Check the original instructions
Read the care label and any maker guidance for the particular skirt. The fiber name alone does not tell you whether pleats will tolerate washing, heat, or steam. Before laundering, photograph the overall shape so you have a reference for how the pleats originally fell. If the label is missing or the skirt is valuable, ask a qualified cleaner rather than using a method from a superficially similar garment.
Store the pleats deliberately
Use the intended hanging loops or an appropriate waistband support if hanging is recommended. Let the skirt fall freely without catching its hem on a shoe shelf or forcing it against adjacent trousers. If folding is the better option, align the existing pleats and avoid creating unnecessary crosswise folds. Keep heavy stacks off the skirt. When it comes out of storage, inspect the folds before applying heat; a hurried attempt to flatten one area can change the shape you are trying to preserve.
Further reading
About our editorial approach · Created with AI assistance.