Here’s the Rub
In her waxed-canvas field jacket, Duchess Kate is
sporty yet impossibly posh. Give your gear the same
weatherproof polish with a few swipes of a fabric-
wax bar. Anything made mostly of cotton or another
natural fiber is fair game. Work the bar into a small,
inconspicuous area to test it: The material will turn
slightly darker and shinier. All good? Keep scrub-
bing, getting into seams with the bar’s corners and
pressing it in with your fingers. “The wax gives
material a vintage, lived-in look,” says Living editor
at large Naomi deMañana. Let it cure for 24 to 72
hours—then keep dry and carry on.
| INSTANT UPGRADE |
Otter Wax
heavy-duty
fabric wax
regular bar,
from $13,
otterwax.com.
Hay Day
You’ll love it because
moths hate it: Vetiver
is a South Asian
grass with the pleasant,
earthy aroma of an
uncut meadow. Tuck
a bundle into a
linen sachet and put
it in a drawer, or
slip it over a hanger in
your coat closet
to welcome guests
and repel pests.
THE DETAILS: Chrysopogon
zizanioides (vetiver) roots, $8.25 for
2 oz., southsidenaturals.etsy.com.
A vetiver sachet
will last for years in
a bureau or closet.
Dampen the root to
revive the scent,
let dry in open air,
and cinch it back
inside.
Don’t stop at raincoats.
Storm-busting fabric wax
helps shoes and bags
deflect water, too.
THE DETAILS: Gungun
high-top casual strap
canvas sneakers, in Yellow,
from $17; and Falari classic
adjustable baseball hat,
in Dark Green, $9, amazon
.com. Westford Mill canvas
accessory case, in N av y,
from $4.50, universal
textiles.com. Army Navy
Military Mussette canvas
bag, in Olive Drab, $16,
armynavyshop.com.
| THE FIND |
MARTHA STEWART LIVING 25
PETER ARDITO (SACHET, WAX)
