I carry around a little tin of fashion tape
You’d think that packing tape could serve the same purpose, but before lint rollers began popping up everywhere, I walked through life with CONSIDERABLY more cathair on my person.
I kinda hate jeans. I hated them way more before the advent of spandex. I’ll occasionally grab a pair of 100% cotton jeans at the thrift store, and they remind me how much better life is now that jeans have stretch.
Which style, clothing, grooming, or fashion-related inventions do you consider to be your personal life-savers?
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{ 63 comments… read them below or add one }
Definitely stretchy jeans. Also:
bamboo underwear (so soft!),
wedges (I cannot walk in stilettos!),
wide elastic belts (hello waistline!)
and silk flowers – they can turn any old boring outfit into instant glamour and you can pin them in your hair, on a lapel, on a handbag, use them as shoe clips… I LOVE them!
Sarah xxx
Definitely those pre-made lint rollers. You’d think tape would be fine, but lint rollers are much better. I have one at home, one in my glove compartment, and one in my office. With four cats you never know when you’re going to find a big patch of cat hair on yourself.
flat irons
YES!
Colour catchers for washing clothes without fear of ruin! A washing machine with a hand wash function! Lingerie bags. AHA and BHA exfoliants – never worry about flakes in foundation again! Tubing mascara – years of no mascara because it smudged on my glasses are over (and it’s easy and fun to get off with water only). Footless tights to wear under boots (normal tights quickly get a hole in the big toe which catches painfully). Aprons (cute ones) for housework and cooking – no-brainer, but a life-changer if you spill things on your clothes. Tweezers in my handbag, ‘cos it’s only when I’m out that I can see them hairs. A mirror in said handbag
. Cute comfort shoes, and foot petals for the ordinary kind. SHAPEWEAR – I wear things now that I wouldn’t consider when I was younger and slimmer, thanks to this! Ditto t-shirt bras with an inbuilt shelf. The Internet, for finding solutions to your most obscure skin or hair problem from acne to curls not “clumping”. I could go on…
I totally agree with your 3 Sally. I love and use them all – could not wear jeans until stretch ones appeared on the market. (And although not style-related, I’d dearly love to add oven thermometers and train timetables to the list of lifesavers!
)
So those color catchers really work, eh? I had my doubts!
Color catchers do really work…saved many a load from the trash…
I’ll third that about the color catchers. Love ‘em.
OMG — a bra that really fits!! And right behind that is cup-sized swimwear. I am hard to fit in that area and a bra that fits properly is worth every single penny and then some.
Smart Wool socks. My feet are frozen from October to March, and they’re a great help – they’re not scratchy, so I can wear them all day, they come in great colors, and they don’t slide down my ankles. Not exactly sexy – but they’re fantastic! They also don’t get stinky like regular socks, so you can get away with two days of wear if you haven’t done laundry and have a higher-than-average dirt tolerance. And they make those tiny little sockettes for wearing with flats – and they don’t slide off your heel! Ever!
YES. I have 6 pairs that have been worn HARD for the last 3 years (everything from month-long backpacking trips to walking to and from class) and aside from some piling, they are showing little sign of wear. Worth the extra $$$
…and they’re fabulous in the summer, too. especially if one has sweaty feet. They are never too hot with sneakers. You can find close-outs at Sierra Trading Post.
Grooming: really good tweezers and a magnifying mirror! And I’m with you on the two-sided tape – that plus safety pins of assorted sizes live in a permanent place in my purse.
I truly love jeans with spandex in them for our winters! It makes them so wonderful!
I also love that one’s hair style can be in style – no matter what! I wear my hair somewhat short, sometimes permed, because 1) it is baby fine hair and 2) it takes me about 10 minutes from wet hair to dry styled hair in the mornings – very important with 6 kids, full-time student, and work-from-home mom that I am!
The SWEATER SHAVER. Those small buzzing handheld things that shave the pills off old clothes and make them look like new.
Oh I second that one! I LOVE my sweater shaver.
