Formal Attire

The Color of Your Clothing Sends Messages

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You may not realize it but the colors that you wear convey very strong messages. There are specific colors you should wear if you want to convey power, authority, love, compassion and sympathy. The problem is if you aren’t sure what specific colors mean you could be sending conflicting messages to those around you.

If you have just received a Reach prepaid card and are yearning to purchase new clothing, here’s a look at what a handful of colors means. This will help you choose clothing that sends the message you want them to.

The Color Black

The color black is a very brooding, dark color but it conveys a very strong message. Psychologically speaking people who see others in black view them as authoritative and as someone in a position of power.

The Color Red

The color red brings out a mix of intense emotions. Studies show that when the color red is shown to people it can increase a person’s heartbeat, and cause feelings of anger. With this in mind, wearing red would not be recommended if you are trying to calm or sooth a person.

The Color Yellow

If you are looking to grab people’s attention then yellow is your color. Studies have also shown that when the color yellow is introduced it can cause people to brighten up and feel more optimistic about situations.

The Color Purple

The color purple has always been associated with royalty, luxury and riches. Wearing purple sends off a vibe that you are rich, powerful and wealthy.

Understanding what these basic colors mean can help you pick clothing that will send out the message you want it to.

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Filed Under: Formal Attire, General, Popular Patterns Tagged With: Clothing, Color, Color Purple

Closet Essentials

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You don’t have to spend a fortune to build a truly fantastic wardrobe. You only need to shop smart, and pick versatile items that can be worn for both casual and formal occasions. Here are a few wardrobe essentials that should be in every woman’s closet.

Black Tank

Choose one simple black tank that’s form-fitting yet comfortable. Black tanks are ideal because of their versatility; they look good with a pair of jeans, but they also can be dressed up with accessories and be worn with a cocktail skirt.

Black Pants

Another versatile item, black pants can be worn at nearly any occasion. They can be paired with a jean jacket for a simple day of running errands, or with a printed silk tank top for a night on the town. Be sure to purchase a fabric that can be worn during any season, like tropical wool or viscose.

Printed Blouse

Purchase a bold printed blouse as a statement piece for your wardrobe to break up the simpler black and white tops. This piece should be worn with solid pants, such as jeans or khakis, and is sure to garner compliments.

Cocktail Skirt

Every woman should have a show-stopping cocktail skirt in her wardrobe for formal occasions. To spice up the traditional cocktail skirt, look for one with details, such as volume or sparkly embellishments.

Party Dress

Although formal events don’t happen often, it’s worth it to splurge on a party dress for such occasions that will turn heads. Look for a timeless piece that’s figure-flattering, and, most importantly, it should be a dress you feel fabulous in.

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Filed Under: Formal Attire, General Tagged With: Clothing, Denim, Skirt

Socially Responsible Fashion

Being socially conscious doesn’t always mean you have to sacrifice style; these days, it’s becoming more and more trendy to sport fashion that sends a message. Big-name designers are joining the cause: American Apparel, for instance, has committed to a sweatshop-free message. Levi’s offers organic jeans, and Wal-Mart has sold organic cotton T-shirts among its other fashions. Smaller businesses are also helping the cause.

fashionABLE

fashionABLE was founded by Barrett Ward, an activist who lived in Ethiopia for a year. While there, he was introduced to the group Women at Risk, which works with women who have been affected by the sex industry. One of the biggest challenges, he learned, was finding women full-time employment to keep them off the streets. Ward founded fashionABLE as a way to help these women generate income. fashionABLE is headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and the women make beautiful handmade scarves that are sold on the company’s website. All the profits are given to the women to help them restore and rehabilitate their lives.

BeadforLife

BeadforLife is an organization that is committed to working with impoverished Ugandan women to help them thrive economically in their community. The women who work for BeadforLife create beautiful handcrafted bracelets, necklaces and earrings using colorful recycled paper. In turn, BeadforLife’s goal is to help these women to become financially independent from the organization within 18 months. BeadforLife believes that providing entrepreneurial training is a more sustainable approach than providing simple donations; members of the organization can build their knowledge and business skills while participating.

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Filed Under: Formal Attire, Popular Patterns Tagged With: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Fashion

Finding the Bathing Suit That’s Right for You

Bathing suit season is the time most people fret over exercising and diet with the goal of having a smoking body while they lay out on the beach. However, the reality is that no matter if you’re skinny or full-bodied, not every bathing suit will good on you as some fit certain body shapes better than others. The right bathing suit is one that compliments your particular body shape. And tyring to use your bathing suit to hide supposed flaws is actually counter productive as it just tells people that you have something to hide.

