We’ve all been there: a run in a stocking with no replacement in sight. Or a hemline that splits just as you’re running into a meeting. Fashion emergencies rarely happen when there’s a convenient solution nearby. But with this list, it can be easy to treat the problem for the moment until you can have it permanently solved. Here are some quick and easy fixes to get you through or help you avoid some common wardrobe malfunctions.
8 Emergency Fashion Fixes
- Double-Sided Tape – To avoid a wardrobe malfunction and keep low-cut tops or plunging necklines in place, try double-sided tape on the inside of your garment. You can use generic double-sided tape or “fashion tape” cut into smaller strips and meant for fabric like these found on Shop.com. Double-sided tape also works well on loose hemlines.
- Twist Tie for a Loose Button – For a loose or fallen button, find a twist tie (the kind you’d find on a bread package), strip away the paper, pass it through the front holes on the button and twist tie it behind the fabric. Be sure to only use on loosely threaded fabrics, such as on a sweater. If you try this on fine silk or delicate garments, it will only ruin your clothes.
- Deodorant Removal Sponge – To remove deodorant stains quickly, rub the fabric against itself until the stains come off. If that doesn’t work, try these deodorant removal sponges for men or women.
- Eraser Earring Back – If you lose the back of an earring, make it stay put by taking the eraser out of a mechanical pencil (or pulling one off a regular pencil), slicing it thin and poking the earring through to create the hole in the middle. Make sure you take it off to poke the hole through to make sure you have it centered correctly.
- Graphite or Soap for Stuck Zippers – For zippers that won’t run, try rubbing the graphite from a pencil up and down the teeth on garments with dark fabrics. For lighter fabrics, try a white soap bar (while it’s absolutely dry).
- Dryer Sheets for Static Cling – Rub a dryer sheet all over a garment to remove static cling. It’ll smell nice, too!
- Deodorant for Breaking in Shoes – To avoid blisters while breaking in a new pair of shoes, rub your foot with deodorant to avoid rubbing. Always keep Band-Aids on-hand in case the deodorant starts to wear off.
- Clear Nail Polish or Hair Spray for Stocking Runs – Stop a stocking run in its place with clear nail polish applied directly to the root of the problem. If you don’t have nail polish nearby, try hair spray. It should hold the run until you can switch to a new pair.
Got any tricks up your sleeve? Leave them in the comments! I’d love to know how you cope with a wardrobe malfunction.
