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Zoot Suits

Wholesale Clothing

If you think that the nonconformist movement started in the 1960s with the Beatniks and turned into the Hippy Movement, think again. Throughout human history there has always been a society and ways to conform to it. Every generation seems to have a group of people who want to shake things up it seems. Our generation of modern day seems to like to adorn themselves with more tattoos and piercings than the amount of skin they have. Anything not to look “Normal”. Well, if you go back in time to the 1930s and 1940s you will see another prime example of the nonconformist. It is called the Zoot Suit or Zuit Suit. The zoot suit started it’s name by the Mexican immigrant’s mispronunciation of the word suit. The zoot suit is traditionally a highly padded shoulder baggy long coat about 38 inches long as compared to a traditional business suit whose jacket is about 32 inches long. The pants on a zoot suit are equally baggy and high waisted with peg leg cuffs to finish the look. When you compare the look of a zoot suit and a classic or business suit, the zoot suit looks like a flashy thumb in the eye of conformity. It didn’t take long for zoot suits to become a fashion favorite by Mexicans, Puerto Ricans and African Americans back in the 1930s. There has always been a history of nonconformity in these social circles because conformity has always meant bowing down to the man.

During World War Two, many things were rationed due to shortages of production on virtually everything and fabric was one of them. The U.S. War Production Board wanted to ban the manufacturing of zoot suits because of the amount of fabric used to make the extra long coat and bagginess of the pants. Because of the cracking down on zoot suits and it’s wearers a zoot suit riot broke out in California. There was the threat of arrest if you were seen wearing a zoot suit. If you were a cool cat who wore zoot suits, you were sort of like the rebellious anti-establishment biker type of today.

It takes a bold certain type of man to wear a zoot suit because wearing a zoot suit is almost equivalent to becoming your own three ring circus. There is simply no way of blending in crowd when you wear a zoot suit. From head to toe it’s Flash,Flash,Flash. Zoot suits were never intended to wear to a work environment but to wear to parties and special events where you can have fun. The zoot suit is still around in a modern cut. It is no longer the baggy shapeless suit of yore but a more tailored long jacket suit with matching pants. These suits are still worn in the same social circles for the most part. So if you are the type who likes to stick their thumb in eye of the “Man”, it is still possible to buy a zoot suit.

Essential Steps To Creating A Blog

Business Strategy

Creating a blog involves much more than merely choosing a theme, posting an entry and publishing it live to the internet. If you are going to be blogging for money how do you intend to monetize your site or even generate traffic since you will need a steady flow of visitors to your site. Before all this however, consideration must be given to what your subject is going to be and your ability to supply the content needed for your blog posting. This in fact is the most critical stage of the blog building process because the direction you choose will dictate the degree of success you experience! And if you intend to be blogging for money the stakes are even higher, making this stage all the more important!

Here are 5 critical stages through which you must pass to help establish the direction your blog building efforts will take and the probability of your success!

Got an Idea

Do you know what you want to write about? Is it something other people will want to read about? Remember a blog is actually a small ‘niche specific’ social network site so to be able to successfully generate traffic there will need to be an interest. But regardless of demand your very first step is focusing on what you will be writing about.

Got Passion

Blog posting will take a lot of time, research and just plain effort so it is advisable to always choose a subject with which you have an interest. This interest or passion will be the driving force behind your motivation to continue learning about the subject your site is based upon. This research will supply you the content you will need for your posting and will serve you well during the blog building process which tends to take time. And speaking of time…

Got Patience

As previously mentioned blog building takes time and results are often slow in developing. If you are blogging for money results may take even longer since you first have to gain reader loyalty and then their willingness to spend money on your site! Are you patient enough to continue investing time and effort even before you have any measurable results to show for it? This is a question only you can answer so if you do not want to devote a lot of your time into something and then walk away before you are successful, you may want to think twice

Got a Strategy

Are you blogging to be heard or to be paid? Personal blogs involve more of a ‘go for it’ type strategy whereas business blogs needs more structure and of course a business plan! If you are blogging for money you will need to determine how you will get paid and when you will even start marketing products on your site. Some business bloggers launch their sites and immediately begin to promote products while others first develop a strong and loyal following. In this area you will have decisions to make as to what direction you want to take.

Got a Blog

If you answered yes to all of the above then the only thing you seem to be lacking in is motivation if you do not already have a blog! Time to get busy but relax, setting up your own site is relatively easy and can actually be a lot of fun. Enjoy!

Creating a blog successfully is dependent upon the ‘developmental’ stages you take before even selecting a host or determining how you will generate traffic. It is the thought you put into what subject you will focus on and your honest determination as to the level of your commitment. The 5 stages reviewed above, will help you evaluate both your commitment and abilities to create the content needed for your blog posting. Whether you will be blogging for money or for personal reasons, success in terms of how you choose to measure it will likely take time and definitely effort! Knowing and excepting this beforehand will increase your chances of achieving whatever goals you may have established for your blog!

Traditional Print Advertising vs Online Advertising

Advertising

As fashions and other trends reflect looks and styles of times that some might prefer to forget, the term “everything old is new again” has never rung more true. This adage can also be used when marketing your business.

While it is true that the Internet has become easier and more accessible to marketers and advertisers, never underestimate the power of a well printed and well placed brochure, postcard or flyer. In fact, with many companies focusing their marketing online, print advertising has the advantage of remaining the “tried and true” method. In addition to including online marketing in your advertising budget, utilize the Internets search options to find an online printing company to affordably produce your full color brochures, advertising flyers and other print collateral to round out your marketing efforts.

Including traditional print marketing allows for a cross section of advertising on a variety of levels. For example, direct mail is an ideal, cost-effective way to target specific neighborhoods quickly and easily. Use flyer printing or postcard marketing to announce new services, special offers or grand openings. Postcard printing is easy and affordable and will ensure your name reaches your local area quickly and efficiently.

