Thoughts on Dropping a Dress Size

51% of Australian women, in a poll recorded in the February 2012 issue of Prevention magazine, want to drop a dress size. Hmmm! I suspect it's the same percentage all over the world.

I looked in my wardrobe. I have clothes that range over 3 to 4 sizes and some made for me that have no sizing number. When I sew, I am different sizes for different pattern brands. There is the contradiction of a size 8 skirt where the waist is too big although it fits perfectly over my hips. I can also wear a size 12 bra under an Extra Small top and they both fit me perfectly. The only thing that stays consistent is my shoe size.

Drop a dress size! Where do you start - the largest, the average or the smallest size?

A universal standard of dress sizes does not exist in Australia. In the USA I am a different size again. I am also a totally different size in the UK and Europe.

I bet your wardrobe also has a variety of sizes in it.

Here are my thoughts on the subject and some dressing tips to help you look slimmer.

The Dream
Dropping a dress sizeis a favourite new year's resolution as it is seen as an easy thing to do. This dream is a longing for a happier time in the past when you felt slim and all your clothes looked good on you.

You can drop a dress size (ie lose weight) in any number of ways. There are lots of programs, books and people out there who will help you achieve it. The real challenge is to maintain that dress size and that means a permanent change in lifestyle eating and exercise habits. Are you prepared to happily make that permanent change?

The Reality
Just like me, you can drop or gain one or two dress sizes just by your choice of clothes on any particular day. That will not change if you lose weight. Well OK, it will if you wear only one brand exclusively but do not count on it.

When trying on new clothes, take three sizes if possible - what you think you are, one size below and one size above. It is the fit not the size number you are looking for ie the feeling not the number. Note that the best size for your tops and skirts/pants may be different especially if you are pear-shaped (ie smaller on the top half of your body) or an inverted triangular shape (ie smaller on the bottom half of your body).

The Illusion 
What is left - one size fits all or multi-sized clothes. Do not go there. These clothes have to be the biggest size to fit everyone. If you are not the biggest size, it will not look good on you.

Change Your Thinking
I have never been asked - Have you dropped a dress size? I have been asked - Have you lost weight? To dress slimmer, be adventurous. Try on new styles, even if you think they are not for you. In the privacy of the dressing room only you will see yourself. You may be pleasantly surprised. Bandage style dresses that wrap in small crossovers from your bust to your waist or hips can make you look slimmer. Materials with some stretch in them can gently hold you firmer and slimmer. Some dresses now have built-in shaping. Shapewear today is much softer and less constricting than 1960's step-ins. All give the illusion of a smaller dress size.

If All Else Fails, tap into your lighter side. Cut off all the sizing tags from your clothes or order some personalised dress tags in the size you want to be. Humour is good for your body and your soul.

Margaret Sims is an Image Consultant and Fashion Translator. Margaret helps women discover their true personality and how to shine as a modern woman over 40. If this interests you, visit http://thefashiontranslator.wordpress.com Blog for more fashion tips. At both the Blog and Margaret's website - http://www.yourfuturedirection.com.au you can sign up to get the free twice-monthly newsletter and receive your free eBook and Audio - 'Look Fabulous, Feel Confident Every Day'.

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Skin Care Tips For Pregnant Women

When a woman expects a bundle of joy, the hormones are kicked into high gear. Your body adjusts to this wonderful experience that sometimes it can cause various changes on your skin. Some women would often break out or some may experience hyper pigmentation. While this may be a little disconcerting, there are still a lot of safe and easy methods that you can do to help alleviate these problems.

SKIN CARE TIPS FOR PREGNANT WOMEN

1. Sudden Breakouts

Similar to puberty, your hormones are at a chaotic state because it is adjusting to a growing baby inside your womb. Breakouts usually happen during the first trimester. Pregnant women should especially be careful when choosing a particular product to combat acne. It is always best to approach your doctor so that he or she can recommend treatments that will be safe for you and your baby. Once you have given birth, rest assured that this will usually disappear.

2. Darker Skin

When pregnant, you may notice that certain areas of your body may have traces of hyper-pigmentation. You may also see a dark line that starts from your navel down to your pubic area. This line is called the linea nigra. This line is visible during pregnancy, but you don't have to worry because it goes away once you give birth. Try to exfoliate your skin mildly in order to remove the dead skin cells. As usual, always ask our doctor for any product that is safe to use.

3. Glowing Skin

I'm sure a lot of women may wish to get this kind of effect on their skin during pregnancy. This "glowy" effect is attributed by the increase of blood flow into the vessels, thereby giving you a pretty flush on the cheeks. Sometimes, hormones can cause the skin to emit oil glands, which may make your skin appear shiny.

