Wash With Care And Wear Often: 40 Charts To Explain The Ins And Outs Of Clothing

By Bruna L

Dressing up nicely is never easy, especially when we’re all busy adults with jobs and chores to attend to. There is simply no time, and unless you’re an executive, a celebrity, or a supermodel, it doesn’t really matter what you wear, right? Well, that’s entirely true. After all, the first thing anyone notices about us is how we’re dressed.

Fashion is literally everywhere, and it seems we can’t really run away from it no matter how hard we try! Dabbling with it doesn’t have to be a daunting experience, either, even if you’re short on time all the time. That’s why there are so many little guides out there to try and help you look better with ease. Some even teach you how to properly take care of your clothes! So, if you’re interested in fashion, want to learn how to dress better, or need some tips on clothing care, look no further. Here are 40 interesting guides for the fashion-oriented person.

Pants, pants, pants

Ah, pants! For the longest time, there was not much variation in their style, but as soon as it became socially acceptable for women to wear them, they stopped being just another article of clothing and became works of art…for the most part.

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Now there are so many different styles of pants out there it’s hard to know what to get! If you’re looking to buy something specific and don’t want to spend too long browsing the store, just find the style name in the list above and ask the salesperson for them.

All colors are beautiful

If you live in, or have spent any time in, an African community, then you know the movies always get them wrong! It’s not hunger and poverty everywhere; it’s actually happy and colorful people trying to live their lives like everyone else!

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And when it comes to the fashion industry, there is nothing prettier than African fabrics and patterns. If you have ever wondered where your favorite African articles of clothing come from, just take a look at the super informative chart above. Beautiful!

Dressed to the nines

It’s true that men have an easier time dressing up for a formal occasion. A dress shirt, shoes, and pants; maybe a tie and a jacket. That’s it! You still need a little bit of a fashion sense if you want to actually look good, though.

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You can’t just go mixing and matching the colors all willy-nilly. That would be disastrous! Instead, take a peek at this guide here and try following it next time you have to dress up more formally. We guarantee you’ll look much better this way.

How many feet do you have?

Everybody knows women love shoes! Some ladies are so into them, they’d probably fill up an entire house with footwear if they could! If you have a woman like that in your life and want to give them a nice gift, but don’t know where to start, don’t worry. We’ll help you out.

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This list here has the names of most of the shoes your girl would probably want or need in a lifetime! Just pick whatever she doesn’t have yet and gift it to her. Or, if you’re the lady, you can use this handy chart if you’re not sure what shoe style you’re missing.

Dark academia chic

Trends come and go, so it can be hard to keep up with them. In case you missed it, the latest in fashion is “dark academia.” This is a new subculture whose aesthetic is all about literature, arts, and learning mixed in with gothic elements. Dead Poets Society chic, basically.

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If you want to be part of dark academia, you need to dress the part. Dark, classic wintery clothes with an intellectual flair to them are the best, but if you still don’t know where to start, the guide above is sure to help you!

From pumps to stilettos

Although both men and women wear shoes, the ladies have a wider variety to choose from. High heels are almost a trademark of a successful businesswoman, after all. But did you know there are many types of high heels shoes out there?

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That’s right! “High heel” is basically an umbrella term and can be used for everything from your reliable pumps to your sexy stilettos. If you want to know the proper name of other styles of shoes, just take a look at the infographic above.

Bringing the bling

Are you the kind of girl who loves wearing jewelry? If your answer is yes, then you’re probably aware that the collar of your dress or shirt influences what kinds of jewelry you should wear. The right piece can change the whole outfit.

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If you have somewhere to go but don’t know what accessories will best match your shirt or dress, this quick little guide here will help you! Just compare your neckline with the ones shown above, and you’ll have your answer.

Quick stain removal guide

If you ask the internet, you’ll find a million different ways you can take care of all sorts of stains on your clothes. You might have come across dozens of these, or even have some old family tricks of your own, passed down through the generations.

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Next time you’re in a pinch and need to get a stain out, don’t let the plethora of stain-remover tips overwhelm you. You just need this one picture. The little guide above is pretty complete when it comes to everyday stains. Just make sure to have salt, lemon juice, and white vinegar around!

How to lace your shoes better

If you practice any kind of physical activity as a hobby or professionally, you’re probably well aware of how important a good pair of shoes is! While a good pair of shoes is important, how you lace them is just as crucial for a comfortable experience.

