They happen to all of us – frequently: Whether it’s spilling your coffee or ripping your pants, mini fashion emergencies can put a damper on your day. Men’s Health Fashion Director Brian Boyé gives tips on how to avoid Monday morning fashion disasters.
Keep an Emergency Fashion Kit in Your Desk Drawer
For starters, a smart bet is to be prepared with a fashion emergency kit that you store at your office. It will save you in a pinch or allow you to be a hero to a colleague. It should contain:
1. A solid dress shirt, preferably white, so it will go with anything.
2. A stain removal stick – for pen marks and coffee spills.
3. An extra pair of pants. Black trousers and a pair of jeans will give you maximum options.
4. A spare umbrella for sudden showers.
Keep an Emergency Fashion Kit in Your Desk Drawer
For starters, a smart bet is to be prepared with a fashion emergency kit that you store at your office. It will save you in a pinch or allow you to be a hero to a colleague. It should contain:
1. A solid dress shirt, preferably white, so it will go with anything.
2. A stain removal stick – for pen marks and coffee spills.
3. An extra pair of pants. Black trousers and a pair of jeans will give you maximum options.
4. A spare umbrella for sudden showers.
Problem 1: The seat of your pants or your hem has ripped. What now?
Solutions: Look to a few common office supplies to help you recover.
1. Staples. It’s not the classiest move, but if you rip the seat of your pants along the seam – you can use a few strategically placed staples along the inside of the seam to close the gap for a few hours. This is clearly just a temporary fix and you should move with caution until your pants are correctly mended.
2. Tape. Tape works well for hems and small rips. Opt for packing or masking tape, which has a stronger hold rather than invisible desk tape. For small rips: Take off the trousers and tape it from the inside, which will hold the fabric together for the short term. To shore up a loose hem, turn your trousers inside out and place a piece of tape on either side of the crease.
Problem 2: You’ve forgotten a couple of very small but essential components to your dress shirt:
1. Problem: You have distracting fly-away collars because you forgot your collar stays.
Solution: Reach into your desk drawer and grab two paper clips. They will substitute perfectly for your missing collar stays. This is also a great trick for travelers who arrive at their destination and realize they have forgotten this dress shirt essential.
2. Problem: You went to the gym in the morning, and realized once there you forgot the cuff links for your shirt with French cuffs.
Solution: Again, the solution is right on your desk. Grab a stapler and staple your cuffs together. It won’t hold up well under close scrutiny, but it will at least keep your shirt cuffs together for the day. It’s probably a good idea to leave your suit coat on to cover up your temporary fix.
Solutions: Look to a few common office supplies to help you recover.
1. Staples. It’s not the classiest move, but if you rip the seat of your pants along the seam – you can use a few strategically placed staples along the inside of the seam to close the gap for a few hours. This is clearly just a temporary fix and you should move with caution until your pants are correctly mended.
2. Tape. Tape works well for hems and small rips. Opt for packing or masking tape, which has a stronger hold rather than invisible desk tape. For small rips: Take off the trousers and tape it from the inside, which will hold the fabric together for the short term. To shore up a loose hem, turn your trousers inside out and place a piece of tape on either side of the crease.
Problem 2: You’ve forgotten a couple of very small but essential components to your dress shirt:
1. Problem: You have distracting fly-away collars because you forgot your collar stays.
Solution: Reach into your desk drawer and grab two paper clips. They will substitute perfectly for your missing collar stays. This is also a great trick for travelers who arrive at their destination and realize they have forgotten this dress shirt essential.
2. Problem: You went to the gym in the morning, and realized once there you forgot the cuff links for your shirt with French cuffs.
Solution: Again, the solution is right on your desk. Grab a stapler and staple your cuffs together. It won’t hold up well under close scrutiny, but it will at least keep your shirt cuffs together for the day. It’s probably a good idea to leave your suit coat on to cover up your temporary fix.
