FashBlog.com

By Christina VanGinkel

New Year's Eve is a big night for entertaining, from small affairs at home, to big lavish catered affairs at halls, hotels, and restaurants. Choosing an outfit to wear to one should not be difficult, especially if you know the dress code. Whether it is casual or black tie, for example, will greatly help you determine what outfit you will end up wearing. However, what if you are invited to more than one, and you plan to attend both, or even several, and they each have somewhat of a different depth of dress?

First, thank the stars, and I do not mean the ones in the sky, for showing that no matter the occasion, it is really up to the person inside the clothes, as to what they wear on the outside. Clothes do help define a look, but you make it or break it. For any party, whether it is a casual affair, black tie event, or even a hoe down in the barn, for a night like New Year's Eve, you should be choosing an outfit that is going to make the statement that you want to make for the upcoming year. Do not let where the party is being given, or who is throwing it, have any bearing on what outfit you ultimately show up in.

New Year's Eve parties are the perfect time to break out of your ho hum wardrobe, but only if that is the statement you are wanting to make. If you wan to quietly say goodbye to the past year, and whisper in the new, then by all means, pick something understated to wear. The only rule for attire to a New Year's Eve party is to whatever you want to wear.

Different occasions do have dress codes rules that should be followed. Weddings for example, if they are listed as Black Tie, should have every guest who shows up dressed appropriately, as the bride and groom are the honorees of the day, and if they requested everyone show up dressed to the nines, then that is only fair to them to show up dressed as they wish. Keep in mind that New Year's Eve though, is as many different celebrations as there are guests in attendance. Each person at the party, no matter who is throwing the party, is in charge of whether they had a good year or bad, and whether they want to dress for success of the year past, or not.

If you are still not sure what to wear, then go with something in between. In addition, be sure to look for accessories that match the outfit itself, but that you could easily swap to give the one outfit several different feels, depending on what gala event you are currently attending. Pick an outfit that is comfortable to wear, that will stand up to a sit down cocktail at your neighbor's house, and not be so over the top that you stick out like the proverbial sore thumb. Yet, choose something that is fun enough to carry you out onto the dance floor when you swing by your brother's big bash that you know will be overflowing with eligible bachelors. How about a pair of slinky feeling, but wide legged pants that look understated on you, that is until you hi that dance floor and they sway oh so sexily?

If you have any life left after that, and need to stop at the office party that your company is throwing, then you surely do not want to show up with the low cut neckline that you would love to wear to your brother's bash. Keeping in mind accessories that can change the look and feel of your basic outfit, be sure to grab something like a slinky shawl that you can use as a quick wrap for while you are there. Shoes can be interchangeable too, and are a great way to quickly dress up or down an outfit to make it work at more than one event, heels with tiny straps for stepping out on the dance floor, and something with a bit lower heel and more coverage for the other two. In the end, remember to have fun, and have a Happy New year!

By Christina VanGinkel

You have shopped until you can shop no more. You have been to every store, every mall, browsed every online storefront and then some. All in search of the perfect gift for the teenage boy or girl on your holiday shopping list. You are almost resigned to give them a gift card, but you had sworn when you first began your holiday shopping that you would not give anyone a gift card. You want to make each of your gifts as special as it can possibly be. Not to mention that if you give them a gift card that they will end up buying some outrageous fashion that will not be something you would approve of, and you do not want to be responsible for enabling their choice of bizarre selections.

Go ahead, give them the gift card, actually a facsimile of one, keeping the original in your possession, and give them a card with a notation that the gift is a day out shopping with you! Set a date right from the start, if you are the parent this will be easier, as you already know their schedule, and your own. If it is a niece or nephew, or some other relation, then be sure to check with the parents beforehand, to see what they feel would be a good date. If you do not set the date right at the time of the giving of the gift, it will be too easy to say that it will be soon, or in a week or two. Before you know it, summer will be here and gone and another holiday season will be approaching and the gift from this year will still be on the little plastic card, with its whereabouts not even sure of!

