FashBlog.com

Although 40 used to be considered middle-aged or over the hill, today's 40-something women are confident, sexy, stylish and sophisticated. The biggest rule today is that there are no rules. You are only limited by your own imagination and lifestyle. By following a few simple fashion guidelines, there is no reason you cannot be as fashionable at 40 as you ever were.

TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY.

The number one key to dressing fashionably after the age of 40 is to stay in shape. When your body is in good physical condition, clothes of any kind fit better and look better. Also, when you look good, you feel good, and your positive, healthy attitude is going to reflect itself in the way you carry yourself. Women who take care of their bodies and stay in great physical shape can get away with wearing just about anything. Drink plenty of water to keep your skin hydrated, dewy and glowing. Get plenty of aerobic exercise by walking, running or bicycling regularly to maintain your youthful energy. Do regular strength training with weights to keep your muscles toned and to maintain proper posture. If you want to wear today's fashionably jeans, which are lower cut, do plenty of crunches each and every day to keep your abdominal muscles toned and your stomach flat. Take care that your diet is nutritious. Watch that your diet is not too high in fat, to avoid bumps and bulges that will ruin an otherwise perfect outfit. Eat plenty of green, leafy vegetables and take a vitamin supplement, if necessary, to keep your skin healthy in appearance.

KNOW WHAT FASHIONS WORK BEST FOR YOU AND YOUR BODY.

Too often, when we are deciding what clothes to buy or to wear, we neglect that instinctive voice that tells us what is right. Get in touch with your intuition and listen to it. You know better than anyone what looks good on you, what feels good on you, what works, what does not work. Do not let anyone else tell you differently. If you feel great in something, then it works. If you feel uncertain, then your hesitancy is probably a sign that this particular look is not the right one for you. When the bottom line decision is made, the most important thing is whether you are happy with how you look and how you feel in your clothes. The opinions of magazine editors, fashion designers and salespeople mean nothing if you are not happy with how you look.

IF YOU FIND SOMETHING THAT WORKS, BUY IT IN A RUN OF COLORS.

Many times when we are shopping for just the right look, we come away disappointed. Now and then, we are pleasantly surprised by one or two items that work well, although not splendidly. On a rare occasion, we suddenly encounter that absolutely perfect dress, skirt, blouse, pair of slacks or shoes. You know what I am talking about, that fashion item that makes us feel beautiful, sophisticated, sexy and on top of the world. When you find something like that, do not hesitate. Not only should you buy it, you should buy it in a run of colors and incorporate it into your wardrobe. When a style makes you feel this good, go with it.

AVOID BEING TRENDY FOR THE SAKE OF TRENDINESS.

After the age of 40, it is especially important to avoid being trendy just for the sake of being trendy. Most fads and trends in clothing are fleeting and are better suited to the youth of today. That does not mean you should not participate in the fun. Just be careful that you are not wearing something that is trendy simply because it is trendy. Pick and choose your wardrobe based on what looks good on you. This may mean discarding some trendy fashions as unsuitable for you, not because of your age necessarily, but because they are not best suited to your more mature body type.

AVOID CLOTHING THAT IS TOO YOUTHFUL IN APPEARANCE.

One of the biggest fashion taboos for the over 40 crowd is wearing youthful clothing in an attempt to look younger. More often than not, this attempt to regain a youthful appearance through youthful clothing backfires miserably. Fashions which are designed for teens and young adults are designed specifically with that particular demographic's youth in mind. Those styles are meant to flatter and to show off young bodies. When more mature women try to recapture their youth by wearing these styles, they usually come away looking older, rather than younger. There are many ways to maintain or to recapture your youthful glow and appearance. Wearing clothes that are very specifically designed for today's youth is not one of them. That having been said, do not avoid youthful clothing simply because it is youthful. Judge each and every item of clothing on its own merit, and decide, based only on the appearance of that particular item, and the way it flatters (or does not flatter) your figure, whether it is right for you. When it comes to clothing that is generally not intended for more mature women, be brutally honest with yourself before you decide to incorporate it into your wardrobe.

MAKE THE MOST OF ACCESSORIES.

Accessories are the very best place for a more mature woman to show off her every-youthful spark and playfulness. Maybe you can't quite pull off a micro mini skirt or low slung, hip hugging jeans anymore, but that does not mean you can't pull together a look that is every bit as youthful and fun. If you want to try out some of the newer fashion trends, here is the place to do it. To liven up a more sophisticated style, try trendy belts, scarves, hats, gloves and sunglasses. Fashionable and trendy jewelry will also add fun and flair to your look. Experiment with stylish earrings, necklaces and bracelets. Even trendy boots and shoes can put the finishing touches on a great look, provided you avoid those that are too trendy and are not suited to your particular style.

REDEFINE WHAT IS SEXY.

What is sexy at the age of 20, or even at the age of 30, is not necessarily what is sexy at the age of 40, or what will be sexy at the age of 50 or 60. As we age, we become more mature, wiser, more experienced, more learned, more patient, more aware of our life's priorities, more focused, more determined, and more at peace with who we are. These changes should be reflected not only internally, but in your appearance as well. Sexiness at the age of 40 is something far more subtle and more rich than sexiness at the age of 20. Being sexy at age 40 means more than wearing a short skirt, a low-cut top, a pair of tight blue jeans or a pair of stiletto heels. As you become more comfortable in your own skin, let this show in your wardrobe as well. Wear clothes that fit well, that are attractive, that make you feel good, that make you feel sexy, and that are an outward reflection of what you feel inside. Whatever wear, you should feel proud, confident and comfortable. Now that is what is sexy.

KEEP ABREAST OF FASHION CHANGES.

One of the best ways to keep your wardrobe looking fresh and stylish is to keep yourself informed about changes in fashion and styles. Pick two or three of your favorite over-40 celebrities, those whose style and appearance you admire and who always seem to look great in their clothes. Follow them in fashion magazines and on television to see what styles they are wearing. Many of today's over-40 fashion divas successfully pull off more youthful styles with grace, style and aplomb. Take a look at how they do it, and see what they do differently than a 20-year old wearing a similar style. Watch red carpet events on television, as well as the Style Channel, to learn about fashion trends and tips. Nothing will make your wardrobe look more old, outdated or tired than wearing clothes that have not been in style for years.

BE WILLING TO BREAK THE RULES.

Now that you have learned some of the general rules about fashion over 40, the most important thing to remember is that you have to be willing to break them. Fashion rules are made up of generalities and guidelines. They are based on what works for most women, but not for each and every woman. Although it is generally not a great idea for a woman over the age of 40 to walk out the door in a short, short skirt, that rule depends on both the skirt and the woman. Women like Kim Cattrall and Sharon Stone can pull off a short skirt look, and do. Don't avoid color, and by all means don't stick with a wardrobe of solid black. Be adventurous and be willing to show off your personality in your wardrobe. Learn the basics, keep abreast of fashion developments, know what works best for you, and then be ready and willing to break the over-40 fashion rules when it suits you...and when it works.

Copyright (c) 2005 by Leanne Phillips

Memorial Day has traditionally marked the transition from spring fashions to full-blown summer wear. To me, this means that almost all of my long-sleeved tops, heavy jackets, and wool pants will get moved to the closet in the spare bedroom. They will be replaced in my regular closet by short-sleeved and sleeveless tops, t-shirts, shorts, and of course several pairs of cropped pants. Cropped pants are still very much in style, and are an absolute must for any woman's summer wardrobe.

One thing that I love about cropped pants is their sheer versatility and variety. They are a bit more formal than shorts, yet less formal than full-length pants. You can buy cropped pants that look very dressy, or you can go the opposite route and buy a pair that look very casual, or even whimsical. Because of this, you can wear cropped pants to almost any function that you are likely to be invited to over the summer. Top your most casual pair of cropped pants with a tank, a big floppy hat, and sunglasses for a trip to the zoo, a few hours at the ballpark, or a day-long picnic. Put on a more dressy pair and finish the look with 3/4 sleeve collared shirt or a lightweight cotton sweater for cocktails at the swanky new bar in town, a graduation party, or even for casual day at the office.

Don't forget that your shoes become an even more important accessory when you are wearing cropped pants because they are more visible. If you are going for a casual look, then flip-flops or mules would be perfect. For a dressier look, make sure you wear shoes that fit the bill, such as strappy sandals or pumps. No matter which look you go for, make sure your shoes are in very good condition. Nothing can kill an otherwise terrific outfit faster than a pair of scuffed or ratty-looking shoes.

No matter what kind of events you have planned for this summer, you can definitely find some cropped pants that will be appropriate for the occasion. From casual to dressy, you can build a great outfit around the right pair of cropped pants. Do yourself and your wardrobe a favor by stocking up on cropped pants the next time you go shopping. You'll be sure to get plenty of mileage out of them all summer long!

...it's how you wear it. Developing your own personal sense of style can make you a true trendsetter and put you out ahead of the pack.
by
Deb Powers

This spring the hottest colors are pink and green. The styles have done another 180, and feminine is in again. Layered skirts, chiffon scarves and loose, floaty poets' blouses trade spots with fitted princess style shirts in flowered rayon fabrics that could have been milled in the 70s. Not to your taste?

The fashion magazines and store flyers dictate the hot styles each season, and most girls dive right in, picking up several pieces in the latest fashion so that they fit right in. Next time you go out, though, take a look around you and see who catches your eye. Chances are that it's the girl who stands out from the crowd - not so much because of what she's wearing but by the sheer confidence and attitude with which she wears it.

Stepping outside the fashion mold can take a bit of nerve at first. If you're used to wearing what your friends wear, or fitting into the corporate mold, if you've spent your life letting other people dictate what you wear, it can be a little dauting to start looking for your own style. It takes a little effort, but the effort is well worth it.

But wait, you're probably thinking. I know what my style is! I've got a whole closet full of clothes in my style. Take a look, though. How many of the outfits in that closet do you truly love? Which ones make you feel GOOD about the way you look? Are there any that feel like a second skin when you slip into them?

The right clothes are the clothes that you feel good wearing. If you like the way you look, the way the clothes drape on you, and how they feel, you'll naturally carry yourself with confidence and attitude. Does that silky little camisole make you feel devastatingly attractive? Wear it! Slip a boxy jacket over it, tuck it into a pair of tailored slacks and add a spill of silver chains, and you'll have a drop-dead outfit that will turn heads - and they won't be thinking 'Is that *underwear* she's wearing?'

The secret to carrying off an outrageous outfit is attitude and fit. No one looks attractive when they're fidgeting with their straps and hems, or trying to cover up something that's just a little too bare for their comfort. Choose well made clothing that fits right, in colors that you love. You can't look good in clothes that don't feel good.

Want to step out of your bandbox, but not quite sure how to do it? Here's a handful of tips that will help you start dressing the way you love to dress, and looking smashing in whatever you wear.

1. Figure out what makes you feel good.
Is it a color? A fabric? A particular cut of skirt or long flowing sleeves? Whatever it is, capitalize on it. For me, it's rich, deep jewel colors and touchable fabrics - yours might be crisp cotton, or full skirts, or sleek , tailored crop tops. Build your outfits around the clothes that you feel best wearing.

2. Shop in unusual places.
If the clothes that you like to wear are 'out of style' this season, you may have trouble finding something you like. Poke through the thrift shops, consignment shops and secondhand shops for things that you like. Learn where you can find classic styles no matter what season it is.

3. Shop by mail.
Mail order catalogs are a great source of clothes that you can't find anywhere else. They also tend to have a lot of staples that they carry from season to season, no matter what the styles are. Some of the best catalogs to shop are Spiegels, Sears and Lands' End.

4. Accessorize!
What you wear with is as important as what you wear. Take a basic tee shirt and black jeans. Add a bandana around your throat and another through a belt loop, and you're a country kicker. Swap the bandana for a strand of pearls, sleek your hair back and add high heels - from country bumpkin to city chic in seconds.

5. Dress up.
Not 'dress-up' for a wedding dress-up. Costume dress up. If you want to feel confident, dress the part. Want to be a slinky diva? Wear it, girl. Clothes are a costume - make them say what you want them to say instead of letting them define you.

by Paulla Estes

The song may belong to Neil Diamond, but the concept is one that true blue jean wearers all over the world hold near and dear to their hearts. Blue jeans symbolize not just a type of clothing, a style, or an era; putting on a pair of jeans represents an attitude and philosophy of life. Much like a person in uniform, whether military or not, proudly puts on his buttons, epaulets, awards, ribbons, medals, name insignia, shoes and hat, many people put on blue jeans to make a statement about who they are, where they have been, where they are going, and what they believe about life. Blue jeans signify relaxation, a hard day's work, tradition, and simplicity.

As a disclaimer, many people who wear blue jeans are not part of this "blue jean group;" they put on jeans much like a person might don a pair of camouflage pants though he is not affiliated with the military in any way. Many people dress in faux uniforms of varying kinds, but they are not claiming ownership of the establishment or organization the uniform represents. Blue jean wearers are much the same. For those of you who wear blue jeans as a convenience or to be in style, you are welcome and encouraged to wear them. And for those of you who know the philosophy and have claimed the blue jean attitude, you know who you are. Join me here as we attempt to explain it to the rest of the world.

Blue jeans are not new. Browsing through popular stores, we may see a plethora of types and styles of blue jeans, but the original jeans were created by the man whose name is often interchanged with the term, "blue jeans," Mr. Levi Strauss. Levi Strauss, a young Bavarian immigrant, arrived in San Francisco in the 1850s during the heart of the California Gold Rush.

Strauss' purpose was to sell canvas used for wagons and tents, and other dry goods, but soon found that the real need was in strong durable clothing, especially pants. Miners were rugged men with rugged ways and they required a rugged material to protect them from the elements. So Levi Strauss began making canvas pants. One of Strauss' best customers was a local tailor named Jacob Davis, who was originally from Latvia. Davis regularly bought the strong canvas from Strauss' business, Levi Strauss & Co., and made his own pants to sell to others, but found that he had one customer whose pockets kept ripping away from his pants. Davis tried every means to strengthen the man's pants, to no avail.

Finally Davis came upon the idea of attaching metal rivets at critical areas that are given a lot of strain, such as at the corners of pockets and the base of the button fly. The pants with the metal rivets were an instant success with Jacob Davis' customers, so Davis wrote to Levi Strauss, suggesting the two of them apply together to patent the riveted canvas pants. Strauss immediately agreed and in May of 1873, the patent was confirmed. "Waist overalls" was the original name for these new canvas pants that took the mining world by storm. Sometime during that same first year, the first Levi Strauss & Co. riveted clothing was made and sold. The word "denim" comes from French origins and fabric that was used in Europe to clothe slaves. From "waist overalls" to "denim" to "work pants" and back to denim again, these rugged pants became popularly known as "jeans" in the 1960s.

The strong cotton fabric was originally made at a mill in Manchester, New Hampshire. Word quickly spread and working men all over the country were hearing about the strength and durability of Levi Strauss' work pants. Sometime around 1890, the work pants became associated with the number 501, a number they still use today. As to be expected, the popularity of Strauss' work pants exploded into many copy-cat garments once the original 20-year patent expired. Companies all over the world began manufacturing denim jeans and they became more popular than any other clothing type. Blue jean wearers and lovers will agree that although there are many wonderful substitutes, the original blue jean still belongs to Strauss.

Today jeans are more than just clothing; to many of us they are a state of mind. To borrow the lyrics from another song, Waylon Jennings sang in his popular, "Luckenbach, Texas," to his sweetheart, "Baby let's sell your diamond rings, buy some boots and faded jeans and go away..." Blue jean lovers will understand this sentiment. The concept isn't about getting rid of the money so much as acquiring an attitude of simplicity and peace.

Let's face it, you don't wear jeans to fancy parties, elegant restaurants, business meetings, interviews, and upper-crust social functions. Jeans are for working on the farm, working with horses, working with children, working construction, working at home, moving furniture, hiking a mountain, cleaning a house, walking a dog, camping, having a picnic. Jeans are for taking a walk through the woods, hunting, climbing trees, rescuing animals, roping cattle, digging in the garden, and eating a home-cooked meal. Jeans are for going to the library, hauling lumber, shopping for groceries, taking the subway, touring a city, fishing, and relaxing at home.

Of course, one could argue that you could wear a variety of other garments to do most of these things, except perhaps roping cattle, but the blue jeans represent an aura of traditional thinking. Dressing up to go grocery shopping or working with children seems just a bit ridiculous. Sure, many people feel this is important, and that's what makes our world interesting: the fact that we are all different. But my wish for others is that they could know the blue jean philosophy, if only for a moment. If only they could know the mental comfort that comes with putting on a pair of jeans first thing in the morning and knowing you are "dressed" for the day.

My wish goes even beyond this. If only jeans were not just for weekend and dress-down occasions. If only businessmen, teachers, lawyers, doctors, accountants, and other professionals could whistle their way to work in a pair of blue jeans. I do believe this would make them whistle! Some people will balk at this suggestion; where would the professionalism be? How will we separate them from the rest of us if they dress like we do? That is exactly my point. We are all in this life together, working together, living together, relaxing together, and just trying to get by the best way we know how. Wouldn't we be doing our professional brothers and sisters a favor to encourage this simplistic, relaxed philosophy of life? Most people probably don't think so, but I know I do. Here's to the blue jean lovers everywhere: enjoy, smile, and remain forever in blue jeans.