Third! I love those things, and they’re super-cheap at Target. Plus, it’s oddly satisfying to shave a sweater.
The addition of the “petals” in my t-shirt bras.
A bottle of New Skin. It’s really the only chemical things I use on my body and it’s a life saver on papercuts, hangnails, cuts on your hands that you don’t want a band-aid on . . .
I know we are all different. I don’t happen to like stretchy jeans at all. A lot of people will “pour” themselves into size too small because they can… and it’s not pretty. Ha! Hmmm…. a lifesaver for me would be my housecoat on a cold winter’s morning. It’s snowing here pretty hard right now. This wonderful, fluffy, long housecoat has become something that I look forward to getting up and putting on each day!
Needle nosed pliers!! I use them all the time to save or re-do jewelry! Withou them I might toss many peices with problems….they save me money and allow creativity with my older peices of jewelry!!
3″ Hairpins are my lifesaver when it comes to styling my hair. I can do an updo in as little as 5 minutes – usually less. When you are trying to get the kids ready in the morning, quick hairdos are a must!
Second Base half-camisoles for hot weather.
I second stretchy jeans. Even just 1% spandex makes a HUGE difference in the fit of a pair of jeans.
Boy short unders for eliminating panty lines without letting it all hang out.
Also – at the risk of sounding like an old lady – the Maidenform bras that eliminate that weirdo “back bulge” that you can see through just about any top (http://www.amazon.com/Maidenform-Womens-Fabulous-Underwire-7669/dp/B000SL0UL0). Those bras are AMAZING.
On the gadget-y side, I love lint rollers and clear nail polish. I have lint rollers in multiple rooms at home, in my car, in my office, and sometimes in my purse or backpack. It’s a must to keep my clothes free of cat hair. I also have nail polish (to stop runs in tights and panty hose) at home and work and sometimes carry it around with me.
I love tights and boots! Since both have become more fashionable and easier to find in stores and more acceptable as professional wear, I have really upped the frequency with which I wear skirts and dresses. Before tights and boots were big, my main options were to wear skirts and dresses with panty-hose and pumps (or just sandals) and I get too cold for that, even throughout most of the summer months, never mind spring and fall or (heaven forbid) winter. Now, with the assistance of tights, boots (and hidden layers of extra tights and heavy socks), I wear skirts and dresses year-round.
hmmm… headbands, hats, bobby pins for a number of different fixes for greasy unwashed hair! Sometimes I just don’t have the time to shower before I go to class in the morning and I have to wait until I have free time later in the day, so I need an easy cover!
also scarves! for covering up stains on the front of my shirt! i also don’t really love my neck, so it helps to wrap a scarf around it!
ape-z.blogspot.com
Powerstep 3/4 insoles. While there is nothing that can save a truly uncomfortable pair of shoes, the powersteps hold up my flat arches, take up space in the inevitably too-roomy backs of my boots, and prevent the balls of my feet from taking all the strain from walking.
Moroccan Oil hair products- In my childhood, I was sometimes (kindly) called Hermione Granger because of the combination of bushy long hair and constant reading.
Little packets of tissues- I rolled my eyes the first time one of my friends pulled these out, but I buy them in bulk now!
Footpetals- I have an incurable addiction to sandals with very high heels, but a rather low tolerance for foot discomfort.
Perfume- I’ve started wearing a little most days. There are some heavy smokers at my college, and sitting next to them can be unpleasant. If I have perfume on, it filters the smoke smell pretty effectively.
Oh, and the little embroidered bag I keep in my purse that is filled with sanitary items. It looks almost like a clutch, so it’s a pretty discrete way to carry them around, and it makes friends more comfortable about borrowing when they can just take the whole bag to the privacy of the bathroom and find what they need.
My mom actually bought me two boxes of fashion tape about three or four years ago and it just sat in a dresser drawer because I always believed that fashion tape was a useless waste of time. Then the hem on a pair of dress pants fell as I was leaving for work and I dug out the tape. It worked perfectly and I realized I could use it for all kinds of problems like the boob gap on button down shirts!
