40 FASHION TIPS EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

No one wants to deal with a wardrobe malfunction. From squeaky shoes, lipstick stains and even dull mascara, we’ve all experienced a fashion problem that left us clueless on what to do about it.

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We share with you the top 40 fashion tips and hacks every woman should know to keep you looking stylish. Keep these nifty tricks up your sleeve to ensure you’re always ready for those unexpected fashion mishaps.



1. When you’re shopping for a jacket, coat, or a blazer, pay attention to the fit around the shoulders. A good tailor would be able to alter the fit, shorten the length and taper the waist but they wouldn’t be able to change the shoulders. When trying on a blazer or coat make sure the seams are sitting on the bony tops of your shoulders.

2. Second-hand clothing and thrift shop clothing often have an unpleasant stale odour. Get rid of that musty smell by mixing one part vodka and two parts water into a spray bottle and then spritz on the musty clothes. As the alcohol evaporates it will lift the odours away.

3. Ever wondered how to get the white marks on your shirt caused by deodorant? Rub a pair of pantihose against the smudges using brisk action. The marks will fade and disappear.

4. Taking care of a leather handbag can be tricky and those dreaded oil stains are inevitable. You can save your leather handbag by coating the oil stain with baby powder and let it sit overnight. Check the progress in the morning, the stain should be gone, if not repeat the process until the mark disappears completely.

5. It’s important to have clothes that fit because the fit is the key to looking good and feeling fabulous. Before purchasing your clothes check the labels, for the formula 95% cotton and 5% lycra spandex for T-shirts, and at least 2% Lycra for jeans to hold their shape.

6. Don’t give up on your winter jerseys and clothes just because of lint balls. You can fix your clothes very easily and cheaply by using a simple pumice stone. Just lightly rub the pumice stone on the affected areas of your clothes for a few minutes and watch as the lint balls fall off.



7. Some of us are not fans of the fitting rooms when buying clothes. A great tip to see where the hem of a dress will hit you is to align the shoulder seam with your shoulder, not your collarbone. You will be able to see where the hem will lie and how a show or long the dress will be.

8. Lipstick stains are quite tough to get rid of, the oily, pigmented and waxy product gets caught in the fibres of the clothes making it tough to remove. One easy way to remove the stain from your clothes is hairspray. Spray hairspray onto the stain and let it sit for up to 15 minutes, then dip a clean cloth in warm water and use it to wipe the hairspray off the stain.

9. Walking around with squeaky shoes can be somewhat embarrassing. To remove the noisy sound, spread a thin layer of Vaseline under the insole to help the parts rub against each smoothly.



10. The best way to decide on the length of a pencil skirt is to make sure it lies at the top of your knee. If it’s longer than that it will give the illusion of having shorter legs, remember to keep it knee-length as this the most flattering length for your body.

11. A quick and easy tip for folding jeans: Lay your jeans on a flat surface and fold from left to right. Take the jean legs and fold them in half so that the hem of the jeans lines up with the waistband. Lastly, fold the jeans in half one more time. An easy tip that will make your wardrobe looking very neat.

12. To create the illusion of having longer legs, try wearing pumps in the same colour as your skin tone. This trick will make your bare legs look longer and extend your legs by a few extra centimetres.

13. Your sneakers can often get a bad odour from sweat. To get rid of the smell, sprinkle two or three tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda inside the shoes, tilt and distribute the powder evenly covering the inside of the shoes. This will eliminate any odour and absorb perspiration.

14. Use a lemon wedge to remove excess or streaky self-tanner. Grab a lemon wedge and squeeze the juice onto a cotton pad. Wipe to remove visible splotches. For extreme streakiness, mix a few teaspoons of lemon juice with baking soda to create a paste and use that to wipe off the affected area.

15. For tight shoes, your fridge can help. If you fill a couple of freezer bags with water, place them in your shoes, and put them into your freezer to stay overnight, you’ll be able to see a huge difference in the morning.



16. A statement belt can make any outfit better. If used the right way, it will accent your figure by making your waist thinner. So you should find a way to make your belt pop, and the best way to do it is for it to be a different material or/and opposite material than your garment.

17. If your shoes are too tight and need to be stretched a little and very quickly. Try wearing a thick pair of socks with the shoes and then heat the tight spots with a hair blow dryer for a couple of minutes.

18. To prevent your favourite pair of dark jeans from fading, try soaking them in cold water and vinegar. Add one cup of distilled white vinegar to the basin with cold water and let them soak for about an hour. If you’re using a washing machine add a cup of the vinegar to your wash cycle but do not use detergent with it.