If you're anything like me, then you have at least a few friends who gush about the great bargains they've found on eBay, the Internet auction site (www.ebay.com). Even if you've never visited the eBay website, chances are that you've at least heard of them. Remember a few months ago when a woman sold a 10-year-old grilled cheese sandwich that purportedly bore the image of the Virgin Mary? Well, she sold it on eBay (for a whopping $28,000). The auction site brings together millions of buyers and sellers from all over the world. The result is that you can buy almost anything you can think of, including clothes.

What are the advantages of buying clothes on eBay? For one thing, you have access to items that you might otherwise have never seen if not for eBay. For example, many people operate virtual eBay stores either as a way to supplement their incomes or as a full-time job. It costs a lot of money and time to set up a physical retail store. It also takes a lot of inventory to stock a "real" store. But when you run an eBay store, you don't have to deal with those requirements. You just sell what you have on hand in your own home. This is great for people who make their own clothes. It gives them a chance to get their designs out in the public eye without worrying about many of the marketing aspects that traditional designers have to deal with. This gives you an opportunity to find truly original clothes at reasonable prices. If you are tired of retail stores and off-the-rack fashion, but at the same time don't want to pay exorbitant prices for top-of-the-line originals eBay just might be what you are looking for.

Another advantage to buying clothes on eBay is low prices. You can often find name-brand items that are selling on eBay for a lot less than you would pay at the mall. For example, I bought an authentic J. Crew sweater on eBay for $19.99 when it was going for $34.99 at the J. Crew store at my local mall. How does this happen? Isn't the eBay seller losing money on that deal? Well, I thought so too, at first. But no one would willingly lose money just so I can score a bargain, right? I did a bit of research and discovered that the most common reason that people are able to do this is because different branches of the same store hold sales at different times in different parts of the country. So while my local J. Crew in Chicago is selling sweaters at $34.99, the J. Crew in Los Angeles might have those same sweaters on clearance for $14.99. The eBay seller in Los Angeles scoops up as many sweaters as she can, and sells them for $19.99, which amounts to a profit of $5 per sweater. That's a pretty good margin for a home business or hobby.

Shopping for clothes on eBay is not always that easy or straightforward, of course. There are several disadvantages that you should be aware of. First of all, on any given day, there are quite literally tens of thousands of clothing items up for auction on eBay. Because of the sheer volume, I personally find browsing to be a bit difficult. It's better to go to eBay if you know exactly what you want. That way, you can just type in the item description in the search box and have only the relevant listings appear on your screen.

Another disadvantage is that most of the listings on eBay follow an auction style. So, you are not guaranteed to get the item at the price that you want. Other people can inflate the price with their bids and if you don't bid high enough, you will lose the item. This usually happens with the most popular and trendy clothes. For example, I have seen Abercrombie & Fitch clothing sell on eBay for more than the retail price found at Abercrombie stores. If a shirt, for example, is a particularly hot item and is sold out in the stores, then people are willing to pay a premium (that is, a higher price) on eBay just to be able to get the item. It's the equivalent of paying a scalper twice the face value of a concert ticket in order to see your favorite band perform live at a sold-out event.

One more thing you have to watch out for on eBay is the reputation of the seller. Luckily, eBay has a pretty good feedback system, so you can check out what other buyers had to say about their past dealings with the seller. If a seller gets consistently negative feedback, then you know you better steer clear of him or her and buy your clothes somewhere else. Some reasons for negative feedback include: excessive shipping and handling charges; wrong item sent; item never sent; or fake merchandise (the seller tried to pass off an obviously fake Gucci item for the real deal). Because you can read the seller's feedback, the truly bad seeds don't last very long. I have bought countless items from eBay and have not had a bad experience yet (knock on wood).

While buying clothes on eBay might not be for everyone, I recommend that you try it at least once. Start with a low-priced item, such as a t-shirt, in order to get your feet wet and to see if you like the way eBay works. It's a nice alternative to the mall or to the websites of national retail chains. You never know what kind of great bargains or truly one-of-a-kind originals you will find on eBay.

Meeting the parents of a boyfriend or girlfriend can be a stressful or anxious time. Regardless of how considerate, friendly, and approachable we may be, there is still a fear that the parents will find something that they dislike about us. This feeling is only natural. In fact, the first time I met my husband's mother I brought along a friend to help ease my nervousness. There are also times when the parents dislike you for no apparent reason. In situations like this, they are the ones with the problem. Still, we all want to make a good first impression. The way we dress for this meeting can say a lot about the kind of person we are.

Before you open your mouth to say hello, or before you extend your hand and offer a smile, the parents will have seen you approaching. From a distance they are judging you. They are examining your clothes, hair, makeup, walk, etc. As humans we naturally prejudge others based on unimportant details. For example, women may observe another women wearing skimpy clothing and assume she is loose. Once we have in our mind the kind of person someone is, it takes a long time to let go of our initial perception. The parents of your boyfriend and girlfriend are no different. Therefore we should dress in a fashion that is modest and mature.

Dressing for the parents is much easier for males. Men can wear a sweater, pair of pants, and look decent. However, men should make sure that their clothing is cleaned. If you had lunch a few hours prior and dropped a hotdog on your white shirt, change before meeting the parents. Badly stained clothes can leave an impression. It may make you appear unclean or a slob. Men should also make sure that their clothing is free of wrinkles. Do not meet the folk looking as if you just rolled out of bed.

Females may have a more difficult time. As women, we may like to show a little skin and wear make-up. There is nothing wrong with this. Unfortunately, some women do not know when to draw the line. There is a time and place for short revealing outfits. The first time you meet your boyfriend's family is not one of those times. Mothers are especially difficult to impress. Many times a mother will already dislike the girlfriend before even laying eyes on her. An indicator of this type of mother includes her rarely smiling, appearing tense, and maintaining a stern look on her face. In the mothers mind she is looking for every reason to dislike the girlfriend. These types of mother may often use dress and appearance as her basis. Why give her the satisfaction?

When meeting your boyfriend's parents for the first time, keep it simple. First, determine the setting. Will it be formal or casual? More than likely it will be casual, unless you are attending a wedding. Women tend to wear a dress or skirt for meeting the parents. This is ideal because it will give a softer look. However, avoid wearing a short dress or skirt. Also, pay attention to the length when you sit. A knee length dress will stop mid-thigh when sitting. If the dress is much shorter while sitting, carry a shawl to place across your legs. This shows modesty

Women should also avoid wearing skimpy tops. It is fair to assume that your boyfriend's parents do not want to see a lot of cleavage or your belly ring. Sleeveless tanks are perfect for summer meetings, however avoid shirts that cut too low or that show too much flesh. This does not make a good first impression, nor does it show respect. Also, avoid wearing tight shirts. I doubt the parents will want to see the imprint of every curve in your body. True, your boyfriend may love these outfits, save them for him. Another great suggestion is dressing your age. If you are in your mid to late twenties, do not meet the parents looking like a teenager. This style of dress will make you appear immature and childlike. Sophisticated and classy is the key.

Make-up should be light and natural. Try and avoid looking fake or like a clown. Some women try and impress the parents by wearing more make-up than necessary. However, this often backfires. By offering these tips I am not suggesting that women should give up their own uniqueness to conform to their boyfriend's standards. It is important to be yourself. The tips offered should be applied when trying to appear mature and classy in any given situations. Women should dress the same way for meeting the parents as they would for a job interview. You would never go to an interview wearing club clothes or revealing outfits.

By Christina VanGinkel

We have all heard the old adage that everything old is new again. I never believed this until bell bottoms came back into style a few years ago, and I now realize how naive I was to think that this just was not true. Nearly any style that is on the clothing racks in stores today can be somehow traced back to styles that were vogue long ago.

What drives us as people to keep turning the clocks backwards when it comes to fashion? I think on some level it is that we are trying to reclaim our youth. If not directly in the clothing we wear, then through the clothing our children wear. We may also be looking to recreate parts of our lives to reflect a quieter time in history altogether. Consider the retro style clothing that is so popular. It actually brings reminiscing about style back to the early 1920's. On the other hand, is it possible that designers from days gone by did such a great job, that there really is no need to create brand new? No, not at all, as new designers will always be creating new styles and designs, and building on the well grounded designs from past times. However, you will also have your fashion aficionados who just recognize a good thing and keep putting the old out as new.

As a mother and grandmother, I do find it a bit ironic that the clothing my grandson wears is oftentimes decorated with many of the same characters that have been popular on and off for decades now, including the likes of Spiderman, Batman, and anything and everything Star Wars. It is as if our generation of current adults is stuck in a time warp when it comes to children's clothing as well as our own.

Is there anything wrong with any of this? I would vehemently answer definitely not. Why should we be looking to create new, new, new of everything, when there is nothing wrong or bad about the old or already done. Fashion is such a personal thing anyways, that an outfit on one person is viewed very different on the next person in line.

Take those bell-bottoms for instance. No matter how much I would like to turn the clocks backwards every now and then, I have to remind myself that did not look good in them in the sixties and I still do not look good in them now!

My husband is one of those guys who doesn't care much about clothes or fashion at all. He hates to go shopping for clothes, and, more importantly, hates spending lots of money on clothes. As a result, he never seems to wear anything but t-shirts and jeans or shorts (in the summer). These are just plain old t-shirts, too. No henleys or ringers or anything like that. He only owns a couple of shirts with collars, and maybe one or two pairs of khaki pants. He wears a collared shirt and pants exactly once a year: when we go to my mother's house for Thanksgiving dinner. Then it's right back to the t-shirt and jeans routine until the next Thanksgiving.

I guess this wouldn't be so bad if he regularly sported new t-shirts, but he hangs on to the same clothes until they literally fall apart. When I tell him he should get new t-shirts, he immediately points out that there are no holes in his other shirts, so they've got "years of service left in 'em." And he really means it, too. I would venture to guess that at least 80% of his current t-shirt stock consists of shirts that are more than 5 years old. Yes, five years old! I don't know about you, but that seems like a long time to hold on to and wear a t-shirt (he does wear these out in public). T-shirts aren't made to endure that many years of spin cycles in the washing machine and high-heat cycles in the dryer. So you can probably imagine the state that some of his shirts are in: the graphics have peeled or become so faded that you can't read them, and the neck area has become frayed and ragged looking. But, he's right. There are no actual holes in them, so he just keeps on wearing them.

At least his jeans and shorts are in better shape. He buys cheap jeans because he can't stand name-brand clothes. So he totally avoids Levi's, Abercrombie & Fitch, Tommy Hilfiger, and all other famous brands. I think the jeans he currently owns were all bought from an outlet store for less than $15 a piece. Even though they were cheap, the jeans have held up remarkably well and don't much wear and tear from all the years of use. Who knows how many "years of service" my husband will get from one pair of jeans!

I will admit that after we first got married, I tried to change my husband's wardrobe. I know that this is a pretty stereotypical thing for a woman to do, but I couldn't help it. I wanted him to look a little more presentable when we went out to a restaurant or to a friend's house for dinner or a party. At least I didn't just take him to the mall one day and tell him that we were going to overhaul his wardrobe. I was a bit more subtle about it and gave him the new clothes as Christmas and birthday gifts. I bought casual items, such as polo-type shirts and Dockers pants. But he just as subtly turned aside my attempts at improvement, and never wore the new clothes.

I gradually accepted the fact that my husband would never dress the way I wanted him to. It's not that I mind t-shirts and jeans. In fact, a significant portion of my own wardrobe consists of these very same items. It's just that sometimes I would like to get dressed up and go to a fancy restaurant, or take in a play or musical downtown. I never quite realized how not having the right type of clothing could limit our activities. But, as I said, I've learned to live with it by now. My husband wouldn't be at ease in those places, and his comfort is more important to me than eating at a certain restaurant or seeing a play.

If clothes really do make the man, then I count myself very lucky. My husband's wardrobe shows that he is a very laid back and down-to-earth person who isn't concerned with shallow things like a person's outward appearance. I would take that over a few nights out on the town any day!

Earth Shoes Redux

They arrived yesterday. My first pair of Earth shoes in twenty five years. I had actually forgotten how they looked, but they did look good.

For my first pair, I purchased sandals that were on clearance. Retro flip flops, with a peace sign above the thong. They're made of leather and denim. Right out of the late sixties, early seventies. How cool is that?

Waiting the week for them to get here was the hardest. Then on the scheduled delivery date, UPS didn't show up at the usual time. Wouldn't you know that this would be the week the usual driver would go on vacation?

So, I waited, and waited, watching the window for the brown van. Finally, at three in the afternoon, there it was, slowing down at the end of the driveway.

Running to the door, I felt like a kid in a candy store. Okay, pause, take a breath, I don't want to look like an eager idiot.

Meet the guy in the driveway, say my thanks and try to walk back into the house, all graceful like.

Inside, I quickly open the plain brown box and pull out the Earth shoe box inside. I held my breath as I opened that second box.

Had I been taken again? Would these truly be 'real' Earth shoes? I pull the first sandal out, remove the stuffing, and set it on the floor. I repeat with the second shoe.

I kick off my counterfeits, and gently slide my feet into my new sandals.

Immediately, I could feel it. My back stood straighter and my heel, well it sunk lower than my toes. I walked across the floor and could feel the familiar tug in my lower calves.

They were real!

My feet were dancing, almost screaming out "We've come home". I couldn't argue. Once again, I had the most comfortable shoes in the world surrounding my feet.

I'm so glad I didn't wait to order the boots (ordering two days after the sandals). They came today. Exactly like the boots I had in the mid-seventies. Except now, I only have to lace them up once as they have a size zipper for easy on and off.

Will I buy more? You bet I will. With any luck, I'll buy enough to last me the rest of my life. While some may stockpile food, me, I'm going to stockpile Earth shoes. Before they disappear again.

by Christina VanGinkel

My two-year-old grandson was coming home for a visit. He was driving from Arkansas all the way to Wisconsin just so he could go swimming with Grandma. He had informed us that he wanted to do three things while he was visiting. Ride the four-wheeler with his Papa, go fishing with his Uncle, and have Grandma take him to the local pool. This all sounded grand, until I realized that I had not given a thought to a swimsuit in over three years. That being the last time we went on vacation and let our two youngest children pick where they wanted to go, and they had chosen Wisconsin Dells and the Great Wolf Lodge, complete with all the water any swimmer could want in one place. The suit I wore to the lodge was still in my closet, but I had been considerably heavier when I wore it compared to my current weight.

So, the problem was, where would I get a swimming suit so early in the spring and in Wisconsin? In addition, what would I need in a suit now that my age had been rising but my figure had been falling pound wise? I temporarily considered heading to the pool in t-shirt and shorts, until my daughter reminded me of their no t-shirt rule. If you wanted to swim in the community pool, you were required to wear a suit, so, back to finding a suit.

Our area consists of your basic stores found across the country in any major rural area, Wal-Mart, Kmart, and Penney's. My first stop was Wal-Mart, simply because as the crow flies, it was closest to my house. Surprisingly, they had a few swimsuits in stock, even though the average daily temperature had not been over forty degrees. The problem with the selection I first came across though was unless I was willing to wear a very basic bikini I was out of luck. I may have been slimming down the past couple of years, but believe me when I say nobody wants to see me in a two piece swimsuit, not any as skimpy as the ones I found hanging on those racks. Before I left the store, I did check a few other racks, and had found a few hanging in the women's section on a large size rack. Nothing had tweaked my interest though, and they had all looked more along the lines of something I could envision my Grandmother wearing. The good news was that I had at least found a few swimsuits, if they were from one extreme to the next!

From there I headed to Kmart. Our Kmart is a smaller sized store with a good selection of most things you might need. No swimsuits yet though, and the clerk I asked said they would not be getting any in for at least a week or two. Problem was I needed a suit for the upcoming weekend. Next stop, and more or less my last resort unless I wanted to wear what I had hanging in my closet, was Penney's.

When I arrived, not only did they have a selection to pick from as far as sizes and styles go, they had several that had some features I had not even thought of being able consider. One suit had a nifty little panel across the stomach area, in the form of a built in girdle, yet comfortable. Several suits in my size range had built in support in the bra area. Moreover, there was a selection of two-piece suits that resembled tank tops with matching shorts if I was so inclined to go that route! Then I saw it, a perfect little black number as they say. It had this nifty little panel across the stomach with shirring that miraculously made my tummy look slimmer, tank style straps that were wide enough apart that I knew they would offer the support I needed and stay put, along with the built in bra. I knew it was the perfect suit even before I tried it on. The front, back, and leg cut were all moderate, not too much, and not too little. I had found a suit that I could both swim in and be comfortable in when I got out of the pool.

Once I had browsed the racks a bit more and tried on a few others just to make sure that this was indeed the suit for me, I headed to the checkout to pay for my purchase. That was one of the best parts of the whole deal. The suit, along with a neat little cover-up skirt, a pair of deck shoes, and two matching beach towels, one for me, and one for my grandson, cost less than one hundred dollars. Nevertheless, the very best part was seeing how excited my grandson was when we headed off to go swimming.

