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The paradox of being a grown up is how very poorly prepared we often are for the adult world. Just think of the last time you called your dad to check on that suspicious blinking light on your car’s dash panel. Or the last time you asked your mom how to remove a wine stain from that new shirt you just bought. Speaking of the latter, I've lost count of how many perfectly fine pieces of clothing I ruined in my life just because I didn’t know how to wash, dry and take care of them. If you feel me, pull your seat closer.

Welcome to the amazing corner of Reddit named “Cool Guides” that’s dedicated to educating its whopping 2.8M members in know-how about virtually all existing things. Check out Bored Panda’s previous feature on this subreddit here.

This time, we’re taking a look into practical and seriously useful cool clothing guides that are basically saving our phone bill and dignity of being a responsible adult who has control in life. From doing laundry like a pro to the best ways to iron a dress shirt, you can thank us later!

#1

History Of Gendered Clothing, As Illustrated By Elise Gravel

History Of Gendered Clothing, As Illustrated By Elise Gravel

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Chich
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It is sad when you dig into it and find how much of your thinking is dictated by marketers. Diamonds, meals, clothes, music and on.

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#2

Guide: How To Remove Stains From Clothes

Guide: How To Remove Stains From Clothes

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#3

Traditional Wedding Attire Around The World

Traditional Wedding Attire Around The World

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When we talk about longevity of clothing, we inevitably end up in much more important subject matter, which is clothing circularity. A circular economy for fashion creates better products and services for customers, contributes to a resilient and thriving fashion industry, and regenerates the environment. It prioritizes the rights and equity of everyone involved in the fashion industry, and will create new opportunities for growth that are distributed, diverse, and inclusive.

#4

Pants Shapes

Pants Shapes

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Bored Panda reached out to the co-founder and creative director of Fashion Revolution, Orsola de Castro, who said that the road to circularity demands longevity. “So making your clothes last longer really is the one step that all citizens can do in order to start becoming a part of the solution rather than a part of the problem. And it’s up to you how to make clothes last longer,” de Castro told us.

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#7

Find The Best Shoe For Your Feet With This Simple Guide

Find The Best Shoe For Your Feet With This Simple Guide

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#8

Lacing Up Running Shoes

Lacing Up Running Shoes

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LillieMean
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I tried the narrow foot style for my new hiking boots. Works surprisingly well. The shoes fit better and the heel didn't slip anymore. Even a small thing like this really makes shoe shopping easier.

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#9

I Spent Forever Looking For A "Grid Pattern" Shirt Before I Found This

I Spent Forever Looking For A "Grid Pattern" Shirt Before I Found This

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De Castro said that while there are many ways to make your clothes wearable for longer, maintenance and how you carry them and how you wash them is super important. “Try not to wash them too much because that damages the fiber. Try to understand the properties of the material so you wash your clothes correctly.”

Moreover, according to de Castro, washing is unnecessary most of the time and the rest of the time, refreshing and spot cleaning if there’s a stain is enough.

#10

What Are We Feeling About This?

What Are We Feeling About This?

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#11

Fashion Timeline Of Vietnamese Clothing

Fashion Timeline Of Vietnamese Clothing

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#12

Saw This On A Maker Page, Thought It Was Very Interesting If You're Into Fashion

Saw This On A Maker Page, Thought It Was Very Interesting If You're Into Fashion

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The second step is repairing them when they break and that can be either learning simple repairs yourself or working with somebody who’s a professional in that area. “There are several apps these days that can connect you with seamstresses specialized in repairing your clothes.”

Moreover, swapping, sharing, and renting the clothes are also excellent ways to keep our clothes in circulation while using them. “The main thing is understanding that donating to charity is not necessarily the answer, unless you donate something you know that’d be of value to that charity. That means donating something which is in good condition but not throwing away your unwanted clothes. That’s dumping and not donating,” de Castro explained.

#13

This Guide On How Often To Wash Your Clothes

This Guide On How Often To Wash Your Clothes

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Laura Ketteridge
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So much depends on the weather, the activity levels of the person, and how closely the clothing is to the skin.

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Irene McIver
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And when it comes to bras, the wearer's figure would also be a factor: larger ladies will often find sweat accumulating more in certain places so want to change our bras frequently.

