You spent a fortune on a gorgeous minidress you’ve been eyeing for months ¦ Only to have it shrink in the wash by mistake. It happens to the best of us. Returning it isn’t an option “ They’ll notice their product’s been reduced to doll-size when compared to the others. But it would be heartbreaking to have to give it away after all the months you spent visiting it under the disapproving glare of the sales staff. Never fear, we’ve got the fixes to make you and your ill-fitting treasures fall in love all over again.
Your dress is too short
Many, like Britney and Lindsay, have fallen victim to the dreaded shrunken dress. We’ve all defiantly wondered: Will it really be that short if I just wear it anyway? Yes, it will. Don’t add another box shot to the getting-out-of-cab collection that’s so popular with drunken celebs. This is a simple fix if you can come to terms with the fact that you’ll have to go with an opaque bottom. If the dress covers your x-rated bits and pieces, pair it with opaque leggings, jeggings or skinny jeans. If it’s borderline stripper-wear, wear it like you would a tunic, or hem it to shirt length if the material will allow it. If you can’t hem it, tuck it into an A-line skirt, or try out the tights-with-shorts trend to add extra coverage on the bottom. This method will also work for shirts that are too long.
Your sleeves are too short
There’s a fine line between full and mid-forearm length. If you’re in the middle, it may as well be a flatline. The easiest way to fix this is to cuff your sleeves to your desired length (just past the elbow usually works best). Add a little dazzle with feminine cufflinks to make it look like it was done on purpose. If the inside of your shirt or blazer is filled with unsightly seams, consider sewing a coloured or patterned piece of material on the inside to hide them and add visual interest at the same time.
Your pants are too short
The flood is gone, the hills are dry, so why do you wear your pants so high? That little ditty may take you back to the fifth grade, but it’s still just as embarrassing for a grown woman to be caught with floods. This one is a bit trickier to fix. Even if you find the exact same material to add on to the pants, you’d still see the seam lines. You could solve this the same way you’d have solved it in the fifth grade “ cut your pants off into capris or shorts. But if they’re too beautiful to destroy, try cuffing them to mid-calf height for use in the summer. Your best bet is to tuck them into boots. It’s a versatile look that can work for casual or the workplace, and no one will know your ankles are going commando.
