Fashion Emergency: Fast Fixes for Your Wardrobe

Michele Davis

Posted on December 07 2016

Fashion Emergency: Fast Fixes for Your Wardrobe

Fashion fixes

This is so me! Rushing out the door and you rip your tights or you look down to realize you have a huge deodorant stain on your favorite black dress. Well our fashion fairy godmother has a solution!

Deodorant Stain on Your Clothes

Fast fix:

Rub the fabric together. This will remove the white marks better than using a towel or other piece of fabric against it. White vinegar will also work wonders if your deodorant stains are stubborn. A dryer sheet is also pretty handy when it comes to removing the deodorant stains from your clothing!

Product Solution: Check out Braza

Wipe Out erasers. Use them dry, or get them slightly damp for expert removal

You Broke a Heel

Fast fix:

Glue, particularly super glue, is powerful and can quickly become your best friend when it comes to repairs. If your heel comes off on your way to a client meeting or is about to break, try to align it in its original position as best you can, apply super glue, and then apply pressure for a few minutes to ensure it will stay. (Remember: You’re going to be putting your weight on it, so try to have patience!)

Got more time? Invest in some Shoe Goo if you have a little extra time. (It needs 24 hours to dry). It’s permanent, waterproof and even binds leather to leather.

A Button Fell Off

Quick fix: Depending on where the button was, you can safety pin the area together if closure is the main concern. This is a good fix if it’s pants or a skirt, and you’re able to hide the area.

You Scuffed Your Shoes

Quick fix: Your solution to this everyday issue is not universal — it depends on the shoes you happen to be wearing: For leather, scrub away your scuffs with a little toothpaste; petroleum jelly will fix up your patent leather shoes and make them shine like new; brushing an eraser in one direction removes suede scuffs; and for your canvas kicks, use a baking soda paste.

You Tore Your Blouse

Quick fix: Rips are one of the worst emergencies, but they can also be one of the easiest to fix. For an emergency short-term solution for small tears, pull the loose and ripped fabric through to the other side (to the inside of the garment). Be sure to pull in all the little fibers and loose threads, as well, then apply some tape to the inside, covering all the edges. This works especially well on thin, dark colored fabrics.

Got more time? For a more permanent fix and for heavier fabrics, iron on a small patch on the inside (cut it to the smallest size needed to cover the tear). If done properly, the rip should be fairly imperceptible.

You Spilled on Yourself

Quick fix: Different stains demand different remedies, but white vinegar can attack almost everything, including coffee, wine, grease, sweat and ink. Just saturate the stain with the vinegar, let it soak a few minutes, then wash it out. Heavy blotting with Club Soda is also an easily accessible fix — it even gets out blood and red wine. (Tip: Blotting works better than rubbing when it comes to fresh stains.)

Got more time? Dryel on the Go(which is safe on dry-clean-only clothes and comes complete with a scrubber tip) or Tide To Go are both purse-friendly stain sticks.

There’s a Hole in Your Stockings

Quick fix: Clear nail polish can be a lifesaver when it comes to keeping a run in your hose from getting bigger just by dabbing a little on either end of the run. Plus, almost everyone has some in their cupboard or office drawer or can readily access some from a nearby nail salon or drugstore.

Chapstick also works for stocking runs, until you wash them. This is an even better quick fix for me, because I always have chapstick,

A spritz of aerosol hairspray has a similar effect and will stop a run

Got more time? While clear polish is a great emergency fix, it had some downfalls. So consider keeping some Run Free on hand, as well. It’s odorless, invisible, doesn’t stick, doesn’t get hard and holds up in the wash.

Your Hem Came Undone

Quick fix: Double stick tape is readily available and the fastest solution possible when your hemline dips below your preferred length. Place a strip of tape that runs the length of the ripped hem, then fold the hem up and apply pressure, smoothing the hem to seal it.

Got more time? Fashion tape is stronger than your average double stick tape (so it’s better for thicker fabrics like jeans) and can fix everything from a hem to a broken zipper, as well as keep a neckline or bra strap in place.

You Have Pet Hair on You

Quick fix: Form wide tape, like packing tape or duct tape, into a loop big enough to fit your hand in it. Then blot the fabric to pick up hair or lint, turning the tape as you go. You’ll likely need several tape loops, depending on the surface area.