Clothing for Change

by Audra Hensel

Imagine browsing the stores looking for fun new fashions, checking the fit, feeling the softness, checking the tag to find “Made with 100% cotton, grown with 1/3 pound of pesticides, colored with reactive dyes fixed with heavy metals and produced by children in unsanitary, low-wage sweatshop conditions.” Labeling standards don’t yet require that information, and nobody is offering it up voluntarily, but the reality is that the latest trendy top you are looking at just might fit the bill.

For health and social reasons, many consumers today have made the switch to cotton from petroleum-based synthetic fibers such as polyester, but the fabric of our lives is not necessarily a choice without consequences. Globally, 25% of insecticide use is attributable to cotton production. In addition, conventional growing of cotton makes heavy use of pesticides and fertilizers. These insecticides, pesticides, and chemical fertilizers then seep into our soil and waterways. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has deemed seven of the top 15 pesticides used on U.S. cotton crops to be potential or known human carcinogens.

Much of the apparel in the US is made in sweatshops where workers labor in unsafe, unsanitary conditions, are paid wages so low they must struggle to provide for their families, and children are exploited.

Fortunately, there are alternatives. Today’s fashion market has a wealth of environmentally and socially responsible options, such as organic cotton, hemp, bamboo, soy, and organic wool.

Certified organic cotton is grown with consideration for the natural biodiversity, without the use of harmful pesticides and fertilizers. The advantages go beyond the health and environmental benefits though. Organic cotton fibers tend to be longer-staple, producing stronger softer yarns, and, thus longer-lasting softer garments.

Let's not stop with organic cotton. Hemp is another natural fiber beginning to blossom in the eco-fashion industry. Hemp is most often grown without herbicides, fungicides or pesticides. With fibers longer, stronger and more absorbent than cotton, hemp produces strong yarns and garments that last. Naturally resistant to bacteria and UV light, hemp is a great choice for socks, shoes, and apparel.

And how will it look in your closet? The days of loose hemp anti-styles are no longer. Today’s hemp wear has its place in cutting edge design, knits that hug the body, linen-quality dresses that flatter the figure, and sturdy canvas shoes.

So don't be discouraged that 100% cotton isn't such a 100% natural choice. Today we have many options in eco-friendly and socially responsible apparel without compromising fashion. Fashion is about finding your own style. Shouldn’t your style be in line with your values?

Audra Hensel is the owner of NatureWear Organics, a small New England based retailer of sweatshop free, organic and eco-friendly fashion. NatureWear Organics can be visited on the world-wide web at: http://www.naturewearorganics.com/

© Copyright 2006 Audra Hensel

This article may be reprinted in full, without alteration, including copyright and biography.

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The 3 Most Commonly Used Fabrics In Designer Clothing

by Angela Ayles

Designer apparel has become extremely popular over the past decade or so. It was always popular but recently we have seen an overwhelming rise in popularity from this industry. To get the best of the best in designer clothing, choose pieces that incorporate these 3 fabrics into your choices:

Silk

Silk has always been associated with luxury and wealth. There’s something about silk that makes you feel important and when you wear an authentic silk piece, your confidence level goes up a couple of levels immediately. There’s just something about the way the silk hugs your body that flatters every curve, regardless of your shape.

Silk is used for a variety of fashion related pieces. It can be used for skirts, dresses, blouses, scarves, pajamas and lingerie. There are a number of manufacturers who have taken full advantage of the benefits of silk. Some of the designers who have been recognized for creating unbelievable silk designs include Prada, Chanel and Roberto Cavalli. These world renowned designers offer only the best of the best when it comes to their designer clothing and their customers are always happy with their purchases.

Purchasing authentic silk items will benefit you in a number of ways. Not only will it look better because the quality is higher than other materials (or materials that are only 50% silk and 50% other materials) but it will also last longer. A true piece of silk is likely to last twice as long as the “knock-off’ materials. In addition, silk is said to be one of the most comfortable clothing fabrics on the market right now. The sleek, luxurious feel of silk on your body will outweigh the cost in a second. Now you can justify paying twice as much.

