Major Solutions for Minor Dilemmas

Stylish young woman zipping up her boots ready to go out

How many times have you been ready to walk out the door, only to discover a major tragedy has befallen your outfit?  Discover short, easy and relatively painless solutions that will revitalize your wardrobe.

Keep a clever arsenal of handy helpers at the ready and easily accessible. The best place to store these items is in a small hanging cosmetic bag that you can keep in your closet.

What you need to assemble:

1) Clear nail polish. 2) Glue stick. 3) Masking tape or duct tape. 4) Stick on Velcro. 5) Small pair of scissors. 6) Small, white candle. 7) Safety pins. 8) Sewing needles with large eyes

Now you are ready to tackle most minor problems.

  • Stuck zipper - Rub a small amount of candle wax onto the area of the zipper closest to the stuck zipper pull. Work the zipper until you work it free.
  • Zipper won’t stay up - Use a safety pin, loop it through the small opening that is found at the tip of almost every zipper pull, and secure the zipper to your waistband.  Be sure to attach the pin with the sharpest side facing outward to avoid becoming pinched.
  • Loose hem - Use a strip of tape (the heavier the fabric, the stronger the tape) to secure the hem until you have more time to sew it up.  sIf you will be wearing the outfit for a long period of time, try to use adhesive backed Velcro.
  • Clothing pulls - Use a small needle with a large eye to thread the pull to the underside of the garment.  Secure it with clear nail polish, especially if it is long in length.  Try to use a smaller needle for finer fabrics.
  • Run in your pantyhose - Use a small dab of clear nail polish to stop the run from getting any larger.

A clothing emergency occurs and you are not at home.  Not a problem if you think creatively.  Hem needs a lift?  Use scotch tape or a large Band-Aid.  Zipper won’t stay up?  Use a small, coated paper clip.  Run in your hose?  Use a bit of washable glue or glue stick.

Some mistakes are more easily taken care of if they are simply avoided in the first place.  Follow these simple suggestions and enjoy the absence of stress in your dressing moments.

  • Drip Dry Clothing - Invest a few pennies in the purchase of plastic hangers and avoid those unsightly rust spots that may occur if a wire hanger is used to dry your clothing instead.
  • Donning pantyhose - If your hands become rough during the winter months, simply apply hand cream or lotion on a nightly basis.  If you’ve forgotten to keep up with this ritual, simply apply a small amount of cream or lotion and work it into the fingertips while applying it over the hands before putting on the pantyhose.
  • Shoes - If your feet have a tendency to perspire, especially if you wear nylon hose, avoid the resulting odor by placing a fresh dryer sheet in the toes of the shoes.  Should the shoes become excessively damp, place balled up newspaper in the entire shoe.  This will not only absorb the dampness, but also the odor.
  • Clothing pulls - Some pulls can be easily avoided by paying attention to the surfaces that you sit upon.  Never sit directly on concrete or unsanded wood since these surfaces are notorious for creating pulls.

Preparing for the unexpected is stress free.  Being prepared when the unexpected occurs is stress free.  Remember the motto of the better-dressed woman, quick and easy makes my day!

By Susan M. Keenan
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(Related Categories: Make Clothing Last, Stains, Repairing & Restoring)