In this article:
- Fashion for creases on trousers
- Preparing trousers for ironing
- Temperature conditions for ironing trousers made of different fabrics
- Correct folding of trousers
- 17 steps to create creases on trousers
- Removing shine from trousers
- Uneven arrows
- Tips for keeping creases on your trousers for a long time
Arrows on trousers have been considered an essential element of a classic suit for more than a century; their presence speaks of a sense of style and good taste. Anyone who follows fashion trends often faces the question of how to make creases on trousers, given that they must remain straight for a long time, look neat and complement the image. I must admit, this task is not an easy one.
In stores, classic-cut trousers are most often sold with already marked creases. Therefore, all that remains is to maintain this item of clothing in proper form. In our article we will share ways that will help you maintain existing creases or create new creases on your trousers. It may not work out the first time, but don’t be upset. A little practice and they will be perfect.
Fashion for creases on trousers
When and how did creases appear on trousers? There are a number of versions explaining the appearance of this element on clothing. One legend with romantic overtones says that in 1896, Prince Edward VII of Wales was driving to an important meeting when he got caught in the rain and became soaked to the skin. To get his clothes in order, the heir to the English throne instructed a local peasant woman to dry his trousers with an iron. Perhaps out of nervousness, she matched the side and crotch seams instead of ironing the front and back halves of the garment, but she ironed the trousers conscientiously. The prince, according to legend, admired the clear fold line so much that he soon introduced creases on the legs into fashion.
A more prosaic version of the origin of the pressed line of trousers in the center is associated with the rapid rise of factory production of clothing in Europe at the end of the 19th century. A lot of things were then sent for export, and in order to fill the holds with a large amount of goods, the clothes were compacted very hard. The creases that appeared from such hard pressing were very difficult to smooth out, but over time, savvy people decided to turn this problem to their advantage, so the disadvantage became an advantage: any self-respecting man knew how to make creases on his trousers.
Preparing trousers for ironing
Before ironing, the trousers must be washed, because if there are stains on the item, it will be very difficult to get rid of them later: under the influence of high temperature, the dirt is strongly absorbed into the fabric.
Before making creases on your trousers, you need to look at the fabric instructions on the label and set the iron to the recommended mode. Otherwise, the clothes can be damaged and cannot be restored.
Under no circumstances should the iron come into contact with the front side of the fabric - ironing should only be done through a special gauze or chintz mesh, the so-called ironing iron. It is desirable that it be white and certainly clean. Immediately prepare a spray bottle with water.
It is better to iron parts on which arrows are not needed from the inside out - the material will not become shiny and will not become covered with white streaks.
Since it is not always possible to make straight creases on trousers, in order to cope with this task, you need to create the appropriate conditions. It is good if the ironing board has an adjustable height. It needs to be placed in a convenient place so that nothing distracts from the activity and there is good lighting around - if there is not enough light, you will need an additional lamp, otherwise you will simply ruin your eyesight.
Temperature conditions for ironing trousers made of different fabrics
The optimal temperature regime is selected in accordance with the type (composition) of the fabric - carefully read the information on the trousers label before ironing!
Manufacturers indicate product care criteria in the form of pictograms, which also contain ironing parameters.
If the composition of the fabric is known, it is not difficult to determine the correct temperature regime:
- number 1, one dot or inscriptions silk, nylon - adjustment for polyester and other flammable fabrics;
- number 2, two dots or the designation wool - for woolen and mixed fabrics;
- number 3, three dots or inscriptions cotton, linen – setting for cotton and linen fabrics.
For materials that contain both cotton and synthetics, the iron should be heated in the same way as for wool, but you should press it harder when ironing.
It is correct to iron woolen items without any pressure at all, steaming them, barely touching them with the iron. And to make straight creases on trousers made of fabrics such as linen and cotton, you should use a damp iron and press the sole of the iron firmly against it. Ironing synthetics should only be done through gauze and at a minimum temperature. If it is not clear what the product is made of, turn it inside out and carefully begin to iron it at the hems of the legs.
Particular attention should be paid to fabrics with pile; it is advisable to iron them exclusively from the wrong side. If after this the trousers remain wrinkled, then the fabric is ironed along the pile from top to bottom, lightly touching the fabric with an iron.
Recommendations for ironing parameters for different types of material are presented in the table:
Type of fabric | Steam volume | Steam quality | Iron sole heating temperature, °C | Ironing method |
Cotton fiber | Average quantity | Wet | 180–220 | With pressure |
Linen | Maximum | Wet | 215–230 | With pressure |
Linen with cotton | Maximum | Wet | 180–220 | With pressure |
Wool fibers | Maximum | Wet | 160–170 | Steaming required |
Polyester fiber | Minimum | Very dry | 160–200 | No water needed |
Cotton with synthetics | Average quantity | Dry | 160–170 | Through fabric (iron) |
Wool with synthetics | Average quantity | Almost no moisture | 160–180 | Through fabric (iron) |
Velveteen | Average quantity | Not very wet | 180–190 | In the direction of the rib pile |
Clothing style test
Don't know your CLOTHING STYLE?
