The great thing about T-shirts is that they are reasonably affordable and can be customized to suit and personality. They also come in an amazing array of colors, styles, sleeve lengths, fabrics. Not to mention the multitude of different pictures and fonts that can be applied to the front and back of the shirt.

The one downside of T-shirts is that they have a tendency to wear out faster than, say, a jacket or skirt. Steady T-shirt wearers can expect about two years of wearability before the T-shirt starts to fade, rip, pill or otherwise look less than its best but it really depends on how often you wear the t-shirt.

You can halt this deterioration a variety of ways. First, when you put on the shirt, avoid yanking it over your head, stretching around your shoulders and shoving down to your waist. That continuous action is ruinous for the seams.

Also, make sure you buy the right size T-shirt to fit your frame. A person who feels their shirt is too tight will be constantly pulling it away from “trouble spots,” stretching it where it shouldn’t be stretched in order to make it “feel” better. Well, it might feel better, but an honest look in the mirror will tell you that it looks terrible.

A great-fitting shirt should feel just that – great.

You should wash the shirt in cool water with a color-protecting detergent. Make sure you wash it inside-out to protect the design (it’s a good idea to wash all of your clothes inside out as well). Stay alert! Pay attention to the washing machine cycle so you can pull it out as soon as it’s completed its final spin. Dry it in the dryer using the “normal settings.”

White T-shirts that have been worn often will eventually start forming yellowish stains around the collar and armpits. These stains are caused by sweat and deodorant, so a good way to combat this is to wait until your underams are completely dry before putting it on. Then, launder the shirt as soon as you’re done wearing it. It helps to use anti-stain products, but for stubborn discolorations, try making a paste from a super-detergent such as OxyClean. Let it sit for a while and then launder as usual.

Sometimes, though, a shirt cannot be saved and, beloved as it may be, wearing a stained T-shirt is mighty unsightly.

Finally, and this happens to the best of us, we don’t remember to remove the T-shirt from the dryer in time and it wrinkles. Or, it ends up stuffed in a drawer and it wrinkles. Or – well you get the picture. T-shirts have tendency to wrinkle, but that’s an easy enough fix.

Just set your iron to “low” or “cotton” and carefully iron them out. Be careful, though. Many a decal, iron-on transfer or custom designed logo has been ruined by an overheated, overzealous ironer. Remember to keep the shirt turned inside out, or place a towel over the trouble spot and try to unkink the wrinkle using patience and pressure.