh gosh, I know, leather would definitely
wear longer and better.
Speaker 4 (16:28):
Yes, synthetics will crack so with the surface, so where
the color is on a synthetic.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
Like the top. I love them their new affordable red
pointy synthetics. They're not gonna ask me forever. No, they're
going to crack oa asually, like the color will crack.
And is the synthetic shoes the smelly shoes or can
leather shoes get smelly too?
Speaker 4 (16:49):
I think it depends on your feet. But you can
get these good like charcoal inserts that you can buy
the super.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
Mud Okay, because you always try and wear a sock.
But sometimes a shoe doesn't go with a sock, depending
on which those secret sock thing is. But yeah, they
have to be fine enough. Therefore, you know, it's the
cotton factor again. They're probably made of synthetic. Yeah, they
probably if they're fine, they're made of synthetic. I never
thought of my fine invisible socks. They are synthetic, one
hundred percent. Interesting.
Speaker 4 (17:13):
I buy the toweling secret sock. Okay, you can wear
on the sneakers, but you couldn't really wear them in a.
Speaker 1 (17:18):
No, not like a point No. With a leather shoe,
is it called toppied top. You know how if you
buy a fancy leather shoe and you take it to
the shoe man and they put that little plastic because
the sole often of designer shoes or fancy shoes is
also made of leather, that's gonna wear out pretty quickly, right, Yeah,
it depends how much you were wear them. Yeah, say
it's a business shoe or a men's shoe. Do you
(17:39):
think there's a benefit in getting that investment? Dofinitely, because
it's about fifty bucks. But if you paid a lot,
it is. I just had a pair of boots, and
actually I was like wall, But then I was like,
hang on, Lee, you paid a lot for the boots
and you're gonna wear them a lot. So it's just
if you are going to wear them a lot, then
sure something you have to cop one last question, and
I guess let's bring it back to shopping in our
own wardrobe. I remember you saying in a previous episode
(18:00):
that when it comes to fabrics, shopping in real life, touching, feeling,
assessing the same. If you don't know a lot about fabrics,
do you recommend maybe a visit to the shopping center
just to literally look at fabric tags and learning what
things are in terms of touching a feeling, or maybe
going through your own wardrobe and looking at the tags.
Speaker 4 (18:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (18:19):
Probably.
Speaker 4 (18:20):
I mean the thing is, it's not going to tell
you on the tag if it's Gabardine or but it
will tell you if it's Polly, or what sort of
percentage it is Polly or not Polly, or cotton or
I mean, I would definitely say, if you're in a store,
or even if you're online, I would avoid cotton, polly anything.
Speaker 1 (18:35):
It's like water and oil. Yeah, I just find that
pills and any piled anything makes it look cheap. We
talked about someone had a very expensive atom one that
was piled, and of course someone bought the wonderful pill
shaver you recommended and spent a Saturday night shaving my
clothes and it was so joyful. So yeah, I guess
looking online, looking at your tags, you can kind of
get a better idea, yes, of what things are made of.
(18:57):
It doesn't.
Speaker 4 (18:58):
I mean, I still think going to a store is
probably the best thing, like feeling it, and you know,
if you are one of these people that is concerned
about creases and scrunch it in your hand and see
what it does.
Speaker 1 (19:08):
Yes, that's me because I don't even know an iron. No,
I've got a steam of those steamer You need irons
for some things. What about your sheets? What? No one irons?
Speaker 3 (19:19):
They're sheets?
Speaker 1 (19:33):
It's very expensive. How wond are these.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
All?
Speaker 1 (19:39):
Right? Bougie and budgets. So I have brought two different
things basically to get your approval, but I don't know
do you want to go first? You have stores to recommend.
I didn't recommend you to Glow because I know that
we've talked a million times and I thought you might
recommend their wall and their Cashmere. The cashmiir is pretty good, okay,
and it's a good price point.
Speaker 4 (19:58):
It's a good price point and they do last, you know.
I mean this knit i'm wearing now as well. It
was my daughter's, but I think I probably bought it
when she was about third how old?
Speaker 1 (20:08):
Now twenty two? Wow? That's good. So how have you
laundered that Cashmir sweater?
Speaker 4 (20:12):
I hand wash, sometimes I machine wash, but sometimes I
hand wash and then machine watch, but on the wool
cycle because it does a better spin than me.
Speaker 1 (20:20):
My budget is actually two jumpers from Country Road because
I wanted to ask you, and they're expensive. I won't lie,
but my bouhie is more expensive. I wanted to ask you.
So there's this beautiful brush crop cardigan and it's just
kind of a v neck crop comes in five colors.
It's two hundred dollars. That's a lot of money, but
Country Road's kind of around that at least. What sobric
is it? This is what I want to ask you.
(20:41):
So thirty four percent Marino wall, thirty three percent nylon,
fifteen percent our Packer, fifteen percent mo hair, and three
percent spandex. So it's a real mish mash. Okay, so
that one keep that in mind. But then there's a
beautiful Australian Marino will rip detail pullover. So just another
simple one hundred and thirty nine, So sixty bucks more
(21:02):
affordable and it's one hundred percent wall If I'm going
to buy one, do you think for longevity the one
hundred percent wool probably? Is it more soft because it's
got the I can't tell you looking online. Oh okay,
I'm gonna have to go in store. But preparing for
this episode, I thought, let me look at the composition,
and I immediately thought the two hundred dollars one would
be all fancy natural woolen stuff. But no, they've got
(21:24):
a real mix in that.
Speaker 4 (21:25):
It's a real mix, and it's got that bit of
nile on it which helps it to hold its shape.
