Both Ambimb and Heidi weigh in on the subject of ironing shirts, and since I'm once again gainfully employed and wearing them daily, I figure I'll make my voice known. Even if you hate ironed shirts, read to the end, because it'll be useful to you.

First, unlike my two friends, I actually enjoy ironed shirts, and rather enjoy ironing. There's something meditative about the process of gradually straightening out a shirt, particularly if it's just out of the drier and not that wrinkled anyway. In any case, I do my ironing in front of the TV, so it provides me with an excuse to chill my brain out without feeling guilty that I'm not studying, cleaning, writing letters, etc.

I'm quite fond of French cuffs, but French cuffs on an unironed shirt look silly. More to the point, pressed shirts provide a signalling device: while not all careful, thoughful people who pay attention to details will have pressed shirts, most people who consistently take good care of their business appearance will be the kind who pay attention to details. (At least, this is a bit of common folk wisdom, though I always heard it more with respect to shoes than shirts: if you want to spot a careful person, check the shine on the shoes.)

Anyway, for those like Ambimb--and to a lesser extent Heidi, though my experience with women's clothes is slight and thus should be approached with caution--here are some ways to cut down on your ironing time. These are pretty basic, but some people don't know them, so I hope they're useful.

a) Take your shirts directly out of the drier, preferably in the last minute of the cycle--don't let them sit after the drier's stopped. This will prevent a lot of small and annoying creases.

b) If you can stand using Bounce, or some similar drier-based fabric softener, it prevents a lot of creases.

c) Some shirt brands now advertise 'wrinkle-free' shirts. This is baloney, but if you follow the care instructions they will come out of the drier significantly less wrinkled, and require less ironing. (No use if you've already bought your shirts, of course.)

d) Three-piece suits cover a multitude of sins and oversights in ironing.

e) Finally, one trick that's useful if you've got a shirt that's only mildly wrinkled, and fairly uncreased. Hang it overnight, and in the morning, take it into the bathroom with you as you're showering. Close the bathroom door and, as the steam collects, many of the wrinkles will fall out, or at least become less noticeable. This works remarkably well in hotels during business travel, when your shirts are likely slightly worse for wear from having been in a hanging bag.

Of course, it's not like I can talk. I'm not doing any ironing for the next two months, due to the relative cheapness of Tokyo dry cleaners coupled with the complete uselessness of shelling out for an iron and ironing board for my two month stay.