Top 10 "Save-the-Day" Fashion Fixes

You’re about to have your “red carpet” moment when you casually glance at the effortless swish of your knee-length frock and notice the hem has fallen. Or, perhaps, you’re radiant in head-to-toe summer white, when your dinner partner splashes a bit of red wine on your blouse. We’ve all had it happen-no need to fret.

We’ve consulted a team of experts- Vanessa Wakeman, owner of Indulgence event and wedding planning, in White Plains, New York; Renee R. Klein and Zoe Schaeffer, co-owners of Presse, a high-end fashion boutique in L.A.; and Jen Goodkind and Jayne Chase, co-hosts of “A Fashionable Life” radio show-to help you navigate even the most unexpected fashion emergencies.

Healing Heels

You’re ready to mix and mingle in your strappy stilettos and-as luck would have it-snap goes your heel. “You don’t want to spend an evening hobbling around,” says Klein. “Instant Krazy Glue To-Go is the answer. I always carry it with me.”

On the Spot

For treating spots and stains, Chase swears by Tide to Go sticks: “I carry at least one in my purse at all times.” Other remedies: get rid of makeup stains with baby wipes, which also help remove lint from clothing and dirt from shoes.

If you’re fortunate enough to catch a deodorant stain before leaving the house, Schaeffer recommends steaming the garment with a traditional steamer “or hanging it in the bathroom during a hot shower.”

A Bad Run

You can always rely on an old standby-clear nail polish. “Paint just a dab on a stocking run, and you’ll be good through your event,” says Schaeffer. Another quick fix, says Wakeman, “is a dash of hairspray.”

Weathered Leather

Nicked your leather bag, shoes, or belt? “Carefully touch up the area with a matching colored Sharpie,” says Schaeffer.

Hem havoc

The beauty of a sewing kit is that it’s compact and multi-functional. Goodkind divulges, “I always take them from the last resort I’ve been to,” which makes them free, too! Masking tape or duct tape can also come in handy. Grab the lighting guy/gal or musicians at the event, who usually carry tape in case it’s needed for their equipment.

Simply Strapped

Falling or snapped bra/dress/shirt straps can be a real nuisance and the easiest and most obvious answer is: “A safety pin,” says Chase. “Always carry small ones, which are less visible but still secure.”

Zip It

If your zipper is not ready to rise, “a bar of soap or wax candle rubbed gently onto the problem area should help it loosen up,” advises Wakeman.

Cute as a Button

If you have a button that’s floor bound, clear nail polish will come to the rescue, again. Dab the top of the button to prevent it from falling off. Another way to keep it tight: a storage bag tie. Peel off the plastic and thread the button with the metal strip.

Better Sweater

Rub a piece of Velcro up and down the fabric to remove sweater pills. For snags, take the tip of a closed pen, push the snag back through the inside of the garment and knot it.

Ear and Now

The backing of your earring has fallen on the dance floor and it’s nowhere to be found. “Not to worry,” says Wakeman, who’s seen this happen to more than one bride. “Take the eraser off a pencil and push it through the stem. You’ll be good to dance the night away.”

While emergency remedies are invaluable, averting disasters is obviously the way to go. Have the soles and heels of new shoes reinforced, and always be sure to waterproof suede shoes, advises Goodkind.

Chase also advocates carrying an extra jacket, a cashmere cardigan, or a pashmina in case you need to cover up a stain (or it gets cold!). And when all else fails, she says, “Think creatively. I once had a Ralph Lauren pink gingham dress with spaghetti straps. I had the straps taken in and the night I put on the dress, one strap broke. I didn’t have needle and thread, so I took the other strap off and wore it strapless. You know what? It looked better!”

Keep-handy Crisis Kit

Here’s a list of the must-have items that you may want to keep in your purse or in a plastic bag in the trunk of your car, in case of a fashion, beauty, or comfort emergency.

Baby wipes: To remove or reduce make-up stains on clothing. They also remove lint from clothing and dirt from shoes.

Blotting papers: For unexpected greasy moments.

Clear nail polish: For a torn stocking or loose button.

Hairspray: Also good for runs in stockings.

Masking tape or duct tape: For fallen hems.

Instant Krazy Glue To-Go: A quick fix for broken heels.

Mini sewing kit with safety pins: To temporarily mend fallen hems, broken straps, or small tears.

Mini umbrella: For unexpected rain showers.

An extra pair of pantyhose: Tuck them in a small plastic zipped bag.

Pen: A closed tip can help invert sweater snags; so can a small crochet hook.

Pencil: The eraser can be used to secure post earrings.

Sharpie markers: To dab scuffed or scratched leather on shoes, purses, belts, etc…

Soap: For a stuck zipper.

Tide to Go stick: To attack stains in an instant.

Velcro: To get rid of pills on sweaters.

Vaseline: Keep a small tube handy to rub on men’s or women’s patent leather shoes, so they don’t stick together while you’re dancing.

Cover-up (cashmere sweater, jacket, or pashmina): Good to keep in a plastic bag in the trunk of your car, to hide a stain or torn fabric, or simply for warmth in an overly air-conditioned venue or on a cool evening outdoors.

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