Satin

Satin, although usually classified in the same category as silk has a few very distinctive features. Silk is made from insect larvae and is made of small, fine threads. Satin is shinier than silk and usually incorporates some kind of silk fabric into it but has a dull back. Silk is shiny on both sides so you feel the silk against your skin. Satin is perfect for those who don’t like the glossy finish against their body and prefer something a little softer. Generally, satin is slightly shinier, but for the most part, the two are hard to tell apart just from looking.

Like silk and cashmere, there are many designers who have decided to incorporate satin into their magnificent designs. Some of the most luxurious satin gowns have come from prestigious designers like Versace and Valentino. Unlike silk and cashmere, satin has become a very popular material in shoe design. World renowned footwear designers like Nine West have decided to use silk.

Cashmere

Cashmere is known for its long lasting comfort and unbelievably soft appearance. It’s one of those materials that when you see someone wearing it, you just want to touch them because the material looks and feels so incredibly soft. Cashmere is one of the most popular materials in designer clothing because it provides so many benefits. Like silk and satin, cashmere is also long-lasting, comfortable and pleasing to the eye.

There are many designers who have taken full advantage of the popularity of cashmere. Some of the prestigious designers creating cashmere pieces include Kenneth Cole, Michael Kors and Christian Dior. These luxurious designers are definitely the ones to look for if you’re shopping for high quality, stylish designer clothing.

The world of fashion can be a little undermining. Designers have clued into which materials are popular among consumers but realize that they can’t sell their items for low cost if they’re made from this authentic material. So here’s a secret to help you out: Some designers advertise their items as cashmere when in fact they are only partially made of the material. This way, you think you’re getting a deal because you can’t believe you just bought a cashmere sweater for $29.99. Well let me tell you something – nothing good comes for free. Look at the tags on these items and I guarantee you the product isn’t 100 percent cashmere.

Angela Ayles is the editor for ThinkFashion.com ( http://www.thinkfashion.com/ ) the newest online shopping portal, bringing you the ultimate high fashion shopping experience you've been looking for. Check out some of hottest designs of 2006 from Roberto Cavalli ( http://www.thinkfashion.com/womens-wear/roberto-cavalli.aspx ), Nine West ( http://www.thinkfashion.com/shoes/nine-west.aspx ) and more.

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Women Clothing

by Maria Ross

Nowadays women clothing is a mirror of her confidence which makes her more glamorous and stylish. Now discover all the basic rules and information about women clothing regarding to their styles.

1) Simple but stylish look

Wear up stylish and elegant clothing does not mean shorts or micro mini clothes. You can try something sassy classy look. You can try long and loose skirts, not gripping. Full-skirted dress will boost your height. Don’t be afraid to show up. Tall and Skinny women will look good on belted dresses.

2) Shape up

If you want to be in shape up in your clothing then clothing is not flattering. Shorter skirts, bare backs, v-necks tops, sleeveless dresses will absolutely help you show off your shape and curve. Straight leg and boot cut jeans are very popular in women clothes that will actually fits on your body. And keep in mind, that full top and bottom will make you appear quite less round.

4) A different kind

Hot dresses are the best way to be a fashion symbol in women clothing and you will appear unique in your dress. Metal and Floral jewelry are classic adornment combos to the extraordinary cloth.

5) The Summer style

Summer has come and the heat is on! Mainly women like to wear plain fabric in summer but nowadays it’s too boring. You can try on some batiks, uniquely patterned skirts or embroided cloths that are excess in colored attractive rumples. If you would like to still stick with your jeans, wear it with sleeveless tunic as a cover up.

6) Black forever

It is a fact that black makes slimmer than ever. It is considered as a safest colors and a wide variety of women clothing appear in black color. Black is always in trend especially in with women's clothing.

Now you can choose your favorite women clothing, I hope I provided you some information women’s clothing. So, wear and look beautiful at any size .

Maria Ross holds a doctorate in Fashion Designing. She has designed a lot of dresses for women, please visit at: http://www.women-clothing-online.com/.

