Break It In First

New clothes carry hidden friction. Stiff fabric needs a wash or two before it drapes naturally, collars and waistbands sit awkwardly until they soften, and fresh shoes are blister factories on a long evening of walking and standing.

The fix is a simple wear-test: put the full outfit on for an hour at home a day or two before. Sit, walk the stairs, reach across a table. You will catch the pinching shoe, the gaping button, or the itchy seam while you can still swap it, instead of mid-date.