Christmas Partywear – 2022 Styling Advice and Garment Care Guide

Party season is in full swing, so we wanted to share some styling advice for 2022 events and give actional tips on how people can properly care for and make their most of their Christmas partywear this year. Read on to find out more…

Styling Advice

This year, black tie is back with a bang. After two covid years of pent-up frustration of limited Christmas parties people want to celebrate in style. Even with the cost-of-living crisis people need a release from the day-to-day pressures. There is no better way than to let your hair down with a Christmas party. Here at Dobell, you can love the way you look for less this Christmas – as the UK’s most trusted formalwear retailer you will find a vast selection of partywear to suit any budget.

Jackets

If you want to move on from the classic suit or you prefer to show your more sophisticated look velvet is for you. Our velvet jackets are made of quality materials at affordable prices, with all the perks of British tailoring. The most popular colours are burgundy, navy, black or green but you can find burnt orange, red or bond pink in our extensive range. New seasonal floral designs are dropping for a fresh and trendy look.

Velvet tuxedo jackets are always a Christmas favourite especially for the people who like an extra helping of Christmas lunch. If you carry some excess weight keep the lapel shape to a shawl as it will help elongate your body shape. All our velvets are in shawl for that reason... We cater for the many not the few here at Dobell.

When deciding on fit and sizing, look at the shoulders to make sure the pads don’t jut out. Check the back of the suit jacket, which should fall neatly and in a straight line when fastened. The fabric around the stomach should be close to your body but not tight and certainly never strained. That said taking a regular fit over slim will allow the garment not to be strained. Slim fit is in the name. If you’re carrying an extra pound or two (or want to have seconds a dessert), stick with regular.

Shirts

Standard plain shirts are the norm for black tie events and simplest to care for. Marcella shirts are the fanciest shirts with ones of us who are eager to impress. The stud buttons on our marcella shirts creates a sophisticated look. Combine with the horseshoe shape black tuxedo waistcoat and you’ll have yourself the classic bond look – very dapper! However, take care of marcella front shirts. Always put a light cloth on the garment before ironing to avoid damaging the fabric. If you want a retro look, the ruffle front shirt is the one to go for. Styled on the Austin Powers film shirt this takes you back to the 70’s.

When deciding on fit and sizing, a good dress shirt should always have French cuffs and the rule of thumb is that half an inch of shirt cuff should be visible below the sleeve hem of your tuxedo jacket, just enough to see a flash of your cufflinks. For true black tie, double cuffs with cufflinks are the must have. Keeping it simple and elegant, with black or silver cufflinks, always looks great

Care Advice

Ironing a Shirt

An important note when it comes to ironing a shirt, is to always read the label. If your shirt says it’s non-iron, then don’t iron it. You may want to take it to a dry cleaner so that they can steam it if that’s the case, but it’s likely that it’s anti-crease so you won’t need to.

If safe to iron, grab an ironing board – preferably with a cover that fits properly… An ill-fitting ironing board cover means your shirt (and your iron) slipping all over the place, and this doesn’t make for great ironing. Also, obviously, you’ll need an iron. Open the cap, which is usually found near the handle, and fill it with water. You’ll want it to be about half full.

Your iron will have several temperature settings, which you should pay attention to. Different heat settings determine how hot the iron will get, and this is something that’s different for different fabrics. As a rule, you should start at a low temperature, especially if your shirt is made of a cotton blend, as this is easy to iron.

Before you start ironing your shirt, make sure all the buttons are undone. This way, you’ll be able to get inside and into all the corners – armpits, for example.

Collar – First, “pop” the collar open to make it as easy as possible to access with your iron. You then want to be working from the outer edge to the middle, and then repeat for the upper-side. Make sure you get right into those corners! The collar is one of the first parts of your attire that people will see – so you can’t scrimp when preparing it.

Cuffs – The cuffs of your shirt are likely to be stiffer than the rest of it, so don’t be afraid to turn up the heat here if needed. It’s important to make sure your cuffs are laying completely flat on the ironing board before you start so that you don’t accidentally iron creases into them.

