TLE IC 2- Home Economics Literacy

Topic III: Clothing and Good Grooming

Lesson 1. Good Grooming and its Importance

INTRODUCTION
Grooming plays a major role in maintaining a high self-esteem and self-confidence. It does this
by influencing your appearance, which in turn affects the way you regard yourself. When your hair looks
neat and beautiful, and your gel manicure is still intact, you can observe how your confidence will rise.

OBJECTIVES

At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:

1. Define what is good grooming.

2. Identify each importance of good grooming.
3. Appreciate and apply good grooming in daily life.

CONTENT

Good Grooming is merely taking care of yourself and your body - and it's something everyone
can and should do. It's how you stay looking good and feeling good.

All you need to do is establish a good daily routine so that you remain fit, healthy, clean and tidy.
In other words, it's working with what you have and making the best of yourself.

Caring about the details shows you care about yourself and about those around you. Good
grooming is the key to a well-balanced personality. Fortunately looking attractive does not depend on
natural beauty or many clothes. Almost anyone can improve his/her appearance. Being well groomed
means being clean and neat in every way-body, face, hands, and clothes. It is said that the foundation of
good dressing is perfect cleanliness

Body Care and Good Grooming

Well-groomed girls and boys are clean outside and in a state of good health. This in turn, keeps
them clean inside. To be a healthy person, one must follow the basic rules of health. Five of the most
important things needed to keep well are enough sleep, adequate water in the diet, regular elimination,
good diet and clean teeth.

Baths and General Body Care

To be clean outside, one must bathe frequently. Most persons who wish to keep clean take a
warm bathe every day or at least three times a week. Those who perspire freely or have oily skin need to
bathe mere frequently.

For a cleansing bath, use warm water and some good toilet soap which does not irritate the skin.
Anyone can have a daily sponge bath which will serve as well when circumstances prevent one from
taking a shower bath.

To prevent odor due to perspiration, the underarms may be treated with a commercial deodorant
or sponged daily with a solution of soda and water.

1. Care of the Face

A well-groomed face is clean and smooth. Cleanliness is of course the beginning of all beauty.
Some of the most attractive girls and boys keep clean with soap and water only. They wash their faces
night and morning with a soft clean wash cloth and suds made of mild soap; the lather is rinsed off twice
-the first with rather warm water, the second with really cold water- then the face is patted with a dry-
soft towel. Such a procedure not only cleans the skin, but also stimulates the circulation of the blood and
closes the pores of the skin.
 2. Care of the Teeth

Clean, well-cared for teeth add to the attractiveness of one’s appearance, especially when
he/she talks or laughs. Dental care includes skillful brushing after each meal, a thorough cleaning and
inspection by a dentist twice a year, and the prompt correction of any trouble discovered.

3. Care of the hands

Well-groomed hands are clean and smooth. Not only do they thorough cleansing with mild soap and
water several times a day but careful rinsing in clean water to remove the soap. To prevent the chapping
of hands, dry them thoroughly after each washing. Fingernails need special care to keep them clean,
unbroken and well-shaped. A file is used to keep the nails short and to round them at their ends to
follow the shape of the fingertips.

4. Care of Feet

Feet need their daily scrub bath to keep them clean and smooth. They may also need treatment and
exercises to stimulate circulation and to keep arches in good condition. When feet are bathed, rubbing
any rough spots on the heels, toes or balls of the feet with a pumice stone will discourage calluses. To
help avoid athlete’s foot or ringworm of the feet, give special attention to the areas between the toes.
Use plenty of soap and a small brush for scrubbing between them. Rinse thoroughly, dry thorough and
dust with talcum powder.

5. Care and Styling of the Hair

Well-groomed hair is clean and becoming styled no hair is really attractive unless it sparkles with good
health, cleanliness and good brushing.

Excessive oil or excessive dryness and dandruff can usually be prevented by proper diet, correct scalp
massage, and daily brushing. Massage and brushing also help to keep the hair looking clean and lustrous.
Regular shampooing is necessary for cleanliness.

You can probably wear your hair in any way you prefer if your head is well shaped, your face is oval, your
features are regular, and you are average of above average height. However, many persons have some
features which need to be corrected.

How To Choose Your Face Shape

To determine your face shape, pull your hair back in a headband or ponytail and analyze what you see in
the mirror. Your pretty face should fall within one of six categories.

Oval: Forehead may be slightly wider than the

chin, and the length of the face is about one
and a half times the width.

Round: Prominent, rounded cheeks with equal

width and length of the face.

