The Management Consulting Group

In the lead up to a once-in-a-lifetime event like your prom night, it can be easy to forget to organize something. The easiest way to prevent this is to plan ahead. Remember, the day of the prom will be very busy - get as much organized before the day as you possibly can!

Here are some of the things you should organize beforehand so you don’t
accidentally turn one of the greatest nights of your life into a disaster.

Check opening hours - make sure you know when shops, etc that you will have to
visit on the day are open. More than one girl has gone to pick up her dress on the
day of the prom, only to find that the shop doesn’t open on a Saturday!

Research photographs - make sure you get a price list from the school before the
night of the prom, so you know how much photos at the prom will cost (you can
easily spend between $30 and $130 - even more). Check with the photographer
before the night to find out what payment options are available - many will accept
checks or credit cards, which is much safer than carrying cash.

Eat! - it seems like such a simple thing, but remember to eat a good breakfast and
lunch on the day of the prom. You may be rushing around getting things ready, or
feel like you can’t eat, but you will need all the energy you can get for the big night!

Make records - when making your appointments (hair, nails, make-up, restaurant,
limousine, etc) be sure to make a note of the date and time of your call, and who
you spoke to. Make sure you ring to confirm your appointments 2-3 weeks before
the prom, just to be sure that there are no problems.

Prepare for your hair appointment - it may seem obvious, but it is easy to forget.
Remember to wear a button down shirt when you have your hair done.

The right purse - you don’t want to be carrying around a huge purse or handbag all
night. Choose a small purse that is just big enough to hold lipstick, money, an extra
pair of hose, a number of small safety pins, and possibly a camera.

Prom checks - while at the prom, take a bathroom break to do the following:

1)
Refresh lipstick & powder (if needed);

2) Reapply body glitter (especially before a
grand march);

3) Make sure everything is right with your dress; and 4) Hair check.
But don’t take too long to do all this - your date won’t like to be kept waiting!

Have a great time - this is one of the biggest nights of your life, so make sure you
relax and enjoy it! Once you are at the prom, there is no point in worrying about
what you could or should have done. Simply make sure you have a great time

Jason Anderson has more tips at http://www.prom-dress-envy.com/prom-tips.html
where you will find what you need to do to get ready for the perfect prom night.

Bespoke shirt tailoring is undergoing a surge of popularity in the UK as more men realise there are options beyond designer labels. Bespoke tailoring gives the opportunity to specify every aspect of how a shirt is cut, and allows the wearer to experience the feel and look of a perfectly fitted shirt. The following is a guide on what features you should expect from a quality bespoke made mens shirt.

Obviously, the main benefit of a bespoke shirt is that it fits the wearer perfectly; after all, the shirt has been made specifically for the wearer. Signs that a shirt is fitted well are:

* A bespoke mens shirt should not feel tight or appear baggy across the shoulders, chest, stomach, or seat. The cut of the shirt should follow the contours of the body, without being too close or restrictive a fit. A fabric allowance of about 6 inches on the chest body measurement, 5 inches on the stomach measurement, and 6 inches on the seat measurement should give good results with average body dimensions, although these allowances are variable depending on the wearer’s build.

* The sleeves of the shirt should be long enough so that the cuffs do not move up the arm when the arms are raised above the head. Similarly, they should not be so long that when the arms are hanging by the side of the body, there is a significant excess of fabric on the sleeves near to the cuffs.

* The collar of the shirt should leave enough space to insert your thumb comfortably between the collar and the neck when buttoned, and should not feel tight or hang loose around the neck.

* The length of the shirt should be long enough so that the tails hang just below the seat when worn. This will ensure that the shirt does not become untucked during use.

* The cuffs of a bespoke mens shirt should be just too tight to slip over the hand when buttoned. It should be necessary to undo the cuffs when putting on the shirt.

Aside from the fit of the shirt, there are a number of other important features to keep an eye out for:

* Fabrics - A bespoke mens shirt should only ever be constructed from pure cotton fabric. Cotton affords the wearer far greater comfort than man made fibres, and give a classic Jermyn Street look and feel to a shirt. The count of the fabric should be as high as possible - the higher the count, the finer the fabric. Popular fabric weaves include poplin (a plain weave and the classic English shirting), twill (a heavier, diagonal weave), fils-a-fils (a tiny graph paper check that appears to be solid colour from a distance), and oxford (generally, the heaviest weave).