Written by James Fohl

If you live on the east coast of the United States, then chances are you are just like me, wondering where in the world is the warm weather. Let's face it, it is the middle of May, and as the saying goes "April showers bring May flowers.". The only problem with the east coast right now, is the fact that our May weather has been seemingly like our March weather.

It seems that everywhere I go, people are complaining left and right about the cold temperatures, lack of sunlight, and of course the rain showers that don't seem to want to go away.

I remember back in March, it was mostly sunny and I purchased a bunch of khaki and blue jean shorts along with a pair of new sandals. I had already seen some warm weather and could not wait until May came so I could have some fun in the sun.


Instead Of Wearing My New Summer Clothes, I'm Stuck Still Wearing My Beat Up Old Winter Clothes

Too bad for me that May is already here, and the sun is nowhere to be found. Instead of the warm temperatures I was expecting, I instead have been finding cold temperatures that should have gone away when we left March for April. I find my self a little angry because instead of wearing the new pairs of shorts I bought months earlier, I find myself still wearing my rugged old blue jeans. Instead of wearing my new sandals, I am still wearing my beat up black boots.

People like me are everywhere, mad and complaining about the weather. Even stores are having problems selling summer gear, because everyone is buying the clearance winter merchandise instead.

I was looking at a pair of sunglasses a few days ago, but I quickly put them down. I began thinking to myself why I should buy a pair of sunglasses since the sun had not even been out the past week. I put them down thinking that I would purchase them whenever summer officially comes in.


I Don't Know Where The Warm Weather Is, But If It Doesn't Come Soon I Think I'm Leaving

Where is the warm weather on the east coast? Who knows, I just really hope that the rest of the summer isn't as crappy as May has been. Hopefully, just hopefully it will get warm enough so that I can go back to the stores and purchase that pair of sunglasses along with a pair of swimming trunks. If it is not warm by July however, I think I am gonna get away from this east coast and find myself a nice warm place to enjoy the summer.

Written by James Fohl

Is there anything on this crazy planet of ours that is more comfortable to wear than a nice pair of sweat pants? Think about the last time you wore sweat pants? Can you remember when the last time you wore such comfortable, cotton pants?

Talking To Coworkers About Sweat Pants

I was talking to some of my friends a while ago about how cool it would be to wear sweat pants to work. While we all agreed it would be pretty cool, of course one guy had to get all technical on the subject and state that according to his company's policies any pants made with 80% or more cotton were considered sweat pants, and illegal.

This had me thinking when I arrived back home later that day, and I checked out the couple pairs of sweat pants that I owned residing in my clothes closet to see what percentage of cotton the pants consisted of. Sure enough, all of the sweat pants I own consist of at least 80% cotton, along with 20% polyester. There went my whole 'Here's a pair of 75% cotton sweat pants; go wear them to work!”ordeal that I was going to give to the Mister Know-it-all employee.

Those Cheap Pairs Of Sweat Pants Can't Compare .

Even if you are not allowed to wear sweat pants to work, they are still the most comfortable pants I have ever worn outside of work. If you disagree, then you probably have only worn Haynes or Fruit of the Loom sweatpants that you can purchase at retail stores such as Wal-Mart and Target for less than ten dollars. These sweat pants simply do not cut it, and can deserve all the bashing they get. Go into a specialty store such as American Eagle, or my personal favorite, Aeropostale, and try on a pair of their premium sweat pants. Chances are, after you have tried a pair of premium sweat pants on you most likely will not want to take them off.

Yeah, they feel that good. I used to really be a blue jeans guy until I received a pair of Aeropostale sweat paints from a friend as a gift. Then, I some how only wanted to wear that pair of sweat pants in my free time. They were the most comfortable winter pants I had ever owned, and I still have them today. Even with numerous rips, tears, and stains they are still pretty dang comfortable.

If You Are Looking For A Pair Of Comfortable Pants, Look No Further Than Aeropostale's Sweat Pants

So if you have never tried a pair of American Eagle or Aeropostale sweat pants, maybe you should go in and try on a pair. While they are regularly priced $44.50 at Aeropostale, you can usually find them on sale for around fifteen dollars, which to me is an excellent price for the totally comfortable pants you are receiving. Who knows, you might just fall in love with a pair of very comfortable pants.

I am very impressed with the different styles of maternity clothes that are available these days. In the days before my first pregnancy, when I thought about maternity clothes, I pictured over sized, ill fitting, ruffled dresses and clown style pants. Fortunately, most maternity clothing does not actually look like this. These days you can find maternity clothes that are as stylish and often even more stylish than regular clothes.

During my first pregnancy, my favorite clothing piece was a cute little black dress. It was sleeveless, came to just above my knees, had a silver decorative buckle in the front, and tied in the back to allow adjustment to compensate for my growing belly. I absolutely loved it. I wore it anytime I wanted to feel sexy while I was pregnant. I even wore it after I was pregnant. Many months after I had given birth I was still choosing that little black dress to wear at least once a month. Unfortunately, in a moment of weakness, I loaned it to my sister, who was at the time 6 months pregnant. I never saw it again. She passed it on, after her pregnancy, to another pregnant woman. I was disappointed, but I could not really complain. How could I? I wasn't even pregnant anymore!

During my second pregnancy, my favorite outfit was a blue short set. It was cute and cool for the hot summer weather and I felt sporty in it. My last trimester of pregnancy was filled with ninety degree days, but I felt great in a variety of stylish maternity short sets, Capris, and tank tops. I even had a very hot, black and white bathing suit.

The last trimester of my third pregnancy was punctuated by an endlessly cold winter. I sported bulky sweaters and pant sets that looked much like what my non-pregnant friends were wearing. My one regret was the difficulty I had with finding a coat to fit me. I flat out refused to buy a special maternity coat and nothing I had at home would fasten by the time I reached my eighth month. I could be seen, on any given day, pulling and tugging at my jacket or coat trying, in vain, to get it to close comfortably over my bulging belly. Still I was very pleased with the majority of my wardrobe during that pregnancy.

During my most recent pregnancy, my home was hit by an unexpected flood. I lost all the maternity clothes I had managed to save from previous pregnancies as well as all my new purchases. I cried going through drawer after drawer of soiled, moldy maternity clothes, thinking of all the money wasted and the hurt of losing so much I was emotionally attached to.

For weeks I survived in oversized t-shirts and sweat pants. I felt sloppy and unkempt. I missed my stylish maternity wardrobe, but could not, after suffering so many losses, justify purchasing all new clothes. Lucky for me I did not need to. My friends, concerned over my lack of suitable clothing, surprised me with a just for mommy shower. I received a brand new stylish assortment of maternity clothes from my friends/saints. Now, six months later, I realize I can no longer get away with wearing my maternity jeans or my favorite denim maternity top. It is getting too hot for most of my pregnancy clothes and I have reached my pre-pregnancy weight.

This time, instead of holding on to the maternity close just in case I decide to have another child, I decided to donate them to a local charity. I hope they will make some other woman feel as good as they helped me to feel. I did, however, hold onto my favorite denim shirt, just in case.

As I was sorting through the items in my toddler daughter's dresser drawers and closet the other day, I realized something. She has a better wardrobe than I do. As fast as she is growing, everything she has will likely be too small within six months. Yet, she has more clothes, for more specialty occasions, in better condition than her mother. How does this happen?

There are many reasons for this phenomenon, yet it is also incredibly simple. First, kids' clothes are cute. Really, really cute, especially the items for little girls. In addition, they are generally less expensive than adult items. Add to that the fact that my daughter loves clothes and enjoys shopping for them. I enjoy the pleasure of buying the things she covets more than I enjoy buying things for myself.

When I became a mother, I chose to stay at home with my daughter. I work, but I do contract work from home. Since I do not go into an office on more than a sporadic basis, I need very few clothing items that are suited for the work world. Most often, my days involve either sitting alone at my computer after a preschool drop off, or trekking to the park, mall, pool, playgroup or other kid friendly venue. I am likely to get covered with drips of toddler food and beverage and I need to be able to climb up a jungle gym to get a stranded child or kneel in the sand to help build the perfect sand castle. For all of these reasons, I opt for comfort. This means that my outfit of choice tends to be a t-shirt and jeans or shorts. Yes, I even own a pair of overalls.

I watch those wardrobe makeover shows and I see them replace all the clothing on women like me. I understand that I would look more stylish in a linen blouse and slacks. But, when my daughter placed her chocolate covered hands on my fanny, it would have to go to the dry cleaner instead of allowing me to just zap it with oxi-clean and throw it into the washing machine. Yes, little dresses are flattering, summery and cute. But, when you are perched at the edge of the sand pile in the playground, they are not terribly practical since there is no way to sit gracefully without exposing your nether regions. Strappy sandals? I love them, but they flap and fly when I have to race after an escaping toddler who is chasing a squirrel, bird, butterfly or invisible fairy.

So, I will continue to watch and learn how I ought to dress. But, in the meantime I will stay comfortable in my mommy clothes and live vicariously through my little one's wardrobe.

Right from the childhood, a person wears a lot of clothes with different fashions, styles, during the whole life. No fashion in clothing remains forever because of changing trends in everything and also for the fact that change is a must for growth. When a person is an infant he or she did not know anything about this world and it has no sense to wear clothes or not. His parents or guardians have to take care of the clothing. This is according to the weather conditions, body and the type of cloth to be used. When the child grows it is able to make a difference in its liking or disliking about a particular cloth for itself. During infancy, it hardly matters that what is the type of clothes that are used for male or female babies. But in the due course of time, this will change and there is a lot of difference in the clothing of male and female. It is generally observed that baby clothes are filled with pictures, cartoons, figures, and animals' photographs, etc., so as to enable them familiar with these things. As the child grows its clothes are changed to his school dress, dress while playing and dress while sleeping, etc. This all is governed by his parents! As the person goes to the college he gets familiar with the fashion trends, which are present in the market.

Everyone has interest that he or she should look better than everyone else and at the same time, different also! This fashion or trend in the clothing comes from the glamour world of cinema, and fashion designers, etc.
It is general trend among the youngsters that they prefer to wear clothes, which were worn by their favorite star whether be a film star or a player of their choice. That is why companies prefer to take the stars in their advertising campaigns. As boys wear pants, shirts, jeans, T-shirts, full sleeves shirts as well as half sleeves shirts, sweaters, jackets, and coats, etc.; girls also have a variety in their clothes like hipsters, tops, jeans, sari, and almost all the male clothes. It is seen that there is trend of stitched clothes as well as readymade garments among the youngsters.

Earlier it was a great problem to wear clothes of own interest. This is because of the restrictions made by parents or society, and the availability of clothes of new trends was not easy. But now days everyone can wear his own interest’s clothes, which are of new fashion and trend. This is made easy with the help of fashion shows, exhibitions or also with the cinema. In a fashion show a latest ranges of almost all types of clothes are displayed for the public interests. This is also easy now a days because every town or city or even a small village has its own cloth shops, showrooms of readymade garments, etc. Now days you can go to a showroom for purchasing clothes, you need not to worry that will it be suitable to you or not. You can try it at the shop itself and if you find it suitable then only buy otherwise you are not forced to buy that particular cloth. You can go for another piece or type of cloth or even try at another shop also.

I remember one day when I went to purchase clothes with one of my friends from the market. We left for the market in the morning and we visited a number of shops, big showrooms and every company's exclusive showroom and tried a number of clothes. We were trying the clothes for almost the whole day and in the evening decided to purchase a particular pants and shirt. This is because of the reason that we have a market full of variety of clothes and it is not a good decision to purchase anything without trying the market especially the clothes.

In the changing world of fashion the trends of clothes are changing and so are the ways of purchasing the clothes. Though online selling is one of the options, but it is better to go to the market and try the clothes!

Clothing is much more than meets the eye for many of us. It is a comfort zone of sorts. Surprisingly though, what one might consider comfortable, another would not. Some of us have our favorite pair of jeans and sweatshirt that we pull on the minute we no longer need to be dressed for the outside world. This assembly can also include items such as sweatpants, shorts, pajama tops and bottoms, t-shirts, etc., with the main criteria being the older the better, while others are not comfortable unless completely dressed in a matching ensemble from head to toe.

One friend I know insists that she would never be caught dead in most of the things I regularly wear. I responded by telling her I would surely expire if forced to wear dress clothes day in and out like she does on a daily basis. As I work mostly from the comfort of my home, my closet only holds a few outfits suitable for much beyond a trip to the local grocery store. Her closet mostly holds three-piece suits, color coordinated with matching shoes and jewelry.

This same friend once showed up at a mutual friends for a birthday party for a three year old. She arrived in high heels and a cream pantsuit complete with a white silk shirt and pearls. While other mothers dressed in mostly jeans and Capris gave her looks that clearly wondered if she was a bit off her rocker, I knew that she was dressed in what she considered comfortable for a play date with toddlers. She was not only at ease in what some of us consider dress clothes; I knew she was about as underdressed for an occasion as she would ever be.

What is it about clothes that makes some people love to wear outfits with matching everything, and make the rest of us just wish that everything looked the same so we did not have to always be searching for an outfit that would not make our great, great grandmothers roll in their graves? Why are some people able to dress in fine silks and other elegant clothes at the start of a day and still look pulled together twelve hours later after a full day of work and family? While the rest of us cannot make it out the door first thing in the morning without it looking like we tried to use a steamroller to press our whole wardrobe while we were wearing it.

She always has what she considers the perfect outfit for any occasion that may come up. I am also always comfortable, and the few places I go, I can always manage to pull something out of my closet, even if I do end up wearing the same outfit to both a wedding, a funeral, and the quarterly teachers conference at my twelve year old sons school. The more I think about it, all I can really say is thank heaven for individuality in the clothing game. What it comes down to is the need for everyone to be comfortable with their individual wardrobe and style and stop worrying if we fit in with the crowd. In addition, I need to figure out what I can wear to an upcoming graduation party. I hope that I will not run in to too many of the same people from the last wedding and funeral I went too!

We all have our favorite set of "comfy clothes" that we wear around the house. Some people might like to wear an oversized pajama top paired with loose-fitting shorts. Other people might prefer the old t-shirt and sweatpants combination. Personally speaking, my set of comfy clothes consists of a black pair of Adidas track pants and a white hooded sweatshirt with my sorority letters on it. Of course, this combo only works in winter, but I am writing about it now because I have a feeling that these particular items are on their last legs, so to speak. How long is too long to keep comfy clothes around?

I think this is a tough question to answer because, first of all, people rarely go out of the house in their comfy clothes unless it's midnight and they need to run out for a snack. Since it's not likely that anyone would ever see you in these clothes, they obviously don't have to be in perfect condition. Second, it's pretty hard (at least for me) to find an item of clothing that can attain this special wardrobe status. I don't know about you, but my comfy clothes have to fit just right. They have to be loose enough to allow me to indulge in that occasional hot fudge sundae or to allow me to sleep comfortably. That means tight elastic waistbands are out. They can't be too loose, either. The feeling of swimming in my clothes just doesn't cut it for me. When my comfy clothes are in the wash, I always struggle with the day's replacement outfit. I am so used to how my comfy clothes fit that anything else automatically feels wrong.

But I am faced with a big dilemma right now. I have been relying on the same comfy clothes for about 8 years, and those years are starting to take their toll. My Adidas pants have the trademark 3 stripes running down the sides of the legs. But after countless trips through the washer and dryer, the stitching around the stripes has come undone in some places. So now the stripes are just kind of hanging there, half off and half on. It looks pretty bad. My sweatshirt is not doing much better. It was white, but time (and a lot of spills and stains that didn't quite come all the way out, even with bleach) has turned it to a dirty gray color. The sorority letters were just silk-screened on, so they have peeled in several places and are hardly legible anymore. In short, I look pretty ragged when I wear these clothes.

I know that it's time to change, but I can't quite bring myself to do it. Every time I go to a sporting goods store, I look at their Adidas track pants, but I can't find the same ones. Mine have a nylon shell, are lined with cotton, and have zippered legs (almost like basketball warm-ups). I made the mistake of buying a pair that were merely similar to the ones I have. They ended up being way too tight, even though they were the same brand and the same size. Don't you hate it when that happens?

It seems like my sweatshirt would be easier to replace, but that hasn't been the case. I don't like hooded sweatshirts at all, but of course hoodies are all the rage now. Sweatshirts have to fit just right, too. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. Some sweatshirts are too thick, some are too thin, some are too narrow through the torso area, and some are too boxy. This kind of reminds me of the "Golden Boy" t-shirt from that one Seinfeld episode. Jerry couldn't throw his favorite t-shirt away even though it had clearly seen better days. What's the big deal, it's just a t-shirt, right? Well, I can totally understand the big deal. Comfortable clothes are hard to come by.

I know that my comfy clothes aren't going to last for another winter season, which means I have about 6 months to find suitable replacements. It looks like I will be trying on a lot of track pants and sweatshirts this summer!

By Valencia Higuera

Choosing a wedding dress is just as difficult as squaring away other details for the wedding. All brides have a vision of how they would like to look on their wedding day. For one moment in time, they are a princess. No doubt they want a dress that will leave the guests and their groom in awe. The wedding dress is generally one of the first details that brides handle. The selection process sounds easier than it is. Many brides assume that they will enter a bridal shop, try on a few top picks, and walk out the store with the gown of their dreams. Brides quickly learn that choosing a wedding dress can take days, even weeks.