Square: Prominent jaw and square chin, with

forehead and jawline roughly the same width.

Heart: Wider forehead and cheekbones with a

narrow jawline and chin.

Diamond: Narrow forehead and jawline with

cheekbones at the widest point of the face.

Long: Often confused for the oval face, though

an oblong face will have a longer shape that is
not as wide as oval — often with a narrow chin.
t's important to remember that even though your face may not be an exact match of any single shape, it
will resemble one shape over all.

1. Oval Face Shape

If you find that you have an oval face shape, then
you're in luck! Having an oval face shape means that
you can wear your hair in almost any style.
An oval face shape has long been regarded as the ideal
face shape, simply because its proportions and balance
allow it to pull off practically any haircut, hairstyle and makeup look with ease.
• If you have an oval face shape then you'll recognize the following characteristics:
• Your forehead and jawline are approximately the same width.
• Your chin is rounded in shape with no hard lines.
• Your jawline has a slight roundness to it.
• Your forehead is slightly broader than your jaw.
• Your face is widest at your cheekbones.
All of these characteristics add up to a balanced face shape which features no areas that are
more dominate than another (your forehead is not noticeably larger than your jawline, for example).
This allows you to wear a large range of looks when it comes to styling your hair and your makeup.
Oval Face: Nearly every hairstyle flatters this shape. If yours is on the longer side, follow some of
the suggestions for long faces. Finding a good style for your hair texture is probably more important.
Hairstyles to Try
• Any shape and style can be worn, whether it's short, long, layered or bobbed.
• The only thing to consider with an oval face shape is what part of your face you want to
accentuate. This is where you can get creative with a fringe or how you style your hair everyday.
Hairstyles to Avoid
• The main thing to consider is to not choose hairstyles that hang in your face or eyes. Or
hairstyles that just cover over your beautiful face shape.
• If you like any of the following hairstyles, click on each image for larger views, how to style steps
and a try on link for the virtual hairstyle.

2. Round Face Shape

The object is to add length and avoid width.
A round face requires haircuts, styles and makeup that
will help to reduce the roundness and create a more flattering
shape
If you have a round face shape then you'll recognize the
following characteristics:
• Your face is pretty much the same width and length, creating a circle like shape.
• Your forehead and jawline are approximately the same width.
• Your chin is rounded in shape with no hard lines or angles.
• Your jawline is round and full in shape. Your forehead is wide and round at your hairline.
• Your face is widest at your cheekbones.
All of these characteristics add up to face shape which is very much symmetrical and usually
features high cheekbones, that when combined with the roundness of your face, create a youthful look!
Some of the better options include haircuts that are below your chin. With curly or wavy hair,
going too short may add more width to the cheek area. Short styles that add volume on top can elongate
your face.
Hairstyles to Try
• Hairstyles with height and fullness at the crown will give the illusion of a narrower face shape,
particularly those short in length.
• Longer hairstyles or ones that are kept close to the cheeks with no width will look better.
• Middle parts are great for creating the illusion of narrow length.
• No bangs are the ideal as the focus point becomes the bridge of the nose, creating a more oval
shape.
 • If fringes are used, they should be swept across, or in the case of solid fringes, only where there
is substantial height on the top.
• Short hairstyles are great and do not suffocate small round faces.
Hairstyles to Avoid
• Hairstyles that add volume through the sides such as chin length bob cuts, straight or kicking out
in design.
• Side parts and heavy straight across bangs create a wider shorter shape and therefore should be
avoided at all costs on hairstyles without any height.

3. Square Face Shape

With a square face shape, your main aim should be to
soften your strong jawline. A square face shape requires
haircuts, styles and makeup that will help to soften the
strong angles that are the trademark of the shape.
If you have a square face shape then you'll recognize the
following characteristics:
• Your face is very equal in regards to length and width.
• Your forehead and jawline are a similar width in appearance.
• Your chin is noticeably square and/or flat. Your jawline is strong, broad and obviously square in
appearance.
• Your cheeks and the sides of your face are straight.
• Your forehead is broad and most likely straight around your hairline.
• Your face is widest at your cheekbones.
All of these characteristics add up to a strong looking face shape that can be flattered with the
right hairstyle and makeup choices. You may want to play down a strong, angular jaw. Texture, in the
form of curls or choppy ends, does a brilliant job at this.
Hairstyles to Try
• Wispy forward falling hair onto your face will soften your jaw line.
• Wearing a fringe swept over to one side will create diagonal movement to minimize square
shapes.
• Short to medium length hair will also suit you, especially if the style is rounded in shape or has
wispy ends.
• Styles with height at the crown will also work in your favor.
Hairstyles to Avoid
• Avoid blunt bobs, especially sitting at chin length with straight heavy bangs as this will
accentuate your jaw line and squareness. Middle parts with solid bangs can also work against
you.

