Getting Dressed

Love lipstick and hate the telltale signs of wearing it?  Here are 14 tips for lipstick lovers!

Look for star patterns to accentuate your wardrobe!

If you need some help putting your feet into high heels every day, this article is for you! It talks about a study that shows how high heels strengthen our pelvic muscles.

The downside of high heels is that wearing any high heel that doesn’t fit the foot properly will cause future damage. I’m an advocate of a strong personal style as well as a polished look. A tailored pair of heeled shoes is a great asset to creating the perfect outfit.

Personally I like high heels, however my limit is 2.5 inches. Anything over that height and I feel wobbly and my feet hurt after walking just short distances. For my position, I do a lot of moving and standing most of the day, and my shoes must support my activities in addition to supporting my personal taste.

This past year proved challenging for finding shoes that fit my height requirement. For those of you preferring flat shoes, you had an even more difficult time because shoes everywhere for most fashion styles sported 3+ inch heels.

Benefits of Heeled Shoes

• Lengthen the leg.
• Create height for those of us that want to be a few inches taller.
• With skirts, provides the illusion of more skin showing from foot to skirt line.
• Pointed toes are refined and match most pant and skirt styles.
• Semi- and Rounded toes also match most pant and skirt styles.

2008 styles are similar to last year with a few changes that will offer those of us that prefer lower heels a better shoe shopping experience, and there are more options for everyone.

Because of the length of pants, where skirts end, the shape of our legs and pants and skirts the shoe style is important. No matter how hard I try, I cannot survive with just a few pairs of shoes. Suites have their own compliment, skirts have their own shoes, and spring/summer clothing shoes are different than fall/winter clothing.

Even though I have several shoes for all occasions and outfit types, don’t skimp on quality. It is easy to do with shoes as little as $15 dollars. To pamper your feet and have your shoes last longer, leather uppers will allow your feet to breath. Any man made material that is not fabric inside will not allow your feet to breath (resulting in stinky shoes and feet). The higher the quality of the materials the longer they will last.

A good pair of shoes also can be repaired by a cobbler will make your shoes last even longer. For those of us that have difficulty finding the perfectly comfortable shoes - this is a great option to avoid the maddening search for shoes over time.

One in three women die of a heart attack. That’s staggering. What’s scary is that recent surveys indicate that most people don’t know all the signs of a heart attack.

No matter what your age, as a women this is something to be aware of. Many of us only go to our annual women’s wellness checkup until we reach the age or it is suggested to us to start having mamograms.

I am a firm believer that our bodies do more for us than we give credit for. These mini miracles occur when our bodies have the correct nutrition, exercise, and rest. Western medicine while assisting in symptoms doesn’t always help resolve the issue causing the symptoms… however that’s an entirely different topic.

Symptoms of heart attack vary in men and women. Most doctors today still believe that pain is a major symptom. According to this article, fewer than 30% of women reported pain and 43% stated they had no pain.

Know the signs which include:

• Breathlessness and/or inability to catch your breath when waking up.
• Clammy sweating.
• Dizziness–unexplained lightheadedness, possible blackouts.
• Anxiety–unusual nervousness, feelings of impending doom.

Knowledge is power - know yourself and listen to your body!

Maybe even more than one!  A recent article references a study conducted found that eating an apple before meals will help us consume less calories during the meal.

While ruffles and smaller bows are great for the office, the neck bow trend is simple and elegant for all your non-work activities.

This time of year we’re thinking about warmer weather, and in the northwest I’m also looking forward to more sunshine After the holidays and before summer… that place where everything we look at starts to feel old because it’s still winter and we will be wearing the same clothes for a few more months.

Retailers know this is the perfect time to start introducing new looks for spring, and it’s very enticing to start buying new clothing here and there as we find items that flatter our body shape.

Before you hit your favorite stores (I’ve already been to Ann Taylor and Ann Taylor Loft websites!) to start adding clothing to your 2008 spring and summer wardrobe that you remind yourself what you have in your closet right now.

• What is worn out? Anything a little dingy or worn should be replaced.
• What don’t you like anymore? Our tastes change, so make note of what you have that you know you won’t wear anymore.
• What doesn’t fit? Whether a little too tight or a little too loose!

Knowing the answers to these questions helps you build a shopping list. This list helps you stay focused and buy the items you need (and want to replace) and will help you build an estimated cost so that you can can shop guilt free and stick to your budget.

Sounds like a lot of work… it will take just a few minutes because you know what you put away last year that you thought might not make it another season.

• You will know immediately looking at a shirt, pants, or skirt that you don’t like the color or style and that look worn.
• You know your approximate weight change by how your clothes fit now, and you won’t have to try everything on… just the the items that you know will be too big or small.

I am by far one of the least detailed people I know, and this process doesn’t bore me and it doesn’t overwhelm me.

With a specific budget that I choose to work with, I can stretch my dollars as far as possible and the preparation time makes shopping more fun for me because I have a list of clothing that I’m looking for.

Once you’ve done a quick review of your existing clothes, off you go to stimulate the economy with your clothing shopping list and the available resources you have!