The Clumsy Girl’s Guide To Party Stains

Being a clumsy girl is a way of life, but all of the public stumbles and splats never get any less embarrassing. They just happen, and the klutzes among us deal with it. But, this time of year brings up a very specific set of challenges; one rife with cranberry-colored punch bowls, delicious-but-oily finger foods, and celebratory libations that can up the clumsy ante exponentially.

Thankfully, Charles Ickes is an expert who can help a lady out when she's splotched her new party gear with stains. As Rent The Runway's vice president of operations, he oversees the care of the company's 65,000 ready-to-be-rented garments, including the regular cleaning and intensive stain treating performed by RTR's in-house "spotters." A recent Fast Company feature cited "a methodical 20-step process most spotters use to attack a stain to avoid ruining clothing." Luckily, Ickes' tips ahead are much more DIY-friendly, and two steps, tops.

We provided Ickes with the most common of clumsy party fouls — ones we've committed ourselves — in search of easy solutions that will make the next couple months of merriment a little bit easier on the most prized items in our closet. Party on.