Torso – The main section of the shirt might seem like it’ll take you the most time, but it’s simple so should be relatively fast. Lay the shirt lengthways on the ironing board, with the button close together but still undone, and iron swiftly from the top to the bottom. Again, pay attention to corners as these are the part that will catch you out. When you’ve ironed the lapel areas, open the shirt and iron the inside, again from the top to the bottom. Lastly, flip the shirt over and iron the back, again starting at the top and working your way down to the bottom. Bear in mind that you might need to move the shirt around the ironing board a few times to get every part looking smooth.

Sleeves – Sleeves can seem like a bit of a pain, but really ironing them is simple. The main thing you need to make sure of is that they’re completely flat and laid out straight on the ironing board. Pay particular attention to making sure that they are flat on the underside because otherwise, you’ll be ironing creases into them. And this is something you don’t want! When you’ve made sure the sleeves are positioned correctly, start from the top of the arm (near the shoulder) and sweep your iron downwards all the way to the cuff. Remember that you might need to go over the sleeve a few times to make sure it’s perfect. You might also need to flip the shirt over to iron in the same way on the other side.

Dress shirt - If you’re ironing a dress shirt that has been made-to-measure or tailored for you, you’re likely to be being extra careful about how you handle it. If you’re unsure, consult the tailor you bought it from for confirmation on how you should go about ironing it.

If the shirt doesn’t seem to be ironing out, feel free to move the heat up to the next setting and/or to give it a little shot of steam. Here is some additional advice for ironing shirts of different material types:

Cotton shirt – Cotton blends should generally be ironed on a low setting. Whilst shirts that are pure cotton can take higher temperatures. Don’t be afraid of moving the dial right to the top if this is the case.

Silk shirt – Silk is a difficult fabric to iron, and you’ll need to be very careful so that you don’t damage it. Firstly, make sure the shirt is damp, and then cover it with a sheet, for example, a pillowcase. Iron the pillowcase, and don’t stay in any area more than a few seconds.

Linen shirt – Linen might not always need ironing as they’re relatively casual, but if they do, they are fine to be ironed on a high setting.

Nylon or polyester shirt – Need to iron your gym kit? Do so on the reverse side, and as always remember to fire off some steam. These fabrics shouldn’t need too much time to get looking neat.

Ironing Other Garments

We also collaborated with two cleaning experts – Sarah Dempsey from MyJobQuote and Henry Paterson from Housekeep – to discuss how to iron other garments of various material and composition:

Cotton – Sarah mentions to “iron cotton items while they’re still damp or with plenty of steam to remove creases. A high temperature between 180°C and 220°C is best. Work the iron down from the shoulders and avoid running the iron over buttons as this will cause more creases”.

Polyester – Sarah says “if you have your polyester items on hangers while they’re drying, you may find ironing isn’t necessary. But if you are ironing your polyester shirts and ties, put your iron on a cool or synthetic setting of no more than 110°C to avoid melting the fabric”.

Velvet – Sarah revealed that “velvet isn’t usually suitable for ironing, so use a hand steamer or hang it in the shower and let the steam work its magic on any wrinkles”.

Wool – Dry clean is highly recommended for wool items, especially tuxedo jackets. However, if you a short of time and need to spruce up your jacket you can iron the tuxedo jacket. The iron should be set to a low - medium heat (wool setting). Place a cloth between the iron and the suit fabric to. Any cotton dishcloth will do. Press gently on the item whilst ironing”.

Satin and silk – To iron silk without damaging it, it's crucial that you use the lowest heat setting on your iron. Many irons have an actual silk setting, in which case this is the best way to go. Simply lay the garment flat on the ironing board, place the press cloth on top, and then iron. Sarah added “for satin and silk items, turn you clothing inside out if possible and spray with water before ironing on a low setting. Only press down very lightly and don’t hold the iron over one spot as this will damage the material. Alternatively, use a hand steamer. As with any delicates, check the label before you start ironing”.

