Beware how much dresses from Zara, Next and New Look might shrink in the wash… and the shops to head to if you want to avoid hemline horrors
FINDING the perfect dress for everyday wear can be hard.
Simple, comfy dresses are a staple in many women’s wardrobes, but have you ever noticed that sometimes your trusty favourites seem to shrink even when you follow the washing instructions?
Too many times reasonably priced high street dresses, between the £20 to £30 mark, seem to have their hem-lines creep up after the first wash.
We decided to carry out a shrink test to find out exactly how much six dresses from popular retailers shrunk when washed – and find out advice for keeping our frocks in good nick.
We tested a selection of shirt and shift dresses from New Look, Next, ASOS, M&S, Zara and PrettyLittleThing.com and measured them from the same point before and after they were washed at the temperatures instructed on the label.
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All dresses were then allowed to dry naturally – to prevent any additional heat shrinkage.
Here’s how each dress fared...
New Look
Navy eyelet trim short sleeve shift dress
Cost: £24.99
Washed at: 40C
Measurements from shoulder to hem:
Before: 34.5 inches
After: 34 inches
Total shrink: 0.5 inches
Verdict: “This dress was short before but I felt I could get away with it without flashing!
“Afterwards there has been a slight shrink and I might not notice it except I don’t think I could bend too far now – the dress is also a teeny bit tighter round the shoulders.”
New Look were unable to offer comment.
ASOS
Colourblock Shift Dress with Deep V
Cost: £30
Washed at: 30C
Measurements from shoulder to hem:
Before: 33 inches
After: 32.9 inches
Total shrink: 0.1 inches
Verdict: “Well done ASOS, no noticeable shrink here and dress feels exactly as it did the first time I tried it on, pre-wash.”
ASOS didn’t have a comment to add.
M&S
Double Layer Tie Back Shift Dress
Cost: £29.50
Washed at: 40C
Measurements from shoulder to hem:
Before: 38.1 inches
After: 38.1 inches – no shrink
“M&S have proved themselves as trusty as ever with this dress and I can’t notice any change at all – plus it didn’t shrink one bit.”
M&S have been approached for comment.
Zara
Polka dot dress
Cost: £29.99
Washed at: 30C
Measurements from shoulder to hem:
Before: 33.5 inches
After: 31.75 inches
Total shrink: 1.7 inches
Verdict: “Oh no! This floaty number has entered T-shirt territory and there’s no way I would go out in this worn as a dress now.
“I am tall but pre-wash this short dress was wearable - now I just look half naked!
“Thankfully it will look fine with leggings or jeans as an oversized tee.”
Zara have been approached for comment.
Next
Stripe dress
Cost: £24
Washed at: 40C
Measurements from shoulder to hem: 34.5 inches
Before: 34.5 inches
After: 33.4 inches
Total shrink: 1.1 inches
Verdict: “The dress feels fine, but it is a tad shorter and I definitely wouldn’t make any slight bends post-wash”.
Next were unable to comment.
PrettyLittleThing
Willow Lemon Corset Lace Up Open Shirt Dress
Cost: £28
Washed at: 30C
Measurements from shoulder to hem:
Before: 33.5inches
After: 33.5inches – no shrink
Verdict: “This is perhaps the dress that I expected to shrink the most – purely because it came from a cheap and cheerful online retailer with hundreds of options.
“But I’ve been pleasantly surprised and the dress has come out as one of the best.
“This dress feels exactly the same as it did before it was washed and hasn’t shrunk.”
A spokesperson for PrettyLittleThing said: “We’re delighted to hear such great feedback on this. We pride ourselves in sourcing the best fabrics for our customers to ensure longer lasting wear.”
How can you prevent shrinkage in the wash?
Rune Sovndahl, CEO of , gave his tips for keeping clothes in new condition, he said: “Consider hand washing, it’s quick and effective and if you have a bath you can even wash a few items at a time.
“This is a kinder option for your clothing, and will clean them without damaging them. It’s also a good idea if you only need to wash one or two items!
“Most good washing machines also have ‘delicate’ cycles and the ability to do a cold wash, both of these will protect your clothing and help stop them from shrinking.
“Generally, the cheaper the item is, the less likely the fabric is to last.
“Rayon is a common fabric, used for underwear, and imitates silk, linen and cotton, and is often mixed with other fibres. Although it is absorbent and stretchy, it has the tendency to shrink.
“Brands use it to imitate silk, linen, and cotton which are more expensive and it isn’t as durable.
“Although natural, super soft fibres like cotton, wool and silk can shrink and fade, if they are not cared for properly, fabrics that are a blend, such as 50 per cent cotton-polyester, are often the most durable.
“Before you wash your clothes, consider how dirty they really are. Many modern washing machines have a quick wash function, which washes clothes effectively.
“When it comes to detergent, opt for a non-chlorine bleach or only use bleach every third wash for whites, as chlorine-based bleach attacks fibres and damaged clothes.
“To help prevent excess shrinking, be environmentally aware and try and wash clothes on the lowest temperature possible.
“Don’t panic if you take something out of the washing machine and it looks slightly smaller than it should be.
“Quite often, you can hang the item up and then iron it which will bring it back to the size that it actually is.”
Previously, we revealed how to beat "first wash anxiety" and how often you should wash your clothes.