4. Melasma

Melasma is oftentimes called the "mask of pregnancy". It usually looks as if you got sunburned. As with any pregnancy, this will disappear eventually after giving birth. In the meantime, protect your face with a good hat before heading out. Use a sunscreen to protect your skin from the harmful rays.

Getting pregnant is a special event in one's  life, especially for us women. The hormones that are kicking into high gear are just signs that signify that a new life is being formed inside you. Enjoy this moment of your life and always visit your doctor regularly.

Reena Mariel, author of Beauty Is My Duty, your online resource for beauty tips and tricks for the average girl.

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Project Wardrobe: Ladies, Optimize Your Clothes Collection!

How wonderful is your wardrobe? Is your closet filled with unnecessary clothes, inappropriate for your career or lifestyle, and ill-fitting to your body type or weight? It only takes a bit of time to go through your clothes, starting with your closet, then moving on to your drawers, shoes and jewelry to refine your well-balanced wardrobe. Use this as a guideline and ask a friend to work with you in your "fashion makeover." Have fun! Treat it like a reality show! Set out to define your clothes categories and find out what you have worth keeping and what you need to replace or buy new.

Basics

Check that you have your basic mix-and-match essentials that will fit into several categories--casual, business, or dressy. If you don't already have these in your closet, then think about buying versatile knits from a travel store like Chico's or Magellan's. Chico's Travelers line is made from 95% acetate and 5% spandex. Two basics you'll want are the rib knit tank top with a scoop neck and the knit pants with an easy fit stretch waist that doesn't look baggy. If you build a strong foundation with a strategic selection of such basics that will work well with almost everything in your closet.

Make the tank top a black one that can be worn with everything from khakis to a cocktail skirt. Not only can black go from daytime to night time, black becomes invisible and no one can recognize that you are wearing the same component--tank, skirt, pants, sweater--twice in a week. Stay with neutral colors. If black is not for you, then try taupe or beige for your pieces of mix and match basics.

Casual

A T-shirt just screams "Casual" and your collection must have both a short-sleeve white and a short-sleeve black T-shirt. The best short-sleeve length is about 1/2 to 1 inch longer than a typical cap sleeve as it has a flattering appearance. Also include a crew-neck sweater and other flattering knit tops, but opt for thin knits in cotton or wool that layer easily.

In regards to pants, in addition to the black knit pants in your Basics collection, you must have jeans but it's worth paying extra for pairs that actually fit and flatter. Throw those out that no longer fit you or that are too worn. If buying new jeans, look into stretch denim with no more than 2 percent Lycra so the denim blend fabric will follow your curves and keep its shape. If you like Khakis, then forget the pleats since a flat front is more flattering, and forgo the front crease, too. After all, these are meant to be casual pants. Cargo pants are a great addition since those deep pockets are so handy and the look is so relaxed and informal. All these pair well with sandals, boots and athletic shoes.

Business

Your Business collection must include some jackets, skirt suits and pant suits, dresses, skirts, shirts, as well as under-tees, accent scarves, nice jewelry and comfortable pumps and open-toe heels. For your basic business look, include a black cashmere turtleneck. There is less bulk with cashmere and it feels so good!

Also, make sure you have a fitted white button-down shirt. A fitted shirt is easier to tuck in and looks neater when left out. And a long-sleeve black T-shirt works well under a dress shirt--or even a dress. You likely have a nice pair of black pants but if you are buying another, choose an all-season fabric, like viscose or tropical wool.

Have several jackets and, depending on the season, make them denim, light wool, silk or linen. A slimmer fit and good cut will look more polished. In addition, a neutral colored cardigan or knit sweater jacket is nice for layering and choose a longer style that hits just below the hip as it's a more flattering look for any height or any weight.

Dressy

Depending upon your career, "business attire" can be dressed up with scarves or jewelry or a formal hairdo for many a dressy occasion. However, your Dressy collection should include a long skirt, long and short evening dresses, wraps for warmth, jewelry, a small purse, strappy heels and dressy sandals. Most common is the velvet jacket and ruffled shirt with jeans. Denim is a rugged fabric but Jeans can be dressed up or down and the look is classic.

For those sleeveless dresses and strapless gowns, you need an elegant shawl and a lightweight cashmere and silk wrap is a perfect accent. You can drape shawls and tie them in interesting ways. If you get tired of them slipping off your shoulders, you can try the "Shoul." It is the smart shoulder wrap designed to look like a perfectly draped shawl--but it won't slip off your shoulders. The shoul is a new fashion staple that works with many parts of your collection, blending with everything from dresses to jeans.

