Whether you've spent a small fortune on some beautiful silk lingerie or you'd simply like to make your basics go the distance there are numerous ways to help your lingerie last longer. For a start you need to make sensible purchases, and then you need to care for these purchases in the right way when it comes to washing, drying, ironing and wear. The following article provides tips for each of these categories.

PURCHASING TIPS:

The type of lingerie you purchase can affect how long it will last, consider the following tips:

-Choose styles that possess a small amount of Lycra. Cotton on its own is notorious for stretching out of shape.

-Determine how much care you are willing to give your lingerie prior to making any purchases. If you are willing to carefully hand wash your lingerie then go ahead and purchase delicate items. However, if you just want to be able to throw your lingerie in the wash you'd be better off buying cheap, throwaway items more regularly.

-Buy the right sizes-buying lingerie a little too big will mean that it will end up in the bin earlier because that natural bit of stretch that occurs may make your underwear too saggy, conversely buying lingerie too small may lead to it getting stretched out of shape.

-Choose classic styles in basic colors like black and white that will stand the test of time fashion wise.

-When purchasing hosiery consider opaques and stockings with a high denier count, these are not as prone to runs.

WASHING:

Lingerie is a lot more delicate then your favorite pair of jeans so you need to treat it differently when it comes time to do the laundry. Consider the following advice:

-Hand washing is the best way to prolong the life of your lingerie. Under wired and padded bras are particularly susceptible to damage in your washing machine. Under wires can get bent or break and padded bras can become lumpy. Before starting to hand wash very delicate pieces check that you don't have any rough fingernails that could snag and take off your jewelery.

-If you are going to machine wash your lingerie then use a wash bag. Make sure it is a closely woven one; the ones that look like a net with 1/2cm holes will not provide adequate protection for your lingerie. If you don't have a lingerie bag handy you can use a pillowcase securely tied at the top. Also ensure you select the delicate cycle on your washing machine. Please be aware that certain fabrics must be hand washed such as silk.

-Do

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