Have y’all heard of the ‘Boots Theory’? If not, it’s a theory of socioeconomic injustice, as explained by fictional character Sam Vimes:

“But the thing was that good boots lasted for years and years. A man who could afford fifty dollars had a pair of boots that’d still be keeping his feet dry in ten years’ time, while the poor man who could only afford cheap boots would have spent a hundred dollars on boots in the same time and would still have wet feet.“

The theory accepts that it’s actually more cost-effective to buy expensive, long-lasting items than it is to buy cheap, replaceable items. The injustice is: what if you can’t afford to buy expensive stuff? Are you doomed to a life of wet feet? Quality does trump quantity, but here are some ways to save money on clothes by making them last longer–even if they’re cheapos.  

Wash Inside Out

Turn your stuff inside out before you toss them in the washer. This helps prevent fading, and it also protects clothes from being snagged on zippers and buttons and stuff.

At living site One Good Thing, Jill Nystul offers another great tip: when washing jeans for the first time, add vinegar:

Use one cup of distilled white vinegar, pour in the washing machine and let it distribute well in the water before placing the jeans in the washer. NO LAUNDRY SOAP for the first washing. Then I alternate using vinegar or laundry soap to clean my jeans, after I have “set” the color in my denim after the first washing. Use only a small amount of laundry soap with denim.

The vinegar helps set the dye, Nystul says. She’s got gobs of great tips on washing jeans the right way, so check out her full post.

Avoid the Dryer

When I was little, my mom used to line or air dry everything, and I thought she was nuts. What was the point of having a dryer, I teased.

“The dryer destroys your clothes!” she told me. I rolled my eyes the same way I did when she told me Ramen noodles made me break out and garlic could cure everything.

I’m not sure about the garlic thing, but she was right about the dryer. I’ve shrunken, faded and outrightly destroyed many clothing items by over-drying them. It’s hot in there! And tumbling around in the dry heat for too long is a recipe for disaster. If you don’t believe me, look at a hipster on the last day of Coachella. (HEY-O!)

Air dry, when you can, and if you have the patience.

Store Clothes Properly

When storing clothes, make sure to do it the right way. For example:

Wash first: There are some tiny, gross-ass bugs that are attracted to the smell of sweat. If you’ve got even the slightest smell of body odor on your clothes, they will eat right through that nice little cashmere sweater.

Use cedar: Cedar repels moths, so even a small sachet of it in your closet, dresser–wherever you’re storing clothes–will help ensure those little jerks don’t come around.

Store with newspaper: When storing a leather purse, for example, stuff some newspaper inside. This will help prevent mildew from forming on the purse, which is apparently a thing that happens.

Dye Faded Clothing

Periodically, my favorite pair of black skinny jeans decide to become my favorite gray pair of skinny jeans. One day, I invested in a bottle of black Rit dye. Twenty minutes of soaking later, my jeans were like new.

Obviously, when dyeing clothes, you have to make sure to wash them properly afterward. If you don’t rinse well, the dye could end up in your washer, and you could end up with a very emo wardrobe.

Guard Your Clothing

Let’s say your armpits are really moist. Okay, that’s the most disgusting sentence I’ve ever typed. But what if they are? What if you sweat profusely (cough) and are plagued with pit stains (cough cough)?

First, you might want to get that checked out. Mitchum is my friend. But in the meantime, consider disposable garment guards. They protect your clothes from these types of stains. They’re kind of a pricey thing to wear every day, but for special occasions at which you don’t want to ruin your fancy dress, they might be worth the investment.

You can also use waterproofing wax, oils, and lotions to protect different types of leathers. Popsugar has a decent tutorial on this.

If you want to save money on clothing, the best way to do it is to make your current wardrobe simply last longer. Do you have any tips on this topic? Please share!

Photo by Rubbermaid Products.