In the corporate world, impressions matter, and when it comes to dress pants, nothing speaks more about you than the time and care you put in to look sharp. But you don’t have to spend an entire evening removing creases and straightening out wrinkles that can’t seem to go away.
Nicely-pressed dress pants with creases in the right places will give your style high credibility. It sets you on a stage where people take you more seriously and value your opinion.
Even if your suit jacket receives most of the attention, your dress pants must match up to the sophistication of the suit jacket.
Here’s how to Iron Dress Pants.
What you’ll need:
- A high-quality iron- It should have variable temperature and fabric settings to ensure it meets the demands of your dress pants. It is even better if it has a steam feature so that you can banish every wrinkle.
- Ironing board
- Clean Pants-This is essential since if there are any stains, heat from the iron sets the stain further and it will be difficult to remove them during cleaning.
Ironing the Dress Pants
Set up the Ironing Board
Most flat surfaces are applicable for ironing dress pants, but an ironing board is the best as it prevents burning of other surfaces. Lay out the ironing board such that the feet are stable and the height is at a comfortable level.
Check the Pants Label
The label guides on the fabric and iron temperature.
Setting the iron
Fill the steam compartment with water and switch it to the right temperature according to what the care label indicates.
Some iron boxes will indicate when it’s ready while for others you have to test how hot it is. You should test it by flicking a few drops of water on the soleplate and see if they produce a sizzling sound as they evaporate from the surface.
The Ironing Process
Iron the pocket linings first
Although this is not an area people will see, pressing dress pants when the pockets are wrinkled tends to set the wrinkles on other areas of the trousers. Press the iron up and down and resist the urge to push the iron over the pockets back and forth. The same process will apply on to other areas of the pants,
Iron the top part of the Trousers
This includes the waistband and the upper areas of the leg. Re-insert the pockets and press the iron on the waistband. If the wrinkles are too deep, pause the iron for a few seconds then lift it up again. Repeat the process until all the wrinkles are gone on the front and back of the trousers.
Lay the Pants flat on the Ironing Board
Most dress pants have a natural crease that runs from the top to the bottom of the legs.
- As you lay down the pants first flatten the legs and bring the four seams together. You should have an upper leg and lower leg with the creases on the edges and the inseams at the center.
- Ensure that the lower leg does not have any hidden rolls at the bottom.
- Flip the upper leg up and away from the lower leg.
- Use the steam function to wet the outer edge on the lower leg and press the iron gently along the crease. Ensure to not press the crease to the top of the trousers and near the waistband. By following the natural crease, you can tell where it ends, which is near the pockets.
- After pressing the creases on the edges, press the center of the leg gently ensuring you do not flatten the creases you just smoothed out.
- Flip back the upper leg and repeat the pressing process on the creases and the center of the leg.
- After finishing the upper leg, it’s time to flip the trouser such that the lower leg now sits on top. You’ll need to grab both legs as you roll the trousers over.
- Now, repeat this procedure on the other side of the trouser.
- If you are satisfied with the work you’ve done, turn off the iron and leave the trousers to cool down. Also, after cooling down, hang them if you are not wearing them right away.
- Remember to occasionally have the dress pants pressed by a professional who uses a special iron to get the creases back on their natural track.
Bottom line
The standard ironing principles apply to all types of clothing. For your dress pants, the details are in the crease so ensure you take extra care when pressing this part. Otherwise, it should be pretty easy to have crisp-looking dress pants.
