At first I blamed it on my washer. Next I blamed it on the snap or button of my jeans. It was so frustrating when I would look down and see the holes starting to form at the bottom of my t-shirt.
If I caught it in time, a little stitching could help the holes from getting larger, but what in the world was causing this? The holes were always in multiples. Rarely did I ever just see one; it was several in a series. Below you can see the beginning of the a series of holes. It’s caught at the “early stages” but only to get worse with time.
Working retail, I soon came to the realization that this was a common problem among women. They complained about my same frustrations.
I also could not pinpoint it to one certain retailer. Price was not necessarily a factor. I’ve had it happen with things I’ve purchased at Target, Nordstrom or Cabi. I even had it happen with tanks constructed from heavy organic cotton.
I decided to consult my friend Google and was astounded to find that this problem was universal. I found one blog post with nearly 400 comments from frustrated women. It was maddening how the holes were always in the same place. The blogger declared that it was from rubbing against her granite countertops. Others claimed they didn’t have granite and still had the problem. Here is a summary of their responses:
-washer (some even purchased a new washing machine after so many cases of T-shirt holes)
-button/snaps from jeans rubbed against the shirt
-seatbelts rugging against shirt coupled with button from the jeans underneath
-poor quality and weight of fabrics
-rubbing against counter tops
My conclusion: I have noticed “shinyness” next to the holes which to me indicated some friction. I think it is a combination of several factors. Friction, thin fabrics and the buttons on jeans.
Solutions:
1. I wear a cami under many tops. The extra layer provides a little protection from the button.
2. I avoid really light weight fabrics
3. I spend a fair amount of time in front of a counter. I try not to rub against that if possible. I’m just much more aware that I was previously as I’m not sure if this is the cause.
4. I would recommend repairing the holes to keep them from getting worse especially if you cannot replace the top. If a store has an alterations department, they most likely will repair this at no charge. Note: The top shown in the photo has holes that can be repaired. The top is salvagable.
Over to you…I’m all ears. I want to know if any of you out there have the same frustrations or better yet any solutions?