I also could not live without “over the knee” socks (I buy mine at Target)–I’m 5’10″ with relatively long legs for my height and I was constantly buying knee socks that hit at mid-calf. They would stay up for about two seconds and then would sloooowly slide down into my boots. It was so annoying. And then I went to Target and bought a pair of over the knee socks on accident and on me, they were knee socks! That stayed! It was a Christmas miracle. I’ve bought about 10+ pairs thus far and I’ve given my old “knee” socks to my smaller friends.
Wow, that is a fabulous tip. I’m only 5’6″ but all leg and I have that problem all the time. I’m going to try that.
Blister block! I always take it with me when I’m wearing fancy shmancy shoes (or if I’m just going to be doing a lot of walking). And and ladies I’m with are always happy I have it on hand too.
The only problem is that it’s shaped like a tiny deodorant – more than a few times, people have asked me if I’m putting deodorant on my feet!
Wash-and-wear hairstyle. I have not owned a hair dryer since the ’80s.
Buying multiples of items that work for me, in various colors.
Having a “uniform.”
Scarves! Pashmina and silk, to give said “uniform” some spark.
Trouser jeans.
Naot brand shoes for my bad feet.
I don’t have a lot of my own life savers (tweezers, like others have said) but thought I would offer this story: I once asked my great-grandmother, age 94, what she thought had made the biggest difference to her over the course of her own long life. She thought a moment, and said, “Penicillin, and underarm deodorant.” I have been even more thankful for those ever since!
Love it! Oh man, I’d be a stink factory without deodorant. Especially during bike-commuting-summers!
Those little no-show socks that I wear with some of my flats and tennis/boat shoes. They make my feet that much comfier.
My pair of slippers that look kinda like boots (they have backs and are a little taller, and mine have bottoms that aren’t cloth). I don’t know what they’re called, but in the winter, they’re better than flipflops for taking the dog out for a quick pee, and regular backless slippers slip off my feet when I’m walking down the stairs.
Those watches with the interchangeable bands.
Hm, I wish you worked in my office. I could have borrowed your fashion tape today… button fell off blouse which left wonderfully unflattering gape… I’m with Eliza, little tissue packs are goldworthy.
a few things…
one, the doctor recently gave me prescription deodorant which has absolutely been a life saver. before i would sweat so much i managed to sweat through multiple layers of clothing AND a lined wool coat…
two, featherweight prescription glasses lenses. otherwise i’d be stuck with “coke bottle” lenses since my prescription is so strong. and i guess while we’re on the subject of glasses, i’m glad the plastic frame trend has stayed because i much prefer them to metal frames!
three, jeggings. not just because they are absolutely super comfortable and fit me well, but also because, and this is going to sound strange, but i have tiny tiny feet and styles such as wide-leg or flared tend to just engulf my feet and make me look ridiculous.
honorable mentions go to tinted chapstick and to eyeshadow palettes that come with the picture guides of how to apply them!
Does that deodorant really work? My husband has the same issue and has given up hope even after talking to physicians about it. I think this kind of deodorant might have been mentioned but not as something the physician thought worked very well. Would you mind commenting on what your prescription was actually for? Thanks!
I’m also a fan of spandex in jeans and couldn’t live without a lint brush (cats). I’m a fan of tinted moisturizer with SPF and Benefit’s mascara–the latter is the only one that doesn’t end up beneath my greasy eyes. Another tip, I get in grown hairs around my bikini line and once bought an expensive pack of “in grown hair preventer pads”–turns out the active ingredient is the same as in those anti-acne pads. I buy the ones for sensitive skin and use them on the days I don’t shave. I had almost given up shaving before I discovered this trick.
Totally stealing that one. I get bikini-line ingrowns CONSTANTLY.