* Collars - The collar should be hand made, and can be either fused or unfused. A well fused collar will give a smooth look with no puckering, and should use cotton interfacing materials. Collars should have removable bones to keep the shape of the wings perfectly straight when inserted.

* Stitching - All stitching throughout the shirt should be single-needle stitching. This technique is more time-consuming than commercial methods, but gives strong seams that are significantly more pucker-resistant.

* Pattern matching - When using striped or patterned fabrics, pattern matching should occur wherever possible.

* Sleeve plackets - Where the sleeves meet the cuffs, traditional packets should be used. Highest quality shirts do not provide placket buttons as these are uneccessary in a well formed placket.

* Split yoke - To ensure a perfect fit across the shoulders, a split (4 piece) yoke should be used.

* Buttons - These should be cross-stitched onto the shirt by hand to ensure that they do not become loose over time.

* Tails - The tails of the shirt should be rounded and strengthened by a gusset.

Please visit www.curtisanddyer.co.uk for more information on mens shirts.

Richard Leitch is a founding member of Curtis & Dyer Shirtmakers, who supply quality bespoke mens shirts in the UK. Please visit www.curtisanddyer.co.uk for more information on mens shirts.

Believe it or not socks have been around since the stone ages. They were very different from socks as we know them today. They were often made of animal skins that were tied around the ankles.

In Ancient Egypt there is evidence of the existence of knitted socks and by the 8th century BC, the Greek poet Hesiod wrote of paloi - socks made of matted animal hair. They were mostly worn by actors in comedic plays.

During the Middle Ages colored cloth tied around the legs and held up with garters were in popular use. Garters were placed over the top of the sock/stocking to prevent them from falling down. They were mostly worn among the more wealthy.

In the 1490’s, breeches and hosiery were one piece. They later became known as tights. They were made of colorful silks, wools and velvet. Each leg was often a different color. At the turn of the fifteenth century knitted hose was being worn in France and Scotland.

In the 1590’s knitting machines were created. This made the use of knitted hose more common. With the wearing of tunics hose had to be made longer.

In the 17th century the use of cotton became popular in the making of socks. Early Americans also used wool and silk. Poorer people wore woolen hose usually tan in color. The rich on the other hand wore fine silk hosiery and more colors.

During the 19th century knitting mills allowed hose to be made in America. As men’s pants became longer stockings became shorter until the term was changed to sock and replaced the term stocking. The word sock is derived from the Latin word “soccus” which means light covering of the foot. Women to date wear stockings, tights, or socks.

Jerry Smith can help you. Find out how thousands of people have been helped with the advice and information. Visit this link for details: History of Socks

Today’s tops include crochet rather than lace (the lace is featured more on the lingerie tanks that they are still wearing), have empire waists and are slightly billowy (like you could wear if you were up to about 4 months pregnant), and really look more gypsy/boho than the old prairie tops.

The other big difference is that today’s peasant style has come out of the bohemian style, so embroidery and embellishments are key. Now when I say embroidery, I don’t mean the nice, high quality embroidery that our machines today do with the high quality threads. I mean embroidery that looks like it was hand-stitched with beginner sewing kit thread. And it’s awesome! Actually, the more rustic the embroidery looks, the more expensive the garment is or seems to be.

Embellishments? Those are all the cute little details incorporated into the designs. The sequins, jewels, metallic threads, exotic coins, and beading that make the items interesting.

Accessories are long necklaces, big hoop and chandelier earrings, layers of bracelets and cuffs, layers of necklaces from a delicate 16” chain with a charm to a wrap around beaded necklace…layers of just about any jewelry item you can pile on.

With this style, clothing is getting less fitted. The skin tight baby doll t’s are not as important as they once were. Tank tops are still popular. Tops need to be longer to work with the skirts in this style. Fashion is changing.

And…if your’re old like me you remember that at the same time that we were wearing these peasant styles, we were wearing a nautical look. They say that this look is going to be huge for summer. We’ll see.

