How many times could you wear the same dress or top before it smelled?

[MockBatter]

I genuinely can’t wear a dress or top twice in summer no matter how much deodorant I put on. I don’t have terribly BO but anything that touches my armpits all day doesn’t smell fresh.

I have to put a tight top underneath the dress to keep it fresh but that often spoils the look if the dress is at all low cut or has short arms or is tight. Even in winter I do this to wear the dress more than a couple of times.

I’m always frustrated there aren’t more tops for sale cut so that they can be used like this without showing - but maybe there aren’t such tops because others do not have to wear them. Do you?

I’d never wear a top more than once before washing it. It is normal to sweat and stale sweat smells 🤷🏻‍♀️

Only once too. I think that’s normal

A couple of days, easily. It wouldn't be fresh fresh, obvs, but it wouldn't smell bad.

Twice. If it’s been hotter I hang it up on the rail inside out and by morning it’s absolutely fine.

Depends on what the dress is made of.
Any form of artificial fibre - one day
Cotton - depending on the weather 2 days
Wool - apparently indefinitely

One day if it’s snugly cut artificial fibre on a hot day, but I have a linen shirt dress that could go on for days without smelling. What are your tops made of, op?

A couple of times maybe but totally depends what you’re doing in it. Drive to work then sit in an air conditioned office could likely manage a rewear but no chance if I went out to a crowded bar with dancing! Tbh I’d just resign myself to washing the nice dress more and not trying to squeeze a top underneath that ruins the look and will no doubt make you sweatier.

Most things, twice maximum. Merino wool jumpers and dresses I can re-wear quite a few times because if I hang it to air it freshens up.

In the past women wore ‘dress shields’ to protect their clothes from their armpits. You can still get them. Search ‘reusable armpit pads’.

Definitely only once for me on a top. If I’m wearing a dress for a party and it doesn’t get stained or have perfume smells which is unlikely I’d hang it up and wear it again but 9/10 that’s a given it will be straight in the wash too. Jeans and trousers 2-3 days.

just once,
and i wear a camisole under a dress if it is too low cut.
i dont have cotton dresses though, just viscose

i have a walk or sit in the sun at lunch,
i am hot driving in the car

This is a useful tip! Most of my work dresses are dry clean only which is why I try and find good under tops because I want a good week of wear before paying for dry cleaning.

I only wear dresses and tops once.

It depends what fabric it is, how warm it is and what you've been doing, surely? On a hot and sticky day I'd usually only wear once but it's easier to have multiple rewears outside the summer months or if it's a lightweight item made of natural fabric. It's much better for the longevity of your clothes not to wash them every wear, even more so if you use a tumble dryer. Knitwear in particular shouldn't need washing that often if you wear a layer underneath (with sleeves so your armpits aren't in immediate contact with the fabric).

i only wear them once. They start to smell stale after that.

Once.

except in the real depths of winter when I might have a T-shirt or similar below and then the T-shirt needs washing.

Shirts, T shirts, dresses and anything next to my skin only once, no matter the weather. Unless I pop something on after work for a few hours.
Trousers I usually wear for 2 days

Once.

T-shirt style just once, vest or strappy style twice.

I think the solution here is to stop buying clothes that are dry clean only. I don't own any!

I wouldn't wear a dress or top that sits close to the skin more than once, unless I'd maybe only worn it for a few hours rather than the whole day.

Unless I was exerting myself a couple of times for sure. Maybe three if it’s loser fit.

Nobody should be wearing these things more than once.

2-3 times at least, I do not sweat much at all - this is not an advantage because it means I’m prone to overheating and specifically heat stroke. Unfortunately I’m also a messy cook so often it needs to go in the wash!

Can do 2 or 3 days but I don’t have anything particularly close to my skin and I have some pretty good deodorant/ antiperspirant

I don’t wear anything more than once. However, I don’t have anything that is dry clean only.