I was not the typical bride. While other girls were fantasizing about their future weddings and husbands, I was plotting my independence. The goal was to go to college, get a job, and take care of myself. My plan backfired and the rest is history. Still, even with the engagement ring glued to my finger I didn't think like a bride. I purchased my wedding gown in one day, and only tried on four gowns. It was an impromptu purchase. In other words, on the day of purchase I had not planned on visiting the bridal shop, let alone purchase a gown. I do not recommend that brides develop my nonchalant attitude. Weddings are special occasions, and there is nothing wrong with wanting every aspect of a wedding to be perfect, down to the wedding gown.

Prior to visiting bridal shops, brides should have in mind the type of dress they would like to wear. Those marrying for the first time may not be familiar with the latest wedding gown styles. The best way to become familiar with wedding gowns and accessories is to purchase two or three bridal magazines. These magazines are a bride's guide to planning the wedding of her dreams. They also showcase several bridal gowns. To make it easier, magazines will often list the designer and style number. This way, when the bride visits a bridal gown shop, the sales representative can locate the gown using the style number.

Some brides opt to wear gowns that have been passed down in their family. This is smart economically, if the bride wants to wear the gown. Many brides feel pressured to wear their mother, grandmother, or sister's wedding gown. However, it is normal for brides to want a dress of their own. Changing styles can make a once nice bridal gown appear old-fashion to today's standards. Brides who are expected to wear family gowns should discuss their wishes early. Initially members of the family may be upset, but they will get over it.

Once a dress style is selected, brides must decide whether they will purchase the dress from a store or have it made. Brides who are on a tight budget may choose to have the dress made by a seamstress. Seamstress charge less money than stores. Thus the bride is able to get a designer style gown at a wholesale price. A great advantage is having a mother or grandmother who sews. As a wedding gift they may make the dress free of charge. If using a seamstress, choose an experienced wedding gown seamstress. Ask to see pictures of gowns they have made, or speak with past customers.

Brides who are purchasing gowns from stores should not shop alone. An outsider's opinion is important when selecting the perfect wedding dress. Again, I am living proof of this. On the day that I purchased my gown, I took into the dressing room three gowns. In my mother's opinion, the dresses were nice, but did not give me a special look. She then selected a fourth dress that I did not particularly like because it had a little sleeve (my ideal dress was sleeveless). Amazingly that dressed looked wonderful and I bought it. Ask friends and family for their honest opinion, and listen. They are looking out for your best interests, and they want you to look your very best.

Brides should remember to bring shoes when selecting a dress. The shoes do not have to be the exact ones that will be worn on the wedding day. However, the heel of the shoe should reflect the inch that will be worn. Bringing a pair of shoes give an idea to how long your dress will be. Try and select a dress that needs limited alterations. Ordinary alterations are not very expensive. Nonetheless, alterations for a wedding dress can cost between $100 and $200. Granted, women who are very short or slim may need alterations. Instead of having the bridal shop make changes, ask a friend or family member who has experience making clothing alterations.

Do not wait until the last minute to buy a dress. Some bridal gowns can be purchased off the rack. However, many gowns have to be ordered. Gown orders vary. Some orders arrive in a few days, whereas other orders can take four months. Brides should also prepare to pay a few hundred dollars for a wedding gown. Wedding gown can be costly. Some brides have spent thousands of dollars on a gown. Personally, I do not see the point in spending a lot of money for a gown, unless you are wealthy. Many beautiful gowns are available that do not involve emptying out bank accounts. Be sensible. Do not purchase a dress that is not affordable. Depending on the store, brides may be allowed to pay for their dress in installments.

Brides may have to visit several bridal shops, and try on many dresses before they find one that agrees with their personal style and budget. Take your time. It is ideal to plan at least six months for a wedding. This allows enough time to handle all the wedding details effectively. A six month window also allows time for a bride to have her dress made in the event that she cannot find that perfect gown.

by Christina VanGinkel

Clothing is one of those things you either give a lot of thought to or not much at all. As a mother keeping a growing twelve year old in fashionable clothes without going broke in the process, clothing is on my mind more than ever in the recent past.

My son has always been big. Born at nine pounds fourteen ounces, he is now five feet seven inches tall and weighs approximately one hundred and eighty pounds. Some would immediately assume that he is overweight, but I would beg to differ. He is in all actuality one of the most active twelve years olds I have ever known. He plays catcher for his Little League team, center on offense and nose guard and tackle on defense for the youth football team, snowboards all winter, and rides motocross on his Kawasaki KX 100 whenever he has a spare minute. Any other free time is spent working for his father in the tool shop and piling logs. With an active schedule like this, I am not only trying to keep him in well fitting, good looking school and day to day clothes, but also in all the protective gear and uniforms needed for him to participate in his favorite sports.

His Little League coach got a taste of his habit of outgrowing clothes when the new season started this year, and he realized he had to special order my son a uniform in adult size. He got off easy! In six weeks time my son outgrew almost every article of clothing in his closet, save for a few pairs of jogging pants and a couple of oversized sweatshirts.

Living rurally as we do, this meant driving to the nearest town with a mall that includes all the basics, including a JC Penneys. Thankfully, my son is easygoing about clothes shopping in general. As long as the clothes moderately resemble what his friends are wearing, he is good to go. This helps immensely when we happenchance upon a sale. Name brands such as U.S. Polo, Arizona, or Levi, are preferred, but more for the fit than the name. He has always been a hot person, so clothes that are favorites are loose fitting and breathable.

The one area of clothing that he can be particular about is anything to do with snowboarding. He has his favorites for everything from his pants and jackets, to the gloves he wears. Again, this is more of a comfort issue than trying to fit in with the crowd.

Motocross pants are also an issue, as he needs them when he rides to protect his legs from any possibly wipeouts. A pair a friend picked up at Christmas at deep discount had to be altered this month for the start of season because he had already outgrown them. Thankfully, they were made in a way that the waist could have an extension put in without being very noticeable. No such luck with the jean shorts I purchased around the same time of year. At least I can pass them down to his little brother. Make that his twenty three year old brother, who may be older, but is definitely smaller!

Earth Shoes are Back


I've been buying what I thought were Earth shoes from my local super center the last couple of years. Imagine my surprise when I discovered last week that what I was buying were not the real thing, only a similar sounding brand.

I purchased my first pair of real Earth shoes in the mid 1970s. Calf high, lace up boots to wear with my Gunny Sack dresses. It took a few days to get used to my heels being lower than the rest of my foot, but once I did, I found out that they were the most comfortable shoes I had ever worn. I wore those boots everywhere, with jeans and with shorts for day hikes along the Appalachian Trail. I think I ended up with about eight years use out of them, before the soles finally wore away.

After the boots, I purchased two more pair of Earth shoes during the next five years or so. Those also lasted eight to ten years with almost continual wear. I went to replace them only to be told that the unique and comfortable shoes were no longer being made.

It took me quite a wile to get used to wearing normal shoes again. Shoes where my heel was even with the rest of my foot and I never quite mastered high heels at all.

So, when I discovered Earth Shoes at the local super center, I was ecstatic. No, they no longer had the recessed heal, but they were still made of leather and were now reasonably priced. I purchased two pair of flip-flops that day, went back in the fall, and bought ankle boots. The flip-flops lasted about a season and the boots are still in good shape.

Last week while surfing the net, I came across the real Earth shoes once again. Still high priced, but they appear to be made in the same high quality tradition. Digging around on the net for a while, I found a place that had some styles on sale very reasonably. I've already ordered a new pair of flip-flops for summer and have my eyes on the perfect pair of boots for winter.

I am a happy camper. Sure, I'll have to learn to walk all over again, but I know my back will thank me after a day or two. Now all I have to do is rediscover Gunny Sack dresses and I can be an old hippie all over again.

My biggest question is this - what is the super center selling? And how many people think as I did, that they are purchasing shoes from a trusted retailer of the 70s and not something made in China? When the store chose these particular shoes, were they capitalizing on a proven brand name and customer loyalty? I've got to admit, I feel a bit deceived.

When you think of a monogrammed shirt, does the big, swirled "L" from a certain TV sitcom character of the mid-seventies come to mind? Maybe you think of the linens in a fancy hotel that you once stayed at. Well, monograms are back, and they're not just for quirky people or for towels and bathrobes anymore. Monograms are a great way to personalize an item of clothing, and to add a touch of class at the same time. While tradition has generally shown that men's dress shirts are the most likely candidates for monograms, modern times have brought about some changes to this custom. These days, you can find monograms on women's clothing, casual clothing, children's clothing, and even on jeans or pants.

Monograms typically consist of the initials of your first, middle, and last names. Monograms of the classic style call for the initial of your last name to appear in the middle of your other two initials. The initial of your last name is also larger. Modern convention, however, allows your initials to be presented in order. If you choose this style, then all the letters would also be the same size.

The position of the monogram can be determined by personal preference, so feel free to place your initials wherever you want. If you want to go with traditional placements, then follow these guidelines. On shirts, monograms are usually placed on one of the cuffs or on the upper-left side of the chest area. Occasionally, monograms are applied to the tip of the collar. On pants, monograms can appear one either side in the front, just above the pocket area. Alternatively, they may be applied directly to the upper edge of one of the rear pockets.

Don't think you have to purchase clothes made by a professional tailor in order to get a monogram. Many stores now have a monogramming option when you purchase new clothing items. For example, when you order a button-down or Oxford style shirt from the websites of mid-level retailers such as J. Crew or LL Bean, you will be asked if you want the item monogrammed. If you select "yes," you will be taken through a series of steps that allow you to choose the letters you want, the script style, and the placement. Even discount chains such as Target offer monogrammed shirts through their website. In most cases, you can purchase a shirt or a pair of pants for less than $50, and then have a monogram added for an additional $5-$10. Please make sure that the shirt or pants size that you order is correct, because once the store adds the monogram, you cannot return the item (unless the store somehow makes a mistake on the order).

You can even add a monogram to an existing piece of clothing. If you have a shirt that you love, and you would like to update the look just a little bit, bring the item to your tailor (or your local dry cleaning shop, which usually offers tailoring services as well) and ask for a monogram to be added. If you are adept at sewing and are feeling a little more adventurous, you can even take on the task yourself.

Don't forget your little ones! Children love monogrammed clothes because the items become so much more personal when their initials are on them. Children's clothing can be monogrammed in the same ways as adult clothing, which means either through the retail store or through a tailor. Instead of just getting initials monogrammed on children's clothing, consider stitching the child's whole first name. This gives the item a more casual and fun feeling, which is perfect for the younger crowd. Babies shouldn't be left out of the action, either. Many baby items, such as onesies and bibs, are suitable for monogramming, and would make great gifts.

Now that you can see that monograms don't just belong on old men in stuffy boardrooms anymore, why not personalize your next clothing purchase by having your initials embroidered on it? You'll look and feel like a million bucks!

Women know that certain articles of clothing are made for certain people. It does not matter if a woman is small or large, she is unable to wear any outfit and look stunning in it. The expression about the grass being greener on the other side is definitely true. As a small girl I often found it difficult to find clothes that flattered my smaller shape. On the hand, large women are looking for ways to flatten their tummy. The truth is that every one (especially women), regardless of shape or size, wants to find a way to flatter their figure.

Flattering your figure has nothing to do with vanity or insecurity. We all want to look good. Those who disagree with this statement are kidding themselves. As women, we like to browse magazine for the latest fashions. These fashions generally offer practical advice on ways to enhance what we already have, or tone down what we would like to get rid of. In other words, we are guided on ways to boost our curves, and ways to appear more slimming. During the winter months few are concerned with exercise or toning their bodies. Before we realize, summer is here and we have not done anything to appear more flattering in our summer gear.

This is a battle faced by both large and small women. Yet, there are ways for both to look good in their summer clothes without much effort. Looking good involves selecting clothes that are flattering to your body type. Most women are not style experts, nor do they have personal shoppers or stylist. We are on our own when it comes to buying clothes. Understandably, many are unaware of the clothing they should wear. It is easy to copy styles in magazines or the outfits that mannequins wear. However, each body is different.

Smaller woman may be looking for ways to enhance their curves. The best way to accentuate smaller curves is by wearing clothes that fit snug. I am not suggesting clothes that are too tight. On the other hand, wearing loose fitting or baggy clothes will hide smaller figures. This could also result in a beanpole appearance. A recent survey stated that more than thirty percent of women wore the wrong size clothing. Those most affected were smaller size women. These women generally wore clothing one size too big. Smaller woman will quickly notice that making a simple change like this will greatly improve their curves. A nice fitting tank top is also ideal for smaller women. These help the chest appear fuller and shows off nicely toned arms.

For the illusion of longer legs, short women should opt for shorts with a short inseam or length. Wearing shorts to the knees will make a short woman appear even shorter. Shorts are best when worn mid thigh. This gives the appearance of longer, leaner legs. On the other hand, board shorts are perfect for women will very long legs. Short shorts are also perfect for very tall women, when modest. These will showcase toned legs

Larger sized women may have a difficult time selecting the perfect shorts. Bright colors are in style; however these colors may not be ideal for women who want their backside to appear flatter. Obviously black is a slimming color. However, no one wants to wear black during the summer months. Today, larger women do have more clothing options. Women who have weight around the stomach are encouraged to avoid shirts or shorts with material bunched around the center. This will draw attention to a larger stomach. Solid colors worn loosely are more flattering.

Those with a large backside are concerned about ways to flatten their buttocks. Skorts, which are skirts with built in shorts, are ideal. These downplay the size of hips. Shorts with a longer cut, or shorts with a slight flair are also perfect when trying to achieve a slimming effect. If this does not work, women may try tying a lightweight sweater around their waist. Sweaters are not only stylish, but they can be used to hide curvaceous backsides.

There are many clothing alternatives for those who are slightly larger and smaller than most women. The key is to try on many different styles until you find one that suits your body. It takes patience and time. Again, many of us do not have the luxury of having a personal shopper or stylist who is an expert in clothing for our body types. We must depend on magazines, and trusted friends. Before shopping for clothes this summer, first decide which clothing style you want to sport, and then determine which articles are clothing will create the best look. Remember, the goal is to select clothes that flatter your figure. Choosing the perfect jeans, shirts, shorts, etc depend largely on our size, height, and shape.

All children will eventually reach the age when they are ready to dress themselves. For some parents, this could be a welcomed mat. Granted, having a child that is able to put on, and take off their own clothes will cut down on the time it takes to get ready in the morning. Children generally begin dressing by themselves around the age of five or six; some much younger. The good thing about this stage in life is that children are usually eager to dress themselves. It gives them a level of independence, and a way to express themselves.

Although parents are willing to allow their young children to dress themselves, some parents quickly discover that their taste may slightly differ from that of their children. Younger children are attracted to bright colors. This is fine as long as the colors match. Unlike adults, children do not have the ability to discern which colors should be worn together. There are some parents who encourage creativity, thus they allow their children to venture outside the house with clothes that do not necessarily match. Understandably, some parents are forced to pull rank and select clothes that are easier on the eyes.

The best solution for a middle ground is parents assisting their children, or showing them how to dress. Again, children are too young to know that the color black matches all colors, or that sneakers should not be worn with a nice dress. Children have a tendency to want to wear their favorite outfits regardless of the season, occasion, or day. There was a little girl on my block who would wear her favorite plaid pleated skirt every other day. She wore that skirt with sneakers, sweatshirts, sandals, etc. Despite her mothers efforts in explaining that dressing also involved style, the little girl continued to wear that skirt until her father stepped in.

Parents should let their child help when selecting their wardrobe. Most parents are the sole decision maker when buying clothes for their children. They select the outfits and purchase them without any input from their child. Obviously this is ideal for very young children. However, around the age of four or five, children may be able to express which pieces of clothing they prefer. Whereas parents may not give their child complete control, they may allow the child to choose between a few pieces of clothes. For example, the parent could select two or three outfits that they prefer. In turn they can allow the child to select which outfit they want to buy.

In some families children must wear hand me downs from older siblings. In situations like this children may not be able to make clothing decisions. To give old clothes a new feeling, parents could allow the child to select accessories that give the outfits a unique look. Accessories could be a belt, patches, a sweater, etc. Simple creative touches like this can make any outfit look brand new.

Once the childs clothes have been purchased, parents could hang matching pants and shirts on the same hanger. This way, children will not have to guess which pieces of clothing match. They simply open the closet door and select an outfit. Parents who allow their children full control, may encourage them to pick out their clothes the night before. Parents will be able to see what their child selected, and offer suggestions. Choosing clothing the night before contributes to a smoother morning. It is also wise that children understand which pieces of clothing they should wear on their different body parts, and the importance of changing undergarments. Parent should also allow their children to pick out underwear and socks that they will wear with their outfit.

Some parents are hesitant to allow their children to dress themselves because they may take a long time. We all lead busy lives and seem to always be in a hurry. The morning is an especially busy time. Thus some parents feel that it may be quicker to dress their children themselves. However, parents should avoid handicapping their children in order to save five minutes. Even if it means starting the day a little early, parents should not discourage their children from dressing by themselves. Parent may have to get creative in order to make their children get dressed quicker. Turning the dressing time into a race is perfect. Parents could inform their child that the last one dressed is a rotten egg. It works every time.