Once the date has been set, plan to drive together to wherever you will be shopping. This will give you some time to quiz them on what styles and fashions they are into if this is not something you are specifically aware of. If they normally dress in a manner that you do not approve of, keep in mind that this is not the time to try to change their style in a single afternoon, but definitely use the time to steer them towards more basic fashions, or at least some items less dramatic than their normal stuff.

Be sure to include as much fun in the shopping as you can. Suggest trying on fashions that they may not normally wear, but be sure to let them know that you would not suggest they purchase any of those fashions, that it just is in fun. If the gift card is to a more extravagant store, call ahead to arrange the help of a personal shopper if the store offers this service, as they often are available with no extra charge. Some stores may require that a certain dollar amount is going to be spent, while some stores even offer the aid of a personal shopper without any guidelines to the amount of money being spent at all. Professional shoppers are often much more in tune to teen fashion than the typical adult will ever be, and teens are much more apt to listen to suggestions from someone other than the immediate adult in their life. If you are the parent, this may be an ideal way to get your teen to open up to some other style suggestions than the current ones they are sporting.

One note to keep in mind is that if you give this gift to more than one teenager, unless they are very close in age and of the same gender, do not attempt to combine the shopping trips. Keep them separate, otherwise, you risk having what should have been a fun shopping experience turn into a disaster. There is no better way to bore a teen than to ask one to wait patiently for hours on end while another one tries on fashions in their part of the store with promises that it will be their turn next. Teens are not patient by nature, and just do not wait well. At the least, the first teen will feel rushed to pick out their gifts so that you can hurry to get the other shopping done. In the end, you will have spent the day both connecting with the specials teen in your life, and getting them some fun, up to date fashions.

By Christina VanGinkel

If you are anything like me, choosing a holiday outfit, or an outfit for a party where dressing up a bit more than in the traditional sense, in a fun, festive way is called for, is not always the easiest thing to do. We automatically grab for something from the depths of our closets that is relatively safe as far as color and fabric choice goes. Moreover, details are another thing completely, as in anyone who would see us asking what details!

The holidays are really the perfect time to break out of a ho hum shell of plain, unadorned fashions though. They are the perfect time to try a fabric such as velour, velvet, or silk, or to reach for that color that at any other time of the year would scream a big fat no. Try a bright red or green, or a stunning gold, silver, magenta, any color that is festive, or combination of colors. Try a mixture of a color and fabric, that otherwise would not be something you would wear, such as a red velvet, or silks that shine and catch the glittery glow of holiday lights, just think of something that would be a good choice for a holiday get together, something that makes you think of a celebration. The holidays are truly the one time of year that you can get away with wearing just about any fashion you could imagine, as long as it is somehow tied into the theme of the holidays.

If the occasion calls for a fun outfit, I automatically think of some of the wild and crazy fashions that I have witnessed through the years, fashions that include earrings that looked like Christmas lights and actually lit up, a sweatshirt with a reindeer whose nose glowed bright red, and a sweater decorated with tiny crystal ornaments. Visit any holiday bazaar, and you will be sure to come away with at least one fun for the holiday's accessory. Better yet, visit any discount store and you will be provided with rack after rack of glitzy, funny, cute, and oh so holiday themed sweaters, that you will start to think there really is a North Pole with a room full of tiny fashion designer elves working all year long just to come up with all the choices you will be assailed with at this time of year.