4. Heart-Shaped Face
Heart face shapes need to add some length to their
shape and to create width around narrow chins. A heart face
shape requires haircuts, styles and makeup that will help to
flatter and minimize the width through the forehead and bring
balance to the narrow jawline and chin.
• If you have a heart face shape then you'll recognize the
following characteristics:
• Your face is longer than it is wide and has a wide width.
• Your forehead and jawline are a similar width in appearance.
• Your chin is noticeably pointed. Your cheek line and the sides of your face taper into your
jawline.
• Your forehead is wide and round at your hairline.
• Your face is widest at your forehead but your cheekbones are also wide and pronounced.
All of these characteristics add up to face shape that is small and sweet and can be flattered with
the right hairstyle and makeup choices. Try to draw attention to your eyes and cheekbones with bangs or
volume along the sides.
Hairstyles to Try
 • Any textured chin-length hairstyles will suit best.
• If bangs are wanted make sure that they are side-swept bangs not straight across as blunt cut
bangs will only make your face shape shorter and wider.
• Shoulder length cuts with wispy layers that kick out will also work very well.
• Height on top will work but only if they belong to shoulder length or longer hairstyles.
Hairstyles to Avoid
• Short, full hairstyles like slicked back looks that emphasize your upper face.
• Short styles with heavy straight across bangs that create an upside-down triangular shape.

5. Pear Shaped Face

With a pear face shape the object is to narrow your chin and
widen your forehead. A pear face shape requires haircuts, styles and
makeup that will flatter and help minimize the bottom-heavy
appearance of its shape.
If you have a pear face shape then you'll recognize the
following characteristics:
• Your face is longer than it is wider. Your jawline is wider than your forehead.
• Your chin is square and/or flat in shape. Your jawline is broad and strong.
• Your cheekbones are straight and taper from your jaw to your forehead.
• Your forehead is narrow. Your face is widest at your jawline.
All of these characteristics add up to unique face shape which can be flattered with the right
hairstyle and makeup choices.
Hairstyles to Try
• Layered hairstyles will help balance and soften your prominent jaw line.
• Styles with layers that taper at the jaw line can also be flattering.
Hairstyles to Avoid
• Shorter is generally better than longer.
• Avoid any hairstyle which will draw too much attention to your chin area such as straight solid
bob cuts.

6. Diamond Shaped Face

Diamond face shapes need to balance a narrow chin,
minimize wider cheek bones and shorten the overall length.
A diamond face shape requires haircuts, styles and
makeup that will bring out the best in the narrow and full
features that combine to create its unique shape.
If you have a diamond face shape then you'll recognize the
following characteristics:
• Your face is longer than it is wider.
• Your forehead and jawline are a similar width in appearance.
• Your chin is noticeably pointed.
• Your jawline is long, narrow and tapers into a point.
• Your cheeks are high and pointed.
• Your forehead is narrow.
• Your face is widest at your cheekbones.
All of these characteristics add up to stunning face shape that closely resembles the shape of the
gem it is named after! A diamond face shape can be flattered and its great features highlighted with
the right hairstyle and makeup choices.
Hairstyles to Try
• Hairstyles that add width at the chin area such as chin length bob cuts or shoulder length wispy
kicked out looks.
• Styles that tuck in behind the ears also work well to show off a wonderful cheek bone structure.
Hairstyles with straight across fringes will also work to shorten long faces, as will side parts.
Hairstyles to Avoid
 • Try and avoid short hairstyles with height on top, particularly ones without bangs.
• Avoid styles that leave no hair on the neck area or the chin area.
• Middle parts will add length so they should also be avoided.