Image courtesy: http://www.flickr.com/photos/72213316@N00/3508947659/lightbox/

Instead, when you go shopping for a bathing suit concentrate on one thing: balance. A bathing suit that has balance is one that makes your body look proportional by seamlessly blending you top half with your bottom half. Symmetry is a natural attraction for humans, so it’s important to achieve in bathing suit since it’s when you are the most bare in public. And while hiding flaws is frowned upon, a bathing suit that accentuates healthy curves is ideal.

There are for basic body shapes: hourglass, triangular, inverted triangle and rectangular. The hourglass body shape is the most versatile, and can fit most bathing suits. But avoid skimpy bikinis if you have a larger chest. With a triangular body, feel free to mix and match bottoms and tops. Those with an inverted triangle body shape are more top heavy and so need to pay attention to the level of support a bathing suit provides. Rectangular shapes are best for one-piece bathing suits, but bikinis with accents can help emphasize your curves.

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Filed Under: Formal Attire, Popular Patterns Tagged With: Bikini, Shopping, Swimsuit

What to Wear for Your Memorial Day BBQ

Most Americans are given Memorial Day off from work, which means a well deserved three-day weekend and plenty of time for extended families to get together. And the common way families celebrate summer’s first holiday is with a classic outdoor barbecue. This brings ups many questions about what to wear to such an event. For one, what are you comfortable wearing around a bunch of food that usually is eaten with your hands and can get messy. Also, you’ll likely be seeing family members you only see once every decade, so it’s important to look presentable.

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Since barbecues are casual affairs–even when its a family reunion on a national holiday–simplicity should be the theme of your outfit. While you want to look nice, no one will be sporting suits or ties while standing over a flaming grill. Donning a basic summer dress or skirt is always a safe, comfortable choice, but a pair of shorts with a buttoned shirt is a great alternative. Of course, be sure everything is in bright colors that reflect the season.

Another factor to consider when choosing an outfit for your Memorial Day BBQ is the weather. Likely, the temperature will be warm and the sky sunny, so wear garments that let you show a little skin you can not only stay cool, but get a little tan. If the weather is less than optimal, you can simply throw on a thin sweater or cardigan over your outfit without having to go back to the drawing board.

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Filed Under: Formal Attire, Popular Patterns Tagged With: Barbecue, Memorial Day, United States

What to Wear to a Wedding

Have you ever searched frantically through the closet, looking for something to wear right before an important event or occasion? The anxiety can be overwhelming as you try to remember all of the “rules” when it comes to appropriate items of clothing to wear. Before the panic sets in, think about of these tips for what to wear to a wedding.

If you are part of the wedding party your attire has already been decided for you. Do the best that you can to wear what the bride wants you to. Typically bridesmaids dresses aren’t flattering and sometimes they make it to the back of the closet to never be seen or heard from again, but on this day, just wear it and smile. If she has a certain style of jewelry, shoes, or accessories that she wants you to have, do the best you can to attain these things days before the wedding.

For most weddings that you will attend the decision of what to wear will rest solely on you. Before you start to panic it is important to note that there are some things that you want to avoid. Try to stay away from wearing all white or all ivory. It tends to be awkward when guests mistake you for the bride. Wear something appropriate. While this is a very general statement, it attempts to give you something to think about when you look int the mirror. There is nothing wrong with looking good while being a guest at a wedding. However this isn’t the time or the place to try and attract too much attention. If you aren’t sure about what you are wearing, look in the mirror and ask yourself if you would mind if someone wore the same thing to your wedding.

After the “don’ts” you still have a lot of options. Wear something that makes you feel good about yourself. This will help you enjoy the day along with the rest of the wedding guests. If you plan on dancing it is okay to pack a pair of flats for comfort.

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Filed Under: Formal Attire, Popular Patterns Tagged With: Clothing, Royal Wedding, Wedding

The Importance of the Little Black Dress

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If you don’t have one, get one. If you have one and it doesn’t fit, you need another one. The little black dress is one of the most essential components of any woman’s closet. It is versatile and can be used for several different occasions. Accessories can give the same dress multiple looks and when you just aren’t sure what the wear, the little black dress comes to the rescue.

When it comes to selecting a little black dress, simplicity is key. It may seem counter-intuitive to choose something that doesn’t have a lot of frills and designs, especially if you already know when and where you want to wear it. But remember, this dress is meant for multiple events. The accessories will do all of the work. It needs to be something that fits you well. Choose a style that is both flattering to your figure and something that you feel comfortable in. Part of the allure of the little black dress is the way it makes you feel when you put it on.

Accessories provide you with a lot of different looks with the same basic piece. You can wear this dress out for a night on the town. Add cute heels (patterns and colors recommended) and choose jewelry that will really stand out. For a more casual look you can wear flats (like black ballerina like shoes) and stick with simple gold or silver jewelry. You can add a scarf to bring in a classic look or, if it fits with the style, add a belt to accentuate your figure. From here, you can be creative as you out the outfit together.

