Whether it’s a clumsy wine spill or your favourite necklace snagging onto your dress, little disasters can befall anyone’s clothing on a fancy night out! Here are five things that can go wrong, and how to fix them like a pro.
Wine spills
If you’re going to a formal party, it’s likely that wine will be served and while wine is good for drinking, it can also make for a stubborn stain. If you accidentally spill wine on your dress, immediately dab spot with a moistened paper towel or napkin. Be sure that you don’t rub off the stain as doing so can cause for it to spread. You can also put on some salt on the stain to help it dry faster and not spread. Another way to neutralise a red wine stain is by dabbing some white wine or club soda onto it.
Makeup stains
The good news is that getting makeup on your dress is easier to deal with than a red wine stain.
If you get lipstick on your dress or top, don’t rub the stain – that’ll just cause it to spread and make it harder to remove. Instead, dab it with tissue to reduce visibility, then with a sponge or cloth – ideally one that’s been dipped in vodka. When you get home, leave a bit of dishwashing liquid on the reverse side of the fabric from the stain for a for a few minutes, then give the garment a bit of a scrub and then rinse off and wash as usual. For powder-based products like blusher, powder base or eyeshadow, you can use a piece of bread as an ultra-absorbent eraser by brushing a tiny piece of it over the mark. Maybe it’s safe to assume that the best parties are the ones that serve vodka and snacks, then?
Remember, too, that there are products created especially for this – if you’re trying to remove a stain caused by foundation or eye makeup, your best bet is an makeup wipe, so get into the habit of carrying a few of these in your bag.
Snagging jewellery
Jewellery can be a bit of hazard to your dress. When it comes to delicate fabrics, be careful while trying to untangle snagged jewellery: resist the urge to pull the thread to avoid unraveling the whole dress accidentally – instead, reach for a sewing needle and push the thread inward to keep it from getting snagged again. You can also do a few loose stitches if materials are available, otherwise, take your dress to a trusted repair shop after wearing it. You should also let professional dry cleaning services handle your bedazzled dresses as they require extra care.
A broken strap or zipper
Even if your dress feels secure and clings to your body, the unexpected can happen and a strap or the zipper can break. The only sure-fire way to get around this is to keep an emergency sewing kit in your handbag or clutch and whip it out to mend your dress, should this happen. You can also use safety pins for broken zippers – pin the dress from the inside so the metal can’t be seen.
Gum stuck on your dress
Gum sticking onto your clothes is a bit of a nightmare. It’s not only messy but it can also ruin a good dress if it isn’t treated properly. Luckily, there are lots of ways to remove gum from clothes. If you’re still at the party, grab an ice cube and rub it on the gum until it hardens. Once the gum is stiff, you can carefully scrape it off using a butter knife.
If you’re lucky enough to get home without causing too much damage on your dress, you can use household materials to remove the gum. One way to do this is by wrapping your dress in a resealable bag and putting it in the freezer, making sure that the side where the gum’s stuck is facing up so you can see if it has hardened. When it has, use a butter knife to scrape off the gum. Other tools you can use to remove gum are orange oil, hair spray, and duct tape.
And one more thing…
Aside from knowing what to do in the case of an emergency, it’s also important that you know your dress well before you wear it. Inspect the seams, all the parts, and the different fabrics. Look for areas that might need to be worked on and may need more thread, like the straps, zippers, and buttons.
And remember: play it cool when you experience a fashion blunder – you’re only as gorgeous as you are confident.
