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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Is ironing essential to look polished?

113 replies

IsIroningEssential · 21/04/2025 10:57

Does anyone manage to pull off that styled, chic elevated look that I keep seeing on Instagram without ironing? Any tips to skip the ironing stage please? 🙈

Yabu - you need to iron everything
Yanbu - you don't need to iron

OP posts:
TheeNotoriousPIG · 21/04/2025 12:43

Unfortunately, ironing clothing is essential to look (and, partly, feel) polished, unless you are wearing anything made of stretch, wool or fleece (though I appreciate that these are not 'polished' fabrics). Then ironing would be a disaster!

I would like to look more polished sometimes, but I despise ironing with a passion!

andtheworldrollson · 21/04/2025 12:43

To be truthful most people who iron also do make up and fancy haircuts and the like -all in the name of being smart and well turned out - it probably adds up to a lot more than an hour or two a month

and the same people ( clearly this is my personal experience ) then moan about not having time for exercise and cooking decent dinners.

it’s not about being rich enough not to care what people think - lovely assumption thank you I wish - it’s about living in a like minded community. I have always worked in tech where clean and covered up was the requirement. My hobbies and interests likewise tend to link me to like minded people so I guess it’s a tribal thing. They would all expect me to wash my hands before cooking though. Logically there is fuck all about ironing that affects your ability to wash your hands and take hygiene to heart. It’s just mentally cheap ( lazy) assumptions

uncomfortablydumb60 · 21/04/2025 12:46

I’d never describe myself as chic, but neither am I a crumpled mess
i never iron and I look presentable
Hang blouses/ tops to air dry
fold jeans/ trousers
Tailored clothing skirt/ trouser hangers
I even fold my pants so it looks neater in the drawer

ThinWomansBrain · 21/04/2025 12:47

It's a case of choosing your clothes carefully
Anything you but that looks non-iron but turns out not to be - straight to charity shop.

uncomfortablydumb60 · 21/04/2025 12:47

Oh and keep shoes Polished/ leather nourished

MsPug · 21/04/2025 12:50

Yes to ironing. Yes to being able to tell.

also yes to whoever said looking after clothes is right.

Greying whites and and dull colours 'dirty washes' according to my mother is the behaviour of 'slatterns' and not to be heeded

Hope that helps 🤣🤣

Trumptonagain · 21/04/2025 12:53

Many people iron their clothes...
Many people don't iron their clothes.

I choose to iron certain items because I do notice the creases in them.

Personal preference.

GhastlyGoodTaste · 21/04/2025 12:56

When I wrote Clearly if one is so very rich I assumed people would understand the generalised one as not applying to any particular person or poster. Apologies if that was not apparent …

midlandsmummy123 · 21/04/2025 12:56

There's sprays you can get to take creases out of clothes.

Totallytoti · 21/04/2025 12:57

Fliperty · 21/04/2025 11:23

Yeah, I’ve heard the argument before that ‘no one can tell if you don’t iron’. Always by non ironers. Unfortunately, you can always tell.

I use a steamer for refreshing clothes if they’ve got a bit crumpled and on new curtains. That might be an alternative?

Yes, always by non ironers!

An ironed T-shirt looks much much better than one that isn’t.

TheChosenTwo · 21/04/2025 13:03

I think you probably do need to iron to look more polished but I tend to buy clothes that look okay without ironing. I own one shirt that dh will iron for me when he’s doing his stuff to go out in.
I don’t get involved in ironing of any kind.
Im okay with not looking polished.

Hastentoadd · 21/04/2025 13:09

IsIroningEssential · 21/04/2025 10:57

Does anyone manage to pull off that styled, chic elevated look that I keep seeing on Instagram without ironing? Any tips to skip the ironing stage please? 🙈

Yabu - you need to iron everything
Yanbu - you don't need to iron

Well, crumpled clothes will make you look unkempt, and yes I can the difference between something that has been ironed and it then creases after wearing and something that just hasn’t been ironed at all

Crumpled clothes, especially to work makes you look disorganised, not detailed orientated and it gives off an ‘I just don’t care’ vibe, It shows a lack of respect for the company that you just couldn’t be bothered making an effort.

Iammatrix · 21/04/2025 13:11

Lifestooshort71 · 21/04/2025 11:17

...and a quick whizz with hair straighteners tidies up a crumpled collar or lapel

OMG! I’m off to do my ironing now. Needs must an all that!