If you are thinking that, there is no way, even during the holidays, that you would wear any of the traditional holiday fashions that are abundant this time of year. That every single one of those elves should be sporting pink slips for the fashions they came up with, then consider some of the fun accessories that you could wear in place of those garishly decorated sweaters and sweatshirts. Not as blatant as a sweatshirt proclaiming Rudolf's shiny nose, but still just as fun. Go for something stylish, yet fun, such as a purse that shines from top to bottom, with a strap that glitters its complete length, or maybe a pair of shoes with a fun bow stitched on the toe. How about a pair of earrings and a necklace that hangs just a bit longer, a bit more dangly than your usual style. No one is telling you to wear something that makes you feel awkward, yet if you show up at a holiday party without any festive trimmings whatsoever, you are just as likely to stick out from the crowd as if you walked in wearing a pair of antlers to rival Santa's number one reindeer!

Shop a more refined store than the local five and dime if you want to find a holiday outfit or a few fashion accessories that whisper class more than scream fun. Look for fabrics that catch your eye, but do not shriek aloud. Again, if you are even a bit like me, you hate to purchase anything that you cannot wear more than a single time, and that is where the accessories once again come into play. Go ahead and buy that soft black sweater that you can wear on New Years too, or even just for a nice evening out to dinner, but plan to dress it up with shoes, purse, and jewelry so the finished outfit is still festive when put all together.

Sometimes when I watch movies I marvel at the actors. I think about how their characters' clothes always look the part of the character, too. The bohemian sex therapist wears amazing beads and broom skirts. The ambitious urban dweller dons tailored business suits and pumps. I am amazed by how put together they look. Okay, I’ll admit that I do it in the grocery store sometimes, too.

I have never possessed this savvy for putting together a wardrobe. Don't get my wrong. I have some really cute clothes. I have had power suits with cute little blouses. I have flare-legged pants. During my more radical days, I could be found sporting hippie fashions from vintage shops in Atlanta's Little Five Points District. What's scarier is that I had all of these clothes at the same time. My closet looks as if it belongs to a schizophrenic with a clothing problem. There is no rhyme or reason to the clothes, but I can chart when I got them based on what was happening in my life at the time. There are grad school clothes, reporter clothes, and Mommy clothes, among others.

I have never been trendy, but I have never had a style either. I sometimes wonder if people typecast me based on the clothes I'm wearing. I do it to others: "oh, how Republican." So I am certain they do it, too. We make assumptions based on people's clothing choices, and I often stare into my closet wondering what, exactly, it is saying about me.

I must admit, all pop psychology aside, I blame a lot of it on my mother. She tried hard to impose her idea of my style on me. I wore what one of my college professors called "Baptist dresses," ankle-length dresses that button down the front. I wore flat shoes and clothes that suggested I was serious. Then I went to college. And I rebelled. I wore clothes that made my mother cringe. I wore clothes that made other people think I was mysterious and a little scary, quite frankly. None of them were me.

It is not that I don't know who I am. It's just that I don't know the right clothes to say it. I have days when I need the high-powered slacks and jacket because I have an important meeting or something to do where I need to show my aggressive side. Then there are days when I want to reconnect with nature and myself, and a broom skirt is the perfect choice for those days. And over the past year, while I have worked at home and taken care of my son, many days are yoga pants and tank top kinds of days.

I think the reality is that I have never in my life cared about clothing long enough to pay attention to those details. While I will ponder other people's clothing choices and look to my closet for answers, I do not make clothing choices a consistent part of who I am. Shopping clearance racks doesn’t help either. I have some of everything, and most of it was on sale. I am so frugal, in part by choice and in part by necessity, that I gave up long ago trying to buy a wardrobe that would only need to replaced next year. I cringe at the price of clothes, even on clearance racks.

I have decided to take back my wardrobe. A few nights ago, I went through everything I own. I made my husband sit through this painful process with me. "Nothing frumpy," I said to him, which includes many of the items I have been given as gifts. "Nothing that doesn't say ME."

We tossed about seventy-five percent of what we found. My half of the closet is now almost empty. I am excited but sad to see all of the clothes I had bought go away. My wardrobe phobia is wearing away. I am looking to magazines and other pop culture media as a way to re-invent, or rather, invent my wardrobe. I am learning what every American girl learned at 15, wonderful tidbits like what gauchos are and what my hair says about me. Sometimes being a wardrobe phobic was easier.


