Really stupid question about cleaning suits

[Feirefiz]

Like many other men in their twenties without a proper job I own exactly one dark gray suit for weddings, funerals and everything else that might require one.

Now it is almost a defining characteristic of a 'nice' suit that you can't wash it in the machine. In my case that isn't a big problem. After wearing it I have dry-cleaned and then it goes back in the closet for months if not years.

If I were to wear a suit regularly and and have it cleaned it after each time, then I would soon pay more for the dry-cleaner than for rent.

What does one do in this case? Is it acceptable to wear a suit more than once? Should you stay with washable suits for most purposes unless you can afford not to care?

[Oliveloaf]

When I was a suit-a-day guy (which sucked, BTW) I used to alternate. I had two favorite suits and one I didn't like very much. I would alternate the suits each day, with at least one at the cleaners any given week. I could get away with the pants holding a crease for two or even three wears. I was only wearing it to work, not a wedding or anything where it might get sweaty and nasty. I also tended to have the pants cleaned and pressed more often than the jacket, as I rarely actually wore the jacket.

[Hatshepsut]

IANA guy, but I've been married to one for nearly 3 decades. He hates suits but has had to wear them regularly for some jobs he's held, and his approach was to wear them several times between dry cleanings. As long as the suit looks reasonably crisp, doesn't stink, and doesn't have anything spilled on it, why not? I assume most of body-cooties get absorbed by the shirt you're wearing, and that DOES get washed after one wearing.

[Jaglavak]

That's the method recommended in "Dress For Success", which I read once just for laughs. Hang to air, dry clean per sniff test.

[Orual]

Do you usually wash trousers every time you wear them? I usually wear mine about three times before washing. I would assume a suit is the same sort of thing - wash it if it looks or smells dirty, not after every wear.

[tunaman]

I only wear shirts once before getting them dry cleaned, but I can usually wear a suit 2-3 times before getting it cleaned... unless I get all sweaty, which has been the case the last two times I wore the suit (a funeral on a sweltering hot day, then a class reunion where there was a lot of dancing involved).

And you should always get your trousers and jacket dry cleaned at the same time. The reason being that you want them to fade together. For the same reason, your mom (or grandmother) always washed all her fancy linen napkins together, even if she didn't use all of them at the time.

[Feirefiz]

Thanks for your answers!