How to stop your zip falling down and other fashion hacks

The shortcuts you need to know.

We know fashion takes time, and even though you may assume the gang at Fashion Journal would typically be a carefully considered, fashionable bunch, we all have those days on which we succumb to the dirty shirt on the bedroom floor.

But we do also have some tips that help us get by, particularly on those ‘mornings after’ and especially handy for when you have little time to look your best.

Without further ado, we present Fashion Journal’s top fashion hacks that you need in your life now.

1.  Use a hair straightener as an iron 
No explanation needed, just don’t hold it in once place for too long, and for the love of god please don’t use it on polyester.

2.  Use a razor to de-pill clothes 
It seriously works. You may need to do this one the night before as it can take a little time, but you’ll have that jumper looking brand new in no time. It’s far less risky than using the scissors, for you and the jumper.

3.  Use a keyring to hold jeans up 
As being bootylicious is totally in right now, we are finding it a little more difficult to fit into our favourite pair of jeans. If you also have that problem where the zip keeps riding down, then keyrings are your new best friend. Loop the ring through your zip and then hook it over your button before you do it up. Now you can keep those favourite jeans from opening up and giving an unsuspecting onlooker a show.

Note: they also come in super handy when the strap of your handbag breaks, just loop it between the two clips.

4.  Stretch shoes with thick socks and a hairdryer 
Possibly the worst moment ever for us girls is seeing our dream pair of shoes, but in the size below. Well we’ve found a way around it. Put on your thickest pair of socks, those shoes and then blast with a hairdryer. This will help stretch the leather, should you need to wear the dream pair immediately (which you will). It also means you can skip over the painful break-it-in stage.

5.  Spray tights with hairspray to avoid ladders 
We all know about using nail polish to stop ladders in their tracks, but just because they aren’t getting any bigger, does not mean they aren’t outfit ruining. Avoid disaster altogether by spraying your tights with hair spray before you go out.

6.  Use ice to remove chewing-gum from clothes 
Emergencies happen, and silly people like to put their chewing gum in really annoying places (forever hating the person who left their chewing-gum on the train seat for my derrière). Save yourself the panic, grab some ice, a butter knife and get to work.

7.  Stop under-layers bulging with a tight singlet top 

Trying to achieve that sweet-layered look can be hard with thick fabrics or oversized pieces (read: boyfriend’s shirt). Odds are you’ll end up looking like a squishy Eskimo dressed for sub-zero temperatures. So instead, layer as much as you want, then cover with a tight-fitting singlet top before the last layer to avoid bulging.

Simples.