7. Long Face Shape

The object is to add width to minimize vertical length. A long face shape requires haircuts, styles
and makeup that will help to flatter and minimize its long length and narrow features.
If you have a long face shape then you'll recognize the following characteristics:
• Your face is longer than it is wider and has a narrow width.
• Your forehead and jawline are a similar width in appearance.
• Your chin is pointed.
• Your cheek line and the sides of your face are straight.
• Your forehead is tall and wide and may be round at your hairline.
• Your face is widest at your forehead.
All of these characteristics add up to face shape that can be flattered with the right hairstyle
choices. The longer your hair is, the longer it will make your face look. It's often best to go with shorter
styles or those that have plenty of volume. Bangs are great as well.
Hairstyles to Try
• Styles that are short to medium in length with longer top layers without height are best suited
such as wedge and graduated bob cuts.
• Chin and shoulder length looks that turn under or kick out also work very well to add width.
• Straight across fringe with side parts work best.
• Layered styles in medium and long lengths that add body in with wavy and curly textures are
great for softening the straight long lines of oblong face shapes.
Hairstyles to Avoid
• Hairstyles that add height at the crown or on top will only lengthen your face.

Topic III: Clothing and Good Grooming

Lesson 2. Basic Beauty Habits

INTRODUCTION
Proper grooming and healthy personal habits can help you ward off illnesses and feel good
about yourself. Find out which personal hygiene habits should be part of your regular routine

OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
1. Enumerate the basic beauty habit.
2. Practice the basic beauty habits.
3. Apply the basic beauty habits in everyday life.

CONTENT

What is personal hygiene?

Personal hygiene is all about managing your body hygiene, essentially caring for your well-being
incorporating some physical hygiene habits. Also, there are mental health benefits as well, as they affect
each other immensely.
What is bad personal hygiene?
Those little unconscious acts like picking your nose or ear with your finger, or habitual ones like
not brushing your teeth properly, these are all bad personal hygiene. Along these, there are those
activities we do consciously just because we feel lazy or don’t feel the value in it, like not taking a shower
every day or not believing frequent hand washing.
Good personal hygiene includes but not limited to-
• Take regular shower
• Maintain oral hygiene
 • Wash your hands frequently
• Wash your genitals
• Keep your clothes and surrounding dry and clean
These habits should be practiced on a regular basis, at home, at work, basically where you are!
That’s the whole idea of preventing your body system collapse over a tiny microbe!

Personal Hygiene Practices at Home

Your home should be the most comfortable and convenient for you to keep up your personal hygiene
level to a standard, yet, we find ourselves procrastinating over hygiene issues when we are at home.
Even though some of these tasks barely take a minute
1. Take Regular shower
Do not wait up to feel the dried sweat in your body to feel the urge to take shower, make
it a routine, you have the choice to either take them before you head to work or after the long
day or even before you head to sleep, whichever one suits your routine. Make sure to rinse your
body thoroughly, especially the genitals and underarms as they produce more sweat and are
more prone to fungal activities.
2. Wash your hands frequently
It is our hands that we use to do our most physical acts, from picking up the keys,
browsing through our phones to attending our pets. While we acknowledge the importance of
washing hands before eating and after visiting the toilet, it is also important to wash our hands
with soap or sanitizer every now and then.
3. Maintain oral hygiene practices
Caring for your teeth and gum is important, not only to prevent decay related issues but also as
they affect neurologically some other sensual organs, they shouldn’t be taken in a light manner. Just
brushing them twice a day is not enough, make sure you are using fluoride toothpaste and brushing
properly. Also, you should floss after eating, as this practice will remove plaque, bacterial, and debris
that was trapped between teeth which your toothbrush cannot reach. It is a great way to prevent
bad breath too. Don’t hesitate to pay a visit to your dentist in slightest discomfort.
4. Trim your nails and wash your hair
Your nails and hair store dirt and grease. None not to mention the microbes could be in there
stuck and spreading. Bad nail hygiene can cause severe food poisoning since you would be preparing
or eating your food with your hands. Trim the nails every once they are inappropriately long and
wash your hairs at least twice a week to keep them healthy.
5. Clean your nose and ears
Every time you are outside, you are most likely to breathe in some pollutants, and most of the
particles are bound to be stuck in your nasal hair. You should rinse your nose and ear with warm
water upon return. Especially if you have any specific allergies.
6. Wear fresh and warm clothes
Try to change into some warm and dry clothes, you’ll feel the mental effect immediately as they
will boost your mind. Also, regular washing with right detergent matters since like your body, your
clothes can be contaminated with germs or microbes, especially if they have been used for several
days.
7. Food hygiene is important too
You can get severely sick from food-borne diseases, as most of your foods are raw, purchased
from outside, they risk being cross-contaminated with harmful microbes.
 Topic III: Clothing and Good Grooming

Lesson 3. Proper Selection of Clothes

INTRODUCTION
Going clothes shopping can be difficult and confusing. Sometimes you head to a department
store with an idea in mind, but once you get there you have no idea where to start. There are so many
different styles, cuts, sizes, colors and brands that you may feel overwhelmed. Having an idea of what
looks good on you will make choosing good clothes much easier.