Full color brochures are an ideal follow-up for networking events, sales meetings and cold calls. Include brochure printing with your direct mail efforts to double your impact. Brochures and advertising flyers can be mailed directly to prospective or existing clients to further illustrate your products and services and drive sales. Consider using one panel as a registration or order form to round out your marketing push while also creating a multi-purpose collateral item.

Just as there are multiple levels of learning, so are there multiple levels and options in advertising. For example, a well-known performance group maintains a very consistent website, advertising upcoming shows and events. To advertise upcoming events, they utilize direct mail and postcard marketing. When attending local festivals or other public events, you will find full color brochures and advertising flyers on the table for patrons to review and keep. All of these efforts are enhanced by regular email newsletters and all print collateral drives traffic back to the website; definitely a case of one hand helping to feed the other.

Rather than sinking your entire marketing budget into Internet advertising, spread the wealth. You might be pleasantly surprised at the handsome return on your investment.

Car Leasing Guidelines – How To Lease A New Car

Car

Whether you lease a car to get into the latest models or have better purchasing flexibility, getting a good deal is always bound to give you a lift. Use these guidelines to help you spot one:

Check incentives:

Be on the look-out for factorysubsidized lease car deals. Car manufacturers realize that consumers who lease vehicles from them are more likely to be repeat customers than those who simply purchase vehicles. Through their leasing companies, they adjust the residual value and offer low financing charge. Other auto-manufacturers are also starting to give incentives on leasing, called leasing subventions. They offer these subsidies to put slow-selling models on the street, saving you even more money.

Set up a competitive:

Bidding environment to get the lowest price. If you already have an idea in mind of the make, model and trim level of your desired car, attempt to calculate your own lease payment before you go shopping to avoid paying through the roof. Check online comparison tools or use a lease calculator to check your lease payment based on purchase price. This gives you greater negotiation leverage as you solicit quotes from various leasing companies.

Make sure you know all the fees involved at the beginning of your lease: you may have to pay fees for licenses, registration and title. Other fees include acquisition fees, freight fees and local or state taxes. At lease-end, you may have to pay a disposition fee and charges for extra mileage and any excess wear. Be aware that some of these fees like acquisition and disposition fees are negotiable.

Know your mileage needs:

Almost all leases limit the number of miles per year by imposing typically 10 to 20 cents per excess mile over 15,000 miles a year. If you are the kind of high-commuter who puts 40,000 miles a year on his car, then you might end up running thousands of dollars in hefty penalties at the end of your lease. Be smart and negotiate a higher-mileage limit or pad you excess miles at the beginning of your lease to avoid robber tax rates for excess miles.

Almost all leases limit the number of miles per year by imposing fees typically 10 to 20 cents per mile over 15,000 miles per year. If you are the kind of high-commuter who puts a lot miles on his car, then these costs can add up quickly. Negotiate

Include GAP coverage:

Make sure your car lease includes GAP coverage. This covers you in the event of the vehicle getting wrecked, stolen or totaled. Without GAP insurance, you leave yourself wide open to thousands of dollars in leased obligations. Check if the GAP coverage is included so you dont pay it twice.

-Breaking into Tour Management

Management

One of the most diverse and multifaceted jobs in the music industry is that of the tour manager. As the person responsible for making sure everything on tour runs smoothly, this position may seem daunting, and it is not for the timid. But, for the right candidate, this can be a very rewarding, unforgettable job. The tasks performed by a tour manager are extremely diverse, and vary from band to band. One tour manager I spoke to described her duties as: “Basically, my job was to manage the band on the road. Anything from babysitting them, making sure they got to their press on time, dealing with managers of clubs, collecting money, handling promotion, driving, finding hotels, and making sure the rooms were ready for us; you do a bit of everything. Also, with smaller bands, I would set up the merchandise, so doing inventory before and after – just taking care of selling their stuff.”

Before we get too far into what the job entails, we should actually discuss getting the gig in the first place. Again, this varies from person to person, but everyone agrees that amazing networking skills are the single greatest asset an aspiring tour manager can have. Speaking from experience: “It all started just with local bands. I went to a show, in my hometown, for a local band that I was friends with. They ended up doing a show with My Chemical Romance, before they were signed, and I had kept in contact with them, so they hooked me up when they were going on tour. Networking is key, though; if you don’t know people in the industry, you can’t be a tour manager.”

Once you’ve landed the job, get ready for the real fun and excitement to begin. Travel is going to be your new middle name, for the next few months. While seeing new cities, meeting new people, and watching amazing shows every night are definitely some of the perks of the job, don’t forget you’re there to work. The band may go out partying after a show, but keep in mind you’re the one who has to be responsible and get them all up and moving, come morning. I asked one tour manager what the most challenging aspect of the job is: “Being on the road for that long of a time, especially, with smaller bands. Being in a cramped van with no privacy, and being away for long periods of time. It’s survivalism, bare necessities, you shower when you can. But on the flip side, that’s my favorite part: seeing different cities and being able to go see good live music every night.”

As far as the economy goes, tour managers need not worry. As long as bands keep on making and performing music, and people keep on listening, then this is one industry that won’t suffer. As one tour manager puts it: “A friend of mine just got into tour managing, and she picked something up pretty fast. Bands are still touring so there’s still a need for it, the same if not more.”

What’s the best advice for all the up and coming tour managers out there?

“Have a passion for it, you can’t do this job without complete passion and hard work. You can always learn along the way. Start as an assistant or merchandise person. With small bands, you’re learning with them, so it’s a nice learning curve you have together. So networking skills are key. Get to know your local bands, go to shows and start talking to people.”

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