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If you find that you have some problems on your feet while running, like getting black toenails or feeling your heels slipping, try to lace your shoes like the image above suggests. You’ll be surprised how amazing running can feel once your feet stop hurting.

How to sew on a button

While it was virtually a necessity in the past, nowadays, we hardly have to bother with sewing anymore. For starters, we don’t need to tailor clothes to fit our body types — there are often more than enough sizes and sizes to choose from at the store. We don’t need sewing skills anymore, right?

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While you don’t have to know how to make a dress if you don’t want to, basic sewing skills are very much a lifesaver in an emergency. The guide above, for example, was made to teach you how to sew a button in a pinch! Super useful!

Travelling can be easy

If you’re a person who travels a lot, you know how hard it is to pack your bags, especially if you want to bring enough clothes to last you for the whole trip — without needing to find a laundromat. Trying to make everything fit doesn’t have to be a struggle, though.

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The guide above shows an easier way to pack your stuff in a simple yet efficient manner. It teaches you a better way to fold shirts, jackets, and pants, how to maximize your bag space by using the interior of your shoes, and much more!

The right dress for your body type

Choosing the perfect dress can be a daunting journey, especially if you don’t have a “Hollywood-perfect” body type! If you go to any clothing store aimlessly, you’ll only end up frustrated and uncomfortable and might not find something that looks good on you!

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That’s why the guide above is so good! If you care about finding something that really fits not only your style but also your body type, you can’t go wrong with this guide. They could have used different illustrations, but the info is actually good.

Running can be fun!

Running is an amazing hobby to have. Not only is it fun and relaxing, but it is also a great way to keep your body in shape. It helps with blood flow, breathing patterns, and even activates hormones that make us happy!

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If you’d also like to start running, but running shoes never really agreed with your feet, don’t worry! You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars buying special shoes; all you need to do is adjust your laces as shown above. Problem solved!

Black and white

It’s scary to think just how little control we have over our life’s decisions. And we’re not talking about which career to choose or what college to go to, we’re talking about the smallest stuff possible, and the influence our TVs, radios, and newspapers have on us.

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Take baby clothes, for example! We know exactly what they look like and what gender they’re for, but did you know it has not always been this way? As we can see above, the only reason why they look the way they do today is because of marketing!

Wash, dry, and iron correctly

Almost every article of clothing has a tag or print-on with basic information and those little symbols. But before you cut off the tag, you should read what it says. These labels tell you the fabric type, point of origin, and even how to wash, dry, and iron them.

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Before you get frustrated with the symbols, keep in mind that the tags would be much longer if the instructions were written out. And, thanks to this handy chart, you can easily figure out the care instructions for your clothes!

How to be a punk

At first glance, the image below may seem like a joke. Being “punk” has less to do with clothes and more with attitude and mentality, after all. But if you pay close attention, you’ll soon notice the obvious message beneath the surface.

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This guide is not trying to tell anyone how to dress if they want to be a punk rocker. In fact, clothes aren’t the only things that matter. If you believe in the movement’s values and live by them, that’s enough.

Laundry time

It’s hard to break away from old habits when you get too comfortable with your routine, but sometimes it is necessary to step back and rethink your way of doing things. That goes for anything in life — including your laundry!

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This helpful guide here goes to the people who often forget when to wash their clothes. If clothes don’t smell bad, why wash them, right? Nice try, lazy people. You need to remember bacteria grows everywhere, even if it doesn’t smell yet!

Pristine clothes anywhere

If you’re a person who travels for work, then you know how hard it is to keep your clothes compact yet smooth during your trips. Sometimes, you don’t have time to iron them at the hotel so arriving with pristine shirts and pants is a must.

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The method in the guide above can help you with that. If you follow the instructions, your clothes will never wrinkle during transport, and you’ll be able to wear them as soon as you’re out of the airport! Pretty neat, right?

Formal job scenario

If you’re a man who works in a formal working environment, then you’re well aware of how much your appearance matters. You need to shave almost every day, your hair needs to be impeccable, and your clothes need to be in pristine condition all the time.

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That said, it’s not that hard to spot someone wearing a dress shirt that’s either too large or too small for them. Trust us; that’s never a good look! How can you find out your perfect fit, though? Just take a look at the image above!