I was watching a fashion segment from the Today Show last week and literally had to hold my head in my hands…because the styles were so straight out of my high school years! White pants, nautical striped shirts, matching jackets – red white and blue like every day is the 4th of July!

With this style, monograms are extremely popular. As are large/oversized accessories, colorful canvas shoes, and colorful jewelry.

Other things to be aware of:

• Headbands are the newest hair accessory of choice

• Coral is this year’s hot pink

• Lime and aqua are still a huge trend in color

• Tropical is in – but not tacky tourist tropical, whimsical and exotic tropical

• Natural materials are strong – to go along with a trend towards natural colors

That should be enough to get your ideas going for this month! But there will be a lot more great stuff next month!

Happy Accessorizing!

Ronald E. Waugh,
Accounts Manager, & Marketing Associate
http://www.heartstrings.net

In many areas of the world you need a really good jacket not only during the winter, but for all seasons. One of the brands of jackets that have established a great reputation for itself is North Face. North Face jackets simply offer jackets that are not only good looking, but also are functional in any type of weather. When it’s cold you want something that can really protect you from the elements, and North Face jackets can do just that. Unfortunately, because North Face is such a great brand, the jackets can be quite costly. The cost at which one must purchase one of these jackets is definite worth it, but any time you can find a North Face Jackets sale you can save a lot of money!

One of the best places to find a North Face jackets sale is on the Internet. Unbelievably you can hunt down this season’s jackets for up to 60% off the original price! It’s hard to turn down a deal like that, especially when you are used to paying full price for them. While Internet shopping is convenient for many, it also turns many people off because you must also pay for shipping to actually receive the products that you buy online. When you find a great North Face jackets sale shipping and handling charges won’t matter because you will still be saving a good chunk of money. You can shop almost any time of the year with online retailers and find that you can save a lot of money on North Face Jackets. With so many North Face Jacket sales going on, you are sure to find great jackets at a great price for the whole family.

The best time to shop online for a North Face jackets sale is before or after the typical jacket season. What this means is that you are coming either before or after the shopping rush and retailers have too many jackets on hand. When retailers have too many jackets on hand there are willing to mark them down so that they can get them off their racks and onto your back but still make some money. A North Face jackets sale is not usually very hard to find, especially online, so you can actually hunt around for the best price on the Internet!

If you are shopping locally for jackets North Face won’t be hard to find. Your big and small retailers will carry North Face and you’ll find that if you shop early you can save quite a bit of money. In addition, if you are willing to compromise a bit you can shop after everyone else and sort of pick through what is left. Because retailers get so many sizes and so many of the same jacket, chances are that you will still find something you like, but it will be marked down. Waiting just two to three weeks longer than usual to shop for your jackets will allow you to save a bundle of money.

When you are shopping for jackets North Face is definitely one of the best brands to stick with. A lot of the time there will be a surplus of North Face jackets because other people don’t want to pay that much for a jacket! This is why you can generally wait a bit longer and wait for the retailer to mark the jackets down before buying, because there will be plenty left to choose from. If only those other shoppers knew what they were missing when they pass over a North Face jackets sale!

Instead of sitting indoors in the air conditioning, get outside and enjoy the fresh air – take advantage of the beautiful summer days before they are all gone! A day trip to the beach is the perfect solution.

If you are heading to the beach to get away from it all or to socialize with a group of friends, there is a swimsuit for you and the occasion. With so many space-aged materials and new styles, no matter what body type you have or the event you are attending, there is sure to be a bikini or one-piece suit for you.

Are you aware that it’s possible to tan through a swimsuit these days? Were tan lines a problem in the past? Getting ready for an occasion where you are wearing a strapless dress and you’re trying to stay out of the sun in fear of getting an ugly tan line? Don’t worry – help is here! Technologically advanced material makes it possible to tan underneath swimsuits to get rid of the tan line crisis. These suits are available in a wide variety of colors and cuts and are very affordable! If this is what you’ve dreamt about – your dream has come true and the swimwear is here. Read more:

If you are fine with a tan line, but more concerned with hiding a few extra pounds – there are swimsuits designed for you too! A friend just ordered a new style. It is made from a very slendering fabric that actually holds in and tucks away extra curves. She is so impressed that she has sold the idea to a few of her other friends – it is truly amazing!

