The Clothes Iron Is NOT Dead–Here’s Why You Still Need One!

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Ironing clothing seems less necessary than ever for many people, though it still has its benefits. Still, the question remains: Is it time to pull the plug on the clothes iron? We’ve identified seven reasons that have contributed to the decline of the iron.

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Reasons Ironing is Dying: 1. Popularity of Garments That Don’t Need An Iron

It’s no secret that menswear—and clothing, in general—has experienced an increasing level of casualization over the past few decades and really over the course of the 20th century, and along with this casualization, garments that don’t regularly need ironing have been normalized. Think of things here like T-shirts, jeans, or athleisure. Even if these are made of natural materials as opposed to synthetics, they typically don’t require as much ironing in order to look good.

I’m sure somebody out there has ironed a hoodie before, but it’s safe to say that it doesn’t happen much.

Jackson wearing a grey suit jacket with a matching grey bow tie that has a subtle glen check pattern. He is also wearing a white dress shirt and a dark purple pocket square with paisley motifs tucked into the breast pocket of the jacket. A white and pink marguerite flower boutonniere is pinned to the lapel. The background features a sidewalk lined with trees and fallen leaves

Classic style is best

…when Pressed

Conversely though, many of the garments that are associated with classic style do look best when they’re pressed. After all, sharply defined cuffs and creases are some of the more elegant features that can exist on a garment like chinos.

Most dress shirts do look sharper when properly ironed. So, if you’re a classic style devotee, you’re much more likely to be wearing clothing that requires ironing and, even if you don’t consider yourself as firmly within the classic style camp as we at The Gentleman’s Gazette are, many of the garments in your more formal wardrobe like dress shirts, trousers, and suit jackets will look better when ironed.

Even if you don’t wear garments like these all of the time, they should still look their best when you do. This brings us nicely then to list item number two.

Dress Casually…With Style!

2. Wrinkle-Resistant and Non-Iron Fabrics

The increasing popularity of these kinds of fabrics does raise the question: If they don’t need to be ironed, what’s the point of owning an iron in the first place?

Many of the most popular shirt providers on the market today like Brooks Brothers, Charles Tyrwhitt, and Eton have very aggressively marketed their non-iron shirts in the last few years; and while these shirts may save you some time in the maintenance area, it is important to remember that “wrinkle-resistant” doesn’t mean “wrinkle-free.”

In other words, many shirts that are sold as being wrinkle-resistant will still look better when ironed. The collar and cuffs of these shirts will typically look acceptable no matter what, but the body of the shirt is still more likely to develop some wrinkling.

Three men wearing dress shirts in different colors and styles over a dark background. The man on the left is wearing a light green and white micro-check patterned shirt, paired with navy trousers and a brown belt. The man in the center is wearing a light blue solid-colored shirt, paired with dark trousers and a black belt. The man on the right is wearing a grey and white striped shirt, paired with dark grey trousers, a navy tie, and a black belt
A quick press brings out the best in even wrinkle-resistant shirts.

Even Eton, which makes a very impressive wrinkle-resistant fabric, still has this problem with their shirts. But, ironically, the treatments used to make shirts like these more wrinkle-resistant can also make them more difficult to iron. This is because these treatments can restrict the individual movement of the fibers. Also, most non-iron shirts are typically made from synthetic fabrics and or treated with chemical processes that don’t respond well to ironing.

In either case, these might make wrinkles seem like the least of your worries. These treatments can ruin the pleasing hand and drape that comes with a shirt made from natural materials, and many rely on chemicals like formaldehyde, essentially shellacking the fabric, making it stiff and uncomfortable. And who wants chemicals put directly against their skin?

A dark amber glass bottle labeled "Formaldehyde." The label provides details, including the chemical composition (37% Formaldehyde with 15% Methanol, HCHO + H2O + CH3OH). The bottle is labeled as containing ACS Regent Lab Grade Formaldehyde, with a volume of 500 ml (½ Liter). The label includes warnings, such as "Toxic," "Carcinogenic," and "Flammable".
Formaldehyde treatments can turn your soft, natural fabrics into stiff, uncomfortable garments.

