How does one best preserve the shape of one's sweaters?

Question:
Dear Fashion Feline: 
How does one best preserve the shape of one's sweaters? I wash mine in the machine and dry them on the couch (laid flat). Most of my sweaters eventually take a bell-bottom shape on the waist, which I find most unflattering on myself.

Thanks!
Your fan

Piperlime RD Style High Low Pullover, $34.99

Answer:
Radical idea: if your sweaters can handle just a tiny bit of shrinkage, put them in the dryer--don't wash and lay them flat.

I buy sweaters one size too big, so I can just dry them with abandon with everything else. The sweaters that I absolutely don't want to shrink I take to the cleaners.
 
I think laying your sweaters flat often stretches them out, sometimes in ways you wish it wouldn't. In fact, if you do shrink a sweater, laying it flat is a good way to stretch it back out.
 
Meanwhile, you may be interested to see that the bell shape has become popular for some sweaters this season. Maybe that will make you feel better about your current bell-shaped ones, though I think you can recover their shape by using the dryer after rinsing them.

Warning: Never put wool sweaters in the dryer--they will shrink. MEOW! Take those to the cleaners. Figured you meant cotton ones. -- >^..^< FF

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