Tricks of the Trade

Here are some helpful hints for beauty and other crises that I have picked up along the way, either from personal experience, friends, or my vast repertoire of glossy magazines!

Stains
- Aspirin for pit stains
- Fabric against fabric rub – works particularly well for white deodorant marks
- White Wine on Red: You are at a party and you spill red wine on your shirt. If there’s no Oxy Clean around, just spill some white on top of the red and it will act as a pre-treater until you take care of the stain when you get home.

Fading
- Don’t you hate it when your fave black tee turns greenish-grey from too many washings? Revive your wardrobe and restore your ebony pieces to their original luster for a mere $3.00, using RIT dye. It takes about 45 minutes and the results are spectacular! Just remember to wash those dyed items separately to avoid bleeding!

Polishing
- Windex for patent leather
- In a pinch, vegetable oil for leather shoes (though honestly, girls, it’s time you all invested in a home leather maintenance kit, complete with cloths, brush, buffer, and polish in black and natural). There is no excuse for scuffed-looking shoes!

- For wet shoes: do not attempt to dry by placing near heat!! Simply roll up some newspaper and tuck it inside each shoe. When it is saturated, replace with fresh paper. This will absorb the moisture without leaving water stains!

Beauty
- Pasties: not just for strippers anymore! There is a time and a place for nipple-itis. I’m not sure what that is, so to be on the safe side, wear Low Beams or something of that ilk – available in the lingerie department or on ebay!
- Hemorrhoid Cream for tautness on the beach; models smear this stuff on their thighs before runway shoes to tighten the skin. Mind you, it is only a temporary fix.
- Rubbing Alcohol to clean excess hair color from brow after dyeing; this helps avoid the dreaded forehead stain. Also an alternative to astringent and a great way to sanitize nicks from shaving.
- Baby Powder. In a pinch, if you don’t have time to wash your tresses and are all out of Bumble & Bumble’s incredible Hair Powder, use baby powder on an oily scalp. This works especially well for blondes!

Storage
- Tupperware for shoes: (a) group by type--slingbacks, sandals, etc.; (b) use clear boxes and/or affix photos to the end of each to ensure ease of locating your fabulous footwear
- Pillowcases for handbags
- China plates and bowls for jewelry (See photo from Wallpaper Magazine’s Jan. 2008 issue, accompanying article entitled “Open Drawer Policy” viewable at marthastewart.com)

Travel
- To avoid wrinkling, pack delicate items in dry-cleaning bags! Then hang them in the shower in the hotel for a quick steam upon arrival! You can also invest in a travel steamer – they are inexpensive, tiny, and easy to use. There is nothing less attractive than a gorgeous dress that is sadly rumpled!
- Space saver: pack your socks INSIDE your shoes; that way, your footwear maintains its shape and you save those precious few square inches in your luggage for other essentials!

Fashion Credits: Photo of Incredible Alessandro Dell'Acqua Multicolored High Heel Sandal, courtesy shopbop.com