For the visual learners

It doesn’t matter if you’re studying to be part of the fashion industry or if you’re just really into cool technical terms; this guide here is for you! Did you know literally every single fastener, closure, or stitch in your clothes has a name?

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If you’re curious or need some help looking for the right piece to mend your clothes, you can check them all out in the image above! Apparently, this image is not from some super-talented seamstress drawing notebook, but an actual fashion textbook from the ’90s! How cool is that?

Men’s jeans

We’ve said before that there are a bunch of different styles when it comes to women’s pants. But men have their fair share of pant styles, too. And this variety of styles is nothing new. We just weren’t paying attention until now.

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Take a look at the guide above. Even when we’re talking about something as simple as your average pair of denim jeans, there are still a bunch of different styles to choose from! There is literally no excuse to not dress well, dudes.

Easy way to choose your shirts

If you’re a guy who has to wear dress shirts every day, you might be familiar with the struggle of finding the perfect fit. Depending on the brand you’re buying or even where you’re buying your shirts from, they can look amazing straight away or look absolutely terrible.

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This guide here, found inside a store, ensures that you won’t ever have trouble finding the perfect shirt for your body type! Just think about what you’re looking for on a dress shirt and compare it to the descriptions of the different fits. It’s that easy!

The right material

If you do a quick Google search, you’ll soon notice that t-shirts are one of the most common shirt styles in the world. They are usually made out of cotton, but there are other materials out there, each with a different feel and function!

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So, if you want to buy a t-shirt but don’t know how to choose the right material, the image above can help! Cotton may be common, but polyester could be exactly what you need. Who knows; maybe a blend of both is more comfortable for you.

Washer settings

At first glance, laundry seems like the simplest thing in the world. Just throw your clothes inside the washer, pour in the soap, add the softener, press a couple of buttons, and wait till everything is clean. We’re sorry to break it to you, but it’s not so straightforward.

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Especially nowadays, when washing machines are super advanced and have all sorts of crazy settings! If you stick to the basics, though, you can wash your clothes pretty well with no major complications. The guide above is perfect for that!

The parts of a shoe

If you’re anything like us, then you’re probably fond of the good things in life. Good food, good entertainment, good clothes. And of all of those things, nothing is better than a good pair of shoes made exactly to your foot measurements!

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While cobblers aren’t as common as they used to be, there’s probably at least one in your area. So, if you want a shoe adjusted to your feet, you better learn some of the shoemaker’s lingo! This is where this little guide here shines! Cool, right?

Quick and easy combinations

We live in busy times. Between working, studying, and taking care of house chores, we barely even have time to have some fun, let alone stress about clothes and how they fit together! Especially if you’re a man! Color combination is no joke.

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You don’t have to worry about that anymore, though! This guide here shows you how you don’t need a huge wardrobe to still look good pretty much everywhere; you just need creativity! A few shirts, a few pairs of pants, and a few pairs of shoes are all it takes!

No more stains

It’s impossible to go through life without ever spilling something on your clothes. As such, we’re all well aware of how hard some stains are to remove! Wine, coffee, blood, etc.; they always make a huge mess and tend to ruin our clothes for life.

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If you follow the guide above, you won’t have to worry about stains ever again! It covers every possible scenario — from deodorant to mud to lipstick. And better yet, you don’t even need a bunch of crazy cleaning products for most of the tips there.

Know your skirts and dresses

Nowadays, it’s rare to find a woman who doesn’t own at least one skirt. Even those that live in jeans have a skirt in their wardrobe. Sometimes, pants just won’t cut it. So, if you can’t figure out what length you’re looking for, check out this handy chart.

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This chart is a two-in-one since it applies to dresses as well as skirts! If you’re shopping for clothes or are trying to match a dress code, this chart is here to help. Just make sure to account for your height — one girl’s maxi could be another’s floor!

Patterns all the way

If you’ve been paying attention to the recent tides of fashion, you have probably noticed that patterned button-down shirts are all the rage right now! Especially among youngsters who have a “hipster” approach to their personal style. But did you know they all have names?

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If you want to hop in on the patterned shirt trend, you better learn what the most famous patterns are called! That’s why the guide above is so helpful. You don’t have to spend ages trying to describe the kind of shirt you want; just consult the chart!