OBJECTIVES

At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:

1. Identify the principles in proper selection of clothes
2. Enumerate each principle in proper selection of clothes
3. Apply each principle in everyday life.

CONTENT

A. Personality Development

The selection of clothing should be done on the basis of age, season, income, occasion and fashion.

1. Age: While selecting fabric one has to think of the age group of the child. For small children, dainty
prints in soft colors can be chosen. Nursery prints are not suitable for elementary school children. When
the children enter late childhood stage, the boys like masculine colors, for examples blue, grayish blue,
and brown and girls like to wear feminine colors like pink, green and red. Some fabrics, which are
delicate, are chosen for girls clothing whereas, rough textured fabrics are suitable for adolescent boys.
The style of the dress also changes according to the age group of the child. The A-line dresses are
suitable for toddlers and infants. Later on, dresses with lots of gathers are suitable for girls’ frocks. In the
same way type of collars are suitable for younger age group, for example baby collar is not suitable for
adolescent.

2. Season: Some fabrics and colors are suitable for winter while others are not, for example synthetics;
silk and wool are suitable for winter as they are bad conductor of heat. Cotton and blends of cotton with
synthetics are good for summer as they are good conductor of heat and absorptive. There are cool and
warm colors. The cool colors are associated with coolness, for example, blue, green, white etc. Warm
colors are bad conductors of heat and associated with warmth for example, red, golden yellow and
orange. So warm colors are suitable for winter, whereas cool colors are chosen for summer.

3. Income: Amount of money affects the selection of clothing. Children belonging to high-income group
can spend more percentage of money on clothing as compared to low income. They can spend more
money on fashionable garments rather than on durable clothes. Parents belonging to low-income group
prefer durable clothes rather than delicate ones. So, the preference of the clothing changes according to
the income of the family. Low socio-economic growth gives more importance to durability, comfort and
price as compared to becomingness and beauty.

4. Occasion: Selection of clothes also changes according to occasion. For daily wear or informal wear,
durable dresses with simple designs can be chosen but for occasional or formal wear novel fabrics with
new styles are chosen.

5. Fashion: Fashionable clothes look beautiful. One looks odd when one went out of fashion. Few fabrics
and colors are in fashion while others are not. Some clothes should be brought according to fashion and
others should be simple. Children belonging to high-income group can wear fashionable clothes to great
extent as compared to low-income group.

Too much of fashion should be avoided. Selection of clothes should be very judicious so that we
can buy best clothes by spending minimum amount of money. The clothes should be compatible to age,
personality, and climate and should not be a hindrance in normal working. Some factors affect the
selection of clothes, which may vary from person to person as they are influenced by the requirement of
the person.

B. Body Figure
Every person has unique figure. Some are tall or short, fat or lean and thin. Some are of normal
height and width. A man should wear clothes in accordance to his figure irrespective of latest trends in
fashion and design. Whatever is the body shape, clothes can make it look different. By judicious use of
colors and clothes the figure flaws can be camouflaged or salient features highlighted.

Types of Women’s Shapes or Figure

Fashion Tips for Different Figures

1. Triangle Shape
Do wear:
• accessories and designs to draw attention to your upper body
• short-sleeved tops
• shoulder pads to broaden your shoulders
• medium to high necklines
• garments to emphasize your waist
• skirts and dresses that are straight or slightly flared

Outfit to avoid:
• baggy garments and garments that add bulk to your hips
• pleated skirts or pants

2. Inverted Triangle
Do wear:
• flowing fabrics
• V-necklines
• three-quarter length sleeves
• tops and dresses that flow through the waist
• A-line skirts
• flared pants

Don't wear:
• bulky fabrics and styles that will emphasize your shoulders
• high necklines
• big collared shirts
• tapered skirts and pants
3. Rectangle
Do wear:
• shoulder pads to emphasize your shoulders and give you a feminine body
figure.
• semi-fitted clothes
• short-sleeved and sleeveless tops and dresses if you don’t have a very small
upper arm
• medium to high neckline dresses that wrap or flow through the waistline

Don't wear:

• clingy fabrics and fitted clothes, because they will make you look very straight
• low necklines will emphasis your flat bust so avoid them
• baggy tops and baggy pants are not good choices
• narrow skirts will emphasis your flat bottom and are not flattering (avoid
them)