19. To help manage your closet better. Use hangers to see which items you hardly and never wear by hanging everything up with the hooks facing one way. Flip the direction when you wear a piece. After two months, you’ll be able to see your most worn items and the clothes you hardly wear.

20. To stop your jewellery from discolouring and rusting, store your jewellery in a ziplock bag to keep it from getting scratched, blackened or stained.

21. Bring back the sparkle to your ring by scrubbing it with bicarbonate of soda or toothpaste. This helps to bring back the shine and shimmer.

22. Vaseline helps with so many things and surprisingly helps with getting your zipper unstuck as well. By greasing the zip of your item it acts as a lubricant and quickly eases the zip and unlocks it.

23. If you don't have time to try on a pair of jeans, wrap the waist of the jeans around your neck. If you can touch the two ends together around your neck, the jeans will likely fit.

24. Clean your diamond engagement ring by soaking it in a small bowl, with one part liquid hand wash and three parts warm water. Leave for 15 minutes, carefully rinse with water and then dry it with a cotton cloth.

25. For perfect nail polish application, apply Vaseline on your nail cuticles using a cotton swab, and you won't have any messy-looking fingers.

26. For a longer-lasting scent, apply a tiny dab of Vaseline to your skin, on the areas such as your pulse points, behind your ears and anywhere you'll be spritzing your perfume. The Vaseline absorbs the scent for a more lasting effect.

27. To thicken your eyelashes, apply a coat of mascara, then apply baby powder on your lashes using a cotton swab, finish off with another coat of mascara then curl your lashes with an eyelash curler.



28. An underwire popping out from your bra can be such an inconvenience and very uncomfortable to endure. A quick fix to that problem is moleskin, the fabric you find in most plasters or bandaids. Just push the wire back and cover the hole with super glue and a strip of the moleskin.

29. Use clear nail polish to tighten sunglasses screws. If the arm of your sunglasses is a bit loose and you don’t have a tiny screwdriver, dab some clear nail polish over the hinge to help temporarily tighten it.

30. Did you know that the inner lining of a banana skin can polish up your shoes?Rub the banana peel all over the leather on the outside of your shoes just as if you were using shoe polish. Wipe with a soft cloth and buff your shoes for that shine.

31. Getting sweat rings, and that yellowish ring around the pits of your white shirts is expected especially during the summer heat. To help get rid of the stain, before you wash it, spritz a little lemon juice on the area to break down the stain then wash it with bleach and air dry in the sun.



32. Create the appearance of a thicker, fuller ponytail by stacking two ponytails.Divide your hair into two equal parts and create two ponytails, one on the bottom part of your head and the other at the top part. Let the top ponytail fall into the second bottom pony, which will camouflage it. Tie it together and voila! You now have one fuller and voluminous ponytail.

33. Give your worn out heels a makeover with some glitter. Get yourself some glue and glitter in your favourite colour. Use the glue to paint over your worn-out heels then sprinkle the glitter and let it dry off.

34. Make your nail polish dry faster by soaking your nails in ice water after painting them. Fill a bowl with ice and water, and soak your nails for a few minutes after painting them. The cold water will set the paint and help your nails dry faster.



35. The quickest way to de-puffing and tightening your under-eye skin is to apply a cold, caffeine-based product, like two cold green-tea bags, under your eyes for five or six minutes.

36. To help with painful feet in high heels, tape your third and fourth toes together to help ease the aching on your feet. Another tip is to buy heels that are a size bigger, it’s also a great way t prevent blisters.

37. If you don’t have time for a manicure, clean and brighten nails by buffing them with a toothbrush and a dab of whitening toothpaste. Finish with a swipe of cuticle oil for a pretty and healthy-looking sheen.

38. We all have our favourite colours to wear, but the truth is some colours suit you better than others. This is because of our skin tones and how the colour complements it and brings out its radiance. To make sure you look amazing in every outfit, choose colours that flatter your skin tone the most and show of your complexion.

39. Be prepared for any wardrobe malfunction by creating your own styling kit to help you should something go wrong with your outfit. A styling kit can be a true lifesaver, be sure to pack a stain-removing spray or pen, a lint-roller, a lint remover, a needle, and some thread, plus safety pins are basic fashion must-have emergency items.



40. Pre-select outfits for busy mornings. Save time and energy by setting out your outfits the night before, which will allow you to properly plan your look for the next day without any rush. If you’re feeling extra organised, you can even pre-select looks for the entire week.