Category: Fashion

Casual Work Clothes Increasing Productivity In The Office

Clothes

What do you wear to work? Do you think that what you wear to work has an effect on your output, your attitude and further aspects of your work life? Depending on your career path you might be wearing something like a suit and tie if you are customer facing and meeting with clients, alternatively you could be forced to wear a specific uniform if you work in a specific sector, for instance if you are a mechanic in a garage there is little point in you turning up for work in a suit, it’s not really what would be considered appropriate work clothes.

There have been several research initiatives over the years that have attempted to find out the effects that differing work clothes can have on the employees and also how companies can attempt to get better efficiency out of their workforce. For instance there was a study performed in the United States of America a few decades ago that concluded that people who come to work in relaxed and casual work clothes actually provide employers with a better output of work, they also enjoy coming into the office more as they don’t feel that they have to dress up in stiff and starchy clothes that make you feel uncomfortable.

This initially started out as a one day a week affair, but once the trial had been completed the companies quickly realised that they needed to make a permanent change to their structure on work clothes. Casual dress was adopted in many offices and when the next quarterly results came in the statistics didn’t lie, productivity had increased and morale had improved, but why?

Simple by allowing their staff to come in to work in their own clothes, they had showed their staff that they were in effect giving them the opportunity to show their personality and blossom as individuals as opposed to just a number in an office. It also started more conversations up around the office and help to breed more interworking between the employees. This trend has now move across the Atlantic ocean and moved through European offices.

Obviously there are some jobs that require staff to wear uniforms for their work clothes, if you are a nurse it wouldn’t be good to turn up for work in a pair of jeans and t-shirt. Sometimes you just have to accept that your chosen profession won’t be able to adopt the casual style. However, if you are working in an office maybe 2010 would be a good time to approach your boss about the dress code in and around the office.

Top Trends For Mens Jackets

Men Fashion

If youre like most men, you probably dont buy a new jacket or coat very often. But when you do, its worth investing in a good one. A jacket has to be practical and protective from natural elements. But it also needs to be versatile, able to complement any outfit that its thrown over.

So when the time does come to buy a new jacket, its important not to be too won over by the latest trend especially if that trend is nowhere to be seen in two years, when you might still be wearing your coat. Heres a quick guide to prominent jacket styles for 2013 that offer a great blend of contemporary fashion know-how and timeless elegance.

Military and Magical Styles

One of the most enduring jacket styles for 2013 is the military coat. Military coats have been slowly emerging from the shadows over the last few years and their current prominence on the catwalks proves they have come of age. Look for long military-style coats with wide lapels and strong button details. For a military-influenced style that wont date, stick to serious colours like black, grey or navy one of this years on-trend colours and avoid the bright red variations that have occasionally cropped up over the last decade.

One daring trend that will please Harry Potter fans is cape-style jackets. Capes have been a strong feature of womenswear in the 21st century but are only just turning up in mens fashion boutiques. Some men might be deterred by the strong statement created by capes. But if youre looking for a jacket-style thats different and is likely to remain in fashion for another few years, capes are a good bet. Wear a heavy black cape over a suit to a winter wedding, or simply throw it on over smart trousers for stylish daily protection from cold weather.

Inviting Fabrics

Choosing a new jacket isnt just about style its also about colour and fabric. Mens leather jackets are a strong trend for 2013 and, given that they have lingered blissfully in the fashion background for over half a century, they will certainly be a good fashion investment if you dont already own one. For a double-retro vibe, look for a leather aviator jacket with a sheepskin lining. This 1940s style coat still packs a visual punch. Wear over blue jeans, a white jumper and brown boots for a casual but elegant look.

If youre dissatisfied with the jackets on offer on the high street, mens tailored jackets might be the ideal solution and its one thats always in style. Ask for a style thats versatile, so you can wear it over jeans or tailored trousers. This way, youre making the most of your investment, and ensuring it remains a key feature of your wardrobe for years to come.