By Julia Mercer

In 2006, I will be starting a new business venture. I dabble in web writing now, and I have a couple of websites. I have decided that I need a bit more human interaction, and 2006 is dedicated to laying the foundation for a brick and mortar business. One of the most exciting parts of this new venture for me is that I will need - yes, NEED - to purchase a new wardrobe.

I have been working from home for about 18 months, and I had a baby last January. That means that I have many clothes that do not fit or that I no longer find appealing. It is surprising what I used to wear that now feels so uncomfortable if I am picking up after a baby all day.

So, one of my first tasks in 2006 will be to purchase new clothes. I must admit that although I have a general aversion to shopping, particularly in malls, I am looking forward to it. Even a year into motherhood, I have learned that few moms spend time on themselves. We fall into the trap of thinking that what the kids need is more important or should take priority over what we need. Well, that is not my attitude anymore!

I am going to treat myself to a new wardrobe, not only because I need it for my business venture but because I need it for myself. Working from home can mean spending the day lounging around in pajamas. Some people love that feeling. I do not. I have discovered that I get less done when I am not dressed and ready for my day. Plus, it can get really depressing wearing pajama pants everyday. You start to question what you are doing and why you are not joining the rest of the world and getting dressed every morning.

I am hoping that the new business wardrobe will get rid of those problems. I will feel ready to tackle the day when I get up and get dressed instead of feeling like I should still be in bed or considering putting on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt at noon.

My new wardrobe will consist of business suits. After 25 years of suffering through wearing skirts and dresses to church, interviews, and other functions, I have decided to put my foot down. (Of course, since I am purchasing this wardrobe instead of my parents, it will be much easier to do.) I absolutely hate dresses, but I love the sharp look of women in business suits. Dresses and skirts signify a sort of conservatism that is not me, but business suits mean seriousness and ambition.

In my preliminary research, and to fuel my excitement, I have been checking out the business suits that are available to women. I have found that many of the styles are flattering to different sizes and shapes of women, and I am ready to get started! The suits do not look severe and stuffy. Instead they look like women who know what they want, where they are headed in life, and how to have fun at the end of the day. That is my goal for my new wardrobe.

In my mind, it seems silly to work myself up over new clothing. I have never been worried about clothes, even in the teen years when that was supposed to be the center of my existence. In college, I wore pajama pants or loose-fitting jeans to class and did not get dressed much on the weekends. Graduate school means khakis since I was teaching students. Life as a reporter was black skirts and pants with little to attract attention to myself so that I would be seen as a serious reporter instead of a flirt who could be buttered up for a good angle on a story.

None of those looks were me. Well, maybe they were at the time, but now they are not. Clothing does signify something about what we think of ourselves and how others see us. I fought that sentiment for years but have decided that it is not worth fighting anymore. Plus, the pointed-toe shoes that are popular right now are cute!

By Julia Mercer

By Christina VanGinkel

Fashion favorites always seem to find their way back in style, and this year, velvet and velour have made a strong comeback. In addition, the greatest thing about these two fabrics is that if you are game to wear them, you will wish you had more places to wear them too. They are comfortable to be dressed in, and can go from a casual after work party, to a more fashion conscious evening out. Those who make the fashions have taken all of this into consideration, with pieces available in basic black, burgundy, and green, typical holiday colors for this time of year, and in a rainbow of other fun colors and patterns. They are not just available as fashion staples either, such as dresses and blazers, but in everything from gloves and wraps, to jeans, tank tops, even boxer shorts. Whether shopping for yourself or other family member, including children, there is a fashion or accessory just perfect for your needs all done up in one of these glorious fabrics.

