You Have to Try This Stylist’s Genius Fashion Hacks

By Kristen Maxwell Cooper

This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.

With over 15 years of experience as a fashion stylist, Liz Teich certainly has some style tricks up her sleeve. And while she’s been sharing her OOTDs and shopping tips on her blog and Instagram for over a decade, it wasn’t until recently that she started sharing her insider knowledge from the fashion business with her fashion hacks series on Instagram. “I started doing them in the beginning of the pandemic because I wasn’t shopping, and it felt so frivolous to talk about going out to buy things,” says Teich. “So instead, I started showing what I knew as a stylist.” The result? Some truly genius tips and tricks that will help you get the most out of your wardrobe.

Style Hack: Hiding Bra Straps

“Strapless bras are the worst, nobody wants to wear them—ever. It’s actually one of the most frequent questions I get asked: ‘What’s the best strapless bra?’ And while I hate to say it, there really isn’t one that I’ve come across. So it really becomes about any trick that’ll make your regular bra work. The bra that works best for this, is a demi bra that doesn’t have full coverage. If you use a bra in another shape, you may end up with a little bit of extra fabric on the side.” – LT

Style Hack: Instant Fix for Loose Jeans

“This is actually a popular tailoring hack. The little button pins are something you can just buy off Amazon—they’re like $5 for a pack. You just measure where you want it to go and attach it. The biggest thing to watch out for is that if you laugh or sneeze too hard it might pop off. But it’s such a great quick fix when you can’t get to the tailor.” – LT

Style Hack: Making a Belted Blouse More Flattering

“This is actually something I learned when I was an assistant to other stylists on photo shoots. Everybody in the industry cuts off those [string belt loops]. That’s the first thing I do if I’m styling a garment that has those. The reason being that you can actually find your true waist without those trying to guide you. You can also have more fun with it and replace it with a different belt or choose not to belt the shirt at all. You also want to make your clothes look more elevated and those chain loops immediately say, ‘Oh, that’s the way it came from the store. It’s meant for merchandising purposes only.’ So when you cut them off, it’s really going to elevate your garment.” – LT

Style Hack: Knotting a Neck-Tie Top

“I just love finding new ways to wear a garment. I came up with this while just having fun playing with the ties. You should always do whatever works for you—if you want to tie it in a new way, do that and see. It’s about looking at a piece, not only in the way it’s is on the hanger, but also looking at it in a new way. Finding ways to get the most out of your wardrobe is really the best way to approach fashion.” – LT

Style Hack: Layering Necklaces

“Often at photo shoots, I’m given necklaces that are all the same length and while I want to layer them up, I’m stuck with what I have. So I’m always looking for ways to make it work—honestly, half of my job is just problem solving. On a shoot, I might just put a little rubber band or a clamp on one necklace to adjust the length, but in real life you can’t do that. So I figured out that if you hook them together, you can adjust it to any length you want. It usually works better with pendant necklaces and allows you to have more fun with your pieces.” – LT