Ask Belle: Floating Hemlines
Jan 5, 2011
Of all the questions that are submitted to “Ask Belle,” one question reigns supreme: My pants are hemmed for high heels but I wear flats when I commute, how do I keep my pants from dragging on the ground?
Since I don’t wear pants to work, thereby eliminating the problem entirely, I’ve never had a good answer to this question. Until today.
Style Snaps ($10) allow women to temporarily raise the hemlines of their favorite pants. Designed by actress Melissa George (Alias, Grey’s Anatomy), these adjustable, reusable and fabric safe snaps allow women to “change their hemlines as often as they change their shoes.” Awesome. And while their stated purpose is certainly enough to gain them widespread appeal, I think these snaps might be the ultimate multi-tasker.
These snaps would be great for shortening a skirt, closing a gap in your button-up blouse, or holding down the tail of a belt. You could also use them to secure your bra straps so that they don’t peek out of sleeveless or racerback tops and dresses. I also used a set to separate and secure my necklaces while I traveled so that they didn’t get tangled.
I’ve already purchased a set of these for myself. I used them to shorted my favorite pair of jeans so that I didn’t have to spend $156 on another pair and then pay to have the new pair hemmed for flats. Thus, they’ve already saved me a significant amount of money.
So if you’re looking for a temporary solution to your hemline conundrums, pick up a set of Style Snaps. This is one infomercial product that actually lives up to the hype.
**UPDATE** Please be careful when ordering this product online, see comments below for more information. I bought mine at Bed, Bath and Beyond not online, so I wasn’t aware.
There is a similar product called zakkerz that uses a strip of fabric and two magnets to temporarily hold a cutf in your pant leg. I have been using them for the past year to temporarily shorten my pants when commuting in ballet flats. Check them out at http://www.zakkerz.com.
Belle, I am wondering how many years you have stuck to your “no pants” rule (out of curiosity only – no criticism intended).
Another options is Hem Gems: https://www.hemgems.com/
Govvie-
I would say I wear skirts or dresses 98.5% of the time. And I probably started cutting back on pants in late 06, slicing them out almost entirely by mid-07.
I have no problem with women who wear well-fitting trousers to work, but I'm just more comfortable in skirts. They're more forgiving for those of us who gain and lose the same 7lbs over and over again.
How do they attach to the fabric? Do they launder well? I saw this, and loved the idea, but wonder how well they function in real life.
Thanks, that is interesting. One of my goals is to wear more skirts and dresses to work, so I will be doing a lot of reading (and shopping) over the next several months!
Allison-
They don't launder. They are removable and reusable. So you attach, remove, and replace when you need them.
I can see these being a good commuting option for work pants, but don't jeans look funny turned under like that without the hem stitching showing?
Just be careful when you order these! They offer an addition free set of snaps but add handling charges — somehow with all the free offers they brought my order total to almost $45.
FYI: there are major problems with credit card security etc in ordering this product. There are many similar products or perhaps there is a physical store where you can buy them instead of online.
See this: https://www.asseenontvonsale.com/fabric-care/style-snaps-hem-solution/