While many of these fabrics still need extra care when washing and cleaning, advancements have been made along these lines with some needing no extra care other than a gentle cycle and low heat, so be sure to check the label on each item before spending further to have it cleaned when this may not be necessary. This is especially nice when it comes to the kid's fashions and everyday objects such as under things.

If you are sitting there reading this, thinking velvet and velour are just not your thing, and that you were glad when they exited the racks at you favorite store years ago, and you cannot imagine why anyone would think they would be ideal to bring back, then you have probably not seen any of these new fashion up close. They are not only soft to the touch; they are also moveable and breathable this time around. I know what you are thinking; they were always so stiff on the inside, the side that touched the skin, and hot, so very hot, but not anymore, unless you are shopping vintage racks maybe.

These fashions are great as extras too. If you are not ready to go all out and dress in a sleek little black velvet dress, then go for the sleek velvet boots to go with your favorite black dress you already own. On the other hand, be brave and pick up a pair in fire engine red! Add a nifty little beaded velvet purse, and scarf, and you will be making a big fashion splash with just a few new accessories. I think that is what I like so much about these fabrics this time around, the number of fun, and fabulous accessories that arrives with the clothing styles themselves.

If you need a little something to dress up your holiday wardrobe, and even the rest of your winter wardrobe itself, try something soft, and velvety, or a touch of velour and you will be wishing you had rediscovered these long ago!

When it comes to women's suits, very few designer names have the widespread allure and appeal of Chanel.  The typical $5,000 price tag of the Chanel suit ensures that one of these creations remains sought after as much for the implied high-status that it bestows on its owner as for the suit itself.  Over the years, the Chanel suit has become legendary and is practically a must-have in any upscale career woman's wardrobe.  Let's take a look at what makes the Chanel suit so special.

First of all, you may have noticed that I refer to this particular item of clothing as "the Chanel suit" rather than "a Chanel suit" or "Chanel suits".  That's because the Chanel suit has a particular look to it that almost anyone who has paid any attention to high fashion can immediately recognize.  The suit is generally described as being boxy (as opposed to either form-fitted or flowing) and is marked by its distinctive braided trim on the jacket.  In addition, the buttons of the suit are made to look like coins, and they boast the interlocking "C" logo that has become the company's signature.  Surely at some point in time, you have seen someone wearing a pink Chanel suit trimmed in black.  That is a look that has classic Chanel written all over it.  

It is not uncommon to see women top off the Chanel suit with a string of gorgeous pearls, or to wear a huge flower on the breast or lapel of the jacket.  Another seemingly required accessory for the Chanel suit is the 2.55 handbag, which is also a signature piece from this fashion powerhouse.  

The Chanel suit is based on the futuristic vision of founder Coco Chanel.  Coco's designs were always considered to be well ahead of her time.  For example, when she opened her first store in Paris way back in 1910, her first creations placed a great deal of emphasis on comfort and ease of movement -- which was practically unheard of in that age of tight corsets.  Women enjoyed the new-found freedom that they felt while wearing the Chanel label, so Coco's shop was a big hit right off the bat.

I have never owned a Chanel suit myself, but I have several friends in the corporate world who have treated themselves to this luxury.  The overwhelming consensus is that they love the way they feel when they wear Chanel.  It's not that the material, quality, or design is that much different from, say, an Armani or a Gucci suit.  It's just that they get caught up in the mystique and the legend surrounding the Chanel name.  From what I see whenever I walk into a downtown law office or similar environment, my friends are not alone in this sentiment.

So if there's ever a time when you really want to splurge on yourself and give your wardrobe an incredible boost, consider purchasing the Chanel suit.  You'll look and feel great at work or at social events, and perhaps a bit of that legendary mystique will rub off on you!

Winter hasn't even officially started yet and already it is getting hard to find children's snowsuits in the stores. It hadn't occurred to me to shop for snowsuits until last week-- when we had our first snowfall in our area. I dutifully pulled last years suits out of storage, only to find out that my children had outgrown them.

