Smoothing Out Problems With Woolens

Dear Fashion Police: I don’t know what to do with my woolen tops. If I hang them up, they get those pointy shoulder thingies, even if the hanger is padded or shaped. If I fold them, they get a crease in bizarre places, even if I’m careful and fold them the way I see them done in stores. What to do?

Also, I don’t have any moths yet, but do you have any suggestions for eliminating them if they do show up?

--WOOL YOU HELP ME?

Dear Wool: First things first. You should never hang stretchy knits of any kind since gravity ultimately takes its toll, resulting in misshapen clothes. Better to let them lie flat in a drawer.

If you do have to fold them, creases can be minimized by placing a piece or two of acid-free tissue paper between the folds of the garment. This will help prevent those sharp wrinkles (acid-free tissue paper can be found at art supply stores.).

During warmer months it’s best to loosely pack woolens in closed garment bags or plastic containers to discourage moths, and make sure you clean the woolens before tucking them in.

If that’s not possible, make sure you take them out of the drawers every few weeks and check for moth holes. When you put the clothes back in the drawer, make different folds to prevent creases in the same places.

If you keep your wool clothing in wooden drawers, never place the clothes directly on the wood. Line your drawers with acid-free paper first. Wood often has acids, oils and finishes that can leech into clothing.

As for those pesky moths, we consulted with Ron Leuschner, a research associate at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and a lepidopterist (that’s an expert on butterflies and moths, for those of you who flunked biology). Besides storing your woolens in a closed container, he suggests also using cedar wood blocks or dried lavender to repel the insects.

Mothballs will work, but the smell is most unpleasant and, if inhaled routinely, can cause respiratory problems.

Leuschner says tiny moths lay eggs on the garments. After they hatch as caterpillars--they’re so tiny that you can’t see them--they munch on your clothes.

“One species that lives in Southern California appears as a little puff of orange-brown,” he says. “A moth with a reasonable size to it, one-half-inch to five-eighths-inch wingspan, is probably a grain moth that’s eating your cereal.”

Store your woolens properly, check them periodically, and chances are you’ll enjoy them for years.

Dear Fashion Police: I want to add one more pair of jeans to my struggling wardrobe, a comfy and cute pair of ankle-length, boot-cut jeans. I am trying to look put-together, yet stylish (aren’t we all?).

Work requires clothes I can function in and even get dirty. I’m 36 and want to stay age-appropriate. I am blessed with a tall, slender build.

I guess my question is, may I embrace the cut as my look and not be out of fashion in a minute with the myriad choices out there? Jeans these days are an investment.

--UNSURE

Dear Unsure: Honestly, so much distress over a pair of jeans! True, there are about a zillion different styles of denim all vying for space in our closets, and it’s tough to figure out which to go for. While the low-low-rise still abounds for the Britney-age crowd, there are still classic looks for purists, skintight and wide-leg styles, and trendy touches like faux fur accents, studded embellishments and crochet trim.

So if ankle-length boot-cut jeans do it for you, slap down that credit card and go for it. We’ll bet that style will stick around for a while, unlike some of the more out-there designs that are passe by the time you step out of the dressing room.

Though jeans can cost in the hundreds of dollars, we found a few boot-cut styles for $50 and under. At 501USA.com there are stretch Levi’s in black for $49.99 (www.501usa.com, or call [800] 794-5824). L.L. Bean has boot-cuts with a natural waistline for $36 (www.llbean.com, or call [800] 441-5713). Nordstrom.com carries DKNY slim-leg stretch boot-cut jeans for $48 (www.nordstrom.com, or call [888] 282-6060).

Write to Fashion Police, 202 W. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90012, fax to (213) 237-4888, or send e-mail to jeannine.stein@latimes.com.