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Coordinate Men's Clothing: Colors and Pattern Matching

by Leroy Fong

It is common for most men to face dilemma in mens fashion coordination. Our typical questions are:

How to match colors for mens dress shirts and mens dress pants?
How to coordinate checks with stripes?
What are the colors suitable between my suits and ties?
Are the colors and patterns matching my suits and ties?

These questions kept popping up because men generally has a poorer power of visualization than women. Men can not imagine the way things look like based on the colors and patterns through imagination. So there is a strong reliance for pictures to provide guidance for men's dressing.

Therefore, I will attempt to address these concerns and provide the fundamental information necessary to achieve the best coordination. When we look at color coordination, there are two aspects to focus on: Coordinating mens clothing against our complexion and creating color harmony between different hues and shades.

For dealing with colors involving our complexion, we would not want to wear colors that brings out the negative aspect of our complexion. For example, if you are very fair with light colored hair, then you should not be wearing pale colored shirts like yellow or white that will wash out your facial complexion further. Instead choose earthy colors to warm up the face with vibrancy.

Color combination between clothing would require the understanding of hues and tones. It is the similarity and contrasting criteria of hues and tones that brings the harmony when combining these colors. We must learn how to use the vivid colors against the dull and light colors to accentuate different parts of your men's clothing. It catches attention and yet not steal the focus away from your face.

For mixing pattern, there is coordination between pattern of same design and patterns of different designs. The ultimate challenge is mixing three or four patterns together but not looking ridiculous at all. The fundamental art of working with patterns is the understanding of scales and sizes of patterns so that you can merge them together without creating tension or strong clashing vibration.

Overall, the aim of coordination for colors and patterns is to achieve naturalness as well as bringing out the best blend that brightens up the man’s overall look.

In order to learn the art of achieving the best coordination, we would have to play around with our clothing to realize the concept. Thereafter, mixing and matching colors and patterns would just come as a natural flow in you. It is through the consistent trial and error that we build up our knowledge of what goes with what and how we can best coordinate them.

Leroy Fong

To learn more on the art of men's fashion coordination, refer to my ebook: http://www.mens-fashion-tips.com/dress-for-success-ebook.html

Copyright 2006, Leroy Fong and Mens-Fashion-Tips.com


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A Look At Large Clothing

by Morgan Hamilton

Many mothers-to-be choose to buy large clothing than maternity wear because the latter is much more expensive. It is quite irritating that once a piece of clothing gets the 'maternity' label, it immediately becomes over-priced. Frugal women have found a clever way out of the situation - they purchase regular clothes in larger sizes.

When pregnant, searching for the right clothing is sometimes tricky. Although there are many large-sized clothes only few actually look good. Consequently, finding proper large clothing is a bit of a challenge. Here are some tips what you could look for when you are searching for clothes while expecting a baby.

First of all, even if you don't feel like spending money on maternity wear, you'll still have to buy at least some pants designed for mothers-to-be. There is no getting around it. You can find many nice and comfortable maternity pants; maternity jeans are also available if you would like to invest some more money in clothing. Whatever you choose, just keep in mind that when it comes to pants large clothing will simply not do.

As far as buying underwear is concerned, you don't have to worry about it. You can just purchase large clothing that suits you best. Finding larger sized panties and bras will be an easy task.

If you are a nursing mother you might want to have nursing bras. My advice is not to bother buying them. Find nice bras in large clothing stores instead. When trying on some pay attention if they provide enough support and if they are easy to unfasten. I personally didn't like the difficult clasps of the regular nursing bras, so I purchased some larger-sized bras.

Many mothers-to-be insist on having maternity shirts but you can save some money and buy big shirts instead. I had a favorite shirt which I wore during most of my pregnancy; it was not a maternity shirt, I took it with discount from a large clothing store. My husband's large clothes were quite helpful, too. As I had a winter pregnancy, I needed large pullovers and big button down shirts which I was lucky to find in our closet. My husband didn't mind giving them to me, so I had plenty of comfortable outfits to wear at home.

When you are expecting a baby, you should invest some money in purchasing a few pairs of good maternity pants. As far as all other types of clothing are concerned, you can buy them all from a large clothing store. You can also buy a large hospitable robe or any kind of sleepwear, but don't bother looking for maternity night gowns as they are not comfortable at all.

