A fact that only a person who has been doing styling for many years would admit:
The thing I can't live without is not clothes but a steam clothes steamer.
If you had asked me ten years ago what the most important tools for clothing coordination were, I would have pretended to be very professional and replied:
"Of course, it's tailoring, fabric, and an understanding of proportion."
Now if you ask me again, I'll most likely be drinking coffee and say very honestly:
It's a steamer for clothes.
Yes, it's that little machine that doesn't look glamorous at all.
Not Chanel, not a high-end suit, nor some limited edition bag.
It's steam.
It sounds unromantic, but it's the truth.
It was on a very embarrassing morning that I first realized how serious the problem of "wrinkled clothes" could be.
That was a brand shoot in the early stage of my career.
The budget was not small, and the client was very picky.
We have prepared a whole row of clothes:
- Three suits
- Five shirts
- One very expensive silk dress
The night before, I neatly packed them into my suitcase and confidently thought to myself, "There will definitely be no problem tomorrow."
At 7 o'clock the next morning, I opened the box.
I remained silent for about five seconds.
Those clothes –
They look as if they were used as pillows by a five-year-old child for a whole night.
The shoulders of the suit are drooping.
The shirt is full of creases.
That silk dress looks like a map.
Worse still:
There is no iron on the spot.
The photographer has already adjusted the lights.
The client has arrived.
The model has already been made up.
And I stood there, staring at a pile of crumpled clothes, with only one thought in my mind:
"It's over."
Finally, it was the assistant who saved the day by taking out a small handheld steamer from the car.
That day, I learned a very realistic rule of the industry:
It is more important that clothes are not wrinkled than that they are expensive.
Why do I hardly use a traditional iron now?
It's not because I hate the iron.
It's because real life doesn't give you that much time to set up the ironing board and take your time.
Especially if you:
- Frequent business trips
- Rushed in the morning
- Not much space in the wardrobe
- Don't want to turn Sunday into "ironing day"
Steam would be more in line with modern life.
Moreover, it is truly more forgiving.
1) Steam is gentler on clothes.
Many customers ask when they see me using a steamer to handle silk for the first time:
"Isn't it going to get burned?"
I can't.
Because the steam does not press on the fabric but allows the fibers to relax on their own.
This is like taking a sauna.
You won't be crushed.
You'll just sweat a little and then feel relieved.
The same logic.
2) The speed is really much faster.
I'll give you a real piece of data.
A plain shirt:
With an iron
For about 6 to 8 minutes
Use a steamer for about 2 to 3 minutes.
It sounds like the difference is not significant.
But if you have to deal with 15 pieces of clothing in a day, you will understand:
This is not a matter of time; it's a matter of mindset.
You would be more willing to sort out the clothes.
3) It doesn't require a sense of "ceremony".
An iron requires:
- Ironing board
- Plug in
- Adjust temperature
- Find space
Steamer only needs:
Add water
Press the switch
It's as simple as using a coffee machine.
I really started carrying a steamer with me all the time because of a car accident during a business trip.
A few years ago, I went to Chicago for a three-day business event.
I confidently folded the clothes and put them in the suitcase.
When we got to the hotel and opened the suitcase -
All the clothes are wrinkled.
The iron in the hotel?
It has been borrowed.
You have to wait for two hours.
And I'm going to a dinner party in an hour.
That night, I stood in the bathroom, turning the hot water to the maximum, trying to save the clothes with the steam.
I even hung my shirt in the shower.
So, what was the result?
It's almost useless.
The clothes are still wrinkled.
They just got damp.
After that, I made a decision:
From now on, when going out, it's better to leave behind a pair of shoes than to forget to bring a steamer.
If you are planning to buy a steamer, these points are really more important than the brand.
To be honest, when most people choose a steamer for the first time, they will look at its appearance.
Me too.
It was only later that I realized that it was these details that truly affected the experience.
1)Preheating time
This will really determine whether you use it or not.
If the machine takes two minutes to produce steam, you'll give up in the morning.
But if:
It can be used in just 20 seconds.
You will use it every day.
It's that simple.
