1. Thou Shalt always carry band aids.
That's right, band aids are not just for soccer moms patching up skinned knees or the occasional paper cut that seems to have diminished greatly with the onset of the digital age. They are also excellent for rubbing shoes or clothing tags when you are on the go. I don't know about you, but there is something wretched about what happens when you put on an outfit that feels and looks great only to take two steps out the door and it is if you changed on the front lawn or in the apartment building lobby. Tags start rubbing that were fine inside or those shoes are no longer so comfy. Sound familiar? Well, with a stock of band aids this can all be repaired quickly. Applying a band aid to an afflicted area can be a quick method for guarding the body for minor irritants until you can make a permanent fix. Remember, never cut tags hastily. Either stitch rip them minding a necessary hem or cut carefully to make sure you don't make the problem worse.
2. Thou shalt carry at least two safety pins.
As sensible fashionistas, I think we have all experienced a time when pants don't pass the two-prong test. Step 1, clothing looks great and feels great, so we purchase. Step 2, the item lasts through at least ten wears. It is a risk we take with purchasing clothing that do not cost an arm and a leg for quality purposes. Cheap thread frays or breaks and the next thing you know, your sleek cuffed pants are now an inch longer dragging under your favorite heels. It is a tripping hazard and certainly unsightly. So, safety pins have been my favorite quick remedy. If I am wearing black pants and it is noticeable I will often color them with a permanent marker before applying them to the pants fixing that hanging pant leg. This also works for that tank top that has a strap break. It doesn't happen often, rarely if at all, but you never know. Just remember, a quick fix is not a permanent solution, don't keep wearing those items with the safety pins in or wash them like this. Either sew them yourself, take them to a tailor, keep them for future projects or throw them out. You can donate these items to good will, but keep in mind how used they are. A small hem issue may be fine to someone purchasing an item from Salvation Army, but if the item is in bad shape, sometimes the garbage is a better place.
3. Thou shalt never leave the house without glasses, contact case and saline solution.
Now this may not apply to everyone. For those of you with perfect or negligible eyes issues, you can skip this entry. However, for those who wear contacts, I think you all know how frustrating it is to rip a contact or have dry eyes with no solution in sight (sorry, poor place for a pun). Carrying these essentials can mean one less reason to have a bad day and I attempt to carry these items every where I go. Also, why we are on the topic, I had one quick tip.
****avoid the scratch resistant coating when purchasing glasses****
Why, you ask? Well, as a glasses wearer of close to 20 years I was introduced to scratch resistant coating when I purchased my first pair of glasses on my own. My mother told me not to bother with it, but it was my first time doing it on my own and I wanted this to be my own personalized experience. Sometimes we should just listen to our mothers, they just know best. Well, this coating sounds great, it protects the glass. However, it is not great because just like glass it scratches and it scratches easier than glass does. See example below.
These are my adorable Jill Stuart glasses. I didn't show you the side detail, but if you go to one of the following websites you can see how cute her frames are. Mine are a couple of years old, so they don't sell them anyway.
http://www.eyeglasses.com/glasses/brand/jill-stuart.html
http://www.framesdirect.com/framesfc/Jill_Stuart-lambqa-pr-l.html
In any case, what you see in that picture is not scratched glass, it is scratched scratch resistance coding. It is awful because it sits on top of my lenses and everyone can see it in the sunlight. Very awful.
4. Thou shalt always carry Dr. Scholl's For Her Rub Relief Strips.
I can't stress this one enough, this is a wonderful product. Sold at most drug stores (Walgreens, CVS, etc.) for a reasonable price, this products your feet from rubbing shoes. No matter if the toe is narrow or the heel pinching, even if your straps are digging. This is a thick adhesive tape you can stick to your shoe and cut down to any size you prefer. It essentially comes in a tape dispenser (see pic below) and comes out with a perforation to have one wide strip or two narrow strips. It then has a built in cutter for your choice of length. I love this stuff and will not leave home without it.
5. Thou shalt carry lotion.
Not only is this commandment important for obvious reasons, but I have found multiple uses for lotion when you are on the go. I prefer a purse-sized Ahava lotion, but I also really love baby lotion when I have a dry irritated nose from a cold or even the creams from Bath and Bodyworks.