My daughter was upset. She wanted to go out and play in the snow-- and she wanted to do it now. So we made due with the too-short suit, but the next day I packed it away for Goodwill and began my search for new, proper-fitting snowsuits for my children.
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I went to my favorite local discount stores first, but the selection was very hit and miss. I checked online at some of my favorite stores (The Children's Place always has really cute outerwear), but unfortunately they were sold out of the sizes I needed. I decided to check my catchall for all things retail-- eBay -- and yes, there were loads of suits listed in my children's sizes. But I kept getting outbid. When an ultra-cute silver colored Osh Kosh B'Gosh snowsuit in my daughter's size exceeded 60 dollars in bids, I knew I had to scrap that idea.

As I researched further, I found myself on sporting good and cold weather gear websites. Yes, they did have toddler size snowsuits in stock, but they were pricey. I was resigned to just shelling out the big bucks for high quality suits, when I decided to check one more local store.

Bingo. They were having a huge sale on all children's coats and outerwear-- everything was 50 percent off. They had a pair of snow pants in my son's size, so I snatched them up right away. They didn't have my daughter's size, but they had the next size up, so I bought a pink leopard print snow jacket and pink coveralls for under 20 dollars total. The snow pants are a little long for my daughter, so we just rolled the bottoms of the pants up so they would fit. The best part is, this snowsuit will definitely still fit my daughter next year-- which means I won't have to go through this again!

Tips for Snowsuit Hunting:

-- If you're looking for snowsuits for your kids, shop early-- the best items sell out quickly and most stores won't have any more in stock for the rest of the season.

-- If you check eBay for snowsuits, make sure you know what you want. If you only want new, unused snowsuits, make sure to type "NWT" (new with tags) or the word "New" in the search bar. But be careful, some sellers will label their item "Like New", which really just means used, but in excellent shape. Also, to avoid bidding wars (and especially if you're in a rush to get the suit), look for items that have a Buy It Now price, which means you can snag the item on the spot, without waiting for the auction to end.

When buying from online retailers, make sure you check the size charts before selecting your child's size. Also, try to order before the holiday rush, or you may find yourself waiting a few extra days for the snowsuit to arrive.

By Christina VanGinkel

Picking out a pair of pants that fit comfortably can be something you have down to a science, or it can be as hit and miss as a preschooler playing t-ball. With features including a wide range of materials, be it a pair of jeans or the perfect pair of black dress pants, cuts ranging from fitting to a wide leg, the choices are almost infinite. Start by asking yourself where you would most likely be wearing them. If you just want to add a pair to your wardrobe, you should still consider what occasions you are most likely going to be attending that you want a new pair of pants to wear too, to help you narrow down your choices. Also, know your measurements, as sizes vary from brand to brand.

If you spend the majority of your time in an office setting, or sitting in on meetings at school, and want to look your best, consider a pair of stylish black pants that can be dressed up or down depending on the particular occasion. Think of your favorite pair you own know, no matter the material, and ask yourself what features you most like. Look for these features. If you are still drawing blank images, the most common style that seems to fit just about any body shape is a pair that is the right length for the person wearing them, with no added details like rhinestones, or belts, and with just a bit of a flare leg. These three details, or lack of when it comes to extra details like belts, in a black fabric that is smooth and wrinkle free, can be topped with just about any top and black shoe or boot, and can be worn anywhere from a PTA meeting, to the grocery store, to work at the office, just by changing the accessories that you wear with them.

If you are more apt to spend your time at the local Saturday morning playgroup with your toddler, or chasing after your school-aged kids as they go from one activity to the next, you can always go with the safe choice and buy another pair of jeans. On the other hand, you could look for something that is both comfortable, and yet allow you to feel as if you do have a life other than kids. Look for a pair of khakis, in a loose fitting, comfortable fabric. Khakis are no longer always the same color, so if you find a pair that you like, look for them in a second color, and grab two pair at once to give your wardrobe a bit of variety.