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Filed Under: Formal Attire, Popular Patterns Tagged With: Clothing, Little black dress, Wear

Get Your Closet Out of A Rut

How many times have you walked into your closet only to announce a few minutes later that you have nothing to wear. If this is a habit that you find yourself repeating, there is only one way to solve this problem. You need to make some drastic changes to the clothing that you have in your closet and the items that you are purchasing. By making a change you can give yourself more options and a better self image as you walk out of the house.

Get rid of things that don’t fit. Everyone has a pair of jeans that they would kill to be able to get into again. Everyone has a pair of jeans they keep in the closet in case they decide to eat a little too much over the holidays. Git rid of these jeans. They are taking up space and not doing you any good. Try everything in your closet on. If it doesn’t fit it needs to go.

Get rid of things that are outdated. Is there a chance that tie-dyed shirts are going to make a comeback? Probably not, so there is no reason for you to be hanging onto it. As you looking for things that aren’t very stylish, also look for items that are wearing out and showing their age. These too need to go. At this point you might find that the closet isn’t looking as full and panic may start to set in.

Now, look at what you have and make a list of the items that you need. Do you have separates that can be switched around to create multiple outfits? Do you have the little black dress that every wardrobe needs? Now begin to choose wisely as you purchase clothes that fit well, look good on you, and make you feel confident.

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Filed Under: Formal Attire, Popular Patterns Tagged With: Closet, Clothing, Jeans, Tie-dye

It’s Almost Like a Double Life

Have you ever dreamed of having a double life? One minute you’re just going through your daily stuff, and then your watch beeps your theme song, you throw on your slinky super outfit, and off you go! Well, having a Reach Card isn’t quite like being a super heroine, but it does give you some interesting benefits. If you don’t have a checking account, you can use this card just like one. And if you do have a checking account, you can use the card as a fun money account, for buying all of the fun stuff you know you can’t spend your rent money on. This way, when the money’s gone, it’s just gone — you aren’t completely broke.

Sometimes bad things happen, and you can’t get a checking account. It happens to good people sometimes, and it can hinder your ability to do a lot of basic things. It can be downright dangerous to carry around large sums of cash, but what are you going to do? Well, with the Reach Card prepaid card, you can just load up your paycheck, and not worry about it. If it gets lost or stolen, you can get a new card ASAP. And you can shop online just as easily as you could with a credit card or a normal checking account, without someone stealing your identity.

After all, the only money on the card is what you put there. Even if somebody were able to hijack it, your liability would be practically nothing — and you could just get a new card and be on your way. But what if you already have a checking account that works just fine? In that case, the Reach Card can be your double life. One minute you’re the successful, simple career woman who keeps her bills paid like it’s nothing, the next minute, you’re a shopping diva, getting what she wants with no fear. You can even buy a cape if you want.

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Filed Under: Formal Attire Tagged With: Credit card, Fashion accessory, Transactional account

Important and Necessary Cell Phone Accessories

Accessories are a person’s best friend. They can range from handbags, wallets, to cell phone charms and phone holders. The most sought after accessories have to be for cell phones. Most of the touch screen smartphone’s are very sensitive. They require much protection and care. There are tons of accessories available for these phones. But, a few are labeled as important and often necessary.

Screen protectors are labeled as the best accessory you can buy for your phone. This is especially true if you have a touch screen phone. Finger prints can leave oil and residue on your screen. Also, it has a higher chance of getting scratched from dropping it even if it’s only once. The necessary costs to repair scratched up screens can be costly. Screen protectors keep your phone’s screen in top working condition.

Have you ever noticed scuff marks or even gashes in the sides of your cell phone’s protective casing? Those marks can be prevented by using a face plate. These accessories are available in hard plastic, neoprene and hard rubber. They keep your phone’s original case free from harsh marks. Some phones are so delicate they tend to lose their battery cover when dropped. Face plates will keep your phone together and, they’re also stylish! You can find them in a variety of colors virtually anywhere.

Cell phone holsters are accessories for most people on the go. They keep your phone secure on your hip, provided you don’t carry a purse. Even then, holsters can be clipped to the waist, a belt or your purse’s strap. These are considered the most necessary accessories for cell phone owners.

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Filed Under: Formal Attire, Popular Patterns Tagged With: Business, Mobile phone, Telephone

The Color of Your Clothing Sends Messages

The Color Black

The Color Red

The Color Yellow

The Color Purple

Closet Essentials

Socially Responsible Fashion

Finding the Bathing Suit That’s Right for You

What to Wear for Your Memorial Day BBQ

What to Wear to a Wedding

The Importance of the Little Black Dress

Get Your Closet Out of A Rut

It’s Almost Like a Double Life

Important and Necessary Cell Phone Accessories

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