When you’re about to give a class presentation, go on a job interview, meet with a new client, or even embark on a first date, the last thing you need is for your clothes to start causing problems. However, these are exactly the situations when you’ll notice a deodorant stain, a ripped seam, or gum stuck to your pants—not the best first impression.
Don’t panic though! These are a few tricks to quickly solve the most common fashion emergency (all using items you have around the house or office) so you’ll never be caught unprepared again.
1. Sneaky Deodorant Marks
Source: The Fancy Pants Report
Have you noticed that you only get deodorant marks on the days when you really, really want to look good? Luckily, there are a few quick ways to get rid of these pesky white marks. Keep pair of spare pantyhose in your purse, stick your hand inside one of the legs and rub the nylon in small circles over the stain. The close-knit fibers will loosen up the deodorant until it’s not so noticeable.
But you can employ the same technique without pantyhose, too! Just use another part of your shirt to rub the offending mark. This should remove most of the deodorant streaks, and then you can wipe off any remaining residue with a little bit of water.
2. Exposed Bra Straps
Source: The Aloha Babe
Bras are finicky to say the least, and if your straps just won’t stay put, you may worry about one sliding down during your important presentation. However, you can put that worry to rest with a simple clothespin or paper clip. Use whichever you have handy to anchor the straps together between your shoulder blades, like they would appear on a racerback bra!
3. Slipping and Sliding Shoes
Source: Mirror Me
You don’t want to pull a Cinderella on your big day, but sometimes you just can’t help your feet from slipping out of pumps! The long-term fix is to invest in some heel grips, but in a bind, you can quickly solve this problem with hairspray. Just spray a little on the sole of your foot and slide your shoe on—the hairspray will make your foot sticky so it stays put!
No hairspray in sight? You can also try stuffing the toe of your shoe with tissues or even toilet paper to prevent your foot from sliding forward. (This only works with closed-toe shoes though.)
4. Gaping, Ripped Seams
Source: Style Your Senses
Forget searching for a sewing kit! All you need to patch up a ripped seam is a little bit of tape. Poke the fabric to the inside of the garment and then pinch together the loose edges of fabric. Fold them into place, and then put a few pieces of tape over the rogue seam to hold the edges together (on the inside of your garment, of course). It’s a great short-term solution, and no one will be the wiser.
5. Gum on Clothes
Source: Curvy Girl Chic
In an ideal world, people wouldn’t leave fresh gum on chairs, subway poles, or anywhere you might accidentally brush against. But that’s never reality! (Use a trashcan, people!) So if you do happen to sit in gum, there are a few ways to speed up the removal process. Duct tape will often lift fresh goo, or you can spray the gum with hairspray so it gets hard and then can be scraped off. If you’re at home, you can also use rubbing alcohol to the same end.