Hanging a Garment Properly

Certainly, the lion's share of making a garment is the designing, the fitting and the sewing - but there are always a few little finishing details to take care of, and among those is how to hang the finished item properly.

Some garments are best folded carefully and put in a drawer (something heavily beaded, for instance), and a sturdy padded hanger does the trick in an awful lot of cases, too.

But - there are times when one has to get a little more inventive. Here are a few solutions:

This beautiful soutache lace top could certainly be put on a hanger, but it's light and delicate and could easily slip off. Hanging loops are pretty much out of the question - they'd be visible through the lace - but small snaps do the job. The sew the socket side snap to the inner shoulder seam of the top (it's flatter against the body), and sew the ball side snap to a padded hanger.

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Susan Khalje, contributor
Posted on Jul 11th, 2011 in online extras, how-to, tips & tricks

Comments (14)

snapdragon45 writes: Thank you so much, I live in Durban South Africa, and love all the tips if get. Thank you so much for this wonderful magazine, please let me know about the special offer of the dvd's

thank you
Posted: 5:29 am on July 21st

marky4 writes: thank you susan i luv these ideas i always hated the way that strapless dress hung forward and got crushed thanks for the tips carnt wait to try them out
Posted: 4:13 am on July 17th

JennyEbner writes: Great suggestions and I will use them all. Thanks
Posted: 7:27 pm on July 16th

wrenfeather writes: I love these suggestions, always looking for better ways to hang garments for myself and my customers.

Posted: 3:14 pm on July 15th

JerseyQueen writes: These tips are just fantastic. I work in jersey hence the name - and initially was using padded hangers for the dresses, I found that after a while the jersey would stretch slightly on the shoulder as the garments had dolman sleeves leaving a little nodule, plus the skirt was quite full and heavy. This could be steamed out but you don't want to have to do that before wearing it, and then I found non-slip hangers especially for jersey and they work a treat. Thanks Susan for sharing such brilliant ideas.
Posted: 8:15 am on July 14th

needledee writes: I hang garments to support the grain of the fabric. I like the bar clamp skirt/slack hangers for tank dresses--fold in thirds and clamp at the waist. The arm holes don't stretch.
Posted: 8:09 am on July 13th

needledee writes:
Posted: 8:00 am on July 13th

IreneT writes: Thanks you. I would also love to know how to hang trousers properly. Do I hang from the waist or the hems? Do I leave zips open or closed? Or are they best folded over a trouser bar?
Posted: 2:45 pm on July 12th

SheMichaels writes: Brilliant solutions. I agree that the snap & hook should be reversed. Loop chain should be on dress.
Remember, too, that clothes made with sari material & some handicrafts should always be folded flat, as Indians do. The material will stretch out of shape if hung, even when lined.
Posted: 1:57 pm on July 12th

smcm writes: There are felted slim line hangers available in stores. I have replaced all my hangers and find they do not take up as much space in the closet and nothing ever slips off, including a very slippery, sleeveless top that was always on the floor of the closet. I love them.
Posted: 1:51 pm on July 12th

Carolebarrel writes: I have seen small pieces of foam that protect delicate fabric from being ruined by clip hangers (MamaEuny). I have used clothespins padded similarly. Shoulder pads (extras from my stash) also come in handy. I just fold them around the plastic hangers, clip them securely with clothespins underneath and they serve to support and protect a bodice. Just thought you'd like to have a few ideas that might not have occurred using items you have on hand.
Posted: 1:29 pm on July 12th

kdeoak writes: Thank you for the great ideas. And what beautiful (and beautifully constructed) garments!
Posted: 1:23 pm on July 12th

Soucieville writes: For the lace top dress, why not use a padded hanger, with a loop attached to the end of the hanger. Attach the snap to the loop and hanger, not to the dress. All I could think of when you showed the snaps on the dress was how I'd feel them against my skin all the time. The hanger would be dedicated to that dress, but I have many hangers dedicated to one item.

Posted: 1:22 pm on July 12th

MamaEuny writes: Attaching the loops for hanging a skirt in the waistband are a great idea! I have used it a few times. How does one hang a skirt that has no waistband, if the details on the front would be ruined by hanger clips? I was thinking of attaching the hanging loops to the lining. yes or no?
Posted: 1:10 pm on July 12th

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