Take the free TEST!
TAKE THE TEST
How to find your clothing style Classic style of clothing Sports style in clothes | Casual clothing style Business style in clothes Romantic style of clothing |
Receive my free style recommendations by email:
Did you like the article? Rating 5.00 (4 votes)
Correct folding of trousers
To correctly make creases on trousers, you need to know how to fold them before ironing so that distortions do not form. This is done by aligning the trouser legs so that the side and crotch seams completely coincide, folding the product itself in half along the middle seam. At the top of the trousers, the lines of the side seams should align (you need to focus on the edges of the belt). If the model is cut correctly, after matching the seams, the beginning of the front arrows will be where the front folds or darts end.
When the arrow appears, it divides the front and back halves of the trouser leg into two equal parts. On the front, arrows, as already noted, can come from darts or folds. If there are two folds, the one closest to the codpiece will go into the arrow. On the back half of the trousers, the arrow reaches the inner edge of the pocket or the end of the dart, but not to the waistband. First, they always iron the front half of the trousers, and then the back; if the first step is done correctly, then it will not be difficult to make a crease at the back.
Basic ironing process
Having completed the preparatory stage, you can proceed directly to smoothing:
- According to all the rules, trousers are ironed from top to bottom. Initially, the pockets are processed, if there is a lining, the codpiece area, the belt, and then the length of the trouser legs itself. It is necessary to use pressing movements with an iron using steam. To prevent the appearance of kinks and contours of pockets on the front side, you can place a thin towel under them.
- Next comes the main stage - ironing the front side. This is the most responsible and painstaking stage, in which incorrect behavior will affect the appearance of the ironed product. For convenience, the trousers are laid out on a board and straightened with your hands. To do this, you need to match the inner and outer seams of the trousers. They should overlap each other as accurately as possible, and the seam lines should match.
- The top of the trousers contains many internal seams. This is a very difficult area for high-quality ironing on the front side. How to properly carry out the ironing procedure so that the internal seams do not appear on the face? A little trick will help: you need to put a small pad inside the trousers, and then iron them using a moistened iron.
- Before shaping the creases, you need to iron the pant legs. First, the outer sides of the trouser legs are processed one by one. Then the upper trouser leg is folded back, revealing access to the inner surface of the second half of the trousers, which is thoroughly steamed. Having turned the trousers over, the same manipulation must be performed with the inner surface of the second leg.
A business man should a priori look decent
Removing shine from trousers
When trying to iron creases on men's trousers, many are faced with the problem of the appearance of an unsightly shine. You can avoid shiny marks on your trouser legs by following two important rules:
- We start ironing from the wrong side.
- We use an ironing iron while forming the arrows. During the process of ironing trouser legs, this special mesh (gauze, cotton fabric) must be constantly moistened with water or a weak vinegar solution in the ratio: 1 tsp. essences per 1 liter of water.
Uneven arrows
Not everyone is able to make perfectly even creases on their trousers the first time. As a rule, the situation changes when more experience becomes available. To correct bad lines, you need to smooth them out from the wrong side and repeat the algorithm step by step, trying to iron them better.
You should read this!
Types of men's trousers: model, fabric, features of choice November 19, 2020
10481
10481
Etiquette rules for men that everyone should know about October 30, 2020
39193
39193
You can save time on creating creases by providing your trousers with proper care: after each wear, it is advisable to clean them with a clothes brush to remove dust and adhering particles of dirt, threads, and hairs. You need to store your trousers on a special hanger.
Conclusion
Trousers of a classic style and cut include arrows. This element of the pants perfectly hides many of the shortcomings of the male figure, lengthening and making the legs visually slimmer. To do this, you need to learn how to properly iron and design arrows. Other styles of sports, urban or neoclassical trousers do not require ironing of creases; it is enough to simply iron the pants from the inside and outside.
For a business person, trousers are almost the most important element of their wardrobe. A neat appearance and impeccably ironed hands will tell even more about its owner than he can tell about himself. For this reason, it is so important to learn how to iron trousers correctly in order to feel confident, and your colleagues will have only a pleasant impression of you.
Tips for keeping creases on your trousers for a long time
Who doesn’t know the feeling of disappointment that a lot of time has been wasted: trousers with creases, which took so much effort to create, suddenly lose their appearance as soon as you put them on. How to make creases on trousers so that they last a long time?
