Ever been to a store and spotted something slightly unusual on the shelf, feeling equal parts curious and equal parts corny. There are a bunch of weird fashion items to try out there, but before you roll your eyes at the infomercial vibe of them, I'd like to make the case that you should definitely own them. Or at the very least give them a go. A lot of them act like godsend quick fixes, where they let you discreetly tape together tears in dresses, magically make the waist of pants smaller or bigger, or erase away embarrassing deo stains, cutting your stress in half. Some of them have the power to keep your shirt tucked in all day, while others help you keep that artsy scarf expertly draped around your neck rather than turning all floppy in the wind. Just because they look corny in their packaging or look a little far-fetched or odd doesn't mean they don't work wonders.
If you want a quick and easy fix for some of life's annoyances (like pants that shimmy and bunch out of boots) than give them a go. Below are 10 weird fashion items everyone should own because, cheesy or not, they really do the job.
1. The Easy Fix For Changing Hemlines
Whether you're not handy with a needle or thread or just don't want to spend a whole weekday evening sewing away, getting an adhesive hem fixer is the perfect alternative. There are so many different situations where you'd need to hem something: maybe your pants have gotten frayed or dirty from dragging on the floor, maybe you want to change an old maxi into a flirty mini, or perhaps you want to change a shirt you're bored with into a fun new crop top. If you try to needle-and-thread that, chances are it could take you a super long time. Instead, try using one of the adhesive double-stick hem brands, where you basically just tape the new hem into place, and — depending on the brand — either pat it down or iron it to seal it. So easy.
2. The Thing That'll Hide Your Bra Straps With Minimum Struggle
While the ladies of Coyote Ugly have made a solid case for the peek-a-boo bra strap, sometimes you don't want it peeking out from underneath your outfit. For moments like those, the majority of us have an impressive collection of different bras with different straps, but what if you could bypass having a cluttered underwear drawer by clipping your straps in and away? The bra converter clip does just that, effectively changing any bra into a racer-back.
Bra Converter Clip, $11.99, Amazon
3. The Item That'll Make Tight Pants Looser
Or loose pants tighter, whatever you need. You'll never have to pass up on sale pants that are just a smidge too small or big (or amazing thrift store finds in the same boat) because now you have the power to adjust the waist without spending money on a tailor. All you do is buy one of these buttons (that poke through the fabric and fasten on the other side like an earring,) and move the waist as much as you need. Amazing-ness.
Bristols Adjust-A-Button, $15.95, Amazon
4. An Invisible Belt That Will Give You A Tailor Fit
Unless you only have a collection of skin-tight pants, the majority of us could relate to the annoyance of having that baggy gap between the waist of our pants and our backs when we sit down. And while that's not necessarily a tragedy to experience, it does give your outfit a slightly non-elegant, non-put-together look. Not to mention it allows for your tucked in shirt to escape every time you sit down. To fix that problem try out one of the hip hugger invisible belts, that cinch at the back of your pants to make them more form fitting. Once you put a belt over the band, you won't be able to notice the small, corrective tool.
Hollywood Hip Hugger, $8.50, Amazon
5. A Tool That Will Keep Your Pants Smoothly Tucked Into Your Boots
If you're a fan of riding boots, you can relate to how annoying it is when your pants start bunching around your knees after a full day of moving around. To get a permanently smooth and sleek look, try one of these clever boot bands, where you wrap the strand securely around your pant at the ankle or calf, keeping it snuggly in place all day.
Hollywood Boot Strap, $11.98, Amazon
6. Accessory Tape
Alright, imagine yourself in this situation: You have a scarf artfully draped around your neck or a statement necklace perfectly centered in the middle of your blouse...and every time you move, it all shifts and looks like garbage. The rage. Avoid those eye-twitching moments with adhesive accessory tape — in the form of small, hard-to-spot dots — to keep it in place. This would also work great for keeping collars down and in place, or anything you'd be tempted to fix with a safety pin.
Hollywood Accessory Dots, $7.46, Amazon
7. Stop Deo Stains In Their Tracks
How annoying is it to take off a blouse or cardigan, only to notice deo tracks in the armpit region? Or how hesitant are you wearing down your sweaters by washing them over and over, just because they smell a little unfresh after a few wears? A great fix for that is garment shields, which are thin, adhesive-backed pads that you tack onto the inside of shirts' underarms. Not only will they prevent any pit-stain action, but they'll keep you smelling fresh all day, too.
Hollywood Garment Shields, $9.55, Amazon
8. A Magic Spray That Irons Out Your Clothes
Well, maybe not irons out per say, but it takes out the wrinkles in a flash. If you don't have time to (or don't own) an iron, all you have to do is spray the wrinkly garment in question, wait 10 seconds, and smooth it all out.
The Laundress Crease Release, $10, Amazon
9. Rubber That Will Keep Your Shirts From Untucking (And Your Skirts From Twisting)
If you have an issue with keeping your shirt in place and tucked all day long, try getting a rubber belt. All you do is put it on top of your blouse and have it sit just underneath the waist of your pants or skirts, letting the friction of the rubber keep your shirt firmly in place and not let your skirt swish all the way around. Complete and total awesome sauce.
Shirt Tailor Rubber Belt, $11, Amazon
10. The Thing That Will Prevent Blisters From Happening
The upside of getting new shoes is: yaaas, new shoes! The downside is the inevitable blisters. To help stop them before they even begin, try using a protective spray like Dr Scholl's to coat your blister-prone spots with a protective second-skin. That way you can walk all over the city in your new booties and not suffer for it the day after.
Dr Scholl's Blister Defense, $6.75, CVS.com
Images: Amazon (9); CVS (1); @abeautifulmess/ Instagram
