Now that fall’s cooler temperatures are upon us, it’s time to pull out your winter wardrobe. Some of your items should likely be saved, while others should be either given to charity or discarded.
To avoid public wardrobe malfunctions, here are some tips to keep you fashion forward and out of the fail zone.
Loose buttons
Buttons and buttonholes are notorious. Make sure they are secure by simply re-sewing the button on. Also snip away stragglers at the hem.
Scuffed shoes
No time to bust out the shoe polish? Give the leather a quick buffing with a microfiber cloth, the kind used for dusting.
Run-down shoes
Bring them to a cobbler. (Yes, they still exist.) In the meantime, hide nicked areas with a permanent marker of the same color.
Dingy white shirts
Don’t try to get a second wearing out of anything white. Any residue of perspiration, lotion, or perfume easily discolors the fabric if it sits too long, so launder immediately after wearing. To return a yellowed garment to sparkling white, wash it in a sink in the hottest water that the fabric will allow using an ounce of oxygen bleach (such as OxiClean; $8 at drugstores) for every gallon of water; let soak from 30 minutes to two hours.
Split leather pants
This happens more than you’d think. Leather warms up with your body heat. Roll them using your arms and hands and build some heat up before you put them on. This sounds odd, but they’ll be more pliable when pulling them on. Once you pull them on, do so gently.
Pilled Sweaters
Target the high-abrasion areas (underarms, cuffs, the sides of the torso, and wherever the strap of your handbag hits) where those fuzzballs, or pills, occur with an electric fabric shaver, said to work better than the manual options.
Too much cleavage
Not a sexy solution for that too-low neckline, but it works: fashion tape. Experts swear by it. Tape also works to close the space between buttons on a blouse. Not a tape fan? Consider wearing a matching camisole underneath.
Beat-up bags
Wipe dull or scratched leather with a clear leather conditioner. Also check for frayed stitching, which tends to start on the handles.
Static cling
Thanks to dry winter air and the mixing of natural and synthetic fabrics major static can occur. Run a wire hanger over the clothing after you’ve put them on to eliminate some of the extra charge. A quick rubdown using dryer sheets will keep you cling-less.
Deodorant marks
The trick to keeping solid product off clothing is to apply carefully. No one wants to stink up a conference room, but chances are you don’t need that much deodorant. Give it a second to absorb before you put on your clothes. If you still end up with white streaks, consider a tried-and-true method: the baby wipe.
Source: RealSimple.com; Glamour.com; Huffingtonpost.com.