Original poster
IsIroningEssential · 21/04/2025 13:13

Gundogday · 21/04/2025 11:27

Crumpled clutches don’t look good, but I think it’s part of the package. Having good hair, shoes etc contributes, plus how you hold yourself. I follow an instragram blogger who gives ‘deportment’ tips, and simple things such as sitting up straight can make a difference.

Would be interested in this account if you could send me their name? 😃

OP posts:
Brefugee · 21/04/2025 13:13

Bjorkdidit · 21/04/2025 11:16

You really don't need to iron.

I defy anyone to be able to tell the difference between ironed and unironed clothing once a person has left the house and driven/walked or travelled on public transport, unless it's something that creases easily but life's too short for anything that high maintenance.

haha. I have this discussion ALL the time with my much younger colleagues most of whom don't own an iron. Bosses are on my side for when they meet customers.

So boss got an ironing board and iron and we showed them the difference between an ironed shirt and their "you don't need to iron, just wash and dry and hang up" and finally they have got the message.

When not meeting clients, no issue. When meeting clients, we expect them to look clean, pressed, clean shoes and brushed hair. You have no idea how many of them were shocked at this...

Allthenameshavegone1972 · 21/04/2025 13:22

Coming from someone with a couple of family members in the armed forces, ironing has been conditioned into me, so I'm in the yes to ironing camp

cardibach · 21/04/2025 13:22

Moveoverdarlin · 21/04/2025 11:44

Totally disagree. I work in a school and you can spot ironed uniformed compared to non-ironed a mile off. No crease down the sleeve, crumpled collar on polo shirts. No pleats in skirts, trousers or boys school shirts.

Even at the end of the day when all the kids look a mess, the ironed t shirts and shirts look much better than the crumpled ones left to dry.

Edited
Show quote history

You can spot crumpled v not crumpled. Without extensive checking you can’t tell why. When I used to iron I took considerable pains not to get a crease down sleeves, for example. It’s part of good ironing, or so I was taught in Home Economics in the 70s.
Edit to add: ‘crumpled ones left to dry’? What do you think non ironies are do8ng? My clothes are hung up either on hangers or over a line/airer to dry. They aren’t crumpled or ‘left’. Ironing and drying are 2 separate processes anyway.

TammyJones · 21/04/2025 13:24

Fliperty · 21/04/2025 11:23

Yeah, I’ve heard the argument before that ‘no one can tell if you don’t iron’. Always by non ironers. Unfortunately, you can always tell.

I use a steamer for refreshing clothes if they’ve got a bit crumpled and on new curtains. That might be an alternative?

Agree.
You’re not sure what it is but the person looks smarter / more polished.

chattyness · 21/04/2025 13:26

Clothes that aren't ironed look scruffy and give a dirty impression. I can't go out in rumpled clothes or dirty shoes and I've always made sure my family don't either.

Hastentoadd · 21/04/2025 13:30

Totallytoti · 21/04/2025 12:57

Yes, always by non ironers!

An ironed T-shirt looks much much better than one that isn’t.

Show quote history

I think you can get away with an un ironed t-shirt as long as all the wrinkles are shaken out of it as soon as it comes out of the washing machine, however an un ironed shirt is a definite no

cardibach · 21/04/2025 13:32

chattyness · 21/04/2025 13:26

Clothes that aren't ironed look scruffy and give a dirty impression. I can't go out in rumpled clothes or dirty shoes and I've always made sure my family don't either.

I don’t go out in rumpled clothes either. A line dried t shirt isn’t rumpled though. Maybe your drying/storage systems need some work. There a big gulf between ‘rumpled’ and ‘flattened with hot metal’.

Radra · 21/04/2025 13:34

It really depends on the material and whether you are line drying or tumble drying

I wear a lot of synthetic fibres/blends which I think look absolutely fine without an iron but I do (very reluctantly) get the iron out for pure cotton and linen

LondonFox · 21/04/2025 13:35

Just buy polyester shirts amd dresses and hang them to dry.
I did not iton in years and polyester works for vusi ess as I wash after every wear anyway.

faerietales · 21/04/2025 13:35

You can tell but I don't know anyone IRL who actually cares.

InMyOpenOnion · 21/04/2025 13:40

I'd say that ironing is one of the factors that help you look polished but it depends on the fabric. Firstly, clothes need to be clean, stain/hole/loose hem free, and not faded/discoloured. After that, it's definitely noticeable if a cotton shirt isn't ironed, but less so if it's viscose or polyester.