Over time, these treatments can come off of the shirt, which not only sheds microplastics into the environment but also ends up leading to the shirts being more susceptible to wrinkles. So, while having a few well-made, wrinkle-resistant shirts from respected retailers on hand for things like travel does make sense—by and large, for the longevity, feel, and environmental benefits, we think it doesn’t make sense to have these non-iron shirts constitute the majority of your wardrobe.

How to Travel with ONE Bag & ZERO Sacrifices – Packing Hacks

3. Less (Explicit) Cultural Judgment Based on Appearance

Because of shifting societal values and notions of how much pride someone ought to put into their appearance, it’s assumed that people today are much less likely to be judged in any meaningful way by a wrinkled shirt since many people won’t have enough understanding of the practice to even consciously notice it to begin with; and a romanticization of the Silicon Valley ethos of “disheveled but hyper-competent” has spread into other fields of business as well.

The reality is, though, that a polished appearance will still positively influence others and give you a stronger chance of making a good first impression with them, even if they can’t quite put their finger on why. There’s just something about a freshly-pressed garment that exudes class, capability, and cool. That feeling will likely resonate with you, too, and boost your own self-confidence in the process.

Kyle on the left and Raphael on the right, engaging in a handshake while smiling at each other. Kyle is wearing a navy blue pinstripe double-breasted suit with a light orange tie and a white pocket square. He has a beard and a bald head. Raphael is wearing a light grey checkered suit with a brown tie and a white pocket square, and his hair is neatly styled.
A polished look not only leaves a lasting impression on others but also boosts your own confidence.

Conversely, though, appearing unkempt or slovenly in a wrinkled shirt isn’t going to do your appearance any favors, and it will, for most people, adversely affect how they perceive you, especially if they don’t know you already.

In simplest terms here, if you can choose, it’s always better to be the guy in the ironed shirt than in the wrinkled shirt.

4. Alternative Tools

Because of negative assumptions about irons, alternative tools like garment steamers have become increasingly popular in recent years. Steamers are widely believed to be easier to use and are, in fact, the better choice for certain garments and situations, but they’re not ideal for all garments, especially for laundered shirts. This is because the shirts will lose that crisp look that comes from putting pressure onto the fabric.

Similarly, steamers also aren’t ideal for putting a crease into trousers as additional pressure is required here, too, to set that crease. This can be mitigated somewhat by the use of supplementary gadgets like steamer mitts—and, by the way, if you’d like to see us tackle some content on those, let us know in the comments.

both hands wearing a steamer mitts while applying pressure to the white dress shirt during steaming
Use steamer mitts to enhance the effectiveness of steamers.

But, in general, steamers are better when you have to do some light touch-up work on a garment rather than a more serious or involved job. For example, if you’d like to remove some light wrinkles when a garment is fresh out of the dryer, then a steamer would be a good choice, and steamers can sometimes even be preferred when handling more delicate garments like a jacket. After all, an inexperienced hand with an iron can risk damaging the canvas or other materials that go into a jacket.

But a steamer isn’t a catchall item in this case either as overuse of a steamer can loosen a jacket’s seams, making them wear down or even wear out sooner.

In most cases, then, you’ll benefit from owning both an iron and a steamer, and I’ll tell you more about the best-case scenarios for each implement in this guide.

Iron vs. Steamer: Which is Best for Your Menswear Wardrobe?

5. Perceived Investment Issues

Despite their utility, there is a perception that irons simply aren’t worth the investment in terms of both money and space, but if you’re going to invest in high-quality clothes, you should also invest in high-quality tools to care for those clothes, and a well-made iron and ironing board should last you for decades, providing excellent cost-per-use.

By the way, you can find some purchasing suggestions in our article on essential ironing tools. As mentioned though, ironing boards do require a certain amount of space, which can potentially be a turnoff if you have a premium on space in your living quarters or if you’re trying to fit an ironing board into a tight area; however, technological advancements have been made and space-saving ironing boards do exist today.

a woman focused on ironing a light pink fabric. The woman is wearing glasses and a black sweater. To the left of her on the table is a white humidifier or steamer, and a wooden handle iron press. The background is softly lit by natural light coming through a sheer curtain.
Example of a space-saving ironing board.

So, an iron and ironing board may be more economical than you initially realized. And can you really put a price on the feel of a perfectly ironed shirt?