Like adults, children want to look their best and often mimic the styles of their peers. Allowing the child to dress themselves and to pick out their own clothes early will encourage creativity and self-expression. It also lets the child know that their mother and father respect their feelings, and have a high regard for their opinions.

How would you describe your taste in clothing? Do you prefer to stock up on timeless pieces in neutral colors that will never go out of style? Or are you the person that all your friends look to for clothing ideas because you have an assortment of items that reflect all the latest fashion trends? Maybe you have struck a nice balance and have a wardrobe that presents a little bit of both worlds. As for me, I'm sure you've heard the phrase "a day late and a dollar short" before, right? Well, that pretty much sums up my personal relationship with clothes and fashion trends.

I have never been the kind of person who can look at an outfit in a store or a magazine and say, "Wow, this is going to be the hottest trend of the season!" I just don't have an eye for things like that. When I see the new collections that come out every year, I usually wonder who would ever wear those things. Because of my conservative nature, I can't envision making drastic wardrobe changes very often. In fact, I have been dressing in pretty much the same way since my junior year of high school. I still shop at the same stores now that I did back then (mainly the Gap and J. Crew), and I still buy the same classic styles. What's really funny is that in my yearbook picture from junior year, I am wearing a white polo-style shirt, and today, nearly 15 years later, I am wearing a white polo-style shirt! It's not the exact same one, of course, but you get the point. Obviously, I am not what you would call a trend-setter!

It usually takes me a few years to warm to certain new styles and trends. One example of this that I can clearly remember was the whole Doc Martens shoe and boot craze from the late '80s and early '90s. The craze swept my high school during that time, and it seemed that everyone who was "cool" had a pair of Doc Martens. I couldn't understand the fuss. I thought the shoes were kind of ugly with their thick rubber soles and the yellow stitching around the edges. I continued wearing my non-descript loafers and flats, and waited patiently for Doc Martens to go the way of the old British Knights athletic shoes. But Doc's hung around for quite a while, so I finally gave in and ended up buying a pair almost 5 years after they first appeared on the scene at my school.

I guess there is a positive aspect to being so conservative when it comes to clothes: I end up saving a lot of money in the long run. People who buy all the latest styles will eventually have to replace a significant portion of their wardrobe as trends change. For example, women's pants and jeans with flare legs have made a comeback in recent years. It's actually pretty hard to find a nice pair of pants that aren't flared these days. But you've got to think that eventually straight-legs will once again dominate. Then what are you going to do with your flare pants? The thing about classic clothes is that you can wear them despite current trends and no one will notice. I can wear my straight-legged jeans right next to someone with flares, and no one would think twice about it. But if you wear once-trendy stuff after their time has passed, you can sometimes look pretty foolish. Someone wearing flares a few years from now will likely elicit thoughts along the lines of "Those pants are so last year."

It all comes down to a matter of taste. Some people really care about their clothes and take great pride in looking up-to-date and highly fashionable. Other people care more about function than fashion. There's really no shame in filling your closet with a wardrobe that you can rely on for years and years to come. Similarly, there's nothing wrong with trying to keep up with or even trying to anticipate new clothing trends. You just have to be willing and ready to pay accordingly!

How should a nice lady dress for a job interview in the increasingly competitive job market?

We all know that the way we dress to a job interview will always have an impact on the results.

But let me take the question a little further and ask if it pays for a lady attending an interview being conducted by men to expose her physical attributes to best advantage?

Such a topic is bound to draw heated debate and lots of theory. But I guess a real-life situation that conclusively tests the question with two different men is pretty much as conclusive as any test can get.

Anyway you decide for yourself. Here is the real life situation as it happened.

One day about two years ago, my boss, a very hard, cold blooded calculating businessman casually informed me that I would be in charge of interviews to fill in some new sales positions he had created in the business.

Before I go any further, let me inform you that I am extremely conservative in nature, very happily married and do not have the occasional fling, which if we believed everything we read these days, is supposed to be very normal for any full-blooded male.

It is not normal, I can assure you, it is plain immoral.

I did the job interview for two straight days, until I was sick of seeing people and my throat was hoarse from asking the same questions over and over again.

I short-listed about 10 people and finally filled the six positions, or thought that I had. I assured myself that the interviews had been very fair. I had not let my prejudice get in the way of good judgment and that the people I had selected would do well at their jobs.

Then the guilt started. I noted that a certain young lady who turned up in a red mini skirt that exposed her long legs on the day of the interview (but had since taken to dressing more conservatively) had scored quite highly in my rating, maybe way too high.

My guilt and puzzlement increased a few days later when it became very clear to me and virtually everybody else at the office that she was not capable of doing the job she had been hired to do. It had been a big mistake hiring her. A huge mistake made by yours truly, whose good judgment was probably clouded by certain circumstances at the interview. Circumstances that the young lady seems to have deliberately created with a certain clear objective in mind.

So had the man in me taken over and clouded my judgment? I did not want to admit it to myself but the more I thought about it, the more I was left with no option but to admit the unthinkable - at least in my book.

Of course because of my character and reputation at the office, a few jokes started doing the rounds.

Since at least two out of the six people I hired could not get through their first week on the job, my boss decided that he would do the next batch of interviews personally and get some quality people himself. To me the second person, who hadn't made it (a man) did not really matter. My attention was focused on the lady. That is the only mistake I had made that I now saw so clearly.

I was advised by the boss to watch him carefully and learn something, which I dutifully did.

Inevitably it happened again. My attention was drawn to a very hot lady who turned up wearing some leather boots and a short dress with a slit on the side that I though went way too high for office wear. Personally I though she had gone slightly overboard. I wanted to see what my boss' judgment would be on her.

She really did not quite have the right qualifications and features we were looking for to fill the positions. However she had previously worked with a bank in the marketing department and wanted to relocate. Even had excellent references from her previous employer.

However during the interview I could see that my boss' eyes kept on straying to the well displayed legs in front of him. But then knowing my boss I had no illusions about his judgment being clouded. Firstly from what I knew about him, this was virtually impossible and secondly, he had a point to prove and was in fact teaching me something about doing interviews and understanding human nature, as he put it.

The next morning I came to work and anxiously waited to see whether the young lady would turn up with the short-listed. Surely there was no way.

Again I sat in at the interview and the hot lady was not amongst the first four. But sure enough, she was the fifth and last of the five short listed persons. She was amongst the two that my boss took in the fill the positions.

She lasted at least one month. Again, it was very clear to all of us that she was totally inappropriate for the job at hand and I knew within the first two days that she would not make it.

Since then I have never discussed this issue with my boss or with anybody else. Until this very moment when I have recorded these amazing chain of events in this blog entry.

The big question here is, does it pay for a lady to dress in such a way that she stands out in the crowd during a job interview. And especially so when the interviews are being conducted by a man or men?

I still say that a nice lady should dress decently and especially the way she always dresses and let her resume and qualifications make her stand out.

I am aware that many women do not agree with my views but I will not change them, despite what happened two years ago. In my book there are a number of other issues in life bigger than landing the job because of the way you dressed.

Spring is here and high school girls across the country have been searching for the perfect prom dress. The guys have it easy: rent a tux, buy a corsage, and they are set for the night. They can be dressed stylishly without spending a lot of money, and away they go with a giddy, beautiful girl on their arm.

It is a little more difficult for girls, but it is possible to buy an attractive prom dress without spending a fortune. First, invest in a couple teen magazines, or take a look at your local library. If you have some idea of the styles and colors you are interested in before you shop, it can make the process much less overwhelming. When you look at the pictures of the latest prom dresses, think about what you want in a dress and the clothing characteristics that are most flattering on you. Consider your personal style and think about the best way to express it in a formal gown. Do you want a full length gown, tea length or something even shorter? Do you have a classic style or are you more trendy? How daring do you want the cut of the gown to be (or how daring will your mother let you be)? What colors do you think you look best in? A look through the existing clothing in your closet may help you figure it out; usually the items you love and wear often make you look really good. If the cut or color of a garment flatters you, maybe you can get a similar element in your prom dress. These are all important things to think about before you shop for a prom dress.

Where should you shop for your prom dress? You can find formal wear at bridal shops, department stores and boutiques. You should also consider some of the discount stores; many of them carry formal and semi-formal wear at substantially reduced prices. Since you are unlikely to wear your prom dress more than one night, factors such as longevity of style and sturdy construction are less important than they may be in every day wear. You may also find some formal attire at consignment or other used clothing stores. Since these items are frequently only worn once, they are usually in excellent condition even when they are used; just make sure you inspect it carefully for rips and stains since most used items are sold "as is" and cannot be returned to the store.

Hopefully, by the time you get to the first store you will have an idea of what you are looking for. On the other hand, you should also be open to new styles that you may not have considered. It is always helpful to shop with someone you like and trust. You not only get assistance; you have someone who will tell you if that aqua color washes you out or if that bow on the back really makes your rear look large. Ideally, take a friend and your mom or an aunt. This way, you'll get the stamp of approval from both generations on your purchase. If you find a store with a wide selection, go through the racks looking for items similar to what you had in mind. But, don't be afraid to pick up different things to try; it is worth the few minutes it takes to try something on if you discover a new look that makes you shine.

Once you are trying dresses on, look at yourself from all angles using the three-way mirrors. Try moving around a little in the dress. Does it expose too much cleavage when you bend over? Does it feel tight when you sit? Try some of your dance moves. Is your dress too constraining or does it move nicely with you?

If you find a dress you think might be right, most stores are willing to hold it for you for a little while. This lets you shop a little more, just to be sure you have picked the right option. Also, if it is a name-brand dress, check competing department stores to see if anyone else has the same one on sale. Remember, whatever you are wearing the glow you will get from having fun will make you more beautiful than any piece of clothing can, so have fun and enjoy your special night.

Having your clothing look good and presenting yourself in a classy manner is just as much a matter of what you don't do as what you do. There are always fads in clothing that come and go but on the flip side there area styles and looks that will stay in fashion and be accepted no matter what the fashion pundits push off on the gullible miscreants that populate the ever-changing world of fashion.
Let's examine some of the things that you should avoid, in order to keep from having to reinvest in suits and clothing every time the fashion gods change their minds.
Avoid extremes is the main issue here. Once upon a time very wide lapel were in favor, bit the pendulum of fashion shifter and now wide lapels are out and will give you a lost unprofessional look. On the other end of the spectrum is the very narrow lapel. Avoid this extreme as well. Conservatism and long term middle of the road apparel is what you want to look for in the business world.
The same line of thinking applies to your ties. Fashion dictates will vary from year to year, sometimes wide ties are hip and sometimes narrow ties are hip but you're not interested in looking hip you're interested in looking like a professional businessman so keep your ties in the medium width range.
The collars of your shirts should also avoid extremes. If you wore one of the very wide collar shirts that were worn in the seventies you'd look like an idiot today. But even in the seventies a medium collar was very acceptable business wear. Again the idea is to avoid the extremes of clothing fashion.
Moving onto pants with the idea of middle of the road fashion sense, we'll be looking to stay away from the extremes of very loose and baggy pants and the flip side of very tight pants. Pick pants that are of medium width and tightness that fit well at the waist and hang straight. Some width at the bottom is acceptable, as long as they aren’t an overly wide bell bottom end to the pants leg.
Your shoes are another area that you should pay particular attention to. Fashion in clothing changes, and shoes area no exception. Avoid the extremes of very pointy and narrow toed shoes, and the extreme on the opposite end of very squared off toes. Pick good comfortable medium shoes in a businesslike color that isn't flashy or loud.
It's also important to remember the geographical area in which you are operating. Fashion, while in some sense universal, is also heavily influenced by the customs and mores of the area in which you live. While it may be perfectly acceptable to attend a business meeting in Texas with string ties held together with a silver and turquoise clip, this would be frowned on in Boston.
Here are a few more things to look for when buying your business clothing. Remember, we're avoiding anything loud and extremely noticeable that may alter the perception that you're a conservative reliable businessman. Pick solid colors to wear and not patterns. The wild and crazy ensembles of the sixties and seventies are out and won't be coming back soon. Even if they should make a comeback they won't be looked on as acceptable in the business world.
When you are buying your suits, make sure that all the stitching used is a perfect match for the fabric of the suit itself. Contrast in thread is distracting and detracts from the image you are trying to project. The same with buttons. The colors of the suit should be uniform and varied. You're a businessman not a clown.

Written by James Fohl

Every spring, summer, and early fall whenever I find myself with a free day to myself, I usually find myself dressed comfortably in a solid color t-shirt, shorts, and sandals. Quite often, I also get picked on by friends, family and neighbors on why I always wear the same thing, and why I never wear any other type of shirt, including ones with logos on.

Most of the time, just to irritate them a little bit, I will simply reply "Because" and walk away. But there are a couple very good reasons to why I only can be found wearing solid color t-shirts outside of work and formal occasions.

Topping the list is the fact that the solid color tees from Haynes or Fruit of The Loom are dirt cheap. I can buy any color of shirt I want for a mere $4.88 at my local Wal-Mart Super center. Because they are so cheap, I can afford to own a lot of them, and actually get work I need to do done around the house. If I get oil on one of these bad boys, or get a rip in 'em while mowing the lawn it is really no big deal. I simply cut the shirt up and use it as a work rag and buy another. They are only four dollars, so I won't be too upset when I loose one, especially since I didn't pay fifteen to twenty dollars for the same shirt only with a logo on it.

The next major reason is the fact that since the shirt is plain I can not possibly tick anybody off. Let's face it; t-shirts with designs and logos are just a form of expression for your beliefs. While you may just love whatever on your shirt, I guarantee there are a million people who hate what's on your shirt. You may love Bush, but that mean looking man over there loves Kerry. You love Ford trucks, and that angry man loves Chevy trucks. It's impossible to win, and I don't even try. Without a logo on my shirt, nobody can judge me, unless they hate a specific color (which is pretty pathetic) which allows me to pretty much get along with everyone.

Finally, these shirts are really comfortable. They are so soft, don't have any annoying tags, and I do not even have to worry about destroying any logos or anything when I throw them in the washer. Most today are treated with some kind of stain resistant material that makes clean.

Clothes has always been the factor of attraction and mark in the personality of a person, be it a man or a lady! Almost everybody likes to wear the clothes that are attractive and graceful. There are various occasions when one has to choose the form of attire, like in college or school people have to wear dress and in parties they like to dress up in gorgeous suits and clothes! Young people prefer trousers and T-shirts and loose stuff so that they can move around freely and without any obstruction to their limb movement!

In India, there is very popular attire that is widely wore almost all over the India, and due to some variation in the material and decoration, it is worn at different occasions with grace and serenity! Yes, we are talking about Kurta-Pyjama, which consists of a long shirt that goes lower even to the knees of the man and a trouser. People wear this attire for leisure and this is generally made of cotton or other comfortable thread that gives relaxation to the body. This attire is very famous in Northern India and the most common dress of Northern Indian women is also a variation of this Kurta-Pyjama, Salwar-Kameez!

Cotton adds a rare grace to this attire and people of distinction and some enterprising young men also like to wear it at some special occasions! In summer, this attire is especially desired, as it is loose and comfortable at the same time!

But due to the attention and constant development of this attire, it has achieved a rare variation, whereas it has become the most graceful attire apart from being worn mostly for leisure! People make it from silk and add embroidery around the neck and comes that most elegant and graceful attire that most of the musician and artists like to wear! Musicians like to wear this variation most and they look doubly striking with it with their long curls hanging down the shoulders and their long shirts hanging down the knees! This attire gives a first look of the scholar and not all the people wear it, for, it is costly and could not be afforded to wear at everywhere and at all the times! This is perhaps the only attire that has so much of variation, as it is the most common and the uncommon!

People in Punjab, and especially from the villages, like to wear it almost unchangingly and they hardly wear anything else! The fashion of pants and shirts, which is prominent in cities and towns, is almost totally absent in villages, where people like to wear this attire only. And then we move to very big cities and perhaps the metropolitan cities, where only a handful of people like to wear it and also on very special occasions! The Indian cloth market is rich and there are many regional attires that are popular among various communities of the people, but this Kurta-Pyjama is perhaps the most famous of all of them!