Buying Dog Clothes For Your Pet – 5 Things To Consider

Clothes

Are you looking for the best possible dog clothes and pet supplies for your favourite pooch? The right clothes and accessories can help your pet stand out from others. A well dressed pet will also ensure that you get a lot of attention and satisfaction. There are so many options available to choose from that you are sure to get confused. After all, there are clothes for all seasons and occasions in addition to which there are pet supplies such as collars, beds, toys, leashes, food and canine health products available to buy. Be sure to use the following tips when you buy clothes for your dog so that you make the right selection:

1. What is your pet’s size and build? Choose a costume that suits it. Each breed of dog has a unique build with certain body parts that are relatively larger or smaller than those of other breeds. The idea of one size fits all doesn’t apply to clothes for dogs. While dogs tend to feel suffocated in tight clothing, they equally dislike loose and flappy clothing that can trip them up.

2. Is your pet comfortable wearing clothes? If not, then you have to gradually introduce various outfits, starting with small items that are relatively easy to wear. If your pet responds well to these items then you can introduce more after a while. In case your pet keeps biting or scratching at the clothes then you should remove them immediately.

3. Buy clothes made of high quality fabrics only. Anything less than the highest quality, whether you buy pure cotton or blended fabrics, will not be comfortable for your pet. Certain species of dogs overheat more than others and they should therefore be dressed with care.

4. Safety is a very important concern. The clothes you buy should be of fire retardant material. They should also be devoid of beads and other decorations such as pockets, buttons and studs that can be bitten off and swallowed. It is also a good idea to avoid buying clothes that have zippers because they can hurt your pet when they get entangled in its fur, as it surely will.

5. Stick to your budget so that you don’t spend too much of money. If you can buy high quality dog clothes really cheap then you will be able to pick up a whole lot of outfits for your pet.

You’ll be really happy with the dog clothes you buy if you put a lot of consideration into choosing them.

Incredible Wedding Gowns From One Of The Top Dress Designers

Dresses

If youre in the know on wedding gowns and designers, then you probably know the name of Reem Acra. Since 1995, she has been known as one of the premiere wedding gown designers in the world, using that platform to branch out into many other areas of fashion.

Acra was born in Lebanon, and studied her craft in both Paris, at Esmod Ecole de Mode of Design, and New York, at the Fashion Institute of Technology. She won many designing awards at both schools, launching her into a fashion career.

It pays to have friends in high places. After a friend wore one of her early bridal designs at her wedding, and the attention it received helped her start her own company in 1995, and she launched her first bridal designs in 1997. Her fashion house in Manhattan is known as one of the top bridal salons in the world.

Acras style is renowned for her use of embroidery, which sets her apart from most other wedding gown designers, along with intricate beading and the use of a lot of silk. She loves rich colors and anything handmade, and one can easily tell that she loves fashion. Her fashion is sometimes considered the opposite of Vera Wangs in that she tends to be more traditional with modern flare, whereas Vera Wang starts off modern then adds touches of tradition on the back end.

One of her most popular bridal lines uses small Swarovski crystals and seed pearls to perfection. Because of the intricacy of her designs, wedding dresses can take longer to make, which of course means theyll generally cost more. Her prices usually start around $4,000.00 and go up from there, and even resale values of preowned dresses often go for over $3,000.

Reem Acras wedding gowns have been worn by many top celebrities. Some of the names include Marcia Cross, Star Jones, Jennie Garth and Katey Sagal. Her other designs have been popular with actresses such as Halle Berry, Jennifer Lopez and Angelina Jolie.

Strangely enough, Acra is also well known for creating a specialty wedding dress design for Barbie, which, at around $180, was the most expensive Barbie accessory in history, but also one of the most sought after items.

At her live bridal show in April 2009, she exhibited a bridal line that she stated was fairy tale inspired, with wedding dresses having names like Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and Rumpelstiltskin, a gown which was embroidered with whimsical flowers, and Cinderella, which was a pale blue silk with gold silkscreened embellishments.