2) Steam stability
Many problems with portable devices are not due to weak steam, but rather:
Fluctuating between strong and weak.
At first, you thought it was great.
Then suddenly, it ran out of steam.
You can only stop and wait.
This will be very annoying.
Stability is more important than strength.
3) Weight
Many people think that the bigger, the better.
No.
If it's too heavy, you won't take it out.
If you don't take it out with you, it loses its meaning.
My current standard is:
It can be easily held in one hand for 10 minutes.
4) Does it support global voltage?
If you only live in one country, this might not be important.
But if you travel frequently, it will determine whether you will regret or not.
I once bought a device that could only be used in the United States.
After taking it to Europe, it couldn't be opened at all.
That feeling is just like carrying a brick.
Now I only choose models that support 100–240V.
Simple and worry-free.
There is one aspect of a steamer that I have been using for the past two years that has left a deep impression on me.
This is not an advertisement.
It's just a real experience.
I first saw it at a hairstylist gathering.
Someone took out a very small device from their bag and said:
"Try this."
That machine is from Nesugar.
I didn't pay much attention at that time.
Because I have used many steamers.
But after using it a few times, I found that several details were quite practical.
First, it is really suitable for travel.
It's not "seemingly suitable".
It can really be stuffed into a suitcase without taking up much space.
I later took it to:
- New York
- San Francisco
- Tokyo
- Paris
Not once have I regretted it.
Second, it starts up very quickly.
This is something I care about very much.
When you are in a hurry in the morning, you don't want to wait.
I am usually:
Turn on the computer.
Go brush your teeth.
Come back.
The steam is ready.
This rhythm is just right.
Thirdly, its steam is very stable.
It won't stop suddenly.
It doesn't spray large water droplets.
The clothes won't get wet in any spot.
This is particularly important for silk.
Because silk is very "delicate".
Many people don't know that a steamer is not only used for treating clothes.
At my home, it's more like a multi-purpose tool.
Really.
I use it to clean the sofa.
Especially during the change of seasons.
Steam can:
- Remove odors
- Loosen dust
- Make the fabric look cleaner
Do not dismantle and wash.
I use it to treat my coat.
There are some coats that you don't want to wash every day.
For example:
- suit
- overcoat
- woolen coat
Steam can restore its shape.
Just like "reset".
I use it to deal with the clothes after a trip.
You know that smell.
The smell of an airplane.
The smell of a hotel.
The smell of a restaurant.
Steam is more effective than spraying perfume.
And it won't mix out strange flavors.
Here is a small mistake that many people tend to make.
They will mistake the steamer for a spray bottle.
Spray a few times on the clothes and then wait for a miracle.
It won't happen.
The correct approach is actually very simple.
The first step:
Straighten out your clothes.
Step Two:
Move slowly from top to bottom.
Step Three:
Don't get too close.
A distance of about one finger's width should be enough.
Who should have a steamer the most?
Based on my observations over the years, these types of people will particularly benefit.
People who travel on business frequently
If your life alternates between airports and hotels.
You will need it.
It's not for the sake of looking good.
It's to save time.
People who have interviews or frequently meet clients
First impressions are really realistic.
A wrinkled shirt will make you look like you just woke up from the car.
Even if you are very capable.
People who live in apartments or have limited space
There is no place to put the ironing board.
This is a very common situation.
The steamer can solve this problem.
People who are too lazy to iron clothes
This kind of people is actually the most numerous.
It's also myself.
Seriously.
If something is too troublesome, you won't do it.
But if it's simple, you will persist.
My true opinion of steamer
It is not a "high-end" tool.
It is more like:
A little helper to make life a bit smoother.
Just like:
- A good coffee machine
- A handy pair of scissors
- A pair of comfortable shoes
You won't think of it every day.
But once it's gone, you'll notice immediately.
Let me say one very true thing at last.
If you open your wardrobe in the morning and see a piece of clothing a little wrinkled, and then sigh and say:
"Never mind. Let it be like this."
That means you do care about your image.
It's just that the tools are not convenient enough.
When tools become simple, many things will also become simple.