Having your clothing look good and presenting yourself in a classy manner is just as much a matter of what you don't do as what you do. There are always fads in clothing that come and go but on the flip side there are styles and looks that will stay in fashion and be accepted no matter what the fashion pundits push off on the gullible miscreants that populate the ever changing world of fashion.
Let's examine some of the things that you should avoid, in order to keep from having to reinvest in suits and clothing every time the fashion gods change their minds.
Avoid extremes is the main issue here. Once upon a time very wide lapels were in favor, but the pendulum of fashion shifted and now wide lapels are out and will give you a lost unprofessional look. On the other end of the spectrum is the very narrow lapel. Avoid this extreme as well. Conservatism and long term middle of the road apparel is what you want to look for in the business world.
The same line of thinking applies to your ties. Fashion dictates will vary from year to year, sometimes wide ties are hip and sometimes narrow ties are hip but you're not interested in looking hip you're interested in looking like a professional businessman so keep your ties in the medium width range.
The collars of your shirts should also avoid extremes. If you wore one of the very wide collar shirts that were worn in the seventies you'd look like an idiot today. But even in the seventies a medium collar was very acceptable business wear. Again the idea is to avoid the extremes of clothing fashion.
Moving onto pants with the idea of middle of the road fashion sense, we'll be looking to stay away from the extremes of very loose and baggy pants and the flip side of very tight pants. Pick pants that are of medium width and tightness, that fit well at the waist and hang straight. Some width at the bottom is acceptable, as long as they aren't an overly wide bell bottom end to the pants leg.
Your shoes are another area that you should pay particular attention to. Fashion in clothing changes, and shoes area no exception. Avoid the extremes of very pointy and narrow toed shoes, and the extreme on the opposite end of very squared off toes. Pick good comfortable medium shoes in a businesslike color that isn't flashy or loud.
It's also important to remember the geographical area in which you are operating. Fashion, while in some sense universal, is also heavily influenced by the customs and mores of the area in which you live. While it may be perfectly acceptable to attend a business meeting in Texas with a string tie held together with a silver and turqoise clip, this would be frowned on in Boston.
Here are a few more things to look for when buying your business clothing. Remember, we're avoiding anything loud and extremely noticeable that may alter the perception that you're a conservative reliable businessman. Pick solid colors to wear and not patterns. The wild and crazy ensembles of the sixties and seventies are out and won't be coming back soon. Even if they should make a comeback they won't be looked on as acceptable in the business world.
When you are buying your suits, make sure that all the stitching used is a perfect match for the fabric of the suit itself. Contrast in thread is distracting and detracts from the image you are trying to project. The same with buttons. The colors of the suit should be uniform and varied. You're a businessman not a clown.
Let's take a look at some of the things that make up a good business suit.
First of all the suit should be well fitted and look as if it was a suit that was designed just for you. Any business suit should be made out of high quality materials and not the cheapest thing that comes off the rack. This idea has two advantages. First, you'll look more successful if you're wearing good material and secondly, the better materials will last much longer and lower the cost of your wardrobe over the long run. Since you will always be choosing a style that will remains virtually timeless, you'll be able to wear a good suit for many years with only minor alterations to the accessories that accompany the suit.
If you can afford only a couple of suits to begin with, pick out a suit of navy blue. Navy Blue is a color that never goes out of fashion, and this suit can be used as your primary business suit. Your jacket should be og a conservative cut, slightly narrower at the waist. This is an eternal style, one that will make you look good, creating the effect of broader shoulders. Your pants should be of the exact same fabric, well fitted and neither baggy or exceptional tight. Cuffs are preferable to straight legs.
Your jacket length is another issue that may fall prey to the whims of fashion, but since we're looking for the middle of the road conservatism here, we'll avoid the extremes once again. Your coat length should be of medium length, just falling long enough to cover your butt and not much more. Again this is a classic look and speaks of a conservative serious businessman without the need to chase the extremes of fashion.
Your pants should be examined for a variety of elements. First issue is whether or not you should wear cuffs. My gut feeling on this is that cuffs are preferable to no cuffs. There are some schools of thought that express the opinion that shorter men should not wear cuffs because it creates the appearance of shortness. I don't believe this to be the case.

I hate shopping. Not because of the crowds or lines, but because nothing fits me. I happen to be a tall (5' 10") overweight woman who wears a size 14. I could stand to lose some pounds, but I do not think that I am horribly fat. I do, however, have a constant battle with clothes. Everything is too short, too tight, or even sometimes too big or too long. I seem to be between sizes and lengths, and nothing ever seems to fit. I try on a million pairs of pants or jeans before finding the right length, and then sometimes I only wear them once before they shrink an inch in length in the washing machine.

The problem with my size is that each clothes maker seems to have a different version of what they think a size 14 is. At department stores and discount stores, it is usually one of the largest sizes and usually seems to be cut small. I can try on five pairs of size 14 pants in the same department store and feel like I am trying on three different sizes. And the length also happens to be a varying factor. Sometimes the length is perfect (but if the pants might shrink, that is too short for me), sometimes it is two inches too short, and sometimes the pants are so long that they go half way done my foot and I have to scrunch them up around my ankles. It seems that the regular and long (or tall) pants sizes mean too short and too long for me. The only way I usually win is to buy long pants that will shrink to the right size when I wash them. Of course, that is always a gamble. Sometimes they end up not shrinking enough and are still a little too long (which I can live with) or else they shrink a little too much and end up a little bit short (and if they shrank that much, they are usually a little too tight everywhere else as well). I also have a very dull and boring wardrobe because when I find something that actually fits well I tend to buy several of whatever it is. I then end up with the same shirt or pants in several different colors.

I have tried a store especially for tall women, but apparently to them I am not really that tall. Not only are the pants a mile long, but their tops all come down to my knees. I held up one pair of pants that hit the floor with the waist at my chest. I can not think of ever meeting a woman that would need to shop at these stores. There must be a civilization of seven to eight foot tall women near by that I do not know of. Or perhaps there are just more women like me, and that is why the store is usually empty when I pass it in the mall.

Another option I have tried is the plus size store. Most department stores now have plus size sections as well. Usually the smallest plus size is size 14. I have learned that the size 14 in a plus size store or department is not the same size 14 in the department stores. It is a 14W. The first time I learned this I was excited and thought that this is what I was missing. I thought the plus size clothes would be cut the right length, or with just the right roominess, and solve all my problems. Of course, I was wrong. The plus size 14 clothes are all either too big for me, or else they are cut completely wrong for me. Instead of longer pants, the pants are cut the same in length (either too short or too long for me) and the legs are so wide that I recall memories of 1980s parachute pants. The tops are cut short and wide and hang weirdly on my frame. The sleeves of the short sleeve tops are also too wide and oddly cut for me. Almost every top I tried on hung like drapes from my chest, with short sleeves sticking straight out from the top of my shoulder. This was definitely not the look I was going for.

I have also noticed a difference in the way I feel and in the way that I am treated in various stores. In department stores I feel awkward and large. I am rarely waited on by the sales staff. I do not know if that is because I look like a waste of time or because I normally walk around the store looking at the cute designer clothes and frown when I realize that I could not possible get into or look good in any of them. Maybe it is a little of both. Or maybe it is just a lack of staff at the department stores, because it seems to be hard to get anyone to wait on me in any department! The last time I walked into a plus size store, I was immediately greeted by a salesperson who asked me if I was aware that it was a plus size store. I told her yes, that I am a size 14, and she said I did not look like it. I took this as a huge compliment and felt wonderful about myself for a while. Then later I thought that perhaps they say that to a lot of women that come into the store to make them feel good about themselves. Either way, it worked for me! Especially when I started trying on clothes and found out once again that they were a bit too big for me.

So, I suppose all I can do is continue to try on tons of horribly sized clothes until I find the ones that fit. I will forever be in search of the right length of pants and tops that reach beyond my waist.

Though summer is a season in which clothes are not needed as much as they are in winter, but still they have their own part to play in fulfilling basic requirements of the body. Here are some special features of summer clothes.

Comfort
Protection
Fashion
Variety

Comfort

As we know in many parts of the world, with the advent of summer season, it becomes quite hard to spend the days as the days become longer and the nights get curtailed. The sunrays beating down on everything in the fray, it seems to be discomfort and discomfort only. There are clothes available in the market, which are specially designed for this type of season. These clothes can provide comfort to the body of any person wearing them while moving around such a hot, humid and dusty climate. T- shirts, trousers, shirts, caps, vests are some of them. While manufacturing these clothes, many things are taken care of, like in summer days there are lot of sweating. These clothes are made of such materials, which would cover the body but still would not enhance the process of sweating; and further, these clothes allow the air around the body to go in and out easily so that it may not get stick to the body because of sweating. One more aspect associated with the summer clothes is that these clothes are generally loose and one can choose them according to requirement and liking.

Protection

If one has to move around out of the house like in the market or anywhere else with a lot of sun and humidity around the atmosphere, then the skin is exposed directly to the sunrays, and this may cause many types of diseases as now a days because of pollution and depletion of ozone layer up in the atmosphere and thus many types of harmful rays are able to get through and produce harms for the human body. Also with too much of temperature the air gets hotter and hotter and when it blows in the form of hot wind it may lead to some ailments also. Among them sunstroke is the one, which is quite dangerous and fatal. Summer clothes are meant to meet all the above challenges. The basic need is to protect the body coming in the direct contact with the sunrays.

Fashion

Since summer clothes are available in many forms, colors and various different features, they can enhance the passion of fashion among the people. People seem to present themselves by wearing various types of fashionable summer clothes, which not only adds to the personality and beauty of the person but also fulfill the purpose of getting comfort in summer days.

Variety

With summer season spreading in many parts of the world having different types of people with a range of color, complexion, heights and culture, the variety in summer clothes is increasing day by days because people have a general tendency to ask for more and more variety in almost all things, and more specially in clothes and also every person in this world likes to look different and special, so the variety in summer clothes is taken care of to fulfill this demand of the people.

Apart from these characteristics, summer clothes may also some other additional benefits for the persons who are allergic to certain kinds of thread materials, and cotton clothes are supposed to be the best during summer seasons. And no wonder that cotton clothes become somewhat costly due to their demand and popularity, but no question that they are the most comfortable in these sort of difficult conditions.

Just because your age is approaching that mid-30 mark, this does not mean your style of dress has to. Occasionally when browsing department stores, I often wonder at what age women begin to shop in the section that displays the unsightly floral dresses, or the sweaters with embroidered fruit. I understand that we all have our own personal taste. However I am sure that the majority can agree that some clothes should never be worn. Understandably as women reach middle age and up, their style of dress becomes more mature. They are no longer concerned about fleeting fashions or spending a whole lot of money on clothes.

Nonetheless, there are women who are still youthful in age and appearance, yet their dress seems to take a turn for the worse as they approach mid-30. There was a time when I thought that 35-year-olds were ancient. However, now that I am 3 years shy of turning 30, the gap is closing. No longer do I view 35 as old, nor do I think that turning 35 or even 40 should put women in another clothing category. True, some clothing styles are too youthful for women in this age group. Wearing these styles may make them appear immature. Yet, getting older does not necessarily mean the end of trendy, sexy styles. A major complaint by some women is that they feel and look old. Likely, it is their clothing, hair, or makeup that makes them feel as if they have aged. Fortunately, there are inexpensive clothing styles that can bring back the fun and youthful feeling to 30-something women.

Having two or three kids, a career, husband, house, etc does not mean the end to youthfulness. Sadly some women get stuck in a runt of wearing old sweatshirt and jeans. The life of a mother and wife is hectic, and sometimes time does not afford trips to the salon, nail shop, or mall. A great way for women to stay on top of the latest fashion and trends is by routinely browsing through popular women magazines. Magazines such as Cosmo, Redbook, Glamour, etc offer great tips on how to dress and feel younger. The best think about these magazines is that they cater to women 25 and older. Thus the styles will not be for teenagers. Many of the styles featured in these magazines are affordable. The styles that are more costly may offer affordable alternatives.

Women who want to dress more youthful should also avoid sections that cater to older styles. Granted, some who have a simple, modest way of dress may not feel comfortable browsing the trendier sections. Do not feel nervous about changing your style of dress. When shopping for trendier clothing it may help to take a trusted friend with you, preferably a friend with a hip style. They can give you honest feedback as you try on different styles. As a last resort, ask a salesperson for their honest opinion. Clothing store representatives can usually assist you with the latest styles. Those who are in search for trendier clothes may want to bypass department stores all together. It may be ideal to shop in stores that specialize in trendier styles, this way you are not tempted to browse "Plain Jane," sections.

Some women who want to dress younger make the mistake of dressing too young. The goal is not to look like a teenager. Thus clothing boutiques that cater to teenagers should be avoided. These stores are usually easy to spot. They are the ones full of girls under the age of 20. The styles in these stores are cute, but not appropriate for a 30-something adult. The goal is to look stylish, mature, and contemporary. Wearing mini-skirts, fluorescent flip-flops, and low cutting shirts will not achieve the desired look. Bright colors are in style; however they should be selected with care. The best tip I can offer is for women to refer to store mannequins. If the mannequin includes bright sunglasses or a bright handbag, take note of how the outfit is put together. Typically bright colors are complemented with dark colors.

Women who do not have a clue about fashion may consult a personal stylist or shopper. For a modest fee, these shoppers will assist you on the styles that complement your body type. Celebrities are good for having stylist on their payroll. You do not have to be this extreme. Hire a stylist to assist you on a couple of shopping trips. Stylists have an eye for fashion, so it is important to trust them. They have the ability to create a style you would have never considered. It will not be long before you are dressing and feeling younger. Visiting a hair and nail salon will add a nice finished touch to your new style.

There used to be a time when wealthy people were the only ones who wore the very expensive designer clothes. As a teenager the only designer clothes I was able to wear were the brands sold at Hecht's department stores. Thus my choices were limited to Ralph Lauren, Guess, and Tommy. The bigger names such as Donna Karan, Gucci, and the like were definitely not in my budget. Beside, no one wore those clothes. All teenagers wish that their parents will willingly purchase a pair of $100 jeans, but it never happens. I promised myself that when I became older and got a job, I would buy the designer clothes that I wanted.

It did not take long for reality to hit. As teenagers we all make the mistake of thinking that getting older and making money will solve all our clothing and entertainment problems. I am no exception. Once I landed my first decent paying job, I quickly realized that money does not last long, especially when you are buying clothes. I was still living with my parent's; therefore I was able to go shopping with my first couple of paychecks. Admittedly I had fun going on shopping sprees twice a month. It was less fun coming to the realization that I needed to curtail my spending. Although I was buying the clothes I wanted, I was always broke. Designer clothes are expensive!

A tank top can easily cost $25, whereas a pair of jeans was over $70. Keep in mind that most of the clothes I bought were not top designer names. I liked designer clothes, but I needed to find a smarter way to buy them. Many are in the same situation as I was in. It seems that lately many people are more concerned about name brand fashions. Some parents with modest financial means are even purchasing these clothes for their children. True, designer clothes are made of better quality, and they look beautiful. However there is a better way to shop for them. There are several ways to get the designer clothes you want without emptying out your bank account. The key is shopping smart.

Shopping smart takes patience. Granted when some people are in a shopping mood, the last thing on their mind is being sensible. We all know what we want, and human tendency is to want what we want now. Still, taking your time when shopping will save you money, and makes it possible to get more for your buck. When shopping for expensive designer clothes it is important to remember the number one rule of shopping: Never pay full price. When clothing stores initially display their clothes for the new season, we are quick to purchase them. For example, clothing stores like to sell spring clothes while we are still in winter. They want to get buyers excited about warmer weather. Sadly, many fall into this trap and impulsively purchase clothing for the new spring line. They completely ignore the fact that it is still cold outdoors, and they will not be able to wear the new clothes for another two months. Of course, if they would have waited a couple of months, they could have bought the same outfits for half off.

The designer styles you want will eventually go on sale. Wait until this time to purchase outfits. Stores are constantly getting new inventory, thus they have to quickly move out the old. Check back with the store weekly. This way, you are able to swipe the clothes you want as soon as they go on sale. Another option when shopping for designer labels is browsing smaller stores that carry upscale brands. Many of these stores purchase designer brands directly from the manufacturer. The clothing may have minor defects, but they are still in good condition. Discount outlets are also a great place for buying designer brands at low prices. Many are leery about discount stores. Common fears are that the clothes are of poor quality or knockoffs. However, many discount outlets purchase overstock items from larger department stores. Thus you are getting the same quality clothes at a reduced price. Online retailers are also an option when looking for inexpensive designer brands. Some stores sell high end designer brands greatly discounted.

Vintage and thrift stores are great for locating designer clothes and fashions. I was never a thrift store fan because the smell turned me off. However, a friend of mine has successfully located many high end designer clothes at second hand shops. The clothes were in great condition, and some even had the price tag intact. We visited a thrift store together and I was able to make out pretty good. I did not find any designer clothes, but I did purchase two Coach bag's in perfect condition. That was enough to convince me that second hand stores are a great pick.

Written by James Fohl

When you think of sunglasses, what comes to your mind? Besides the dark lensed pair of glasses, do thoughts of summer and hot days come to mind? Sunglasses have really exploded in popularity over the past several decades, but have you ever wondered when exactly the whole concept of sunglasses came up? I mean, really just think about it; have you ever seen a photograph taken from the Civil War of a Union soldier wearing a pair of them?

Can I Borrow Your Gemstones To Look Through The Sunlight?

Although you most likely do not see old photographs containing people wearing sunglasses, they (sunglasses) are actually quite old. The first recorded incident involving sunglasses is believed to be from ancient times, in which Roman emperor Nero enjoyed watching gladiators battle while looking through polished gemstones that allowed him to see the battles successfully through the sunlight.

The Chinese And Their Smoky Quartz Sunglasses

Around the twelve century, the Chinese began using sunglasses made from smoky quartz. Although this material did not help correct bad eye vision, its principle use was because it had the ability to reduce glare. These smoky quartz sunglasses were also worn for a variety of other reasons, including the ability to keep evil spirits away, as well worn by judges to conceal the facial expressions made during trials.

Today's modern sunglasses had their first trial run during the eighteenth century, when a man named James Ayscough began experimenting with green and yellow tinted eyeglasses. James' reasons for the experiments had nothing to do with blocking sunlight, or glare, but rather he believed that the colored lenses could treat certain visual disorders.