Finding pants that fit, and look good, does not have to be difficult, but you cannot expect to have your closet replenished automatically. Pay attention to the sizes you wear, and take note that one brand's size may differ completely from another brand. Depending on the brand, I wear a size twelve, and a size fourteen. I also shop online for a wider choice of fabrics, styles, and fits, and because I do know my measurements, I can do comparison of each brands size, which is easily found on most websites.

By Christina VanGinkel

As my son gathered together all of his snowboard gear last night, in readiness for his yearly first time trek to the hill, to kick off this year's snow season, he realized that we had forgotten to buy him a new pair of gloves. Along with everything else that this thirteen-year-old boy of mine owns clothing wise, he had outgrown his pair from last year. This is really not a surprise, not to me, or to those of you who have taken the time to listen to me lament the fact that he has grown over six inches height-wise in the span of one year, and has continued this growth, adding an astonishing two more inches to his height since late summer, know.

Well, I was not running to town as it was quite late, and even if I would have, I doubt if I would have found the exact pair, we had some time ago, decided to buy him. He headed up to the hill this morning with a pair of his dad's work gloves, so though he may not be the most stylish kid on the hill, he will at least be warm, and as the temperature here in the Northwood's of Wisconsin is a steamy 7 degrees, warmth is a priority.

I called two stores that are local to where we live, (which means within a thirty-mile radius) to see if either carried the gloves we wanted, or a comparable pair, and neither did. So online I went, and after typing in 'snowboard gloves wrist guard' at CLothingStoreOnline.com, I was able to pull up the exact pair he had found some time ago, before we forgot that he needed them.

Seirus Da Bone Snowboard Gloves, they have 200 grams of Thermolite Micro Synthetic Down insulation, so they will be warm, but not bulky, and have a palm and finger caps with an anti-slip reinforced material, to hold up under the stress of wipeouts and even the occasional towrope ride. They also have a gauntlet style cuff, and a one handed cuff cinch, which is always handy on the hill. However, most importantly, they come with removable wrist supports. Now, not only has my son been growing at break neck speeds the last fifteen months, he has also managed to break the base of his thumb and wrist not once, but twice. These removable wrist supports may not be 100 percent able to keep another wrist injury from recurring, but they will go a long way towards just that!

I read somewhere else that a broken wrist in a person that snowboards, are akin to the missing teeth of those that play hockey. I know parents everywhere that have kids who play hockey are forever grateful for the invention of the face guard, as are I for whoever ingenious person came up with these wrist guards that slip in comfortably to a pair of snowboard gloves.

If you have a child, accident prone or not, that is spending time on the hills this winter snowboarding or skiing, take the time to check out this injury saving piece of apparel. For me, the second best part of these gloves is that they come in a men's extra large!

Shopping for clothing for my twelve-year-old daughter has become, in a word, interesting. I have two daughters, one of who is very fashion conscious and hip. She knows what to wear, how to wear it, and how to look good while still remaining modest. She's only eleven. But the twelve-year-old has always been more the tomboy type, wearing clothes only because they're necessary. She's never cared about fashion, color coordination or mismatching patterns. Comfort has been the name of the game for my twelve-year-old.

At age five, she wore those cute little leggings that were in style then (and still are for little girls). She wore long shirts and sweaters with them and looked adorable; not that she cared - she wore them because they felt good. By the time she was about eight-years-old, my comfort-seeking daughter was playing soccer with a recreational league team, and she discovered sweat pants. She loved sweat pants. Not only did she wear them once the fall soccer season had finished, she wore them all winter, through the spring, and even for most of the hot summer, except when I made her take them off and wear shorts. Some of the sweats we cut off into shorts and she was quite happy about that.