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Thomas Wolf
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This one is really stupid. Wash it when it smells or when it obviously looks dirty! It's that simple! Plus: This way it is more environment-friendly, saves you from a lot of house work and your clothes - surprise - will last way longer.

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Mia Black
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes. I think in the last few decades a lot of people in western culture have learned to wash too often. Probably through advertising. So that we can buy detergent. And clothes, because they break down more quickly due to frequent washing. Similar to taking a shower. Taking a shower every day is bad and unhealthy for the skin and its natural protective shield.

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François Bouzigues
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Pants every 3 wears seems way too often to me. If you don´t wear them several days in a row,, you can go longer than that

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GirlFriday
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What type of formal dress is being washed? And I rarely wash formal attire. If something gets on it, I have it dry cleaned, otherwise, it get refreshed, steamed and stored in a garment bag until the next use.

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Jiminy
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why on earth would I wash silk after ONE WEAR?? Hang it outside, wait some hours and it's absolutely fresh again.

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Emmydearest
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Actually no. Slk is an extremely delicate fabric and it's nor recommended to wash it in hot water. So, if you wear a silk garment for a long time or you sweat in it, it would be hard to wash it thoroughly.

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Pumpkin Spice
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

HANG ON. I WASH ALL MY CLOTHES AFTER 1 WEAR. HAVE I BEEN POINTLESSLY WASHING CLOTHES THIS WHOLE TIME?! NO MORE LAUNDRY?!?!?!?

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Mz Phit
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes- you can take the chart advice on frequency- it will not only save time and water, less frequent washing will make colors and fabrics last longer! Yay!

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BonnyDK
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It depends where you live. People sweat here in Texas a lot. All over. You have to wash your clothes daily. You may not smell your own oder but believe me everyone else does. There have been plenty of times where clothes are changed and put in the hamper after work if you are going out for the evening. Please bath too. In this day and time with Covid and SARS and other illnesses you need to wash. I agree with formal wear being dry cleaned and bagged until you wear it again. And coats get washed as they need it. Just get a wiff of your hamper. You'll get it.

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RL R
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I always apply this. Only I change the "w" in "wears" into a "y" and that is my washing schedule, lol

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Ace
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

For a lot of these it almost makes more sense if you misread it as weeks instead of wears.

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Sleeping Solipsist
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Is there a guide for dog owners and, I presume, parents? And (because I had brothers - albeit with very different personalities) just because a teen has hydrophobia doesn't mean their clothes have it.

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Cathelijne Van
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't know I wear a t-shirt only once (and hubby too). But other than that, this is handy 👍🏻

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Sleeping Solipsist
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah.. I found that odd.. t-shirts often take lot of direct contact with sweat and environmental straining.. a cardigan or over shirt can last longer than a base layer..

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Lady of the Mountains
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Swim suit after every wear? Maybe if youre not swimming in it, but really, chlorine in pool water should take care of most of it. You could rinse it out if you wanted.

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Richard Keel
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Jeans - after 5-6 weeks (assuming I don't spill food down them)

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O.M.Miki
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

bra - depends on the type. lol my sports bra is going in after 1 wear if it's soaked with sweat after kickboxing . silk clothes , formal wear, coats , blouses - i take to the cleaners. ;)

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hamptliz
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think I do way too much laundry. I wash everything after every wear....except coats, hats and gloves.

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Bobby
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Levi's recommend washing jeans inside out after about 10 wears and hang drying. They also say placing in the freezer for a few hours can really freshen them up between washing

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Lisa Owen
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is so gross to me ! I wash everything after one wear, coats included! Who wears a bra 4 times or pants 6 times before washing? NASTY!

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EJ Morrow
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Humm. Lisa, perhaps you live in a hot climate where washing is necessary after one wear. Otherwise, it seems wasteful. Why wash a coat after one wear?? I wear bras a few times before washing, you just wear a different bra each day and they air out and are fine. If it's a hot day then I'll wash after one wear but I assure you it's totally fine and I have never had any complaints from others, including lovers.

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Emmydearest
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

For me underwear, sock, tops and bras (in summer) are washed daily. Basically everything I wear directly on the body I can't possibly wear it for two days. In winter bras go for two days. Pants ans jeans every two or three uses (=days) in winter, only two uses in summer. I rarely wear sweaters or sweatshirts but If I do I wash them every three wears, I guess. Yeah, I sweat a lot 🤷‍♀️

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DeoManus Argentem
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is kinda frightening... Wonder how often this person washes their sheets? Every six months? Year?

