How To Store Dress Pants: Hanging & Folding Tips

Building a quality professional wardrobe can be a fun and rewarding way to express yourself while dressing the part. However, buying the right pieces and knowing how to style them is only half of it. Especially when it comes to dress pants, there is a proper way to care for and store them so they stay in good condition. 

After learning how dress pants should fit and investing good money into the right pair, you want to make sure that you are caring for them properly so they can stand the test of time. Paying attention to the specific washing instructions and keeping them from getting soiled while worn can do quite a bit to maintain their quality, though you can’t overlook how to store dress pants. 

That’s why today, we’re going to teach you how exactly you should store your pants: hanging vs folding. As you’ll soon discover, men around the world prefer to hang their dress pants – but there is an art to getting that proper hang to prevent wrinkles. We’ll cover all this and more. First things first – is there really a right & wrong way to store your dress pants?

Is There Really A Right & Wrong Way To Store Dress Pants?

When figuring out how to store dress pants, you may be surprised to find out that there’s a correct way to do so. You may just assume you can throw them in drawers or quickly fold them like any other pair of pants, like jeans. If you do this, you will probably be left with a heap of wrinkled fabric that will make you look rushed and unprofessional. Therefore, learning the proper way to store dress pants is not something you should overlook. 

What Happens If You Don’t Know How To Store Dress Pants Correctly?

Believe it or not, there are some consequences if you do not store your dress pants correctly. Given the properties of dress pants and that they’re typically worn in a professional setting, or sometimes casually, you don’t want to just throw them into a drawer where they can get creased and misshapen. Plus, if you’re not paying much attention, they can even snag and become damaged by other articles of clothing. This is the last thing you want. Dress pants are expensive. Let’s keep them in great shape wear after wear by learning how to store them properly.

How To Store Dress Pants After Washing: Hanging vs Folding

So whether you’re washing your dress pants at home or taking them to the dry cleaner, you will need to know how to store them properly at home to keep them looking and feeling their best. Mainly, there are two ways to store your dress pants: by hanging them or by folding them. 

When deciding how to store dress pants and which method to use in your situation, it is important to remember that you’re trying to cause minimal creasing to the pants so they can stay ready to wear at all times. Hanging your clothing gives you great visibility into your closet for the items you wear on a daily basis, so they’re easy to access. And in the case of dress pants, this causes minimal creasing when done properly. 

On the other hand, folding can be a better approach for pants that are made out of a thicker material so they can hold their shape more easily. Plus, this technique typically requires less closet space than hanging. Continue reading as we discuss in more detail the benefits of each method. 

Benefits Of Hanging Dress Pants

As we mentioned before, learning how to hang dress pants is a great solution that keeps your closest organized while also preventing creasing in your pants. Many dress pants are made out of thinner, more delicate material, so it’s important to pay attention to how they are stored. You also must consider the other articles of clothing they may come into contact with that could potentially damage them–like zippers, harsh fabrics, dyes, and more. 

Benefits Of Folding Dress Pants

Folding dress pants gives you more versatility with how you can store your clothing. This is especially true if your closet space is limited or if you don’t have quality hangers with clips on hand. For dress pants that are made out of thicker materials, like wool, this can be a great option because they are not easily creased and can keep their shape better no matter how they are stored. 

Hanging Dress Pants vs Folding Dress Pants – Which Is Best?

So, when it comes to deciding how to store dress pants and which method is best, we would recommend learning how to hang dress pants in most situations. This will keep the dress pants more ready to wear while decreasing the chance of being damaged by other clothing. 

However, this decision will always be a personal one. It can depend on the storage space you have available, and if you’re willing to put more time into ironing or prepping your dress pants for wear. Many people will actually fold their pants to be hung up on a hanger, which offers them the best of both worlds. 

Even if you don’t own hangers with clips on them to easily hang the pants, you can still fold them down the middle and drape them over the hanger to be stored in your closet. This still keeps the pants from becoming wrinkled and allows you to take advantage of your current storage space and accessories. With all that said, let’s teach you how to fold and hang dress pants the right way – no matter which method you take!

How To Fold Dress Pants & Store In Your Closet Or Dresser

Let’s discuss how to fold dress pants to store them in your closet or dresser. As mentioned above, this is better for pants made out of thicker materials, which will keep them from becoming as creased and add more work for you to do once you decide to wear them. 

Plus, if your closet space does not allow you to hang your pants, there are still ways you can properly fold your dress pants to store them in your closet or dresser. 

