Stuff Still Worth Knowing About

The average lifespan of a New Year's resolution is under two weeks. Because after two weeks (they say) it becomes a habit. So we'll call these tidbits that I've mentioned before "tips". Perhaps this time of year is better for gentle reminders and tiny nudges. It's tough enough to face the remaining months of winter.

> Top-Stick keeps lazy necklines, fussy lapels and squirmy scarves in place. Man's best toupee-sticker (available at Sally Beauty Supply) is cheaper, wider and 100% as effective as those fancy "tapes" made for ladies' garments. Just be sure to look for it in the "men's grooming supplies" aisle.

> Hangers. 2013 needs to be the year of the hanger! Time to divest yourself of all the flimsy plastic hangers you bought years ago and ditch the dry cleaner's hangers as soon as you get home (save the bags though— see below). The skinny velvet hanger I wrote about in 2011 is ever more available, cheaper and in more colors.

> Dry cleaning bags. Planning a vacation to sunnier climes? Dry cleaning bags are your friends. Slip a dress, blouse or anything wrinkle-prone into a dry cleaning bag and gently fold or roll to fit your suitcase. Something about the air trapped inside protects even the fussiest fabrics.

> Don't be afraid of the tailor. Altering something is not an admission of defeat or any indication that you are less than perfect. Every manufacturer cuts a different size. Don't not buy it because it needs a little tweaking. And just because you can turn under the too-long sleeves of that jacket, don't think you're home free.

> Be an angel. To err is human, to donate divine. Banish that bum purchase from staring you in the face when you open the closet. If you can't return it (one reason for not ripping off the tags absolutely immediately),  give it a chance for a better life and feel a little better about yourself.

> Paying full price is not a sin. The inveterate lovers of the marketplace among us will shopshopshop. That doesn't mean we will buybuybuy. However, when the (special) occasion requires, it can be penny wise but pound foolish to insist on a sale price. My friend Amy still regrets the "great buy" she found for her daughter's wedding. The dress needed a lot of alterations and still wasn't right (much as we love them tailors can't perform miracles). She wore it anyway and avoided the camera whenever possible.

> Subscribe to a fashion magazine. At least one. Be it the fantasy fun of Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and Elle, the practical punch of Lucky, Marie Claire and InStyle or the more traditional women's magazine direction in More and Real Simple, give yourself this treat in your mailbox. Subscriptions are way cheaper than picking up the occasional issue on the newsstand, and nothing beats curling up with a magazine in a comfy chair or in a bed with fluffy pillows.