Ever wondered where the verb "ironing" came from? This 
shows you some of that story. The main point is that the tool to flatten all the creases in your cloths was basically a big box of iron heated traditionally by dropping glowing coals into them. Of course once electricity came, people wanted electric irons, since glowing coals sometimes caused burn marks if some glowing tiny piece of coal dropped out of the iron.
I think nowadays many people never iron their clothes, since many fabrics don't wrinkle in the laundry anymore. I certainly don't, because putting on a T-shirt takes the folds out in mere minutes. So it is perfect to wear by the time I step outof the car and enter the office.