Always make the initial fold along with the pleats, if there are some, and lay the pants out flat lengthwise. Then fold them in half or in thirds, whichever is better for the space you will be storing them in. While folding dress pants isn’t always ideal, it is still imperative that you know how to fold dress pants – especially if you will be traveling with them. 

How To Fold Dress Pants For Travel 

Chances are, at some point in your life you will need to travel to an event that requires you to wear dress pants. Whether it’s for business or pleasure, like attending a friend’s wedding, you will need to know how to fold dress pants in a way that requires minimal extra care once you reach your destination. 

When packing your dress pants, you can follow these steps. First, lay your pants on a flat surface with the front of the pants facing up. Pinch the pants on the waistband directly above the center of each pant leg, which oftentimes is marked by a crease. Pull these two points together, which will fold the zipper inward. Hold this firm with one hand while doing the same process to the back of the pants. 

Readjust if needed to make sure all points are in line with one another. Then, lay the pants down on a flat surface, with one side of the pants facing up. Fold in half down the middle, then fold in half again so the pants are folded to a quarter of the size. Now, the pants are ready to pack in your suitcase in a way that will maintain the crease of the pleat while causing minimal wrinkles to the rest of the pants. 

How To Hang Dress Pants On A Hanger

On the other hand, learning how to hang dress pants is important to keep them in top shape. For the best results, you should hang your dress pants on hangers with clips so that they can be stored upright and with little or no creasing. Look for hangers that have rubber or fabric on the clips, that way you can be confident that it will leave minimal leave marks on your pants and won’t puncture or damage them in any way. 

There are a number of other ways to hang your dress pants on a hanger if the ones you own don’t have clips. For example, one method is to take your pants and fold them lengthwise along the pleat. Hold the pants upside down, and straddle the hanger with the pant legs, one on each side. Fold one leg over the hanger so it’s hanging a few inches over, then, fold the other leg over the top in the opposite direction. 

Other Tips To Keep Your Dress Pants In Tip-Top Shape

Of course, folding or hanging your pants properly is only part of the care regimen for dress pants that will keep them in good condition for the years to come. Learning how to store dress pants is important, though there are other crucial steps to ensure their longevity. 

Proper washing

Following the wash care guide on the tag of your dress pants is a surefire way to make sure they last. Many dress pants are made out of quality and delicate materials that can’t just be thrown in the wash with the rest of your clothing. So, pay special attention to whether your pants need to be dry cleaned, washed on the delicate cycle, hang dried, and with what temperature to keep them in quality condition. We recently wrote a complete guide on how to wash slacks – we encourage you to take a look if you haven’t gotten the chance to read it yet.

Keep it professional

Most of the time, you’re going to be wearing dress pants in a professional setting, which often does not involve a lot of physical exertion or wear and tear on the pants. Given the delicate and thin materials many dress pants are made out of, it’s best to keep things professional when wearing them to avoid damage from excess perspiration or outdoor elements. 

If you get home from work and need to mow the lawn, take the dog for a walk, or other physical or outdoor activities, consider changing into something more appropriate. If you still want to keep a professional appearance without the delicate nature of dress pants, consider the difference between chinos and dress pants and how you can still keep a polished look with more durability by wearing chinos instead. 

Final Thoughts On How To Store Dress Pants (Hanging vs Folding)

All in all, when deciding how to store dress pants and whether you should hang or fold them, the goal is to keep them as ready to wear as possible and to cause minimal creasing and wrinkling to the fabrics. Depending on your closet space, the hangers you own, and whether or not you’re traveling, you may need to utilize both methods at some point or another. 

While learning how to hang dress pants is a surefire way to keep your pants in quality condition and require minimal work when taking them off the rack, learning how to fold dress pants in the proper way can provide similar benefits. You spent good money on your custom dress pants – so it’s important to learn how to store them properly so they stay in great condition and look amazing for the years to come. 

And if it’s too late and you need to replace an old, battered pair of slacks, you’re in luck. At Black Lapel, we offer a full selection of custom pants for men. That’s not all, though–you’ll also gain access to our selection of custom topcoat, tailored casual shirts, and much, much more. 

It’s no secret that Black Lapel has been the number one choice for custom clothing online for over a decade now. If you’re looking for clothing from a retail team that actually cares for you and wants to get to know you–we’re the store for you. See the difference for yourself, and visit Black Lapel’s website today. 

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