What kinda stuff would go into your Ultimate Purse Survival Kit?
I’d want mine to have a Magic Eight Ball that gave out career advice: “It’s time to quit,” or “Update your resume.”
And no decent super purse would be complete without a Chocolate Materializer 2000, a device that at the touch of a button could create any chocolate food or beverage imaginable, yum!
I’d also want a Man-ometer, something I could point at guys that would indicate whether or not they’d make good dates for my single girlfriends.
But until technology catches up with imagination, I guess I’ll just have to settle for items that are readily available now, like…
Hollywood Fashion Tape ($7.50 for 36 pieces and a take-away tin)
Hello, double-sided goodness; goodbye, clothing malfunctions! When I’m out and about and something on my outfit goes awry, I reach for Hollywood Fashion double-sided tape.
They’re transparent, stretchy, super sticky strips of tape designed to adhere to textiles and skin without leaving a residue. I use ’em to hide bra straps, keep strapless tops and dresses from falling, to fix loose hems and to close gaps on button-up shirts (ugh, don’t you hate that?).
The convenient on-the-go canister holds 36 pre-cut strips and barely takes up any space in my purse. If I’m carrying a small clutch, I’ll just throw a few of the individual strips into my wallet.
Miss Oops Lint Roller ($5.95 for lint roller with 20 sheets and refill)
This mini-lint roller =
I use it to remove Tabs’ cat hair, dandruff (hey, it happens) and random bits of lint on my clothing.
Each roller comes with 40 sheets rolled up like paper towels around the tube. Just peel off used adhesive sheets and throw them away.
Shout Portable Wipes ($4 for a box of 12 wipes)
I certainly have my hot mess moments, like when I accidentally brush the sleeve of my shirt against my lipgloss or splash Starbucks coffee on my jeans…
And when these moments happen, I remember why I like Shout portable wipes. They’re stain-removing towelettes that comes 12 to a box in individually wrapped packets.
Just tear open one of the packets, and rub the moistened sheet (soaked with an effective stain remover) on the stain. BAM! With these three things in my purse I don’t have to worry as much about the inevitable offending coffee/lipstick/pen stain ruining my outfit.
Because some things never change… 🙂
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Catherine says
Oh man, thanks for the tips! I’m definitely going to have to get myself some of those lint rollers and stain removing wipes!
Briana says
Wow, I think I should definitely have all of these! I do have a sticky lint roller in my truck and the boy’s truck for stray cat hair removal lol.
Those tape strips would be awesome!
Karen says
Hi Catherine,
Sure — both are super handy! 🙂
When I worked in the corporate world I used to keep a box at my cube, too!
Karen says
Hi Briana,
OoOOO — good call on keeping the rollers in the cars! Does it ever feel like the act of stray cat hair removal *never* ends? LOLOL 🙂
Trisha says
Oooh, very good advice. I should get all of those. Ya know, they’re perfect for a first date, too.
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Karen says
Hi Trisha,
Oh yah! For a first date purse I would also throw in some dental floss. 🙂
lesley says
Why didn’t I know about all these portable treasures from before? I’m going to get them all, most especially that lint roller! My couch and most other things in my home are covered in lint from all my blankets everywhere so it’s hard to leave the house without missing a spot that I usually find out about just before I walk into wherever I’m going. The portable shout will be greeeeat for my hubby since he always, without fail, will spill coffee/soy sauce/etc on his white shirts.
Thanks for this life saving post! Hope you’re enjoying your weekend!!
Ellery says
Lint roller = best invention ever. I have this little one that doesn’t use stickyness, it’s like a piece of red spiky fabric and it works just as well, I love it! 🙂
gio says
Thanks for the tips! I definitely should get them all.
Karen4 says
Hey there, Karen! Thanks for the tips. I already stash Hollywood Tape and Shout wipes in my purse. The lint roller is genius, so that might be a nice addition. Since static is more my enemy than lint, though, I stash a fabric softener dryer sheet in my purse. When skirts or pants start to cling to the hose or tights underneath, I simply rub my legs with the dryer sheet and voila! static problem solved!
Karen says
Hi Lesley,
That’s so great! I’m glad to help… trust me, I never fail to find random spots on my clothes once I get out the door.
You and the hubs will wonder how you lived life without the Shout Wipes. 🙂
Karen says
Hi Ellery,
Right? They come in handy especially when one has cats! How is my Babycake, btw? 🙂
Karen says
Hi Gio,
You’re welcome. 🙂 Hope this helps!
Karen says
Hi Karen4,
Great minds think alike, hee! 🙂
Oh, I’ve read that you can also use fabric softener sheets as a “hair refresher.”
Bobbie says
Thank you Karen for these tips. I went to the Miss Oops web site and while browsing couldn’t help but notice she carries Mishap Tape which is a little less expensive than the Hollywood Fashion Tape. They come in two sizes even and I wondered if you’ve ever tried them? In this economy every penny saved counts! I liked her Kits and they seem to be a good bargain!
Michelle says
I already use two out of three, but I really want to get that fashion tape! I found a tiny lint remover at CVS a couple of weeks back and it’s so useful considering I have a cat and a dog. Instead of the Shout wipes, I have a Tide pen stashed in my desk drawer. These little things really do make life a bit easier 🙂
Karen says
Hi Bobbie,
You’re welcome! I’ve tried the Mishap tape and it works great. Here’s a link to a review I did a few months ago:
Miss Oops Mishap Tape Prevents Wardrobe Mishaps
Karen says
Hi Michelle,
LOL, so I used to carry around a Tide pen but I got waaaay too obsessive about it. I was busting out that thing every five minutes. For the sake of the people around me I had to go the Shout wipe route!
I didn’t know you had pets! What are their names?
Michelle says
Yeah I kind of caught myself becoming the mom that whips out the Tide pen at the first sight of a fruit punch stain much to my sons annoyance, so I decided to leave it in the desk drawer at work. Now I just wait ’til he takes the garment off before I start attacking it with a bleach pen 😉
Yup we have a long haired chihuahua named Scoobysnax (resembles the famous Dolce). Our cat Mystery joined our family last summer. He was a stray and now we can’t imagine our family without him 🙂
Karen says
HA HA! That’s what I ended up doing… then I realized that total strangers hate it when you take out your Tide pen to clean their shirts. DOH!
What acute name for your Chihuahua! 🙂 I would be tempted to yell “Scoooooobs” when he (she?) got in trouble.
Michelle says
I actually say Scoobee with a tone that lets him know he’s in trouble. But he’s too cute for me to stay mad for too long 🙂
Marisol says
I need one of those lint rollers. I have a Tide To Go pen. Have you tried them?
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Fabienne says
Ahhh!!! I LOVE your blue nails! I don’t care WHAT people say or what the current trend is, dark blue nails is the new black. I’m soooo trying white half moons with dark blue (my HS look, hehe)
Which shade is it and from who? (I’m sorry if you blogged about it and I skipped over it :/)
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