Find something like Magellan's Crinkle Jacket as an anchor piece of evening wear for your Dressy collection. It can be dressed up and dressed down. The elegant style makes it useful for wearing with the matching trouser, silky pants, skirts, capris or jeans. It is well designed with a zip-front, mandarin collar, and two zippered princess seam pockets. The crinkly fabric resists wrinkles and is made of a rayon/polyester/spandex blend.

Workout Apparel

We easily overlook that our workout apparel is a part of our total wardrobe and forms its own collection. Check your wardrobe inventory for sports bras, racer-back and spaghetti-strap exercise tops with support, leggings, capris, shorts, and good athletic shoes. Make sure that you have a white tank top that looks right at the gym as well as for biking and hiking, The zip hoodies and sweater jackets we wear over our workout gear can be the opportunity for a workout collection statement. It should not be patterned but leave that for those wonderful T-shirts that announce you've completed colorful Zumba or hard-edge, black-and-white P90X or Insanity training. Don't forget your swimsuit, swimsuit coverup and sandals.

Outerwear

It's a good idea to have a light jacket, a heavy jacket, a full length dress coat, a rain coat, gloves, wool hats to pull down over your ears and an umbrella. The practical thing for your Outerwear collection is to consider where you live and make sure you have the warmth, the water resistance and the head coverage you need. Hats, hoodies and deep jacket pockets all keep you warm. The standard trench coat is a great look and you can get one with a zip-in fleece lining for cold regions or cold seasons. Hats are important for sun and wind protection and these can vary from baseball caps to felt or straw types that give your overall appearance a very individual appeal.

While you sort through clothes you already have and buy new items to fill in the gaps, keep in mind the principles of your basics and stay within your mix-and-match color scheme. Be careful about choosing patterns and bright colors but add in some variety by the cut and shape of the pieces. And indulge in one or two trendy, colorful or patterned items (a scarf or a jacket) that you can easily trade-out in the next year or two for the next latest trend. That will be your showstopper for special occasions. Follow these guidelines to the wardrobe essentials you need and streamline your daily dressing requirements. Now when you ask yourself "What should I wear?," you can answer effortlessly. You've got something comfortable and stylish to wear for every occasion.

(c) 2012 Elizabeth McMillian

Elizabeth McMillian enjoys writing about her personal interests, including travel, exercise and cycling. She is an architectural historian, a former editor at Architectural Digest and the author of five books and numerous articles. Learn more about the designs and variety of denim jeans for your clothes collection at http://www.Designer-Womens-Jeans.com/

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Can Men and Women Really Be Equals?

Women are blessed with so many great natural qualities that men have to work hard to achieve if they want them. Some of these are love, sincerity, authenticity, truthfulness, and beauty. Every woman possesses these qualities just naturally whether they are aware or not.

In today's world, especially in Western society, it is quite common for women not to be aware that they have these qualities. In fact, many women might think these things are negative, but how could they be negative? This is the mind of the future.

Women have long sat back and watched men dominate the planet with their masculine energies that rely so much on strength.

Many women have even turned to those energies just to compete in the same world. In the process, they forgot what it means to be feminine. They put it on the back burner for things that they considered weak, but being feminine is not weak. Today's modern woman needs to recognize that these qualities make women leaders and give them strength; they do not hinder women from anything.

The truth is women will never be like men. We both deserve the same rights but there will never be equality because we are both entirely different. Women who seek out to have an equal standing with men will eventually start doing the same things that men do. They will forget compassion and love, and stop leading their lives with their heart. By becoming equal to men, women give up everything they had that was important and made them unique to be like the other.

Women should not seek out to be like men. Even though this has become some women's definition of "equal," why should women seek to be like men to be better? Feminine energy leads by putting others first and having compassion. Masculine energy leads by putting the individual-self first and only improving on the sole individual. Women have the power inside of them to make the world a better place not just the individual-self.

By embracing the feminine energy, women shine. Their spirit can almost be seen through their vibrant livelihood. Any woman that truly does embrace her feminine qualities does have a vibrant life. She has this because she knows where she stands, and no one can tell her differently because she is self-aware. If only the whole world could become self-aware, it is crazy to think of how much better everyone would treat others.

The world could learn from the feminine energy. It is not something to be feared, but should be embraced. Wars would become obsolete because everyone would live their own lives and let others live as they see fit with not interference. We might witness a huge decrease in depression and stress because becoming self-aware leads to happiness and peace.

Once the individual is at peace in their own mind, they then become at peace with the world around them. This is not just for women, but men also could become more in touch with their feminine energy and understand that feminine women could actually be the world's best hope for a new more loving way of living.

