Most desi outfits die in storage, not in wear. Silk creases into permanent lines, zari tarnishes, and georgette comes out of a suitcase with a smell nothing removes. All of it is preventable with habits that cost nothing.
Silk and anything with zari or stonework should not see a washing machine. Dry clean the pieces you love, and for the rest, hand wash cold with a drop of gentle shampoo, press the water out in a towel and never wring. Chiffon and georgette stretch when wet, so dry them flat, not on a hanger.
Sweat is the real killer of blouses. Let a worn blouse air out fully before it goes back in the closet, and wash it after every second wear even when it looks clean; salt eats fabric slowly and permanently.
Cotton bags beat plastic every time. Plastic traps moisture, and moisture is where mildew and that suitcase smell come from. Wrap heavy pieces in an old cotton dupatta or a pillowcase, fold embroidery inward, and put silk on padded hangers or fold it with tissue at the creases.
Zari and metallic thread tarnish in air. Keep those pieces wrapped, and slip in a few dried neem leaves or a cedar block instead of mothballs; the smell of mothballs outlives the moths.
Steam, never iron, anything with stones or sequins; an iron face-down on embellishment is how mirrors crack. For deep creases in silk, hang the outfit in the bathroom during a hot shower and let the steam relax the fibres. If the fit is the problem rather than the fabric, a tailor can usually let out or take in more than you expect: check the seam allowance before deciding a piece is done.
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