The Modern Day Sunglasses Are From Sam Foster

The big break for modern sunglasses came in 1929, when a man by the name of Sam Foster brought a wide variety of sunglasses to the beaches of New Jersey. The sunglasses proved to be a successful business venture for Sam, and his brand of sunglasses can still be purchased in fine retail stores today.

Sunglasses have really evolved in the history of man. From polished stone, to smoky quartz, to the polarized lenses that are found in most of today's sunglasses, the popularity of sunglasses as a fashion statement continues to get bolder and bolder with each passing year.

Reasons People Today Enjoy Their Sunglasses

Today sunglasses have two primary reason for being worn. The number one reason is because they have the ability to protect your eye from the sun's harmful UV (ultraviolet; meaning beyond violet in the color spectrum) rays, which can ultimately lead to the formation of cataracts on a person's eye. The other reason is of course sunglasses are a fashion statement for teenagers, movie stars, and pretty much everyone. This fact can be demonstrated when you witness such people wearing sunglasses on a cloudy day, or in some cases at night.

The Future Will Bring Innovation To Sunglasses

What lies in the future for sunglasses? Who knows, as regular sunglasses that turn to sunglasses in sunlight have already been released. Perhaps in the near future, tinted contact lenses will be more cheaper and more available to the market. I guess we'll just have to wait until the future comes, but for now let's just enjoy our sunglasses.

Many schools are now requiring their students to wear uniforms. While this has long been a norm in some private and parochial schools, many public schools are now changing their dress codes to allow only uniforms. Although many parents and students welcome the change, others vehemently protest having to wear uniforms. Both school districts and those opposed to uniforms have some good talking points on uniforms.

School districts have many reasons for bringing up uniforms as a possibility. For primary schools, uniforms are usually presented to parents as being easier for the kids; it takes much less time in the mornings to decide what to wear if the choice has to be a uniform, and often small kids have problems deciding what to wear or don't want to wear what a parent chooses. Economic reasons are also cited and parents are told that uniforms are less costly than name-brand clothing and that the student will not need a large variety of outfits if uniforms are adopted. Having everyone look similar as to soften the differences between socioeconomic levels is also sometimes mentioned as a reason for adopting uniforms.

Secondary schools that have students wear uniforms often do so to prevent students from wearing gang colors, immodest clothing, or outlandish outfits. While some schools require students to choose from only a few pieces of clothing, such as khaki slacks or skirts, polo shirts, etc., others put limitations on regular clothing, such as no logos of any kind on shirts. Schools that have frequent violations of their present dress codes often investigate uniforms as a solution to that problem. Uniforms are said to support school spirit, since everyone will be dressed similarly, and to reduce discipline problems, as uniforms help students stay focused on learning rather than on what other students in their class are wearing.

When a school district decides to look at the advantages of adopting mandatory uniforms, they usually put the issue on a school board meeting agenda to allow the public to express views on the subject. Many students, of course, will be opposed to uniforms since this is another rule that they will have to obey, and clothing is seen as an extremely personal issue to many. When adopting uniforms, many school districts begin by requiring primary students to first begin wearing the uniforms, and then move up a grade each year until the entire district is wearing them. Other districts let the parents decide, and there may be certain schools where students wear uniforms and others where students wear regular clothing. In some areas, parents and students have few problems adjusting to the uniforms, especially if started in lower grades; in other places, parents and students mount protests and appear at school board meetings, write letters to the editor of the local newspaper condemning uniforms, and let as many people as possible know of their distaste for dressing students all alike.

Why would a parent or student be opposed to school uniforms? Some say that uniforms are not attractive and limit the student's individuality. Others say that even though the school district mentions uniforms are less costly than regular clothing, the student will have to have another set of clothing to wear outside of school; the student will probably want to change clothes after school and that will lead to the parent having to buy and maintain more clothing, rather than less. Many rebut the school's theory that uniforms will make all students alike, neither rich nor poor, by pointing out that students already know who is rich and who is poor, and that in the real world people don't all dress alike to eliminate differences. Since many students see dress as an expression of their uniqueness, opponents to uniforms say that self-expression will be stifled if everyone has to dress alike. While school districts desire input before adopting uniforms, student input if usually not that important to them, as most students would be opposed to uniforms; parents, however, are sometimes supportive and sometimes very much opposed to uniforms, and their input is important to school board members.

Some opponents to school uniforms say that requiring students to wear uniforms is taking away their liberties; they cite examples such as communist China making everyone wear the Mao pajamas. After uniforms are required in schools, some parents even sue the school district to try to get an exception for their children to not have to wear uniforms. Although some districts allow parents to opt out of uniforms for their children, others do not; some do allow for students with religious reasons to opt out but not those who just have a personal dislike to uniforms.

Many large school districts, especially those in large cities, have adopted uniform policies, and several states also regulate school uniforms in schools. Safety is often cited as a reason for uniforms; if everyone on a campus is dressed very much alike, intruders can be spotted more easily. There have been cases in many areas where students have stolen expensive clothing, such as designer sports sneakers and jerseys, from other students at school; wearing uniforms would lessen this type of incident. Most school districts that adopt a uniform policy usually provide some kind of financial assistance program for those who can't afford the uniforms. Having to buy uniforms for several children all at once could be expensive, and assistance programs range from donated uniforms from other students who have grown out of them to contributions from local business partners or grants. Schools often say that wearing uniforms helps with discipline problems, as students concentrate on learning instead of disruptive clothing; many schools also encourage neatness with additional rules such as having shirts tucked into pants, etc.

As a former teacher, I am in favor of school uniforms. When schools are not firm on enforcing dress codes, or when dress codes are too lax, students do not have a serious attitude in school. If a student comes to school dressed like he's going to the beach, then that's the attitude that he will have. While teaching at a high school, I sponsored a service club that had out-of-town, overnight conventions once a year. There was a dress code for meetings at the conventions that specified dress-up clothes- jacket, tie, and slacks for guys and dresses, suits or tailored pantsuits for girls. The students complained about the dress code when they went to conventions, but once there they took lots of photos since everyone looked so nice. They were able to see other clubs' members looking their best too, and although some kids protested the dress code by wearing shower caps or hiking boots with their dressy outfits, they still wore the required parts of clothing and just had a little fun.

The state of Louisiana recently tried to pass a law forbidding pants that are so large that underwear can be seen more than a few inches above the pants' waistline. At some schools, overly large pants are allowed as long as they are uniform pants and the shirt is tucked in; at others they are not allowed. One school in the Houston area has uniforms that consist of jeans and a plain white T-shirt; this is something that almost every student already has in his or her wardrobe. Teachers have a much easier time of enforcing the dress code when a uniform policy is in place; I got very tired of having to check for so many different violations, and it disrupts the classroom when students constantly have to be sent to the office for violations.

My granddaughter has recently started a preschool where uniforms are worn, and she loves wearing the cute outfits. She has to wear either a navy blue or green polo shirt with navy or khaki slacks, shorts, skort, or skirt. On Fridays she can wear the school T-shirt with jeans. Her morning routine has been much simplified; previously she agonized over what to wear each morning. The school has a large box full of uniforms that other students have outgrown, and the parents price them and put in an envelope for payment; some are free and most are very low cost. All of the polo shirts have to be monogrammed with the school's name and logo; for preschool this is certainly a safety issue, as students are easier to keep up with while on trips. When started at an early age, wearing uniforms can become a status symbol in itself, and it's an easy way to spot students from one's own school while out in the community.

I hope that more schools adopt uniform policies. I think wearing uniforms makes life easier for parents and for students, and once all students begin wearing uniforms, many who were opposed at first will jump in and want to dress like everyone else. Allow students to express themselves through their schoolwork rather than through clothing; for those who feel stifled, there's always that other life after school and on weekends.

Among all the seasons, winter is perhaps the one, which is liked by most of the people around the world. It is true! This season is most enjoyable if one gets proper and enough food to eat and clothes to wear. Let us discuss various features of winter clothes.

Variety
Warmth
Protection
Fashion

Variety

There are virtually innumerable types of winter clothes available in the market today. Jackets, coats, blazers, sweaters, pull overs, jumpers, hats, pants, gloves, neck covers, shawls, blankets, shirts, suits, undergarments, jeans, jersey etc. The list seems to be endless. Their color, size, type of material used, cost, and their demand are kept in view according to the comfort level of the public but everyone likes to wear clothes of various types more keenly in winter than in summer or any other season.

Warmth

This is the basic function of the winter clothes. These clothes do not provide warmth of their own or somewhere from the atmosphere; rather their threads and knitting is such that they stop the body warmth from going away from the person wearing them. As the warmth can not leave it has to remain in touch of the body. That is why we feel comfortable after wearing winter clothes. It is worth mentioning here that there are some clothes, which provide instant warmth whereas there are others in which the body feels warmth after some time. It all depends upon the material which can be wool, leather, cotton or any kind of other synthetic material used in knitting a particular winter cloth.

Protection

These clothes protect the body from the effect of very low temperature. There are many types of windcheaters available in the market, which do not allow the chilly winds to get in touch with the body. A person can use them according to the need like while driving a vehicle or while walking on an open place. Similarly there are various types of hats and helmets to protect the head and the face according to the requirement. These helmets and jackets can be very useful in hilly areas especially when there is snowfall.

Fashion

The variety and attractive colors of winter clothes enhance the passion of fashion among the people. Everybody likes to appear as attractive as possible. Winter clothes are the perfect fiddles for this purpose. One can easily see both gents and ladies spending a lot of money on buying various types of fashionable winter clothes. It is very natural because in winter days almost every part of the body is required to be covered, so this opportunity to present oneself with different colors and costumes at one time is grabbed with both hands.

Nothing beats those old school pairs of denim jeans that girls and guys alike used to wear all the time in the early and mid-90s. They were cut-off jeans, usually around the knees for guys and a little higher for the girls. They looked as if they actually had been cut with a pair of scissors and just thrown own one morning torn and looking like they were torn apart. In all likelihood, this is the exactly what happened.

If you have an old pair of jeans, and want to turn them into shorts, it's fairly simple. First, make sure you have an old pair of jeans, no sense in destroying a good pair of new jeans. Next, make sure you have scissors, blue thread and a needle; you'll need the thread and needle later. Then, put the jeans on at your waist level "don't sag your pants whether you're a guy or girl for this part" and with a permanent marker, draw a straight line on the front and back where you want the length to be. This will be your guide for your next step: Cutting the jeans into shorts. Take the jeans off, lay them down on a flat surface and cut slowly making sure to follow on both sides where you marked with the marker this way you can get the length you want. It's always better to be safe and sorry, so, make sure you go for a little longer than you actually want, you can always cut down later if you must.

Once you've finished cutting them, put them back on and see if you're okay with the length. If it fits your taste, then, you can either skip the next part or keep them as is so that they look ragged and worn. Overtime, they will begin to look more worn as you wear the pair of newly made shorts more, but you can always change that with the needle and thread. Some people just don't want to look ragged and worn, so, if that's your case, take the needle and thread and fold where you made the cuts and sew it to the jeans. Make sure you don't lose too much length when you do so and use a thread color in the blues to match the jeans and not look out of place. The effect you're going for now is denim shorts, as if they came that way, but if you mess up that's okay, too. It's a trial and error process to find the perfect new shorts from old jeans.

Making your own t-shirts never gets old. Everyone can do it, no matter what the age, and it's a fun activity for anybody try even for their first time. All you need is a plain t-shirt, something to put on the t-shirt and your imagination to make something you'll not only be proud to wear but something you'll want to wear to feel good wearing.

Designing t-shirts you make on your own is easy, because everything is up to you. You can use permanent markers, fabric paint, real paint or a plethora of other art supplies to make your shirt come alive. Your first task is to head out to an arts and crafts store to buy supplies. If you don't know what you'll need to make your shirt, just walk up and down the aisles, and back up whatever catches your eye. If you can find it, chances are it can go on a shirt and look good if you take your time. While you're there, chances are you can even pick up the shirts you'll want to use to make your own t-shirts.

Pick out shirts that are cotton, something like the plain Hanes brand shirts everyone seems to wear. These work well and help keep your designs longer than some other brands of shirt that once watch shrink or otherwise destroy your work. When you pick out items to use, make sure they can be washed, and if you don't think they can survive being washed in a machine, don't use them. After all, you don't want to ruin your work of art just because you also wanted to wear a clean t-shirt.

When making your shirt, put a piece of cardboard inside it so that the paint and what-not doesn't leak through and stain the other side. Work on one side at a time, and don't work on another side until the first side is completely dry otherwise you'll smear your work. Also, make sure you put down a tarp or old sheet so that you don't cause mayhem to your mom's kitchen table or your tabletops elsewhere. If you can work on the ground, even better, put make sure you still put down something to keep it from getting messy. Take your time, be creative and have fun making your own t-shirts!

Every woman knows of Victoria's Secret. It isn't just a store anymore; it's a name brand that sells some of the sexiest and most desired lingerie on the planet. It helps that they have beautiful, slim women with enough breasts to fill their bras, but it's another thing that they actually offer sizes that fit the average woman and not just the supermodels who wear them in the catalog and for promotions.

Victoria's Secret has become the be all and end all brand of lingerie for women, not just in America, but around the world. Innovative, stylish, sexy and practical, the lingerie that comes from Victoria's Secret is enough for a man and a woman. They design the lingerie with women in mind, not men, which makes it so useful for a woman to wear and that's why it's a hit. Marketing is geared towards women, not men. Even though the women who model there lingerie are sexy and are doing things sexually in some cases, this is meant to actually appeal to women, which has been documented on more than one occasion by the company.

Most women don't want to wear a bra that's going to make them look good to somebody else. They want to wear a bra that's going to make them look good to themselves. Instead, most bras and lingerie in general are made exactly the opposite of the way that women want it to be made. Thus, they end up in clothing that doesn't fit them right and they don't feel good about themselves inside. However, with Victoria's Secret, this just isn't the case. They take the time to design bras that actually make sense as well as look good in a variety of colors for every woman's taste.

The company goes out of the way to please women down to every article of clothing they design, make, market and wear. When you walk into Victoria's Secret and get your measurements taken, they're trying to find the right bra and panties for you, not for what they think you should be. That's the difference between a good company and a company out to make a profit. Luckily, for Victoria's Secret, there one-on-one approach makes them both a reality not only for the consumer but for those who work there, too.

Boxers or briefs? It's the age old question. Everybody from Michael Jordan to Bill Clinton has been asked it on live television. It used to be a running gag that women all over the world always wanted to know what a man was wearing under their and usually the men answered loud and clear. Just why did this become such a trend? A simple clothing-related question became one of the most important questions of the twentieth century. How on earth did this happen and why?

People love questions. Questions, especially those non-important ones, have always fascinated people. Clothing faux pas, traditions and other nonsense has circulated for years. Everyone has been told once not to wear white after Memorial Day, or something to that nature, and if you do you're supposedly the most out-of-date fashion disaster on the planet. So, following this pattern, the question of whether one wears boxers or briefs became the same sort of outlet for the trends in fashion. Do you wear boxers or briefs? How thought-provoking!

Statistically speaking, most guys wear boxers, it's healthier for them to do so than to constrain themselves with briefs. Doctors will recommend boxers in many circumstances especially if the male in question is sick or otherwise ill. Boxers are more comfortable, whereas briefs can be uncomfortable, itchy and sometimes downright horrible to a man. When it comes down it, boxers are the best choice for any guy, hands down, and most celebrity men admit to wearing boxers when asked. Briefs are good for certain events, when you want to make sure everything is clean-cut and in place. If you enjoy wearing them, wear them, don't let popularity pick what underwear you wear. At the end of the day, boxers or briefs, they're both just underwear that guys wear.

The fashion world has always been fascinated by what celebrities where and this won't change any time soon. Questions like this will come and go just like the fashion trends that come along with them, this is just a fact of life, and eventually one question will rise and it will fall, then, another question will come along. All-in-all, it's just like a fashion trend, except you don't wear questions on your sleeve or accessorize with answers.

Wearing a hat isn't just a trendy thing to do anymore. It doesn't always show support for a team, a political candidate or your favorite branch of the armed services. Instead, in today's world, a hat is the perfect way to prevent yourself from becoming a victim to one of the deadliest forms of skin cancer. During the summer months, when it's the hottest, a good sturdy hat will keep the sun from scorching your face and causing sunburn.

Sunscreen also does the trick, but by wearing a hat, you double your protection on your face. It doesn't matter what type of hat you wear as long as it covers your face and keeps it in the shade. You can choose to wear a tight-fitted hat or a one-size-fits-all type; it doesn't matter either way, because both will do the trick to keep your face from getting friend, peeling and otherwise being burned by the sun's ray.

It's important to note how long you're out in the sun. If you're just heading out for a quick trip to the grocery store, then, wearing a hat might not be necessary. However, if you know you're going to be in the sun for quite some time, you might as well bring a hat with you along with your sunscreen and use both while you can for maximum protection. A hat is a cheap, inexpensive way to keep your face protected from UV rays and other harmful radiation beating down on you.