Leggings with stirrups so they don’t ride up under boots
Plastic art supplies containers for organizing jewelry
Wine bottles for keeping boots upright
Bra wash bags, because even though I know I’m supposed to hand-wash my bras, I’m just too lazy
Vaseline for preventing blisters, soothing chapped lips and skin, removing eye make-up, making my perfume last all day, and keeping my nails from cracking
Baby powder for keeping my shoes dry and fresh-smelling and keep my roots from looking oily
P.S. In response to that last comment, another good way to prevent ingrowns and irritation (ahem) down there is to use Neosporin instead of shave cream. Seriously.
another thing that helps ingrowns anywhere is to use an oil (Bio-oil is amazing). Rub it on anywhere you plan on shaving a few minutes before you get in the shower. Shave like normal. the oil softens up the hairf and leaves your skin very soft after you shave.
Wool tights. Jeans in various inseams. Carrying nail clippers, scissors and chapstick in my purse. Super no-show socks.
Thinsulate anything –
i have two pairs of thinsulate boots that are fabulous in winter. And ditto whoever mentioned smart wool socks.
and also ditto: well fitting bra with the petals, I had forgotten about the straps that always fall down and the self-conciousness of a t-shirt until someone mentioned them – I swear by the Bali ones (very reasonably priced at the outlets).
And my ankle-length faux-shearling coat, which gets compliments every day, is super toasty, and best of all, machine washable, so after the storms and sludge, I can wash it and wear it the next day.
Any sort of shoe insert/blister blocker/stick-on that lets me walk all day without having shoe issues. And I’ve gotta say cashmere is a life saver. It’s lightweight yet warm and pretty durable. And lip balm. I’m a sucker for any lip product!
Spanx. Specifically the corset-thing that goes from the top of my hips to right under my bra, with straps so it doesn’t fall down, and doesn’t mush the girls. And apple-shaped women everywhere sang with joy.
Seriously, I wear styles that are slightly fitted around the waist now, where as before they would have been Spare Tire City. This particular thingy is also good at battling your Segmented Worm Syndrome.
Organic mascara. My eyes used to be so red all the time, and my eye doctor finally told me that eye makeup chemicals were probably the culprit. Also interesting tights–I wore plain black for so many years….
Bathing suit tops that come in bra sizes. Pants and jeans that come in “short” inseam lengths. Mineral makeup.
I actually prefer non-stretch jeans and lament they’re so difficult to find now. I also hate those stupid molded cup t-shirt bras that are so ubiquitous; a couple years ago it was horrible trying to find a strapless bra in my size that wasn’t that style.
Mascara. I have the shortest lashes known to man and although I don’t wear any other make-up (except lip gloss when I remember), I won’t leave the house without mascara.
Oh. And moleskin. I have moleskin in probably half of my shoes and I love it.
Blouses with ruffles!
They look great with almost anything, and they’re already embellished, so if you’re rushing, you don’t have to worry about accessories so much.
Lint rollers for the kitties, the hand wash function on my washing machine, and insoles for my skates!
Heck yes to lint rollers. And Tide To-Go stain remover pens. I spill so much on myself during the day that these really help get rid of most stains (and do some preventative pre-cleaning for darker stuff on hard -to-clean pieces). I have a couple in various purses and drawers around my home.
Moleskin Plus padding + blister bandaids. If I get a blister on the back of my heel or wherever on my foot, putting a blister band-aid on, then covering up the whole thing with Moleskin Plus padding makes me feel 100% better, and I can wear any shoe without limping. Now I always have both with me at work, and at conferences, just in case.
My ability to sew! I have to alter everything, pretty much, including shortening sleeves and hems. I also have to occasionally take in waists and let out bust darts. I can’t imagine the hundreds of dollars I’ve saved by doing this myself, not to mention I can get almost immediate results. Granted, I have a degree in fashion design (that I don’t use professionally) but I have to say that all the sewing skills I use for my own alterations are simple techniques my mom taught me as a young teen, so I am confident that anyone with a sewing machine can do this, even if they don’t know how to do full-on garment construction.
