You’ve all seen them, the ideas for “life hacks”— as if hacking were safe— most likely somewhere within the depths of Pinterest. So of course we here at Her Campus are going to take these tools that make some aspect of life easier or efficient and apply it to what we love: fashion. Here are 20 Fashion Hacks Every Collegiette Needs to Know in order to look good and save money while doing so.
Spraying tights with cheap hairspray helps to avoid holes and runs.
To remove the slight odor that comes with thrifted and vintage fashion, simply spritz the items with a mixture of of one part vodka, two parts water to get them smelling fresh and like new.
Keep jeans fresh and zap odor by placing them in a plastic bag and putting them in a freezer for two days.
Spray the underarm area of shirts prone to sweat stains with lemon juice before washing. The natural acid in lemons dissolves sweat reside that could cause that yellow discoloration everyone hates.
Shaving cream, when applied lightly with a washcloth as a makeup remover to remove liquid foundation from shirt collars.
After a shower, use your hairdryer to demist bathroom mirrors in seconds!
Instead of buying pricy, brand name ones, make your own spot remover to treat stains, compliments of Glamour Magazine.
Never put swimwear in the washing machine, and always hang-dry. The machine will damage the suit and it will lose its elasticity.
Use pre-moistened makeup removing wipe to clean up that powdery mess in the bottom of your purse from when a blush or bronzer breaks.
If you’ve broken a bronzer, blush, or powder don’t throw it out! Simply add a cap full of rubbing alcohol and mash up the pieces to form a liquid with a spoon. Let it dry overnight and it’ll be good as new.
If your pants are a little bit too tight let them air dry and then stretch the waistband by hand while they’re still damp, it’ll give them just the right amount of give necessary.
A hot glue gun works surprisingly well to hem skirts and pants when a tailor isn’t around.
Love how a pair of jeans looks but don’t have the time to try them on? Try the Neck Method to quickly determine your size. Wrap the waistline of the jeans around your neck; if the waistline of the pants comfortably meets at back of your neck, then the jeans will fit, and you can confidently take them to the cash register.
As a general rule of thumb, everyday bras should be replaced every three to six months, the time when they start losing elasticity and support.
To stretch shoes that are too tight shoes, fill two freezer bags with water and place one in each shoe and let them freeze overnight. As the water freezes, it’ll gently expand your shoes.
To remove watermarks from leather boots, add a few drops of vinegar to a bowl of cool water and scrub the stains with a soft bristle brush until stains are no longer visible. Let it dry overnight before wearing.
In order to keep this winter’s massive patent leather collection looking shiny and new, all that’s needed is some Windex and some paper towels. The chemicals won’t do any damage to the material, so all those patent leather boots, skirts, leggings, and other shiny garments will come out better than ever.
This one is less of a hack and more of a PSA; the power of a silk pillowcase isn’t a myth. Not only do they prevent sleep creases from forming across your face, but they’re much gentler on skin and hair, not to mention they’re just more comfortable overall…
A sound fashion hack is to not buy items you know you won’t properly care for. For example, if you know you’re never going to hand-wash that delicate cami or beaded sweater, don’t buy it. And are you really going to take that dress to the drycleaners?
Cut down your closet by asking yourself this one question: “If I were shopping this very moment, would I buy this item?” If the answer’s no, out it goes. Donate the excess items to charity.