Tweed – Unless otherwise stated on the care label, you can usually iron tweed without fear of damaging the fabric. With that said, the great thing about tweed suits is that they are naturally resistant to wrinkles so there should be no need to iron. Sarah added that “wrinkles tend to drop out naturally as tweed dries, so jackets can be hung next to a steamy shower remove creases”. Henry added that “if it does need ironing, it’s usually safe to iron at low or medium temperatures (110°C - 150°C)”.

Laundry & Spills and Stains

Sarah and Henry also shared their advice on how to launder various garments, as well as what to do if you accidently spill on and stain your partywear.

Firstly, Henry mentioned that you should “always check the care labels on your products before deciding how they should be washed. It’s well worth familiarising yourself with the care labelling system, so you can understand what labels mean at a glance”.

The experts shared advice for 9 specific material types:

Cotton – Warm or hot water can melt fibres and dyes and damage fabrics, so – to prevent shrinking and wrinkling – our advice is to wash 100% cotton in cold water using a gentle cycle. Sarah added that “cotton clothes, such as shirts, prefer a 30°C to 40°C wash and natural drying by line or airer to avoid shrinkage. Give them shake as you remove them from the machine, so they don’t dry with wrinkles in them”. Let the clothes dry naturally by hanging them on a clothing line outside or laying them down on a towel in the laundry room.

Polyester – Garments made from polyester can be hand or machine washed. Turn the clothes inside out to avoid pilling and choose a cold or low heat setting on your machine. Henry added that “because it’s synthetic, polyester is best washed on cold or warm cycles, rather than the hotter settings”. Or hand wash in tepid water. You can use your usual detergent. Air dry or make sure your dryer is on a low heat as polyester can melt. Sarah added that “as polyester is a synthetic material, it isn’t prone to shrinking or stretching. This means it can be washed and tumble dried on a warm setting. But as it’s often mixed in with other materials such as cotton, you should always check the label first”. Also, our white tuxedo has a Teflon coating – designed for easy clean and spillages so marks can be easily removed.

Velvet – Henry noted that you should “check the labels to confirm whether your velvet items can be machine washed – as it depends on what the velvet is made from”. However, for optimum results, our advice is that velvet items (especially jackets) should be dry cleaned. Sarah added “if it can be machine washed, treat it as a delicate using a cold, gentle wash and mild detergent”.

Wool – Sarah shared that “wool items such as tuxedo jackets are likely to need dry cleaning by a professional. Other wool items such as jumpers and trousers may be suitable for hand washing or gentle machine washing, so do check the label. If the item is suitable for washing, turn it inside out and only use cold water and a mild or wool-specific detergent. Wool can stretch, so you’ll need to dry it flat on an airer and keep it out of direct sunlight. As it dries, you’ll need to gently pull it back into shape to remove wrinkles”. Henry added “wool is quite resistant to odours – so it won’t require as frequent washing as other items. Hang your wool clothes up after each wear (preferably outside if you can) and they’ll freshen up. When they do need a wash, check their labels for instructions. Some wool tuxedo jackets will be dry clean-only”.

Satin – Sarah said that “it’s usually best to hand wash satin clothes with a mild detergent and cold water. Avoid wringing clothes dry. Instead, lay items flat between dry towels and press out the excess liquid by rolling them up. Then, dry your clothes naturally by laying them out flat on an airer. If this is difficult to do, tie some netting across the top of your airer and place your clothing on this”. Henry added “if your trousers have satin details on them then you’ll probably see slightly different care instructions on the label. If they have a matching jacket, that may well be dry clean-only, in which case it’s probably worth just taking them together”.

Silk – Silk ties should be dry cleaned. We recommend that you use a specialist dry cleaner, particularly when the tie has a stain that needs to be removed. However, Henry added that “you probably won’t need to wash your bow ties very often at all”. Sarah mentioned that “if your silk clothing is colour-fast and doesn’t need dry cleaning, you can wash items (such as some bow ties) on a cold, gentle wash with a non-biological or silk-specific detergent. Place your items in a pillowcase to protect them while they’re in the drum and only use a short, slow spin to reduce creasing.