4. Hourglass
Do wear:
• fitted and semi-fitted clothes soft, clingy, flowing fabrics
• low to medium-low necklines
• dresses with defined waistlines
• straight and gently flared shirt and pants
• Accessories your waist with a belt to flatter your figure
• anything comfortable for you
Don't wear:

• bulky fabrics or baggy styles, because they will hide your figure

5. Diamond
Do wear:
• earrings, necklaces and other focal points designed to draw an
observer's eyes up towards your shoulders and face
• semi-fitted and loose-fitting clothes
• tops and bottoms in the same colours
• low necklines
• un-tucked tops
• tops and dresses that flow through the waistline
Don't wear:

• clingy fabrics
• fitted clothes
• fabric with large patterns
• high necklines
• belts
• tucked-in tops
• pleats
• narrow or tapered skirts/pants
 6. Round/Oval
Do wear:
• earrings, necklaces and other focal points designed to draw an
observer's eyes up towards your shoulders and face
• semi-fitted and loose-fitting clothing
• tops and bottoms in the same colours are better worn together
• low necklines
• un-tucked tops that do not emphasize the rounded stomach
• tops and dresses that flow through the waistline
• straight pants in soft, flowing fabric are a good choice
Don't wear:
• clingy fabrics
• tight fitted clothes
• fabric with large patterns
• high necklines
• tucked-in tops
• pleated skirts, because they add more volume to your
figure

Topic III: Clothing and Good Grooming

Lesson 4. Purchasing of Clothes

INTRODUCTION
The consumer wants to buy a quality product at reasonable prices that fulfills his all the
requirements. But sometimes unsuitable garments are purchased due to ignorance of the consumer.

OBJECTIVES

At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:

1. Identify factors to consider in purchasing of clothes.
2. Purchase clothes with taste, style and color appropriate for one’s figure.
3. Apply the appropriate purchasing of clothes in everyday life

CONTENT

The consumer can select desirable clothes at reasonable rate only if he considers all few aspects
judiciously before buying them. Therefore, following points should be kept in mind while purchasing
ready-made garments:

Quality of fabric
Following points should be kept in mind while selecting the quality of fabric:
(i) Fibre of cloth.
(ii) The quality of its weave. Clothes with tight weave are better and those with loose weave are
tending to shrink easily.
(iii) Method to wash and maintain the cloth if some special method or material is to be used?
(iv) Type of cloth used in lace, piping, and lining of the garment. It should match the main cloth,
otherwise, it will cause inconvenience in washing and ironing. Lining should not be affected
by sweat and shrinkage.
(v) It is important to look for the weave in hosiery and knitted ready-made garments.
(vi) Drape of a cloth is an important aspect in its selection. If ready-made gent’s garments do not
have good drape, then it would not have good crease also.
Colour
(i) The colour used in the cloth of the garment should be fast.
(ii) If more than one piece is used in a dress, it must be ensured that colour of all of them is fast.
Other decorative accessories like laces, piping, etc. should also be of fast colours. If, the
colour of one item bleeds, the garment will no longer be fit for use.
(iii) Suitability of colours should be ensured before buying the ready-made garments.
(iv) The shade of colour should be checked in the natural light.
(v) Ensure the colour of required dress before purchasing.

Workmanship
The beauty and durability of the cloth depends on the efficient workmanship. What to look for in
Workmanship? The placket and fastener.

Cutting Hemming
Design: If the dress is of one colour then design is not a problem because various pieces can be used
in any part of the dress. But if the cloth has design or pattern, then care should be taken in cutting
and stitching of various pieces. In the readymade garments one should look for:
(i) the print am uniform.
(ii) Stripes and checks are stitched at proper angles.
(iii) In fuzzy cloth one must ensure that the piles are in the same direction. If they are not in the
same direction, they would have different shades in light Cutting. The cloth will fit well if the
cutting is proper.
(iv) Length of all pieces should be along the selvedge and width should be along the weft. This would
give good face to the garment and would be comfortable to wear. If the length of the cloth is
cut widthwise the garment would be uncomfortable and will not last long. We come to know
of this defect only after use.
(v) Sometimes, if the main grain of cloth is not proper, the cloth becomes off grain. If the cloth is cut
without rectifying, it will not give proper fitting and will hang unevenly.

