Dear Answer Angel Ellen: I work in a professional setting where I want to wear classic, dressy but comfortable shoes (2 1/2-inch heels) for work. I need a strap across the top of my foot (not an ankle strap) to make walking more comfortable. Amazon had some, but in limited colors and sizes. I can’t find anything that even comes close. I should have bought a pair in every color when they were available. Any suggestions?
— Bonnie W.
Dear Bonnie: Sometimes finding the exact thing you’re looking for comes down to figuring out the right search words to locate the elusive item on the internet. When I typed “Mary Jane 2 1/2-inch heel,” I found an array of choices for you, similar to the photo you emailed me. You’re right that size options and colors are kind of limited, but check out Shoetopia’s Mary Jane Bow Strap Heels, (shoetopia.com, $28.99), FSJ’s Black Mid Heel Women’s Mary Jane Pumps, (fsjshoes.com, $74.99) and dance stores like dancestore.com, where I found a selection in colors and materials in a good choice of sizes such as the Arris Allen Women’s Red Mary Jane dance shoes for $72.95.
Dear Answer Angel Ellen: My undereye concealer leaves flesh color makeup stains inside my face masks even though I let it dry before putting on the mask. Do you have a list of concealers that don’t leave marks?
— Dianne G.
Dear Dianne: I wish! Many concealers and foundations advertise as “transfer-proof,” “stay-in-place,” “smudge-proof,” etc. I haven’t found one yet that actually doesn’t rub off on my mask. Some online reviewers recommend various “setting powder” or “translucent powder” on top of your makeup, for instance Laura Mercier Loose Setting powder, a pricey $39 at sephora.com. Or, for frugal shoppers, e.l.f. High Definition Powder Sheer (target.com, $6).
I try never to buy products (or clothes) that require me to buy another product (or piece of clothing or new underwear) to make it work. So my best advice is resign yourself to the rub-off and buy a 50-pack of those (usually) blue disposable paper masks (like hospital personnel wear) and pitch them when they look gross.
That doesn’t solve the problem of your rubbed off makeup and concealer. Admittedly it is a pain to carry around the gear to refresh your makeup during the day. Let’s hear it from readers who have some good ideas for Dianne and the rest of us. Meanwhile, if you’re wearing a mask most of the time, you could just focus on your eye makeup and forget about cosmetics entirely for the area covered by your mask.
Angelic Readers
From Glenda P: “I just read your answer (a plastic toggle) for the dreaded problem of losing a drawstring from a hoodie, sweatpants or such in the wash. A very simple DIY solution requires a needle and some thread. Simply make sure the drawstring is centered in the clothing item then sew a few sturdy stitches at the center location at the back of the garment. Magic! It won’t come out again.”
Paul M. writes, “A bodkin is a device for pulling strings through casings. Dritz makes a flexible plastic bodkin which they call a Drawstring Threader (walmart.com, $3.68). It’s some 23 inches long and makes easy work of rethreading errant drawstrings.” From Ellen: I’ve bought more than one of these threader devices over the years but have found that the end often is too wide to fit into the skimpy space where the drawstring goes. However, attaching a safety pin to the end of the drawstring works fine, but slowly, for rethreading. That doesn’t solve the problem of the drawstring coming loose again in the wash, which brings me to this suggestion:
Mary B. offers this option instead of the plastic toggle, which she found “pretty flimsy.” “The next solution I found was simple and cheap: 1/4-inch plastic tubing can be purchased cheaply at most hardware stores and cut to measure. I use small sections, feed through the drawstring and tie a knot of the ends to prevent them from slipping back through the tubing. This allows for adjustability.”
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