Tweed – Cleaning tweed clothing isn’t like other materials, and you don’t want to do anything that could damage these timeless pieces of your wardrobe. Do not machine wash your tweed items as the item will shrink. Instead follow these steps: hand wash in cool, clean water. It should be, at most, 30 degrees; use a very mild shampoo. Baby shampoo is a good choice; gently squeeze out the suds. Do not wring, rub, or stretch your garment; rinse in fresh, clean, and cool water; once more, gently squeeze out the water. Do not try to lift the garment, as its weight will cause the item to stretch; spread the garment flat on a few towels and arrange it back into the shape it should be; leave to dry naturally away from any direct heat or sunlight.

Leather – The best way to remove scuff marks on any leather surface is a common household item—olive oil! First, use a brush with soft bristles to brush off any dirt or debris. Then dip a microfiber cloth into a small amount of olive oil and gently rub it over the scuff marks. It should sit for about 15-20 minutes, and you can simply use a clean cloth to wipe it right off. A bit of soap and water also goes a long way! Sarah added “to clean leather shoes and jackets brush off any loose dirt first. Then use an off-the-shelf leather cleaner or mild soapy water and wipe over with a cloth or soft toothbrush. Wipe off the soap and dry before finishing with a suitable polish or waterproofing spray”.

Suede – Start by using a suede brush to remove any excess dirt and grit from the surface of the shoe. Next, use a rubber/eraser to try and shift the remaining marks. If a stain still doesn't budge, try white vinegar. If a stain is from oil or grease, try baking powder. Then a dry microfiber cloth to complete the look. Henry added “don’t forget to spray them with a suede protector once you’re done too”.

When it comes to spills and stains, Henry shared that “it’s worth keeping an all-purpose stain removing laundry product around the house at all times. Most are simple to use and effective at removing a variety of household stains. There are some products, like the Vanish Oxi Action Gel that even work on delicates like silk and wool. Just read the labels carefully to check they’re suitable”.

He continued to add that “most of these products can be used on their own to hand wash stains, as a pre-treatment applied directly to stains, or even just added to the drum of your washing machine. Be particularly careful when working with any delicate fabrics (wool, silk etc.). Always check the label instructions and don’t be tempted to machine wash anything that shouldn’t be. Use gentle laundry detergents designed for delicates when cleaning these items. You can always call your local dry cleaner to see if they can help to remove a stain from more delicate fabrics”.

The experts shared advice for 9 specific stains:

Red/mulled wine – Sarah says that “red wine and mulled wine spills are much easier to deal with while they’re still wet, so you need to tackle them quickly. If you’re not at home, absorb as much as you can with a paper napkin and use white wine or soda water to keep the stain moist until you get home. As long as the spill is still wet, you can sprinkle salt over the area to absorb the wine. As this is a mild treatment, it should be safe to use on any fabric. Brush off the salt and soak with cold water or soda water and blot out the remaining stain with an absorbent towel. Apply a pre-wash stain remover if the mark’s still visible and put your garment on a cold wash to avoid setting the stain”.

White wine/prosecco – Sarah advises that “as with red wine, white wine and prosecco spills should be tackled quickly before they dry as this makes them easier to remove from all types of material. Rinsing with soda water and blotting with an absorbent towel should take out the worst before you wash it in the machine. This avoids the need for harsh stain removers”. Henry added that “rinsing the stain with cold water might be enough to get a white wine stain out. Do this from behind the stain on the inside of the garment. Once the stain is flushed out, you can pop the item in the laundry as normal. If rinsing doesn’t do the trick, apply some laundry stain remover directly onto the stain to pre-treat it before you pop it to the laundry as normal”.