This is not a fashion saver, but since we’re talking hygiene products, too, I have to share: Lemisol. It is a “feminine soap” and is pH balanced. I used it as intended, ehem, and on my underarms. It restores pH and has a cooling menthol affect. I cannot get through a day without it.
http://www.amazon.com/Lemisol-LEMISOL-PLUS-8-OZ/dp/B000H8AE2E
Bag Balm is amazing. It comes in a green, square tin with a cow on the lid. It’s similar to vaseline, but it’s lanolin based. I keep it on my nightstand and I put it on my lips every night before bed (I also put it on my lips before I leave the house in the morning). It’s also great on your hands, or around your nose when it gets red from blowing your nose too much. It works wonders on my skin and is great for my eczema too. My mom used to put it on us for diaper rash. Bag Balm is also an antiseptic, so I put it on cuts. Anytime I travel, I always bring a tin!
Definitely stretchy jeans and sweater shavers. But my fave new find is Sally Hansen Quick Dry nail polish pens. It’s the only way I can do my own nails without them looking like a mess!
A sweater shaver! My dad brought one home from the Asian market over a decade ago and I used to carry it around with me everywhere!
Dryer sheets to keep on hand for on the spot static removal.
A-line shift dresses give me the illusion of having hips while minimizing my bust and my waist.
MorraccanOil hair serum…I was going to try to stay away from silicone hair products, but this stuff really does what it says it will do. Well, at least for my troublesome mane!
Ionic hair dryers…beat that hair static down!
Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate: I’m still nursing my daughter so my hormones make me break out pretty regularly. Since using this concentrate, I have noticed that my breakouts aren’t as bad. I also tend to get rashes around my eyes in the fall/winter and this stuff has kept it at bay.
Bamboo socks for my annoyingly sweaty feet.
Wedges, because this girl can’t walk in straight heels without tromping around like a show pony.
Raw Unfiltered Organic Apple Cider Vinegar…so versatile in it’s uses it can be ingested orally for probiotic benefits and used topically on the scalp to eliminate hair product buildup, dandruff and symptoms of itchy scalp. It can also be diluted and used on the face as an astringent.
Hmmmmm…. definitely a well-fitting bra – that seems to make a difference to almost any outfit I put on!
Stretchy tunic tops or even just general that are cut just right to put the emphasis where I want it to be. Especially now that my workouts are incorporating some upper body stuff and I like the way my shoulders are shaping up, stretchy tops are starting to give me a really nice outline. Plus, they’re easy to dress up or down for either work or casual wear, and I don’t have to iron them either!
- bra that really fits- and it looks like I lost a little weight, not to mention I feel better, when everything is in place
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- earring holders, I never have time to look through my jewellery boc in the morning.
Hmm… what is my fashion/ beauty-related lifesaver? Concealer, I guess. For undereye circles and acne scars that take months to fade. I’m currently using this one: http://www.esteelauder.com/product/spp.tmpl?CATEGORY_ID=CAT642&PRODUCT_ID=3923 (got it cheap Duty Free shopping) but Revlon’s Color Stay is pretty good too.
WOw some really great life-savers! Must try the sweater shaver–I’m still using a little pumicey-type sweater “comb” that works, but takes a lot of time.
My fashion life-savers:
Nylony-spandexy thigh shapers for under skirts (to prevent thigh chafing)
Lint rollers (so I don’t take my cat everywhere)
Portable sewing kit (for those frustrating garment mishaps)
Soma Intimates’ lace cami-bra (to fill in low necklines–and they come in many colors and many extended cup sizes! So pretty)
Wide-calf tall boots (my absolute FAVORITE!)
1.My Old Navy denim leggings…they’re jeans, but stretch and fit just like leggings
2.Lint Rollers when I am home w/ my long haired chihuahua Harley and his white fur ends up all over the apartment (and me)
3. my black studded tall Uggs… they’re comfy and actually stylish for Uggs
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