The elastin gives it a bit of stretch when you
put it's not all bad. I mean, there's a method
to that madness. But if you're looking for longevity, I
feel like one hundred percent something it is probably.
Speaker 1 (21:38):
Better in a classic gray sweat or knit I'm looking
for longevity. Okay, if you're doing a sweat shirt like
I call them a sloppy joe.
Speaker 3 (21:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:47):
Yeah, So you.
Speaker 4 (21:48):
Want the one hundred percent cotton bonds, have one that
is one hundred percent cotton.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
Always check on that drop shoulder and on bonds immediately. Okay,
So do you have a bougie for me? That could
be synthetic, could be natural. It's just an item that
you love or have your eye on that. It's a
fabric that you enjoy. I mean, Cashmere's probably my lux thing.
So if you're not getting a uniclo Cashmire, what's a
fancy where you.
Speaker 4 (22:12):
Could get I mean, gosh, you can get Kashmir in
any brand and all those beautiful sip soft coats a cashmere.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
But and you can get the mineral price point like
a full on big coat. Yeah, I only ever think
of a knit.
Speaker 4 (22:22):
Oh no, you can get like a Melton type weight,
so it's sort of like Melton.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
Mean it's a type of weave. Again, it's very smooth.
Speaker 4 (22:30):
A lot of coats are a melting so they're thicker,
so almost like a blanket, but not as oh yeah
as a blanket. Like you get very in weights in
and that can be synthetic or you probably could get
a synthetic melting, but usually it's.
Speaker 1 (22:42):
A wall or a cashmere.
Speaker 4 (22:44):
Okay, I did buy I haven't worn it yet because
I bought it when it was on sale at the
end of European winter.
Speaker 1 (22:50):
Great time to shop, particularly online.
Speaker 4 (22:52):
I know it is, but it's sort of hard to
imagine wearing a cashmere full length coat.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
You better go to Melbourne or Tasmania soon. Anyway, it's
hanging up in my coat. It's a franky shop Kashmere coat.
It's almost ankle length and it's just super dark navy.
And hopefully I will wear the crap out of it.
Because it was even on special. It's pretty pricey. You'll
have trust me with your fabric knowledge. You'll have it
to pass on to your daughters. That sounds amazing.
Speaker 4 (23:18):
I guess when long coats are out a fashion, I
could always ham it.
Speaker 1 (23:21):
You could ham it, crop it off, just don't bleach it.
I definitely won't bleach it before I tell you, my bougie.
Can I ask one more fabric question. Those coats that
feel like felt almost like kids craft felt.
Speaker 4 (23:33):
Oh yeah, that could be a type of melting as well. Okay,
but it's sort.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Of crappy one because I feel like linp sticks to
it likes and it looks really heavier sort of and
look to be honest, I've seen it in a lot
of the cheap affordable store. Yes it's probably got a
bit of polly in it, okay, and yeah it catches everything,
catches everything.
Speaker 4 (23:51):
Not good okay, but all like those. I mean, you know,
my navy cashmere is going to require a roller. Yeah, right,
and this time of year, being winter, you've got to
keep a roller on you at all time.
Speaker 1 (24:00):
I have one in the car. Good on you. I
found when it came out the other day. It's a
mini one that fits in your handbag. Oh that's so good.
Well as other of two two long hair cats. My
life is eighty percent lint rollers. Okay, my bougie. I
have not purchased, but gosh it's beautiful. It is by
the brand Silk Laundry, which I'm sure you know I've
only recently discovered it. It is the relaxed blazer in Midnight.
(24:22):
It comes in i'd say like six or seven colors.
It's one hundred percent silk, and I just it's a
double breasted, oversized navy blazer. It's four hundred and five dollars.
That's a lot of money, although their pants aren't that
more affordable, whereas I feel like a blazers, you're getting
more bang for your buck. For some reason, if I
was to be brave enough to purchase a one hundred
percent silk blazer, how would I care for it?
Speaker 4 (24:44):
You'd have to dry clean it, bug, Anything that's tailored,
you can't wash it yourself.
Speaker 1 (24:48):
No, So you could carefully wash like a silk skirt maybe,
but any sort of tailoring. Yeah, and lapel and your
buy skirts you could do, okay, but not a blazer.
Anything that's got tailoring, darts in it, lining, any of that,
buttons and all that just or just it'll be horrible.
You won't like it. Okay, that's good to know. Well,
what I do is with my almost all blazers, usually
(25:10):
the weathers. If you're wearing a blazer, you've got a
T shirt underneath. But if I happen to have a tank,
I just get the women's pantyliner and put it in
the oh in the jacket, in the jacket, yeah, and
it just saves you a few more weares and like shitzy,
you know, but I think people dry clean things way
too often. Okay, good because Drake Cleaning has yeah, and
super bad for the environment too. Nicole, honestly your brain.
(25:31):
I just wish I could download it into mine. You're
a wealth of fashion and fabric knowledge. Thank you so
much for joining me. Thank you for listening to Nothing
to Wear. Don't forget to sign up to our free
Nothing to Wear newsletter. There's a link in the show notes,
and if you loved Nicole's knowledge on this episode, She's
been on three times in the past, so we'll pop
a link in the show notes. She's talked about garment
care and also how to make your clothes look more expensive.
(25:54):
See you next week. This episode was produced by Grace
Roobray with audio production by Lou Hill. This podcast is
powered by our subscribers. If you believe in independent women's
media and want to support us, a subscription to Mamma
Mia costs less than the price of a coffee each month.
There's a link in the show notes and a big
thank you to all our current subscribers.
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