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deborah ahn
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

this chart is unhygienic. who washes their shirts and tops after 2 wears. those armpits would be wiffy after a day. who washes their bras and dresses 3 or 4 wears. sweaty armpits make for a smelling dress after a day. and a bra is underwear, a catcher of dead skin cells and sweat. hats, gloves and scarves definitely need to be washed often. once a month at the bare minimum. gloves get dirty touching surfaces. you wouldn't not wash your hair once a season...hats the same. and jackets, coats need to be washed once or twice, sweat, dust and dirt make those smelly. you may not smell your odor. but others definitely can and clothes hold onto odor.

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SewingStaffy
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So I wash underwear inc bras after one wash. I've never understood wearing a bra multiple times. However, I don't agree with a lot of the others on the list. It's all dependent on activity levels, spillage and occasion.

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Lillian Swaim
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wash sweaters once they start to either smell or I spill something on them

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#14

How To Hang Your Dress Pants (So They Don’t Fall Off The Hanger)

How To Hang Your Dress Pants (So They Don’t Fall Off The Hanger)

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Monica Sargent
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I call bull c**p. Use a pant hanger for crying out loud. What are we, animals?

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#15

Simple Bra Info Chart

Simple Bra Info Chart

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According to the co-founder of Fashion Revolution, our unwanted clothes will inevitably end up burdening the economy somewhere else, potentially in Africa or Chile or other countries we already been exploiting for hundreds of years. “So maintaining our clothes in good stay is incredibly important. And you don’t have to be very tidy, you can still be as messy as you want. The point is understanding that clothing longevity is the first step towards circularity.”

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#16

Best Formal Shoes+pant Combinations

Best Formal Shoes+pant Combinations

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#17

Dress Types

Dress Types

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#18

How To Pack So Your Clothes Don't Get Wrinkled. Used This Method For Hundreds Of Thousands Of Miles And Can Attest That It Works

How To Pack So Your Clothes Don't Get Wrinkled. Used This Method For Hundreds Of Thousands Of Miles And Can Attest That It Works

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#19

Basic Shoes Guide

Basic Shoes Guide

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InvincibleRodent
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Alright, we're making a guide of the most basic kinds of shoes. What should we start with? Oh, right. THE LOBSTER CLAW."

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#20

Types Of Collars In Women's Fashion

Types Of Collars In Women's Fashion

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#21

Guide To The Types Of Skirts!

Guide To The Types Of Skirts!

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Derp2cat
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Really, they censored the word skirt in one place. They left it everywhere else!

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#22

Aztec Clothing By Daniel Parada

Aztec Clothing By Daniel Parada

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#23

How A Shirt Should Fit (Masc Edition)

How A Shirt Should Fit (Masc Edition)

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RedBadgerCan'tSwim
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

While this is a useful chart, for a lot of people this would require custom tailoring. Having a tall torso and short legs, if I find a shirt that tucks in properly it's going to have extra room in it.

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#24

Tactical Order Of Dressing

Tactical Order Of Dressing

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harpling
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Firefighters will commonly put on their turnout boots and pants at the start of their shift, then stand by their spot on the truck and take them off. When there is a call, all they have to do is step into their boots (through their pant legs, as shown in the bottom picture) and then step onto the truck. Bonus points for leaving helmet, coat, and tank on their seat on the truck.

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#26

Clothing Care Symbols

Clothing Care Symbols

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Jods
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Shove it in the washer, stick it on eco quick wash and top spin speed. Life’s too complicated enough.

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#28

Men's Guide To Perfect Pant-Shirt Combination

Men's Guide To Perfect Pant-Shirt Combination

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Lisa H
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I just wear black. Like, all black. Sometimes gray. As Michael Scott once said "KISS: Keep It Simple, Stupid."

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#30

An Easy Guide For Measuring The Correct Bra Size

An Easy Guide For Measuring The Correct Bra Size

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Cathelijne Van
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was like 'what?? Who has a 40 cm underbust that's not healthy!' but then... Oh inches probably

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Note: this post originally had 71 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.