Don’t let this wonderful summer pass you by – get a hold of a swimsuit that you’ll feel comfortable in and that you’ve always wanted. This season’s styles are classic and are sure to stay around for years to come, so don’t waste anymore beautiful days indoors!

Robb Ksiazek is a successful author and web publisher. He has researched and written hundreds of articles related to lingerie and swimwear trends and believes getting the most out of fashion is empowering to the soul.

Orange is a vibrant combination of red and yellow, and so, holds many “go between” attributes of the two. It has a tendency to display the positive sides of yellow and red with out the harsher nastier influences.

Orange is expressive and full of childlike creativity. It is innocent and playful with a youthful enthusiasm.

Orange is traditionally a fall colour, seen with browns and golds, even black for Halloween. But when you add pink to a bright orange, as in the popular 60’s combo, it becomes very summery and lively emphasizing it’s youthful nature.

If you want to get noticed, wear orange - there’s a reason for it’s use in construction. Orange demands attention and is very flamboyant. Orange is the colour of success and business done in exciting ways.

Use it to get people talking or thinking creatively. Orange is mentally, physically and emotionally stimulating - even stimulating your appetite. It gives the impression of youth and health.

Orange, displayed on a family’s coat of arms, is said to be a symbol of strength, endurance and worthwhile ambition. Brobbel coat of arms

One of the few powerful colours that can be taken in larger doses, orange makes a wonderful colour for a welcoming and cozy living room, but keep it out of the kitchen so you don’t overeat and out of the bedroom so you can sleep!

Those who aren’t ready for that kind of commitment can stick to safer doses in their food and clothing - that should do nicely.

Ivy Mills has been researching chemical sensitivity and natural alternatives for over five years and has brought her knowledge to the marketplace in her company, Valhalla Essences. Her personal experiences have fed a passion to help others with the same problem. Ivy welcomes others to share their stories and experiences on her blog, Peaceful Power.

Today ladies plus size fashions have come a long way with more exciting choices and selections than in the past. Exotic prints, stripes, solid colors, delicate prints - the sky is the limit today when choosing plus size swimwear fashions.

Fortunately online shopping brings you more selection and convenience than ever before so you can easily find that perfect swimsuit.

Here are ten tips to keep in mind when shopping for the most flattering, and comfortable swimwear styles:

1. For shorter bodies try vertical stripes, this can visually add length to your body

2. Enhance the length of your legs with a high cut thigh

3. Look for solid chest support with under wires and padding

4. For a one piece suit, pay attention to the body length. You want a comfortable fit, too short and you will find the suit digging into your shoulders

5. Look for wide shoulder straps–they provide more support and comfort

6. Dark colors such as black have a nice, slimming effect

7. For larger tummies, try a two piece tankini–they are fashionable, comfy and fun!

8. Look for swimsuit styles that offer extra tummy control

9. Try skirted bottoms to camouflage heavy thighs and bottoms

10. Pareo wraps and sarongs not only cover problems areas, they are also quite stylish

Two key features to look for when shopping for swimwear is size and comfort. You will want to choose a size that best fits you. If your swimsuit is a size too small, bulges will show.

If you plan on being active in your swimwear, such as participating in water sports, a one piece suit or a fitted tankini are popular choices.

Tired of searching for ladies plus size swimwear? Visit www.plussizegoodies.com for our top picks for ladies plus size shopping stores.
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Every man should know the mens dress shoes details before even considering buying their dress shoes. It is important to understand that these details define the quality in the shoes.

Instead of repeated spending on replacing damaged dress shoes, it pays to have a few quality ones that can last for years. The high quality mens dress shoes are eventually going to be more cost efficient than the cheap poor quality ones that are not made to last.

Mens dress shoes details are the foundation in building and shaping the dress shoes. It provides the comfort and firmness within that men are always sensitive about. Let us begin going through the mens dress shoes details:

Leather

Most mens dress shoes are made of leather. It is important to know what constitutes good leather since this material covers about 80 – 90% of the dress shoe.