Seam
(i) The seam should be durable. Stitches should be small, equal, and straight.
(ii) The thread used in stitching should be of fast colour and almost matching to the colour of the
cloth.
(iii) Seam joining two pieces should be durable and there should be enough margins in the seams for
alterations. Both ends of seam should have proper finishing, otherwise, there will be
reveling. This is often done with the help of pekoe or interlocking. Flat seams are preferable
in children’s dresses as these are durable and don’t irritate the skin.
(iv) The seams of lining of the garment should also be checked carefully. Each portion of lining
should be stitched with the seam.

Hemming
Hemming is done on various ends of the dress like at the ends of sleeves, around the neckline
and at the flair of the dress.
(i) Stitches of hemming should be at short intervals and equal in size.
(ii) The ends of hemming should be properly locked to avoid opening of seams.
(iii) The thread used for hemming should be of fast colour and matching the fabric because a part of
hemming is visible on the front side.
(iv) The folding for hemming should have some margin left for alterations plackets and fasteners.
Provision of some opening is made for putting the dress on and off, where button with holes,
zip, eyehook is used.
(v) The strip on which buttons are appended is called placket. While buying a garment, ensure that
the placket is straight, buttons or hooks are at equal distance and in working order. The
placket should be large enough for easier change of dress.
(vi) Stitches of holes should not be loose. The opening of holes should be properly interlocked to
avoid tearing off the cloth at the ends of the holes. The button does not fit well in such loose
holes and looks odd.
(vii) Buttons should be appended firmly. The thread used should not be visible from front surface.
Ensure that the buttons used are not defaced in washing or buttons may not be taken off the
garment. Sometimes buttons used in ready-made garments are of different type. If one
button is lost, it is difficult to find a matching one. For this, the manufacturers append one or
two extra buttons.
(viii) Zip is also commonly used nowadays. Before buying clothes, ensure that the zip is in proper
working order.
The durability and colour of buttons, hooks and zip should be in accordance to the dress.

Trimming and decorations:

To make the design of -a dress more appealing, laces, frills, piling’s, etc. are used. Embroidery and
patch work is also done. Ensure that the trimming and decoration are:
(i) colours.
(ii) Similar to the fabric of the dress. Sometimes on a cotton dress, nylon lace is used which create
problem in ironing.
(iii) The frills or gathers should be easy to wash and dry. It should be stitched to the cloth firmly.
(iv) If some accessory used is likely to get spoiled in washing, it should be easily replaceable.
(v) Trimming and decoration may enhance the appeal of the dress, yet excessive use of decoration
can be irritable to the onlooker.

Fashion
Ensure that the dress you are purchasing should be of the latest fashion. Information about the
latest fashion is available in fashion magazines. The style of dress should match your lifestyle.
Fashion should not be followed blindly. The length, design and decoration of the dress should be
suitable to your body figure.

Size
It is essential to know the size of the garment before purchasing it. Ready-made garments have
different sizes, for example gents’ shirts have chest size-40″, 42″, 46″. Gents’ pants have waist size.
Some garments are of free size like socks, etc. Some companies have sized their garments like XXL,
(Extra Large), XL (Extra Large), L (Large), M (Medium), and S (Small). In order to purchase a dress of
right size, it is important to have a trial of it so that, if needed, it can be altered to different size.

Comfort
It is difficult to judge the fitting of a dress from its appearance. Often to save the fabric, either
the dress itself or a part of it is made widthwise. Such dresses are not very comfortable to wear, for
example, a shirt or its sleeve made widthwise, if fewer margins are given to save the fabric. Such
garments wear out from seams in no time. Therefore, ready-made dresses should be purchased after
trial. The comfort of the dress should be ensured in standing, sitting, walking, etc. during trial. There
should not be any stiffness and looseness. The decorative pieces should not be of pinching type.

Cost
The cost of the dress should be according to our paying capacity. We should look for only those
clothes that are within our reach. This saves time and energy of both the seller and the buyer. If
some better and durable dress is available by paying some more money, it should be preferred. It will
pay for its value in the long run.
 Topic III: Clothing and Good Grooming
Lesson 5. Care of Clothes

INTRODUCTION
Washing your clothe the right way can have a huge positive impact on their life. For example, if
you use hot water to wash your silk scarves or shirts, it may end up ruining their smooth finish. To
preserve the color, shape and brightness of your garments, using the right water temperature and
suitable method of washing is important.

