Surviving Life's
Fashion Emergencies
By Kristen Kaleal

Life is certainly full of unexpected little glitches - from running to a meeting and snapping a heel to being at a wedding and realizing the hem of your dress has fallen. Just ask Janet Jackson.…it seems like wardrobe malfunctions happen at the most inconvenient times.

Here are 10 tips for surviving some common fashion emergencies:

1. Makeup Stains:

Baby wipes are ideal for removing or reducing makeup stains on clothing. They also come in handy for removing lint from clothing and dirt from shoes.

Warning: Do not try to remove any stains from silk - those need to be taken to a dry cleaner.

2. Fallen Hems

To tack a hem in a hurry, use Hollywood Fashion Tape or ResQ tape, which can be found in stores that sell sewing supplies. This is a double-sided tape especially designed as a temporary fix for clothing.

3. Slipping Bra Straps

There are three fixes for this:

1. again, use Hollywood Fashion Tape to stick the strap to your shoulder.
2. cut and reattach the back straps further in toward the center of your back - this is best left to a seamstress or tailor, or
3. purchase bra clasps - these are attached at the back and pull the two back straps together - however, you will need a second pair of hands for this.

4. Hosiery Runs

This is getting to be less of a problem as fewer and fewer people are wearing hosiery these days but...a small run in pantyhose can quickly turn into a full-fledged tear. Use clear nail polish to stop a run as soon as you see it. (Also, keep a spare pair with you at all times)

5. Static Cling

This happens most often when you're wearing a skirt. For a quick fix, rub hand cream onto your thighs (over hosiery if necessary). To prevent static, spray anti-static spay into the inside of your skirt.

6. Stuck Zipper

First, try running a lead pencil along the zipper's teeth. If this doesn't work, then rub a bar of soap or a wax candle onto the problem area. With a little manipulation, the zipper should come unstuck.

7. Loose Buttons/Fraying Button Threads

A loose button can quickly turn into a missing button. Dot the top of the button with a little clear nail polish to prevent it from completely falling off. Reattach it firmly ASAP.

8. Sweater Snags

Never cut a snag off as this will cause the garment to unravel. Instead, use a snag needle.

Simply push the ball point needle into the garment at the base of the snag and when the roughened end of the needle is at the surface of the garment, twist it and it will catch the snag - pull the needle through the garment and the snag will be pulled through as well.

9. Broken Drawstrings

This happens to my yoga pants quite often. Buy a new drawstring from a store like JoAnn Fabrics. Pin a large safety pin onto one end and thread the string through the garment. Knot both ends and it should be as good as new.

10. Pilled Sweaters

These can be removed either with a lint scraper (rub across the sweater to remove pills) or a pill razor; an apparatus much like a man's shaver that is used to shave the pills off a sweater.

Please don't stand there pulling lint off yourself like a monkey! You can also rub a piece of Velcro along the pilled fabric to remove them.

With a little advance planning, most of our little fashion emergencies can be stopped before they become full-on disasters!

Kristen Kaleal is an image consultant and corporate speaker. She is the style and image expert for ClevelandWomen.com and can be reached at (440) 742-0385 or kristen@ClevelandWomen.com.

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