There are several proven methods.
- To obtain more neat and elegant lines, it is better to moisten the iron not with water, but with a weak solution of vinegar essence (1 tablespoon of acid per 1 liter of water). Thanks to the acid, there will be no shiny marks left on the fabric during the ironing process. Don't be afraid that the item will smell unpleasant - the specific vinegar smell disappears very quickly.
- Laundry soap will help maintain the shape of the arrows for a long time. With a small piece, you need to draw lines from the inside of the fabric in the place where the folds from the ironing should lie. After this, the product is ironed through gauze (mesh).
- There is no need to put on trousers immediately after they have been ironed with creases. The fabric will remain damp for some time, so it is easy to wrinkle it and break the ironed lines (especially if you use a steamer to make creases on your trousers). As soon as the ironing is finished, things cannot even be removed from the ironing board - they must lie until the material has cooled down properly.
- To fix creases on light-colored linen or cotton trousers, you can use starch (white stains remain on dark ones). The composition is prepared as follows: 1 tsp. starch is dissolved in 1 liter of water, the mixture is heated and boiled for 3 minutes. Then use it to wet the iron when ironing.
- You can keep creases on your trousers longer by using ammonia. It also helps eliminate shine left on the fabric after ironing. It is enough to add a few drops of ammonia to the water with which the iron is wetted, or directly into the steam tank built into the iron.
The ironed product with arrows should be placed on a special trouser hanger or on the back of a chair. If you always store your clothes this way, the creases will keep their shape better, and you won’t have to spend a lot of time ironing or steaming each time.
Correcting ironing errors: marks, marks, double arrows
Unfortunately, we often forget to use the iron and unsightly shiny spots remain on the fabric. Fortunately, in most cases these problems can be fixed.
How to remove shine and shine
Laces are the shiny marks left by the soleplate of an iron. They are most noticeable on dark fabrics made from natural, mixed and synthetic fibers. The problem can be resolved in the following ways:
- If the fabric is made of cotton or linen, then lasses are almost always removed by steaming through a damp iron.
- If the fabric is mixed, you will need to prepare a solution of water, vinegar and a few drops of liquid soap. Moisten gauze in the solution and iron the problem area through it until the stain completely disappears.
- Ammonia will help remove shine from woolen fabrics. A few drops of ammonia are diluted in a liter of water. Then proceed in the same way as in the first method.
- Lass on synthetic fabrics is removed with gasoline. A cotton pad is soaked in the product, and then the stain is treated with it. After this treatment, the product is washed and dried naturally.
- Shine from dark suit fabrics is also removed with unsweetened black tea: moisten a cotton swab and treat the stain.
- You can also re-wash your pants and add fabric softener when rinsing.
If you are unable to remove the lasses yourself, you should take your trousers to the dry cleaner. In the case of synthetic fabrics, it also happens that the shine from the iron remains. In this case, the trousers are ruined forever.
Video: how to remove shine from an iron from trousers
How to remove scorch marks from an iron
Tan marks are yellow spots that are most noticeable on white, light-colored and colored fabrics. They are more difficult to eliminate than lasses. For these purposes, the following methods are used:
- Lemon and powdered sugar. Rub the stain with a slice of lemon and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Allow it to dry, and then partially wash the treated area or wash the product completely.
- Onion gruel. Apply onion pulp to the scorched area and leave until completely dry. Then wash and dry as usual. You can also use onion halves and rub them thoroughly onto the stains.
- Vinegar and salt. Make a solution of 9% vinegar and water in equal proportions. The scorched area is soaked in the solution and then sprinkled with salt. After the fabric has dried, the product is washed.
- 3% hydrogen peroxide. Use only on white fabrics. Peroxide is applied to a cotton swab and the area with the tan is treated. After the treated area has dried, rinse it in cold water.
If you are unsure of your abilities and are afraid of completely ruining your trousers, then immediately contact the dry cleaner.
How to eliminate double arrows
It is not always possible to make correct single arrows the first time. If during ironing the trousers slid along the ironing surface, then it is likely that double creases will form, which will obviously not please the person who is going to wear these trousers. Fortunately, it is much easier to remove “homemade” arrows than stable industrial ones formed under a special press. Do the following:
- Turn your pants inside out.
- Lay out so that the arrows are in the middle of the trouser leg.
- Moisten the gauze thoroughly and place it on the problem area.
- Iron until the arrows disappear.
The disadvantage of this method is that, most likely, you will get rid of the “factory” arrow and will have to form it again. We advise you to first try to fold the trousers correctly so that the seams match, and then iron them well with steam. Perhaps the extra arrow will disappear. You can also wash your trousers and then try to iron them better.
You can try to eliminate the extra arrow by ironing it through a wet cloth.