My first use for lotion is like I mentioned in the paragraph before. Living in the midwest my whole life, I know a brutal winter, but I also know the plight of the allergy sufferer. Sneezing, red puffy eyes, runny nose. These things just suck and even the best lotion-infused tissue can be no match for some of these bad colds or allergy attacks. So, when I find my nose is red and dry inside or out, I like to use baby lotion to calm it down. Now, I made up my application for the inside your nose. I usually apply a little lotion to the end of a tissue and rub it in the inside of my nose close to the nostril (You can also use a Q-tip). Do not, and I repeat, do not go too far in and remember I am not a doctor, did not start doing this based on doctor's orders, if you do this wrong, it is at your own risk. I do this for minor dryness and irritation, so please be smart if you try it.
The second purpose for lotion in my commandments is static cling. Again, it is a more common plight in dry winters, but I am sure everyone has experienced at one time or another. It is of course a day you wear a flowy dress and it is obsessed with sticking to your legs or butt. No one wants to sound like they can start a fire when they stand up at work. So, I like to put lotion on my hands and rub it in until it is absorbed and then I pat it on my body where the static is. This usually gives some temporary relief. It also works with flyaway hairs from static.
6. Thou shalt carry nail polish remover.
I think this is an oldie, but goodie! Clear nail polish is good for the common, panty-hose runs. However, a new use is bad earrings. I tend to buy a lot of costume jewerly. Like I said, I love to be trendy without spending all of my earnings. So, on occasion I will find something cute at Claire's or The Icing. They sell some cute jewerly for reasonable prices, but most earrings are not made with a pure metal. This can often lead some people to irritated ears. This is also true for those of you who cannot wear anything, but gold due to sensitivity. So, if you find that a pair of your earrings start to irritate your ears and this is clearly the metal, applying a thin layer of clear nail polish to an earring post can solve the problem. Remember to let it dry completely before putting it on and be careful. You may wish to apply a dab of nail polish to your inner arm before doing this to your earrings to make sure it doesn't irritate your skin.
7. Thou shalt carry a compact with a mirror.
I'm not sure I really have to dive too far into this one. A mirror is always a good thing to have and extra powder can be great for a little unwanted shine.
8. Thou shalt carry knleex at all times.
Again, this is a pretty self-explanatory suggestion. It is good for colds or allergies, crying at movies or even applying the lotion to your nose as suggested above. Kleenex is a great thing I learned to never leave home without.
9. Thou shalt carry analgesics (Advil, Aleve, Tylenol, etc.).
I don't condone drug usage, but having an advil on hand is always a good idea. As a migraine sufferer I tend to carry something a bit stronger as prescribed by my neurologist, but not every headache or pain calls for an Imitrex. Therefore, keeping an OTC analgesic in your purse is good for a sudden headache. Also, remember not to share medication if you can help it. You never know if someone is allergic to one of these analgesics. Tylenol, Advil and Aspirin have different active ingredients and can cause different reactions for different people. Be careful and cautious with what you do.
10. Thou shalt always carry an extra pair of earrings.
My grandmother was always done up. When my mother wasn't wearing lipstick, she would comment on it. She would often quote the very famous, "it is always better to look good than to feel good." Now, she said this with jest and I don't think it is always necessary to have a full face of make-up and fancy clothing, but earrings can be a quick way to improve an outfit and you never know when you may loose an earring. Keeping an extra pair can be a good way to improve your outfit.
11. Thou shalt always carry lipstick or lip gloss.
Similar to 10, this is more so for those times when you have to make a hasty transformation from casual to evening acceptable. It isn't always possible to change clothing and shoes, but a quick pair of earrings and application of lip color or sheen can change you up enough to feel like you fit in with the tone of the activity.
12. Thou shalt never leave home without hair accessories (i.e. bobby pins, banana clip, etc.).
For those of you with pixie cuts or perfect hair, I envy you. However, for the rest of us, bad hair days may not always be so detectable when you are exhausted in the morning or in a hurry. Keeping a elastic hair band or clips in your purse is an easy way to solve a silly problem like a bad hair day. If you have shorter hair that falls out the bottom, stock up on bobby pins. My hair is currently cut into an angled bob. It is long enough that the front looks cute in a high ponytail, but the back of my hair always falls out. I like to pin my hair back with bobby pins giving off the allure that my hair is actually longer than it is. Plus, it keeps your hair off your neck on hot days and just looks better than that messy effect of hair flying everywhere. Also, bobby pins are great for that really rebellious fly away hair that even quick dab of lotion will not tame on a staticky day.
I hope you all enjoyed my 12 commandments for fashion fixes on the go, if you have any further suggestions or questions for common issues, let me know! We can add them to the list. Have a great day everyone!
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