15 Things Guys Should Know About Clothes

Image via Complex Original

We've walked you through some common mistakes dudes make while getting dressed before, but couldn't possibly have covered all the nuances of men's clothing. There's far too many basics to cover in one sitting, so we're hitting you with a few more things you might have not known about your wardrobe.

Stick around and you might learn something. Here's 15 Things Guys Should Know About Clothes.

15. Baste Knowledge

The stitching in suits is meant to be removed — the string prevents the fabric from stretching during the suitmaking process. Things like pockets and back vents are "basted" shut — referring to the type of loose stitch used — in order to make sure the fabric lays flat as the suit is getting made. Since suits are made in pieces and not just one whole garment, this makes things go much smoother and results in the clean look suit jackets are known for. Take out the thread with a seam ripper and free up that storage space.

14. What's a "placket?"

A placket refers to the double layers of fabric on a button front shirt containing the buttonholes. For a “plain front” shirt, there’s no doubling of the fabric, resulting in a more streamlined look.

13. Bespoke vs. Made-to-Measure

There’s a difference between “bespoke” and “made-to-measure.” A true bespoke garment is tailored specifically to you from start to finish, whereas a made-to-measure garment implies that tailors merely adjust pre-existing patterns to a more precise fit to your body. 

12. Sweater Care

Never throw sweaters — especially cashmere — in any sort of washing machine, let alone a dryer. Wash sweaters by hand with a low alkaline detergent — or even baby shampoo. Soak it and then roll it in a towel to dry it off, and then mold it back into shape before letting it air dry in an open space so it won’t get moldy.

11. Room to Move

Wanna know if you can have pants let out? Check the area under the waist to see if there’s extra fabric. Same goes for the leg length, flip 'em inside out and check. For most trousers, there will be a couple of extra inches in there to work with.

10. Chuck 'Em in the Washer

Aside from being timelessly cool, canvas sneakers can also be thrown into the washer to freshen them up. Wash ‘em alone on a cold temperature and let them air dry in an open area. They won’t look good as new, so you need not worry about losing your street cred; they just won’t smell and still be broken-in.

9. Wale Watching

Corduroy widths are referred to as “wales,” as in the sea-dwelling mammal, not the MMG rapper. There’s no wale more formal than another — corduroy is generally considered a pretty casual fabric and comes in a variety of styles. Need tips on how to rock corduroy? We got you covered.

8. Fade Away

Did you know there’s proper terms for the way your jeans fade? “Crocking” is the technical term for when dyes bleed off a fabric. “Whiskering” refers to the fade lines around the crotch area — akin to a cat’s whiskers. “Honeycombing” references the lines that occur behind the knees. “Warp” and “weft” refer to the contrasting vertical and diagonal/horizontal yarns, respectively, that make up the denim. The warp is usually dyed indigo while the weft is left ecru or white. For the lazy, pre-washed jeans have recently made a comeback.

7. Buttoned In

The interior button on a double-breasted garment, be it a blazer or a peacoat, that keeps the breasts hooked together on the inside is referred to as a “jigger.”

6. Where the Buffalo Roam

Way before Biggie had the red-and-black lumberjack (with the hat to match), buffalo plaid made its debut in the 1850s, where it was found in a lot of workwear. The alternating red and black squares purportedly took their moniker from the designer’s buffalo herd. Also, any sort of pattern alternating black and colored squares is a buffalo plaid, not just red.

4. The Right Cover-Up

An overcoat should be slim enough to fit perfectly in the shoulders, but loose enough that you can fit a suit jacket underneath. Going for a classic look that can be worn casually? Cop one in camel and wear it with everything except khaki.

3. Ticket, Please

That third pocket of a casual sportcoat is known as a “ticket pocket.” It used to be known to hold, well, tickets. Think about that next time you take your girl out to the movies.

2. Get Socked

Did you know your sock size is different from your shoe size? Yep. Check the label. Sometimes sock sizes are Small, Medium, and Large and have corresponding shoe sizes on the package. Wearing too large a sock can cause discomfort, while wearing too small a sock can overstretch a pair and shorten the life of the fabric.

1. Tag, You're It

Read your care labels! Need help deciphering exactly what that means? So did we. There's a grip of guides available that make sense out of all those random shapes, but this was the best one we found. Not only is it easy to read, it neatly categorizes everything. The care tag is your clothing's way of telling you how to prolong its life, learn the language and you can rock the hell out of your favorite gear for a long time.