Statistics say that skin cancer is on the rise, and early protection and prevention is the key to keeping yourself away from the de-habilitating disease. Only by wearing sunscreen, using a hat and keeping yourself out of the sun when possible will you be able to save yourself the agony of chemotherapy, losing your hair and potentially losing your life to cancer. Taking preventive measures, something as simple as wearing a hat, might be the key to saving your life. Do you really want to risk not wearing a hat the next time you have a long day in the sun? Wear a hat, save your life and encourage others to wear hats, too, along with their sunscreen for the best protection against the deadly sun.

Vests aren't just for winter, they're for all seasons. You can get different types of vests for all seasons, warm or cold weather, or just to use at work to keep together the things you need to do your job. Many people associate vests with winter, because during the cold a vest preserves heat where you need it the most in the upper body. Thus, vests have become one of those clothing taboos where you can only wear them during winter or else you're committing a fashion faux pas. This is no longer the case! This faux pas has gone the way of the dinosaur.

Since vests are now made out of light and heavy material, you have a type of vest for the warm months and a type of vest for the cold months. Many places of employment also use vests as a way for employees to stay on top of the things they need to have with them at all times, such as pencils, price sheets or keys. Most of these work vests are color-coded for their place of employment so that customers can pick service representatives out of the crowd if they have questions or concerns. They aren't stylish, but they sure do beat having to carry a million and one things around while working an eight hour shift.

Winter-related vests can be bought year round at various stores. A light vest might be used in the spring when the temperature dips, but it's not quite right to bust out the winter clothes once again. This is where a lightweight vest comes in handy under a sweatshirt or sweater. Of course, most people are used to the heavyweight vests used in the winter to wear under their heavy jackets or undercoats. They don't need much of an explanation. One traps heat, the other releases it.

By far vests have come a long way from being unstylish and uncool to wear. Nowadays, people will do what they can to stay warm and a vest is the perfect unobtrusive way to do that. Not to mention, it's a great way to stay organized and on top of things at work no matter where you're employed. If you don't own a vest, maybe it's time to start thinking about buying your first, no matter what the weather is like in your area.

Long and short shorts serve different purposes for men and women. You can utilize both, no matter what the sex, all year long in different weather conditions to keep yourself warm or cold as the temperature suits your taste. Gym shorts, short and long ones, can be worn throughout the year in and out of your home as a way to moderate the temperature. Now, of course you can't wear shorts everywhere, but when you can, why waste an opportunity to take control of the weather?

Short shorts are for wear when the weather is hot. We all know that. We've all worn short shorts for jogging, the gym and other places when it's just too hot to wear anything else. You can always keep a spare pair of shorts in your car or at your work in case you want to change into them after a long day. This way you can slip into something comfortable, something cool and keep yourself from suffering from a hot summer day. Shorts are the perfect way to change the temperature year round.

Long shorts are for wear any time, but they are typically reserved for boys. They don't normally make girls shorts long, even for sports, which can be tricky if a girl does want to wear shorts over sweats or under them to keep her warm in the winter. The trick for girls is to buy men's basketball shorts. Buy them at a larger size than what will fit you, too, that way you can relax in them and get used to them. They work well for keeping a girl warm, because they are made of think material that is perfect for trapping heat. Men will typically wear shorts over their sweats, even though some girls do this, too, in an effort to keep warm when it's cold.

Using shorts as a sort of long underwear is a cheap and inexpensive way to control the temperature wherever you go this summer. Take advantage of those shorts that are sitting useless in your dresser and put them to good use before they gather dust and moths began making holes out of them. Wear them, keep them around and utilize them to keep warm and cool throughout the year.

The way we dress says a lot to a potential employer. Regardless of whether the company allows casual dress, we should always look professional for a job interview. Interviews are the only way an employer can determine the type of person you are. There are several factors that an interviewer takes into consideration. They review previous work experience, your personality, and your dress. You can have all the work experience in the world; however showing up for an interview inappropriately dressed can drastically reduce your chances of getting the job. Understandably everyone does not own a suit. However, those in the job market should have at least one professional outfit that they can wear for a good first impression.

Males have it a little easier when dressing for an interview. The only requirements are a pair of nice slacks and a collar shirt. Women on the other hand, may find dressing for interviews a little challenging. The goal when dressing for an interview is to appear modest and conservative. Women should avoid wearing short skirts or low-cut shirts. Tight sweaters should also be avoided. Some women feel that incorporating a little sexiness in their dress will give them an edge. Sometimes it will, and sometimes it will not. Regardless, women should avoid using this tactic. Besides it could backfire, and they may miss out on a great opportunity.

Make sure that clothes are in good condition. Avoid wearing outfits that are dirty, have visible stains, holes, or wrinkles. The way we dress says a lot about who we are. Employers are impressed by someone who cares about their appearance. In addition, comb or brush hair before the interview. Men should also shave prior to an interview. Those who are new to the job market such as students or recent grads may not have appropriate attire, or they could be unsure about their choice of attire. It may be tempting to arrive at an interview simply wearing clothes in your closet. However there are clothes that should never be worn to an interview. These clothes include jeans, tank tops, sweatshirts, tennis shoes, flip-flops, and any other outfit that you would wear hanging out with friends.

Borrowing appropriate interview attire is also an option. Although you may have to go shopping once you get the job - borrowing a nice business casual outfit will buy you some time. Once you have landed the job consider purchasing a pair of black slacks and a few nice shirts to get you through until payday.

I'm a clotheshorse. Not in the designer fashions sense-- sure, I'd love to own some Vera Wang or some Gucci dresses, but they're a little out of my price range. I just mean that I am fascinated by fashion. I love clothes and, until a few years ago, I'd indulge myself in at least one new outfit each week.

Then, four years ago, my daughter was born. I soon discovered that there's only one thing more fun than buying a new outfit for myself each week-- it's buying a new outfit for my daughter each week. Dressing a little girl is fun. Two years later I found out that dressing a little boy can be just as much fun (all those cute little polo shirts and whatnot). The trouble is, I looked in my closet recently and I suddenly realized that I hadn't bought anything for myself since the year 2000. I had been schlepping through life in tee shirts and jeans for the past four years.

It's a lot easier to shop when you don't have kids. Over the years I had managed to sustain my children's wardrobes by shopping online. It's easy to shop online for kid's clothes-- kids generally wear the same size no mater what store you buy from. When in doubt, you buy bigger. With kids, you don't mind buying something that's a little big because you know eventually the kid will grow into it.

But for myself, I wasn't so sure. Buying clothes for myself was a painstaking process-- albeit one that I had used to enjoy when the only person I had to worry about was myself. These days, the thought of dragging my two young children to the mall while I try on clothes sounds unbearable. Sure, I could hire a sitter or do it on the weekends when my husband is home, but I'd still feel guilty-- as if I were on a time limit. When you have kids, the days are no longer endless-- you always have to be home by a certain time for something.

So I thought to myself-- why not try shopping online for a few clothing items for myself? It seemed a little intimidating at first. I liked to try things on. I had never even bought so much as a pair of jeans before without trying them on first (and even then it was after trying on about fifty pairs). And then there was the matter of quality. Could you really tell online if something was made well? I wasn't sure about it, but I decided to give it a whirl.

I spent an evening perusing the websites of all of my favorite stores. It was amazing how organized everything was-- no rifling through racks to find my size-- I just had to click to add items to my shopping cart. Because I was worried that I might have to return something if it didn't fit or if I didn't like how it looked once I received it, I was sure to read the return policy for all of the sites that I planned to order from. And that was it.

A few days alter, the packages starting rolling in. I'm pretty true to my size, so most things fit just fine. I didn't like the feel of the material on one item I ordered, so I decided to return that. The return was a piece of cake-- I just brought it back to their retail store at the mall and they credited my credit card. The return took all of five minutes-- much less time than it would have taken me to shop for all of this stuff at the mall.

So that was it, I was sold. I feel really good about shopping for clothing online. It's a quick, easy way to get the items I need without spending a lot of time at the mall or hopping from store to store with my kids in tow.

If you've never shopped for clothing online, here are some online shopping tips:

-- Check the size charts. Most sites have size charts available so you can accurately determine what size will fit you. The size chart may be based on your weight, height or other measurements.

-- Don't pay too much for shipping. Look for sites that offer one price shipping rate-- some will ship for as low as $5.00 for your entire order. I do not think it is worth it to pay an exorbitant amount for shipping and I avoid sites that don't offer reasonable rates.

-- Search for coupon codes. Do an online search for coupon or discount codes for your favorite stores. You are often able to find deals for ten or fifteen percent off of your order-- or for free shipping if you spend a certain amount.

-- Return unwanted items to the retail store. Most online stores will provide a return shipping label for you, but you will have to pay the return postage out of your own pocket. Whenever possible, return unwanted items to the retail store to avoid any return shipping charges. Keep in mind that if the return is due to no fault of your own (if they shipped you the wrong color, size or if the garment is damaged) the retailer will pay for the return shipping costs and may even send a courier to your house to pick up your return.

-- Remember that the online store may have more or less items than the retail store. I was surprised to find that some of my favorite retail stores don't have great online stores-- that is, the selection is actually better at the store (I would have thought that the online store would be able to warehouse a better selection, but after a call to the customer service department I was informed that the opposite is actually true). Sometimes Items never even make it to the online store, so if you see something in a store, don't assume it will be available online. It's better to purchase it when you see it and avoid being disappointed later.

Clothes are one of the basic needs of the human, i.e., food, shelter and clothing. While developing the clothes no one knows that it could one day become one of the abovementioned basic needs, but as the development goes on it comes to the minds of the people that it can be differently used for different things, persons, and different occasions etc.

Clothes are not only used to fulfill the basic necessity of the man but also these are used as fashion, uniform, distinctive mode etc. As we all know that different people wear different types of clothing. If we have a look on the dresses of different people like leaders, players, office bearers, laborers, Engineers, Doctors, Drivers or any other section of the society, we find a lot of differences in the dresses and the clothes used. Like for instance leaders generally prefer to wear cotton based clothes in eastern countries and players generally prefer T-shirts so that they can play easily. On the other hand doctors and engineers have different colors of clothes. Like wise armed forces of any country have different type of clothes! Office bearers tend to wear coats with leather shoes while on the other hand the outgoing people prefer sports shoes with jeans and T-shirts.

If we talk about leaders, then it can be seen that different people of different parties can be easily recognized by their dresses. Color differentiation is also helpful in the recognition of the people belonging to a particular party. Likewise different regions can be differentiated by the clothes used by the people of that region. As we know all religions and countries have different types of flags to represent those to the society can be recognized by the type or colors used in clothes used.

A common man has also different clothes for different activities. Like in the night we generally have a night suit which we wear while sleeping. And in the morning while going to morning walk the dress is changed. Afterward while going to office, school or outside the dress is totally changed. Likewise ladies have different clothing for kitchen and other activities in their daily routine work. Children have different styles of clothing. Men and women have different kinds of clothes for general routine and party wears.

As it is seen that different people, and occasions have different type of
clothing, it is also clear that the base is the same--from cotton the dress for a leader is made; but at the same time, it is not so that for a player we can not have the same cotton to manufacture! The material can be same but only the shapes, and colors are different for different purposes.

Tee shirts have always been a central part of my wardrobe. Going back to my childhood, I distinctly remember owning a tee that touted me as "Daddy's Little Tax Exemption". My grandparents would always bring me tees from the Jersey Shore-- shirts that sung the merits of Atlantic City, Ocean City, Wildwood-- yes, I always had a good collection of those.

In the mid 70's, when the television show "Happy Days" was really big, I owned the token "Aaaaaay Fonz" tee shirt. Once I started high school, tee shirts-- especially black ones featuring rock stars-- were all the rage. My first official rock star tee shirt was obtained at a Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers concert, circa 1981. I felt so cool wearing that shirt. My best friend and I both owned the same one and we wore them until they literally could be worn no more.

As the years went on and I went to more rock concerts, I acquired quite a collection of official rock tees. I say official because, while many of my friends bought rock tees outside of the concert venue after the show, most of those sold outside for five or ten dollars were considered bootlegged tees. Personally, I only bought the official concert tees because I found that the bootlegs tees, while cheap, would usually peel and fade after one washing. Over time I had tees that announced the historical Live Aid concert, tees that showcased 80's hair bands like Dokken and Def Leppard, legendary metal bands like Judas Priest and AC/DC, and blues artists like the late, great Stevie Ray Vaughn.

These days, my grown son has drawers full of tee shirts of his own. His earlier tees, which featuring PG rated bands like No Doubt and Green Day, are gone-- they were replaced with tees paying tribute to heavier groups like Korn and Limp Bizkit. Now those are gone, too-- his newest tees are emblazoned with the logos of bands I've never even heard of-- Coheed and Cambria and Mindless Self Indulgence. One of his favorite tees has a picture of Bruce Lee on it and it says "Bruce Lee is my Homeboy". He also has a tee that states "I've lost my phone number-- will you give me yours". Silly, I know, but that's the fun of tee shirts.

These days, tee shirts are still something I wear just about every day. I have lots of plain ones-- comfortable, perfect fit tees from Old Navy in a multitude of colors. I buy them when they're on sale, two for eighteen dollars. I also have a worn out gray tee shirt that used to be my husband's, which I wear to bed almost every night (I know-- sexy, huh?).

I recently purchased a pink tee with the Superman logo embellished on it-- it's glittery and pretty. I also like tees that give people a chuckle-- I recently came across one that says, "Smile--it confuses people". When Martha Stewart was in prison, I almost bought a tee that said "Free Martha" but then I realized it would go out of style pretty quickly (too quickly for the twenty four bucks it cost). I've recently noticed that retro tees have made a huge comeback-- check your favorite store for the Pink Panther tees, Care Bears, My Little Pony and tees featuring your favorite foods from the past (I've seen a Wonder Bread tee-shirt-- need I say more?).

Some of my friends like to wear tees that advertise for their favorite stores-- Abercrombie, Old Navy, Gap, DKNY. I guess this is really no different than advertising for your favorite rock band-- either way, you're still a human bill board, but at least wearing a tee shirt will also keep you warm.

It seems that there are a lot of celebrities endorsing various clothing brands these days, even outside the realm of sports-related items. I can't walk through the mall anymore without seeing famous faces on big posters in storefront windows. I'm not talking about celebs that have their own clothing lines, like Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Pamela Anderson, or Jennifer Lopez. I'm talking about celebs that are paid to wear a clothing brand that is already well established. Because of high visibility in the form of magazine and tabloid coverage, as well as the talk-show circuit, celebrities and clothing endorsements often go hand in hand. But does this kind of advertising work? Would you buy a certain brand of clothing just because your favorite celebrity wears it? What if a star you don't like started endorsing a brand that you do like? Would you stop buying that brand?

Personally, I have never bought something just because a celebrity endorsed it, although there have been some things that I have wanted. For example, in the movie Legally Blonde, there is one scene in which the main character, Reese Witherspoon, is wearing a Gucci blouse. None of the other characters makes a reference to the blouse or anything like that, but it is clearly noticeable because there are Gucci logos (interlocking G's) all over it. I thought it was a great-looking shirt, and I was ready to buy it just from seeing it in that movie. Well, I guess that's more of an example of product placement than celebrity endorsement, but you get what I mean. Besides that one blouse, which I wasn't able to find in any stores near me, there have only been a few other random items that I was perhaps interested in checking out, but never actually purchased.

I don't think I would buy a brand of clothing I've never tried just because of a celebrity, either. I have never bought Hanes, for example, and no one in my family has ever had a preference for that brand one way or the other. Will I buy a Hanes item now that the company is using stars such as Marisa Tomei, Damon Wayans, and Matthew Perry as spokespeople? Probably not, since I don't particularly care for any of those stars anyway. But even when I do like the stars, it doesn't necessarily translate into spending my hard-earned cash because of them. When I lived in Japan during my sophomore year of college, Brad Pitt was pitching Edwin jeans over there. I had never heard of that brand, and even though I really liked Brad Pitt at the time, I didn't rush out to buy Edwin jeans just because he was their spokesperson.

Recently, I have found some celebrity endorsements to be a real turn-off. For example, I have shopped at the Gap for many years because their clothes are comfortable, reasonably priced, and fit my body type pretty well. But ever since they signed Sarah Jessica Parker as their spokesperson, I haven't wanted to go into the store. For whatever reason, I just don't like Sarah Jessica Parker, and it annoyed me to see her posters on the Gap walls, in their catalogs, and on their website. It sounds kind of silly now that I am writing it out for other people to read, but I really did stay away from the Gap just because of their celebrity spokesperson. I wasn't actively boycotting them or anything like that. I just sort of unconsciously avoided the store. When Parker first signed the endorsement deal, it was reportedly supposed to be for three years. Luckily for me, though, something must have gone wrong along the way because now the Gap is using a different celebrity as a spokesperson (Joss Stone). Since I don't know anything at all about this person and since her pictures don't annoy me to an unreasonable degree, I will once more start shopping at the Gap.

I don't know how much celebrities affect other people's clothing choices, but I like to think that I am an average consumer. That means it's entirely possible that more people are turned off by celebrity endorsements than are persuaded by them. But then again, clothing companies probably wouldn't spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on celebrities without first doing a lot of market research, so maybe I am the one who is completely wrong on this issue!