This daughter, much to her chagrin, began developing early. At the age of ten, it was clear that we had to go shopping for a bra. She wanted no part of this and insisted on wearing an undershirt. Thankfully, there are such things as sports bras, which were just her thing. I found some one day while I was shopping without her, she gladly took them, and I haven't heard a negative word about bras since; though she still reverts to undershirts when she thinks no one is noticing.

So today, my casual daughter is a voluptuous twelve-year-old, standing at a regal 5'5" tall, with an hour glass figure that I'm still hoping to grow for myself. She has very long, thick, curly, dark brown hair (almost black) with very pale skin and dark brown eyes. This isn't just a mom talking here - she's a knockout. Up until just a few months ago, I was still reminding her to put on deodorant, to take a shower, to wash her hair, to brush her hair, and to put on socks that match. But over the past couple of months, perhaps sometime in the summer, something began to change. She still prefers comfort above most things, but my tomboy daughter suddenly wanted to buy blue jeans: for horseback riding, she claimed. Next she wanted to buy some black boots, because she'd seen The Matrix and thought they looked cool. Out of the blue, her shirts went from giant, comfortable hooded sweatshirts to v-necked sweaters with cute t-shirts underneath. She went from her signature pony tail to long flowing locks held back partially by a large clip. We've even seen glimpses of make-up.

What has happened to our little girls is that she's turning into a woman before my very eyes. For a while there, I wasn't sure she would. I didn't care and I didn't push; if she wanted to be a tomboy forever, that's ok by me. But suddenly I'm living with this innocent, care free twelve-year-old who looks eighteen. She likes shopping for clothes now and she looks simply beautiful. Still, she won't touch anything but sports bras, and the only buys the cute clothes that are comfortable. After all, she still has her standards.

I've gone through many different fashion phases in my lifetime, so I can honestly say that there are relatively few items of clothing that I have never worn or owned.  From go-go boots to purposely ripped and bleached jeans to blouses with bulging shoulder pads, I've tried many different things before finally settling into the rather conservative style that I favor today.  However, one very common clothing item that I've never owned is a leather jacket.  

Personally, I have mixed feelings when it comes to leather jackets.  On the one hand, I get a rather negative image of biker gangs sporting black leather jackets with lots of zippers on them.  On the other hand, I have seen many people wearing tasteful leather jackets that really add an element of refined style to their look.  Obviously, I would have complete control over the type of jacket that I buy, so these concerns are perhaps not a valid obstacle to the purchase.  Nevertheless, they are always present in my mind when I'm shopping.

Another thing that has prevented me from purchasing a leather jacket to this point in my life is the whole care aspect.  I have heard so many different stories about caring for leather jackets that I can't separate fact from fiction anymore.  For example, I used to work with a man who loved leather jackets, and he would regale me with stories about the exquisite care and attention that he devoted to these items.  He had all kinds of chemical treatments and followed a regular cleaning and maintenance regimen.  I'm not sure exactly what it entailed, but it seemed like a lot of work that I just didn't want to be stuck performing my own clothes.  Then again, I've had many friends who have owned leather jackets and coats without having to take much extra care of them at all.  And then there are those who have spent hundreds of dollars on leather jackets only to have them end up drying out and cracking after a little while.  I honestly don't know what to think or believe anymore.

Finally, I've held off on the purchase of a leather jacket because of the price.  I have never spent more than $200 on a piece of outerwear, but I know that in order to get a high-quality leather jacket I would have to shell out even more than that.

When I consider all these factors together, it just seems like too much of a hassle to go through for one purchase.  But still -- I have to admit that there are several leather jackets that have recently caught my eye, including one that I found right here through the Eddie Bauer link at ClothingStoreOnline.com.  So once again, I am caught in the middle of this surprisingly tough decision.  

I'm not sure how my personal leather jacket saga will end.  Perhaps I'll just ask for the jacket as a gift.  Or, I suppose I could just go on and continue wearing wool or down jackets as I have my whole life.  Only time will tell, I guess!