OBJECTIVES

At the end of the lesson you will be able to:

1. Identify proper care of clothes
2. Apply the proper care of clothes
3. Appreciate the importance of the proper care of clothes

CONTENT

There are two main points you should keep in mind while organizing or sorting your laundry:
fabric and color. You should make piles based on the color of your garment and the fabric. Light and
dark colored clothing should never be washed together. Some fabrics, like denim, need more
scrubbing and pressure. This may be disastrous for delicate fabrics like cashmere. So, it is important
to sort your laundry as per the fabric. If you want the best returns on your investment in clothes,
always follow the wash care label instructions. Here you will notice that some clothing items may
need dry clean only while others need hand washing in water at a particular temperature. Read the
care label to provide the best care to your clothes.

It is very important to check if your clothing items are colorfast. One of the easiest ways to
prevent the problem of color transfer during the wash is to run a color bleeding test. To test, dampen
a cotton swab and rub it on the insides of your clothing item. If the swab stays white, you can be
assured that the color won’t run during the wash.

It is very important to unbutton the shirts before washing them. If you fail to do so, you may
have to deal with ripped buttonholes in your shirt. Also, fasten the zippers of your jeans and dresses.
It may seem basic, but perhaps it is one of the most important pre-washing steps.

Check to see and make sure all the pockets in your jeans/dresses are empty. Coins and buttons
spilling out from the pocket can damage your machine drum and cause unnecessary repair
expenses.

Do not wash your garment without first treating the stains. Remember, the earlier you treat the
stains, the easier it will be to get rid of. Washing and drying your stained garment without treating
the stains will result in the stain setting in more firmly in the fabric of your garment.

How to Wash Clothes

Method A: Using A Washing Machine
1. Know What Temperature to Select
Washing machines have different water temperature settings. Some fabrics need to be
washed in hot water while other fabrics need to be washed in cold water. You must decide the
temperature of the water, based on the color and fabric of your clothing items.
Light colored clothes and whites that have been heavily stained should be washed in hot
water. The heat will lift the stains off the fabric. Dark colored clothes and cotton clothes should
be washed in cold water.
2. Know What Load Size to Select
Do not try to stuff your machine drum with all your laundry at once. You can always run
another wash cycle. Avoid too many laundry, because cramming your machine will affect its
performance.

3. Know What Cycle to Select

As is the case with water temperature, different fabrics obviously need different wash
cycles. Select the normal wash cycle for your regular and white clothes. And select a gentle wash
cycle for your delicate underwear and clothes made from fine fabrics like lace, wool etc. Also,
always fasten the zips and unbutton the buttons before loading them into the machine.
Otherwise, the garment can get stretched and misshapen, and the fitness might also change.

4. Know What Washing Fluid to Use

Depending on the fabric of your clothes and load level of your mix, you must add a
suitable washing fluid. There are 3 main types of washing fluids: Detergent, Bleaching Agents,
and Fabric Softener. Whichever fluid you choose, always check the pack to understand correct
usage instructions. For washing your colored clothes, we recommend Breeze Liquid Detergent as
it is specially formulated for washing machines. It leaves no residue (like powders do) because it
is a liquid that dissolves completely in water. It also helps maintain your washing machine’s life.
Check the package label to understand correct usage instructions. We suggest you add a fabric
conditioner during the rinse cycle. You can use Comfort Care Fabric Conditioner. This fabric
conditioner softens the clothes and keeps clothes new for longer.

5. Dry Your Clothes

Some clothes need to be air-dried. For others, you can use the machine dryer. Use the
heavy setting for white clothes and delicate for finer fabrics.

Method 2: Hand Washing Clothes

1. Sort and Organize Your Laundry
Sort your clothes by color, separating the darks and lights to be washed in two separate batches.
2. Grab a Balde or Bucket
Fill a bucket or the washing basin with warm water.
3. Treat the Stains
You can treat stains using either a liquid detergent like Breeze Powder or Liquid Detergent. Just
apply it directly on the stain before proceeding with normal wash
4. Add Detergent
You’ll need to use the right detergent for your fabric to hand wash clothes properly because
some delicate garments will definitely need a gentle product.
5. Soak
Soak each item of clothing in the water for several minutes to ensure they fully absorb the
detergent.
6. Wash
Start washing each item, knead, and twist the clothes, so they get a thorough wash. A common
mistake to avoid while hand-washing your garment is using too much detergent. When you use
detergent powder in excess, it may leave behind residue on your clothes after they are washed.
Always use the right amount of detergent. Check the package usage instructions to understand
what the right amount exactly is.
7. Rinse
Rinse with warm, clean water. Run each item under the tap and wring out until all the detergent
is gone.
8. Dry
Leave the clothes to dry in a well-ventilated room. You can dry white clothes under direct
sunlight on a clothes line. Always dry your colored clothes in the partial shade on a clothesline.