Outfit Rundown

Since I ironed the shirt I’m wearing today, I feel like a million bucks. The shirt in question is a short-sleeved sport shirt with a button-down collar from Charles Tyrwhitt. It features a grid pattern in tones of blue and pink on white ground.

Preston wearing a neatly ironed short-sleeved sports shirt with a button-down collar. The shirt features a grid pattern in tones of blue and pink. The shirt is paired with plain medium-blue trousers and navy blue suede loafers.
Preston’s outfit

So, to harmonize with the shirt, the rest of the elements in my outfit are also following this color palette. This would include my trousers in plain medium blue and my shoes, which are navy blue suede loafers from the brand Henry Stevens.

My socks are from our own brand, Fort Belvedere. They’re two-tone shadow stripes in pink and gray, and for a fragrance today, I’m wearing what else but Blue Suede Shoes from the Roberto Ugolini collection. You can find the socks and the fragrance that I’m wearing today in our Fort Belvedere shop.

Pink and Grey Shadow Stripe Ribbed Socks Fil d'Ecosse Cotton - Fort Belvedere

Fort Belvedere

Pink and Grey Shadow Stripe Ribbed Socks

Photo of Roberto Ugolini Blue Suede Shoes Bottle and Box

Fort Belvedere

Roberto Ugolini – Blue Suede Shoes

6. It’s Just Not Worth It

Even if you’ve been persuaded that there are benefits to the iron—as we’ve hopefully communicated by all of the list points so far—you may still be under the impression that the time investment necessary to iron all of your clothes well just means that it isn’t worth it in the long run. But ironing does have many benefits that add up over time. Not only will your clothes look better when ironed, but they’ll also look better in the long term.

ironing a white cloth

Regular ironing prevents the setting in of creases that can become stress points over time.

Garments will fray, split, or come apart at the creases if they’re allowed to get worse. Splitting under the armpits and around the crotch has been the death of many good shirts and trousers, of course.

garment label of a patterned grey suit with inner light blue lining

Ironing can even help reduce the shrinking of clothing via the compression of fibers over time.

The heat and steam from an iron, as well as the pressure, essentially help to relax these compressed garments, keeping them true to their original sizes,

Photo of Persol sunglasses with white linen suit

An iron is crucial if you want to wear natural, lightweight materials.

High-quality cotton and linen are some of the best choices to wear in the warmer months to keep you cool, but they’re also susceptible to wrinkling and, while it is inevitable that some wrinkling will happen with these materials over the course of a day of wear, it’s still better to iron them periodically than to not bother in the first place.

Yes, you could always have your dry cleaners iron or press your clothes, but this gets expensive over time, and the industrial tools used by these services aren’t going to be ideal for your delicate garments and aren’t going to be beneficial for most garments long term. This is one of many reasons why it’s best to only send your clothes to the dry cleaners when absolutely necessary.

So, you can save some money and extend the life of your clothes as well as many other benefits by simply ironing them yourself.

7. Perceived Lack of Time and Knowledge

Finally here, we come to item number seven. Some may claim that they simply don’t have the time or know how to iron well since it does require at least a baseline of knowledge and technique, as well as some practice in order to get the nuances of ironing down fully. Many of us are also likely aware of some horror stories that have resulted from improperly pressing shirts or pants; and of course, irons do get hot, so you might simply be afraid of burning yourself. But there’s no need to fear as we’ve prepared an expansive multi-part series on exactly how to iron. 

Raphael ironing a striped button down shirt.
Time and knowledge are crucial in ironing clothes to ensure efficiency and prevent fabric damage.

This series starts with relatively simple tasks like ironing a shirt and ramps up to more complex tasks like ironing a suit jacket. By following our simple step-by-step instructions then and picking up on the many tips we’ve learned over years of experience, you’ll be ironing like a pro in no time.

Maintain your garments like a true gentleman…

Conclusion

While it is true that not every person on the planet will necessarily need to own or regularly use an iron today, it’s also true that the vast majority of people will still benefit from owning one or at least having access to one, and of course, this is especially true if you’re interested in classic style. So, cancel the funeral as the rumors of the death of the iron have been greatly exaggerated.