So supportive

There is a reason why women are so picky when it comes to bras. If they’re not the right fit, an outfit or even a day could be ruined. In a way, picking a bra is like choosing a pair of running shoes — you need to pay attention to way more things than just size!

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This image here tries to shine a light on different bra types and their benefits! Not only that, but it also gives you the actual name of each model, so you know exactly what to look for next time you go shopping! How handy is that?

Dressed for all occasions

When it comes to women’s fashion, dresses have always been the norm. As such, there are so many different styles to choose from, it gets hard to decide what to wear! If you don’t want to spend so much time dress shopping, you’ve come to the right place.

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The image above is a pretty complete list of different dress types, including images, so you know what each one looks like. Now, you can pick and choose even before you leave the house! It doesn’t matter if you’re taking a summer stroll or going to a fancy party; it’s on the chart.

Shirt collars and their names

If you’re dabbling in sewing, whether for fun or to add some personal flair to your clothes, then you need to learn the whole fashion vocabulary. And believe us, you better start learning now because every little thing has a name. Like shirt collars, for example.

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We don’t really think that much about them, but there are a million different collars out there and each one of them has its own name! So, if you want to start learning them, why not print the guide above and keep it next to your sewing machine?

Pant-shirt combination guide

For the longest time, people believed men didn’t have to worry about their looks. They would wear the blandest colors possible and, as long as their suit matched, it was okay. Recently, men decided to change this narrative and so, colors became popular!

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What many men still don’t know, though, is that there is a proper way to wear different colors, patterns, and fabrics at the same time. But don’t worry; it’s not hard to learn those things. Just use the guide above, and you should be good to go!

Pants backpack

You never know when you’re going to be in a survival situation, that’s why we think it is important to bring guides such as the one below to you even if they may seem a little silly at first glance.

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No one would remove their pants for an improvised backpack during a simple trip to the market, but what if you’re stranded somewhere and need to carry your survival tools around? If you have an extra pair of pants, you already know what to do!

How to iron a dress shirt

If you think about it, many young men don’t have to worry about taking care of their clothes until they move out on their own or go to college. It is no surprise, then, that they never learn how to iron a dress shirt properly!

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A crispy shirt is super important, especially if you’re looking for a job! You can’t just wing it, either; there is an order that needs to be followed if you want the best results possible. The guide above can help you with that.

The right clothes for the right exercise

It’s no secret that exercising is super important not only for your body but also for your brain. But there are many factors that come into play if you want to maximize your experience and enjoyment! Clothes are one of them!

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If you’ve never figured out how to dress properly to go for a run, this guide here can help you. Is it hot or cold outside? How long will you be running for? Those are all things to consider before leaving the house!

Know when to wash your clothes

We already spoke about how often you should wash clothes, but it bears repeating. After all, not many people know that you don’t really need to wash your clothes after wearing them only once. Each clothing piece has its own amount of use before getting dirty.

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Knowing how these things work can you save you a bunch of laundry time, not to mention water and electricity! For example, light shirts need to be washed after every use, but winter coats only need to be washed about once every six months or so.

Red, white and blue

It’s funny how you can paint a pretty accurate picture of what fashion in the US looks like. Blame it on all those movies and sitcoms we love so much! But did you know there’s an actual list of the most popular clothing items in America?

Image Courtesy of Reddit/ai-bees

Maybe that’s why it’s so easy to identify “Americans” in the movies. Apparently, as it says right there, those are America’s most iconic fashion items of all time! We’re just a bit surprised with crocs being on this list, but hey, it’s America, right? You’re free to dress terribly if you want!

So many options

We can’t stress enough the importance of proper clothing care. If you want your favorite shirt to last for years, you better learn how to wash it right. That’s why so many people have put together charts to explain those symbols on clothing tags.

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We recommend printing out this chart and putting it near your washing machine. That way, you won’t forget what the symbols mean, nor the importance of following them! You’ll find that, after a while, you won’t need the instructions anymore.

All about men’s socks

It’s hard to learn anything about fashion and looking good if you’re a man. For some reason, there is a mentality that you shouldn’t worry about those things, and that trying to look good is only for women. But it doesn’t have to be!

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You don’t even have to spend tons of money buying clothes; you can start with something as simple as your socks! This guide here is perfect for that. It shows you the best socks and pants combination as well as how casual or formal they’d be.