How do I care for my suit?

Brush it, air it, and press it. Don't dry-clean it often; the chemicals age the fabric. Rotate two suits rather than wearing one daily, hang it on a broad hanger, and bring it to me once a year for a proper press.

What if I gain or lose weight?

Bring it back. Your pattern is on file, and most suits have fabric in the seams to let out or take in. A body that changes doesn't have to mean a suit you retire. That's the advantage of having a tailor.

How long should a good suit last?

Cared for and rotated, a canvassed bespoke suit lasts ten to twenty years; I have clients wearing suits I cut fifteen years ago. The pattern stays, so replacing or adding is always easy.

Can I bring a suit back later for adjustments?

Yes: a re-press, a button, a letting-out. Good cloth is cut with room in reserve for that, and your measurements stay on file, so the suit ages with you, not against you. Ask what the work involves when you bring it in.

Care · Care & the long run

How to care for a suit so it lasts a decade

Updated July 2026 · Sam’s Menswear editorial team

A broad-shouldered cedar suit hanger lying on a dark oak surface with two cedar blocks beside it and a folded charcoal jacket to the right — A shaped hanger and cedar. Most of what shortens a suit's life happens in the wardrobe, not on the day.

A well-made suit is built to last a decade. Whether it does is mostly down to how you treat it between wears, and almost none of it is dry-cleaning. Here are the habits that matter.

Rest it between wears

The single most important rule: never wear the same suit two days running. Wool needs a full day to recover its shape and let moisture evaporate. Rotate two or three suits and each lasts far longer than one worn into the ground.

Hang it right

A wide, shaped wooden hanger (not a thin wire one) keeps the shoulders true. Hang trousers by the cuff or folded over a proper bar. Give the jacket room to breathe; a suit crushed in a packed closet holds the creases of its neighbours.

Brush, don’t clean

A soft clothes brush after each wear lifts out dust and city grime before it settles into the fibres. This does more for the life of a suit than dry-cleaning ever will, and it takes thirty seconds.

Steam, don’t press

A steamer relaxes wrinkles and refreshes the fabric without the harsh heat of an iron. If you must iron, use a press fabric and low heat. Over-pressing puts a shine on wool you can’t undo.

Dry-clean rarely

Dry-cleaning is hard on wool; the solvents strip the natural oils that give fabric its life. Twice a year is plenty for a regularly worn suit; spot-clean marks and steam out odours in between. Over-cleaning ages a suit faster than wearing it does.

Fix small things early

A loose button, a fraying thread, a lining nick: deal with it while it’s small. That’s part of what buying local gets you: bring it back and it gets sorted before it becomes a real repair. Why owning one good suit beats three cheap ones →

Looking after a suit I made you? Bring it by; get in touch.