After 16 years of running a business in the retail fashion industry, you learn a few things.  I've been wanting to write this blog for some time.  We have learned a lot along the way from our customers, staff, and through trial and error.  Read our top 10 list below to learn what we have learned.  

10)  RAZORS AREN'T JUST FOR SHAVING! -   It always surprises me this time of year when customers ask if natural and synthetic sweaters will "ball".  The answer is yes.  Through wear and tear, all garments will naturally go through a process of looking used.  Here is our top tip to stop balling on your sweaters.  Take a razor and lightly brush it over the balling area (usually under the arm pits.) Be gentle.  The idea is to scrape away the little balls that formed from friction. It's easy, and cheap and can maintain the life of your garment by years.  Many years! 

9)  THE BENEFITS OF WAX PAPER  -  Space is a commodity these days.  If your closets seem so full that you can barely swipe a hanger over to see the item behind it, then you'll love this tip.   Use wax paper to make your metal rods more slippery.   Simply rub the wax paper along any metal that touches the hangers.  It's that simple.  

8)  HOW TO AVOID HANGER BUMPS  -  We can't always fold our tops and sweaters, so hanging them is the next best thing.  If you find your hangers are creating bumps at the corners of your garments, then consider hanging them inside out.  Alternatively, if you find that doesn't work, try rubbing an ice cube on the corners to help shrink the fibres back to their original shape.  

7)  VINEGAR CAN DO WONDERS FOR YOUR CLOTHES -  The Scottish can write the book on the many uses of vinegar.  In fact, they have.   I had read one in Scotland that suggested using white vinegar to wash your clothes with.  The acetic acid will brighten your clothes, kill germs, odours, and soften your clothes.  No more than a quarter of the cup should do the trick.  

6)  HOW TO PACK A LUGGAGE  -   When you're jet setting, the last thing you want to be thinking about is ironing or steaming your clothes in the hotel room.  Here's our best suggestion to avoid that.  Lay out a big garbage bag into your suitcase.  Cut open a grocery bag and lay it on the bed.  Lay your top, dress, pants etc FLAT out on it.  (no more than 2 to 3 items stacked) Finally, lay another cut grocery bag over it and then roll.  Voila. No wrinkles.   Throw in a sheet of bounce fabric softner in the luggage to leave the clothes smelling fresh.  

5)  HOW TO CONTROL STATIC  -  Over the years customers have given us several tricks to avoid static.  Our favourite to date has been the metal hanger trick.  Take the end of a metal hanger and rub it along  your favourite piece of clothing.  During this "grounding" process you are actually discharging the static electricity from the item to the metal. 

4)  HOW TO REMOVE DEODORANT  -  It happens all the time in our shops. Deodorant on our clothes are a huge nuisance.    We have a couple of easy remedies.  Our easiest suggestion to remove deodorant off of a black garment is to rub it against another black garment.  Super easy and it works.  Suggestion 2.  Steam out the deodorant.  Suggestion 3.  There is a new product out there that resembles a shoe shine.  It will also work for a quick fix to remove deodorant.  

3)  HOW TO STOP ZIPPERS FROM STICKING  -  For those moments you're shivering in a desperate state to do up your jacket, but it's stuck... pull out the beeswax.  The same kind you use for your chapped lips.  Rub it along the sticking surface and it will help loosen the zipper.  Similar to our wax paper trick above.  

2)  HOW TO KNOW IF IT FITS, WITHOUT TRYING IT ON  -  This trick has always amazed us.  It has probably only failed me once, but it is mostly tried, tested and true.  Some women come into the store and don't have enough time to try on a pair of jeans or pants.  So we suggest to take both ends of the pants and wrap them around your neck.  If the ends touch then the jeans will fit just right.  If they touch with a little extra slack, then they will be a bit big.  If they don't touch at all, then they will be too small.  It's incredible how effective this method is.  As a side note on this trick, did you know that the space between your elbow to your wrist is your shoe size?  

1) WHY AM I ALLERGIC TO COSTUME JEWELRY?  -  We aren't doctors, but we have stumbled upon something that we believe can really help your understand why you can't wear costume jewelry without discomfort.  A few years back we started hearing more and more women say they couldn't wear costume jewelry anymore without reacting to it.  My sister herself had gotten to the point where she could only wear gold without reacting.   For one month she gave up eating nuts (Poor thing. She loves them so!).  By the time the month was over she attempted to where a pair of earrings that had no nickel or lead inside, but were still costume.  Normally her ears would blow up, turn red, and become insanely itchy.  Only this time they did not.  She was able to wear the earrings for several hours before she even remotely noticed any discomfort.  When she started eating nuts again, she had noticed the allergy had returned.  Coincidence?  We don't believe so.  Which is why we ranked this as our top tip.  If it works for you, please comment below.  

We had heard about painting clear nail polish on the surface of costume jewelry before wearing it.  This is also a great tip for those of your unwilling to give up your nuts!

We truly hope this blog post has been useful.  We would love to write another post about helpful tips in the future.   If you have any great ones, please comment below. 

xoxo  

Ofra Nissani