1. Life Extenders for New Clothes

When you first buy new clothes, there are a few fashion fixes to attend to before hanging them in your closet. Fasten any loose threads by pulling them to the wrong side and securing or even completely trimming them. If you have patch pockets, reinforce the stitching on them by sewing a small triangle at the top corner of each pocket. Protecting your clothes from perspiration will also extend their lifespan. Use cotton underarm shields and let your clothes that can only be dry-cleaned dry in the air to remove all the sweat – turn them inside out on the hanger for the best results.

2. Make Leather Last

Keeping leather products in good condition is important. If the leather is soft, you can use temporary fluorocarbon spray like 3M Scotchguard regularly after every few weeks. Rubbing cold cream on leather using your fingers and then wiping off the excess with a cloth will help prolong the life of leather goods.

3. Stalking Perfect Stockings

The crazy idea of freezing your pantyhose before wearing does actually prolong their life. Wash them, wring them, and then put them in the freezer in a plastic bag. When you need them, take them out and dry them.

4. Twice as Nice

Shirts often wear out at the collars or cuffs and your first thought is to throw them away. However, you can carefully remove the collar at the seam from the point where it is attached to the shirt. Then reattach it with the other side showing. You can even get a bit innovative here and make your own collar or leave the shirt collarless. If your cuffs fray, cover them with satin binding.

5. Shoe Shine

Fashion fixes apply to your shoes too. Don’t leave salt stains to just sit there because they won’t go away. As soon as you can, remove salt stains from your shoes using a cup of water with 1 tablespoon of white vinegar in it. Tar and grease stains can be removed from shoes using nail-polish remover, but test for color-fastness on a tiny hidden patch first. Prolong the life of your leather shoes with an application of petroleum jelly.

6. Canvas Clever

It is always wise to protect your canvas shoes and other canvas accessories. A can of canvas protector or even spray starch will work wonders. Another way to prolong the life of canvas shoes is to wash and dry them, stuff them with paper towels, cover them with liquid starch and leave to dry. If your canvas items get dirty, the ideal solution is carpet cleaner. Apply with a toothbrush, allow to dry and then brush with the dried-off toothbrush.

7. Perfect Purses

Do you just throw all your bags and purses on the closet floor or squash them in a drawer? Horror! When not in use, your purses and bags should be stuffed so they retain their shape. Your expensive ones should be put in some kind of slip cover or bag for extra protection from scuffs and damage. Pillow cases are good for this – cut them in half and just use the bottom half if they’re too big for your bag.

If you take the life of your wardrobe seriously, this arsenal of fashion fixes will hold you in good stead. Do you have any others to share?