Reem Acra is a designer with a great flair and an eye for both color and detail. Its no wonder that shes one of the top wedding gown designers in the world today.

The Shanghai Girls Advertising Posters

Wholesale Clothing

The Shanghai Girls is a term for a particular style of advertising from the 1920s and 1930s that depicted very modern, beautiful women from Shanghai, China. These posters advertised a wide variety of products, including cigarettes, gum, batteries, perfume, medicine and many others. Shanghai experienced a population boom in the 1920s, when thousands of Russians and Jewish immigrants fled the Soviet Union after World War I. By the early 1930s, Shanghai had become the worlds fifth largest city, and was the residence of approximately 100,000 foreigners. The eyes of the world were on the city, and Shanghai became known as the news capital of China due to an increased world interest in the Far East and mounting concern regarding the Wests relations with Japan. The intrigue regarding this distant land may have influenced the incredible popularity of the Shanghai Girls ads of the early 20th century. Shanghai was also known to be a pioneer in the fashion industry, and the Shanghai Girls were considered to be glamorous fashion icons.

Though Shanghai is almost as far east as one could travel, the city boasted cutting-edge technology and a decidedly Western appearance. Around 1900, there was an immense push in Shanghai to modernize everything. Amenities and advancements born in the West such as elevators, air conditioning, neon lighting and department stores, popped up in Shanghai almost immediately. In 1882, Shanghai was the first city in China to install electric street lighting. The Easts fascination with the West (and vice versa) was perfectly complemented in the Shanghai Girls advertisements. The Shanghai Girls flawlessly melded the delicate, painstaking beauty of the East with the trendy, progressive advancements and desires of the West.

When a region seeks to modernize, its not unusual for the media to become more provocative in an effort to revise social stigmas and taboos. The Shanghai Girls were a good example of this common trend. The Shanghai Girls advertisements featured beautiful Asian women in vivid, colorful detail. Though the ads were meant to promote products, the ads themselves were works of art. The ads and other paraphernalia were generally reproduced from hand-painted artwork that was signed by the artist who created it. In addition to the beauty of the pieces, advertisers made the most of the motto sex sells, by sometimes featuring the ladies in revealing outfits. Revealing at that time sometimes meant featuring women in a short, form-fitting chi-pao, or classic Asian one-piece dress. Other ads presented women in even more alluring and provocative clothing.

The challenge to old-fashioned expectations of women didnt end with the clothing they wore in the advertisements. The women of Shanghai wanted to modernize not only their look, but their freedoms as well. Women were depicted in roles previously unfamiliar in Chinese culture, such as playing a European game of billiards. Until this point, women featured in Chinese paintings appeared in artwork for the sole purpose of being admired by men. In a sense, the women of older paintings suffered a decrease in social status simply by appearing in them. While the Shanghai Girls certainly used their sexual prowess to garner attention, it was on their terms. Instead of being only a pretty face with no real sense of purpose, these modern ladies held the subtle power to mesmerize a multitude of nations.

Carl Crow, a Missouri writer born in 1884, started the first Western advertising agency in Shanghai, which he managed for 19 years of his life. Crow is mostly credited with spearheading the marketing phenomenon of the Shanghai Girls. Crow was also the founding editor of the Shanghai Evening Post, and wrote 13 books during his lifetime. The Shanghai he met upon his arrival in 1911 was not the same Shanghai when he left 25 years later. The enormous economic boom had transformed the city immensely and Crow had transformed its role in advertising.

Advertising paraphernalia featuring the Shanghai Girls is very popular and collectable. One will find that the women who appear in older Shanghai advertisements from the turn of the 20th century are not nearly as captivating as the ones in the 20s and 30s. Additionally, the artwork is not nearly as vibrant and charismatic as its contemporary counterparts. Both original and reproduction advertising products, postcards and posters featuring the Shanghai Girls remain in high demand, even almost 100 years later.

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