Leather quality is graded from 1 to 5 with 1 being the highest quality. However, we can never find these grading on the dress shoes and neither would the sales personnel at the shoe department know.

Generally, base on laymen’s sight and touch, we focus on a smooth with consistent fine grain on the leather for mens dress shoes details. The leather should feel rich and supple.

A good example of good quality leather would be napa, a type of calfskin. Calfskin are fine leather from skin of young calf or even lambs. These hides have fine grains and shines with high polish.

All leather hides naturally have blemishes or scars on them. The high quality leather will have little scars on it and hence the higher price. The difference in durability for high and low quality leather is small in variation so it is not a determinant in the pricing for leather mens dress shoes.

Blemishes on leather dress shoes can be hidden by using sealant products. It smoothens the leather and cover-up the blemishes. Therefore, if the leather itself has less polished finishing (i.e. glassy finish) or as naked as it is, it represents lesser possible concealment of blemishes.

One of the most important mens dress shoes details lies on having high quality leather that has minimum blemishes and also barely touched-up with any artificial sealants.

Still it is difficult for any layman to assess the quality of leather unless you really know leather very well. Instead of trying to assess the leather itself, the focus should be more on the construction of the mens dress shoes.

Mens dress shoes details start from the inside since dress shoes are made from inside out. Blemishes and faulty workmanship are usually concealed on the outside. So focusing on the inside will allow us to find difficult areas of cover-ups.

An important point of focus is the insole. High quality mens dress shoes have insoles made from leather rather than layers of cardboards. These leather insoles are durable and prevents unnecessary foot odor because it allows the foot to breathe and absorb perspiration.

It can also be easily replaced when worn out as well as helps in shaping the bottom of the dress shoes which are not possible with cardboard insoles.

Lining

Leather is still the focus here. High quality leather should still be used to work on the lining. A good example of such leather would be calfskin.

Make sure that the lining is smooth at the folds around the seams and edges. Fine stitch is important along the lining because a fine binding and clean finishing defines the workmanship of the mens dress shoes details.

Stitching

Stitching is something that is not usually noticed among mens dress shoes details. We would recommend careful inspection of it.

Good quality stitching on mens dress shoes should be as inconspicuous as possible. It should be concealed from the top to the bottom of the dress shoes.

Remember to ensure that the inside of mens dress shoes do not have any exposed knots because these can cause a lot of discomfort for the wearer.

On the sole, a welt finishing involves stitching the leather in between the edge of the sole and the turned-in edge of the upper. These stitching should be hidden within the leather and should not have any loose ends revealed.

Soles

Soles are the foundation of mens dress shoes details. It is the easiest to wear out from walking.

A good investment for mens dress shoes would be having leather soles. One good point about leather soles is that it is definitely more formal and refined looking than rubber soles.

Leather soles are usually tanned to make it more lasting. The light tanned hue on the sole avoids possible cover-up of blemishes and scars.

It also avoids exposed stitching. The stitching along the soles should be well-hidden under the channels cut within the soles. These represents the quality required for mens dress shoes details.

The soles can be made into various layers, from single to three, and it all depends one’s personal choice, or to fit the formal dressing.

Make sure these soles are shaped as closely as possible to the foot to assure comfort for the wearer. Dress shoes soles should never be glued to the shoe. We should expect stitching around this area. It allows possible changing of the soles when worn out but not for those with glued soles.

Heels

Another important aspect about mens dress shoes details is the heel. Leather comes into play again. The heels are actually layered with leather and nailed together with brass pins.

This creates a tight reinforcement for the leather layers to create a cushion effect as well as sustainable support around the heels.

Make sure the heels are not oversized as this disrupts the balance for the mens dress shoes and can make walking with such heels very uncomfortable. For added durability, some heels are further attached with brass tacks to the sole.

Copyright 2005, Leroy Fong and Mens-Fashion-Tips.com

Reprinting this article is allowed provided all references and acknowledgement to the author, the website, and the URL remain intact.

Leroy Fong
Mens Fashion Tips | Mens Fashion Advice | Guide on Mens Clothing