Vanessa Halloum is the author of The 5 Feminine Power Virtues and the founder of FeminineSoul.Com, a free online community for women who want to connect and collaborate with other visionary women. She's also the President and CEO of Empowered Life Productions, a company dedicated to create and market empowering products and events that will make a positive impact in our world. Whether she's speaking at one of her events of hosting her blogtalk radio show, her message is simple: It's time for us to create a balance between masculine and feminine energy in the planet. Her mission is to help women reconnect with their feminine essence so they can access their inner authentic power.

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How To Make Your Breasts Grow?

While surgery is a possibility, it is not always the desired method. There are many drawbacks to surgical procedures, such as cost, possibility of infection, healing time, etc. That is why the more natural ways of breast enhancement and enlargement are always preferable.

That, of course, means that they are preferable when they work. They don't always work because we don't always know what herbs will react well with our body's natural tendencies.

We don't monitor our own progress to see what's working and what's not and then change dosage accordingly. Maybe in the west we're used to doctors telling us exactly what to take for what condition, so we've lost a lot of our own intuitive sense about health. Herbs do have properties that make tissue grow, but they have to be selected carefully and used judiciously.

Just because something comes from the ground doesn't mean it's good for you to use because plants can have powerful effects. Also, just because something works for your friend doesn't mean it will work for you.

You can't just be using whatever herbs someone suggests to you in the aisle of the health food store. Some are tried and true for this purpose of breast enhancement, such as red clover, fenugreek, and saw palmetto. Try one of these or a combination and pay attention to your body to see if in a few weeks there is any result. If there's no result, it's always a good practice to stop the dosage and take a break from all herbs.

These natural herbs are still very powerful substances. They contain hormones that mimic the body's hormones and stimulate the body to grow. But, like any other healthy practice, we can do something for a while and it looks like things are working. After a while, however, the body becomes immune to the treatment.

With regard to breast enhancement, the sensory receptors for hormones inside your breasts can be overworked and then no longer respond to the herbal supplement. Taking the break from the dosage allows your hormone receptors to regain their sensitivity and the hormones in the herbs can begin helping you grow breast tissue again.

If you don't know which herb or which combination of herbs to try in order to enlarge the breasts, try PABA. PABA is also a supplement that also comes from plants. Instead of infusing something into the body, its job is to stop the breakdown of the body's own natural hormone production.

It can either work on its own or can be used in conjunction with other herbal supplements that you are using. Whatever you try, do your research and notice your physical results and overall health. You can see an increase in your bust size if you're patient enough to try things until they work for you.

All of these are great ways to make your breasts grow. But for me, the very best was Breast Actives.

Beth

You can find out how it helped me with this Breast Actives Review.

http://breastactivesreview.com

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Increasing Breast Size - What Can Be Done?

Many women are interested in making their breasts larger or at least in making them appear larger and firmer. Some opt for surgery, but there are women who don't want to go under the knife if it's just for the sake of appearance.

Perhaps they have a fear of surgery or perhaps they just feel it's an extreme measure. There are physical risks in any surgery, and surgery is expensive and not always covered by insurance.

When you consider these circumstances, it's nice to know there are other possibilities to choose from in terms of enhancing breast size. There are pills you can take that contain herbal ingredients such as saw palmetto, fenugreek, Mexican wild yam, Dong Quai, damiana, and blessed thistle.

You may not have heard of them unless you've been involved in the world of holistic health, but these are natural hormonal stimulants, relatively mild, that help the body mimic the growth that happens in adolescence.

Plants are where ancient people first found medicines, even such as aspirin. Plant estrogens are natural estrogens found in the natural world. In herbal supplements such as breast enhancement pills, they work to foster the growth of breast tissue.

Small to medium sized women achieve results in around two months, though it pays to be patient when taking the breast enhancement pills. Even after optimum size has been reached, it's often good to continue taking them periodically to retain size and to keep firm.

There are creams and lotions that contain some of these same herbal ingredients, and they can be quite effective, too, though most effective when combined with the pills and exercises.

These creams and lotions work in a similar way to the pills, stimulating the growth of fat cells in and around the breasts. Women might worry that the creams will make them fat in other areas of their body, but they are created to target the breasts and not other parts of the body.

The hormones in these creams and lotions are combined with non-toxic chemicals that assist in facilitating the desired results. Either of these methods can only be assisted by doing prescribed exercises that work the muscles of the upper arms and chest.

These exercises strengthen the area of the body that supports the breasts and helps them to be carried higher and look larger. If you're seeking the look of larger, firmer, higher breasts without surgery, check out the natural hormones found in breast-enhancing pills and creams, combine that with exercise, and wait for good results in a couple of months.

What worked best for me is Breast Actives.

Beth

For more information on natural breast enhancement visit:

http://breastactivesreview.com

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