For me, one..

 

White shirts one wearing, coloured shirts two.

 

How many times do you wear your shirt before you decide it needs to be sent to the laundry?

For me 5.

Ummmm . . . one. And I'm far from THE most fastidious guy.

 

I just can't imagine wearing an unwashed, unpressed shirt except in an emergency.

 

Wear once then wash

 

Wear once then wash

same here.

 

Reading this thread seems like deja-vue...we've been this way before! Personally I like that fresh, clean all-over feeling. So, like my tighty-whities, my shirts get washed after each wearing.

 

In the summer months, I often times switch my white dress shirts
out in the afternoon.

 

White shirts one wearing, coloured shirts two.

If I can get away with it. Otherwise once.

 

I swear, there was a thread on this not more than 3 months ago.

My answer: Wash after every wear. The exception would be a shirt only worn for 3 hours or less around the house, and which will be worn in the same mode again in a day or two. Without exception, wash before every pressing/ironing. Ironing dirt (even invisible dirt) into a shirt is death for that shirt.

 

I don't believe you are being serious. How can you possibly wear a shirt 5 times? This reminds me of an ex colleague who went to an English public school where the boys got a change of underwear every week. Dotheboys Hall lives.

 

...except in an emergency.

I once flew to Osaka for what I thought was going to be a one-day thing and brought along a 16 oz fully lined DB suit, a white poplin shirt, a necktie, a pair of long socks and a pair of oxfords, other than casual gear. One thing led to another, so once my business in Osaka was done, I had to take the bullet train to Tokyo for a late afternoon meeting, which in turn had me on the red-eye to Honolulu the same evening to attend a meeting at around mid-day on the day of my arrival. This means that I had so far a full day in my kit and slept in it during the flight.

As Hawaii is primarily a resort destination in warm climate (even in November), something like "express" cleaning is (or was) rare, even at Sheraton Moana Surfrider (a decent hotel at the time). The concierge told me that there is a dry cleaner 6 miles down the road that could do it in 3 hours, which was not fast enough for me. So, after I had a quick dip in the ocean, I put back on my poplin shirt, which at this point felt as slick as silk twill and vaguely hinted at its previously white appearance, along with the same tie and the seasonably inappropriate suit. However, I could not bring myself to wear the same pair of socks, so I resorted to wearing the only clean socks that I had on me, a navy cotton blend pair with grinning Father Christmas woven all over. Luckily, I did have extra underpants with me. All this on top of thinking, "f'ing hell, it's Wednesday all over again," after having arrived in Hawaii from Japan.

I think the shirt and I parted ways shortly thereafter. Bloody emergencies! :icon_smile_big:

 

That has a nice rhyme to it actually --> Ironing dirt is death to the shirt.

 

I don't believe you are being serious. How can you possibly wear a shirt 5 times? This reminds me of an ex colleague who went to an English public school where the boys got a change of underwear every week. Dotheboys Hall lives.

A shirt is not the same as an underwear is it. Besides I am not wearing the same shirt day in and day out. Over a course of 3 weeks or so, I will wear a shirt at the most 5 times. It does seem to be higher than most folks here but I was expecting that. Does wearing it repeatedly without washing decrease the longevity of the shirt?

 

How many times do you wear your shirt before you decide it needs to be sent to the laundry?

For me 5.

I suspect the OP may be joking - at least, I hope so.

 

I swear, there was a thread on this not more than 3 months ago.

My answer: Wash after every wear. The exception would be a shirt only worn for 3 hours or less around the house, and which will be worn in the same mode again in a day or two. Without exception, wash before every pressing/ironing. Ironing dirt (even invisible dirt) into a shirt is death for that shirt.

Likewise.

 

How many times do you wear your shirt before you decide it needs to be sent to the laundry?

For me 5.

It must be waterproof by the time you launder it.

 

Most definitely once, year round.

 

Typically once, in an emergency two. Life threatening emergency: still two.

I'd rather buy a cheap wear-once shirt rather than wear a dirty shirt. Even if others can't tell, I can. And I'd worry other could tell, as well.

 

One wear than was unless I wear it for less than 2 hours, than I'll put it on my suit vallet and let it air. Anything more gets a wash.

A shirt isn't the same as underwear, but it's still being in contact with your body. I wear an undershirt, and though I don't sweat at all during work, the the shirt is being pressed and rubbed against my body still.

 

I agree that white shirts need to be washed after every wear to prevent yellowing, but I disagree that all shirts should be laundered that often. Keep in mind that laundering is hard on the fabric, especially if you get them dry cleaned which uses harsh chemicals. Your buttons will break easier and the fabric will deteriorate quicker. I generally just iron my colored shirts after a half-day or full-day of wear and throw them back in the closet for one more use, unless of course there's a visible stain or collar yellowing or it was a hot day on which I knew I was perspiring a lot.

Underwear and socks, obviously, are a different story. I also wear trousers twice, usually, and my jeans (although I don't wear jeans often) I can squeeze several wears out of because I love the worn-in feel and hate that fresh-out-of-the-laundry stiff feeling jeans take on.

 

I agree that white shirts need to be washed after every wear to prevent yellowing, but I disagree that all shirts should be laundered that often. Keep in mind that laundering is hard on the fabric, especially if you get them dry cleaned which uses harsh chemicals. Your buttons will break easier and the fabric will deteriorate quicker. I generally just iron my colored shirts after a half-day or full-day of wear and throw them back in the closet for one more use, unless of course there's a visible stain or collar yellowing or it was a hot day on which I knew I was perspiring a lot.

Underwear and socks, obviously, are a different story. I also wear trousers twice, usually, and my jeans (although I don't wear jeans often) I can squeeze several wears out of because I love the worn-in feel and hate that fresh-out-of-the-laundry stiff feeling jeans take on.

I never wash my shirts, always send them to dry clean and add starch to them. And now after reading Kabbaz I have found out how wrong I am.

 

One wearing is plenty for me. (I will sometimes "rewear" a polo shirt is I have only had it on for an hour or so.)

 

button downs - once
Pullovers - I usually wear a t-shirt underneath, and will wear up to 3 times (though, it would not wear again without washing if I've been on public transport of any type).

What is weird to me is that I don't wear my jeans more than 2-3 times, yet I only clean my wool trousers once a season... :crazy:

 

How foul.

Once unless worn for a very short time.