Morgan Hamilton offers expert advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning clothing. Get the information you are seeking now by visiting http://www.theclothingcorner.com/clothing/clothing/a-look-at-large-clothing.html

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Jeans That Fit: How To Find Them

by Sheila Dicks

We all own jeans and they truly are the main ingredient of any casual wardrobe. However, they are not all equal or equally flattering. We are not all born with the same shape, so, the style we wear will impact the way we look. Have you ever seen an outfit on one of your friends that looked spectacular but when someone else wore that same outfit it lost its pizzazz? That has to do with the body shapes of the two people and sometimes the color of the garment. Both women could be the same height and weight but have a totally different shape. The same holds true for jeans. Here are a few hints when trying to find jeans that will fit and look great on YOU.

Small flat behind:

If you have a small flat behind and your jeans tend to make you look smaller, choose a design with detailed pockets that are high and slightly smaller than those found on most styles. Pockets will drawn attention to the eye and will create the illusion of width and lift.

To add curves:

Wear low-rise jeans in a cotton-Lycra blend. The clingy fabric hugs the body and a contoured waistband will help create curves. Choose a pair that has been lightened at the thighs and knees to make legs look more shapely. Avoid standard boot cut jeans that have little shape.

To flatten a tummy:

Try a medium to high-rise (no higher than the belly button) in a dark color.

For the appearance of smaller thighs:

Stick to dark colors for sure and wear flared styles that will draw the eye downward and create balance. Don’t wear them too tight or too loose.

For the appearance if slim hips:

Do look for jeans without front pockets or jeans with slit pockets and stay away from front patch pockets. Buy dark colors with stitching that is the same color (or very close) as the fabric. Avoid light stitching and designs.

To prevent a gap at the waist:

If your hips are much larger than your waist then you will probably have this problem. What to do? Wear stretch denim jeans and stay away from crisp or heavy fabrics such as cotton.

To make your legs appear longer:

Wear a high-heeled shoe and flared jeans that will completely cover them.

Copyright 2004 Sheila Dicks

Sheila Dicks is a wardrobe and image consultant who teaches women how to look slimmer by dressing to suit their body type. Visit her at http://www.sheilasfashionsense.com/ to download a copy of her e-book Image Makeovers and get How to Build a Wardrobe free.
sheila@sheilasfashionsense.com

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Clothing For The Avid Bodybuilder

by Casey OMedley

Comfortable body building apparel is very important. Cotton is the best material for items of body building apparel because there is a lot of sweating associated with body building and moisture created from sweating requires a good material to absorb it. The right body building apparel should make you feel great even during the most strenuous exercises.

T-shirts, tank tops, fleece shirts, workout pants and various other articles are important to the body builder. By far, the favorite item of body building apparel is the tank top. Many sportswear manufacturers have declared it the top selling piece of clothing. It comes in a variety of colors and at very low prices, not more than a few bucks, is affordable to all.

The tank top is most athletes' first choice for their favorite piece of apparel since it gives a nice view of the buffed up muscles and it makes one aware of the progress they have made in the gym. Tank tops really make one feel great particularly if the results of intensive workouts are obvious. One thing to remember, you shouldn't get too tight a top tank as it will keep your skin wet all the time when you get sweaty.

Pants and shorts are equally important body building apparel. You not only have to be stylish but first and foremost you should be comfortable when working out. Baggy pants are in high demand because a relaxed fit is what most athletes look for. There is also the choice of large and narrow ankle cuffs for increased ease of movement and the choice of colors and sizes is incredible.

Last but not least, we should also mention the special weight lift shoes that meet the requirements and rigors of extreme sports,since strength sports usually need special footwear that assures adherence and extra protection. Check out the internet for large choices and prices for body building apparel. You won't regret it.

Casey OMedley is the owner of http://www.bodybuilding-facts.com, a website dedicated to the sport of bodybuilding. Information for the beginner to the expert bodybuilder. http://www.fabandfitreport.com

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