Beer – The trick for beer stain removal is to apply some liquid soap, whether it’s dish soap or laundry, it doesn’t matter, but you need to mix it with some lukewarm water. Grab a clean towel or a sponge and dab at the stain until it’s gone. If for some reason you didn’t get to the stain while it was fresh, you can mix some baking soda and liquid detergent together, use an old clean toothbrush, and rub it into the stain. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Rinse with some lukewarm water. The baking soda will act as an odour absorber and will grab any remnants of that pesky beer odour. A variation of this method is to just let the cleaning mixture sit on the stain and then after 5 or 10 minutes, toss it into the washing machine and wash normally. For fresh beer spills on clothes, Sarah advises to “blot with a paper towel and put on a cold wash before it dries”.

Gravy – Gravy contains oil, so quickly wipe excess gravy that’s spilled onto your clothing to stop it soaking in. Pre-treat with a prewash stain remover, and then launder, using the hottest water safe for the fabric. Sarah suggested to “use a biological detergent as this has enzymes that can tackle the gravy stain. For materials such as wool that can’t go on a hot wash, remove the excess gravy, then gently rub with chalk or sprinkle with baking soda to absorb oily residues. If the stain persists, dab with white spirit before soaking your items in a suitable detergent”.

Oil (from food) – The best and most effective way to remove any type of stain is to take your garment to a dry cleaner. This will give you peace of mind that your garment is being professionally cleaned. However, if you want to try removing the stain at home, follow these 6 steps – first, blot with a towel. Then set your stained garment on a flat surface and sprinkle a small teaspoon size of baking soda over the stain. Let the baking soda sit on the stain for 30 minutes. Scrub the baking soda off the garment using a toothbrush. If the baking soda starts to clump up that means it is properly absorbing the oil. Don’t worry if some baking soda residue remains, it will wash out in the next step. Pour dish soap over the baking soda, just enough to cover the stain. Massage the dish soap into the baking soda. You can also use your cleaning toothbrush here for more scrubbing power on sturdier fabrics. Give your soapy garment a thorough rinse under running water before throwing it into the washing machine. You should always avoid putting a garment that has any amount of dish soap in the fabric into the washing machine—excess soap suds are a known way to ruin a washing machine! Wash the garment in the washing machine using your preferred detergent, following the instructions on the garment care label. Air dry (heat from a dryer will set that oil stain and make it harder to remove).

Glitter – Henry advises to “dab the glitter with a clean, slightly damp microfibre cloth and you should be able to lift most of it off”. Sarah added that “it’s best to get rid of glitter from your partywear before you wash it to prevent these small particles ending up in our water courses. So, use a lint roller or vacuum to remove bits of glitter stuck in clothing fibres. For more delicate materials, you may prefer to use a damp microfibre cloth to wipe the glitter off”.

Mud – Unlike most clothing stains, Sarah says that “it’s better to let mud dry, so it will flake off. You can scrape excess mud from clothes with a spoon and then rub with a paste made from detergent and water as a pre-wash treatment. For items with loose fibres such as woolly jumpers, you’ll need to work gently to avoid pulls and then dab with white spirit instead of using a paste”.

Sweat – For sweat stains on clothes, Sarah noted to “add a cup of white vinegar or lemon juice to warm water and leave the items to soak. For yellow stains that persist on whites such as cotton blouses and shirts, add oxygen bleach to your normal wash”.

Dust – Sarah shared that “it’s best not to wipe dusty clothing as it will push the dirt particles into the fibres. So, take dusty clothes outside and give them a good shake. You can follow this will a lint roller or some sticky tape to remove the remaining particles from smooth and tightly woven fabrics such as cotton and canvas. Or use a hand vacuum on a low setting for materials such as velvet and tweed”.

Storage

When it comes to storing your partywear after the festive season is over, cotton shirts are best stored hung on a hanger in a wardrobe at room temperature. Avoid damp wardrobes or excessive heat. Conversely, polyester items can be stored anywhere as long as they are dry.

For velvet items, hang velvet jackets on a hanger. Velvet has a short pile and easily crushed, so if it’s not correctly stored the next time you come to use it will look extremely wrinkled. As wool is a natural fabric these are best stored hanged in a clean, room temperature wardrobe.

*Advice correct as of November 2022