Let us know in the comments below if you agree with us that the iron isn’t dead or if you disagree, in which case I should probably get my black suit pressed for the funeral.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is ironing important for classic men’s style?

Ironing is essential in classic men’s style to maintain a crisp, clean look that reflects professionalism and attention to detail. Properly ironed clothes help make a positive impression in both casual and formal settings.

Can I achieve the same results with a steamer?

While steamers are great for removing wrinkles, they often can’t provide the same sharp creases and smooth finish on fabrics like cotton and linen that an iron can. For the quintessential pressed look, especially for dress shirts and suit pants, ironing is the preferred method.

What are the benefits of knowing how to iron my own clothes?

Knowing how to iron your own clothes can save you time and money, offer convenience, and give you control over the desired outcome. It also ensures that you’re always prepared for last-minute events or meetings.

Will ironing my clothes make them last longer?

Yes, proper ironing can actually extend the life of your garments. By following the correct temperature settings and techniques, you prevent damage and maintain the fabric’s integrity, which can be compromised by repeated dry cleaning.

What should I consider when purchasing an iron?

Look for an iron with adjustable temperature settings, a steam function, and a soleplate made of stainless steel or ceramic for even heat distribution. A good quality iron might be more of an investment initially but will deliver better results and last longer.

Is it hard to learn how to iron properly?

Ironing is a skill that can be easily learned with practice. There are many resources available, such as tutorials and guides, to teach you the proper techniques for different types of clothing and fabrics.

Can ironing be done on all types of fabrics?

No, not all fabrics are suitable for ironing. Delicate materials like silk or wool require special care, and some may only be safely pressed with a cloth in between the iron and the fabric. Always check the care label for ironing instructions.

How can I avoid shiny marks when ironing?

Shiny marks are usually caused by too much heat. To avoid this, use the correct temperature setting for your fabric, and iron delicate fabrics inside out or with a pressing cloth. Keep the iron moving, and don’t press down too hard.

Reader Comments

  1. Hi Preston:
    This might be a bit off topic. Why is it that I am seeing many men on news television who are wearing suits that don’t look like they fit right? The jackets seem to be too tight and/or too short. Also, I see the them wearing those dopey looking sneaker/dress shoes which definitely don’t look good. Any thoughts on why these people aren’t being outfitted right?

    1. One thing I’ve noticed in addition to the ill fitting suits, is that the men wear vests completely buttoned up, making them look like up-tight country bumpkins. It is still customary to leave the bottom button on one’s vest unbuttoned, isn’t it?

  2. All our family are obssesed with clothes irons. The last one, one of this semiindustrials models, is really wonderful. What a difference! I saved all kind of clothe irons we have been using since the beggining.
    Thank you for your webpage, one of the betters I’ve seen.

  3. I can’t imagine life without an old fashioned steam iron. I buy distilled water by the gallon so I’ll always have a ready supply of water for steam. But my ironing isn’t always about clothing. To me, the ultimate luxury is freshly laundered and ironed sheets every night. And they have to be 100% cotton; forget those polyester blend jobs.

    P.S.: Martha Stewart is the modern-day maven of ironing. She even sprays lavender-scented water on her linens to prepare them for ironing.

  4. When I realized my dry cleaners were charging $6.00 per shirt, I figured I can “earn” $24.00 per hour ironing my own shirts! Thanks, Mom for teaching me how to iron my shirts when I was a high schooler!

  5. I think the most important message in this article is the fact that you must first know how to iron. I suggest you first practice on a dress shirt that you really don’t use much.
    This way if you burn a spot it won’t make a difference. Then try ironing a pair of everyday work pant. But remember different materials need different heat temperatures to make them come out looking like they should. Read the label first!!

  6. I do not understand the shift from natural materials to synthetic materials for shirts by people nowadays. Natural materials feels so comfortable to the touch and drapes so much more elegantly and beautifully. All these wrinkle resistant or elastane added shirts or trousers even though if it is only 1 or 2% just looks so cheap and clings to the body uncomfortably.

  7. Definitely a good instrument, my biggest problem with dressing up is the constant need of ironing of shirts especially, and my neck has enough problems to be dealing with an iron, so I think for shirts, a steamer is better, and for more robust work, an iron will do the job perfectly. Happy ironing!

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