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titleChoosing Athletic Shoes – Tips and Tricks/titlepNo matter what your sport is, your athletic shoes are one of the most important pieces of equipment. From tennis to running, basketball to soccer, choosing the right athletic shoes for the right reasons can make a huge difference in keeping your feet and body healthy. Below you will find some of the things you need to consider when choosing shoes for your sport./ppbStyle Is Not Everything/b/ppJust about every day, someone asks me about their shoes. Questions vary from sport to sport, but the fact remains that the majority of people choose athletic shoes based on brand names and styles, rather than what is best for their own feet./ppI know that it can be hard to pass up those awesome looking shoes that match your uniform perfectly, but in the long run, the most important thing is that the athletic shoe serves its function…to support and protect your feet. So, lets take a closer look at what makes a good athletic shoe./ppbThe Heel Box/b/ppWhen I explain shoes to my patients, I always start with the heel box. This is where most people are similar in their needs. A sturdy heel box is essential to help control your rear-foot during athletic activities. The heel box is essentially the back third of the shoe, that surrounds your heel. Most athletic shoes have a heel box made up of leather, and some type of plastic or rubber reinforcement. However, not all athletic shoes are created equal. To test the heel box, try bending it over, or squeezing it in, and see how much resistance you encounter. If you can easily fold over the heel box, then chances are you will not get much support./ppbThe Upper/b/ppThis is the area where most people make the mistake that causes injury. The Upper is the portion of the shoe that surrounds the foot. It is the upper portion of the shoe, from the heel box to the toe box. Uppers can be fashioned from all kinds of different materials, from mesh to leather, and other types of fabrics. Depending on your foot type, you may need more or less support from the upper./ppThis portion of the shoe helps to control the mid and forefoot. Too much motion in these areas will allow for excessive stress through the meta-tarsals and tarsals, and can result in stress fractures, tendonitis, and other problems. To determine what type of foot you have, grab ahold of your foot with both hands, and move it around. Try moving individual bones around…do you find lots of motion, with little resistance, or is your foot very rigid, with little movement. You do not have to be an expert to tell if you have a flexible or rigid foot. Your athletic shoe should be opposite of your foot type. For rigid feet, you can get by with mesh or other light materials for the upper, as you need less support for your foot. For a flexible foot, you should lean more toward a rigid upper, that will control excessive motion and reduce stress./ppbThe Arch/b/ppArch support is essential for good athletic shoes. Even people with good arches, or great feet mechanics should have sufficient arch support. But, arch support is more than just the arch. It is the way that the sole of the athletic shoe is created and constructed that determines the overall characteristics of the arch. And as far as those cushy insoles that they try to upsell you at the shoe store – pass on those as they just add comfort, not support./ppWhen choosing shoes, look closely at the sole of the shoe. A good arch support will be evident by the shape of the shoe. Notice the outline of the sole. There should be a minimal amount of change in width between the toe and the heel. The wider the athletic shoe is at the middle (where your arch is), the more surface area there is to support your foot. So, avoid shoes that start out wide at the toe, narrow way down in the middle, and then flare out again at the heel./ppbChange is Good/b/ppEven the perfect athletic shoe will wear out over time. I have seen quite a few injuries due to old or worn out shoes. Just like any other equipment, you should monitor your shoes, and replace them when they wear out. If you are a runner, monitor your mileage, and replace them as appropriate./ppHow do you know when to buy new shoes? Well, holes, or pieces falling off are generally good indicators…But if it is not that obvious, look for all of the qualities that you used to choose the athletic shoe in the first place. Is the heel box still sturdy? Is the upper as rigid as it needs to be to control your foot? Is the arch still in good shape, or have you worn down one side of the sole? Answer these questions, and inspect your shoes often to keep them protecting your feet./ppbSummary/b/ppGood athletic shoes do not have to be flashy, or expensive to serve their intended purpose. There are lots of shoes out there that will fit both your needs and your budget. Look for all of the right qualities to fit your foot, and you are sure to make a wise decision. And when in doubt? Discuss shoe wear with other athletes, and the sales person at the shoe store. Chances are they have some good insight./ppBarton Anderson is a certified athletic trainer for St. Johns Sports Medicine. He is the creator of a target=_new href=http://www.sports-injury-info.com/ezshoesSports Injury Info/a, and is dedicated to providing sports injury information to his athletes and the public. Barton holds a Masters of Science Degree in Sports Health Care, and is certified by the National Athletic Trainers Association./pbrbr

Some people researching alpacas as an worthwhile business investment are concerned that the alpaca industry may go bust like the emu schemes of the 1980s. (Emus are a large, ostrich-like bird.) Actually, alpacas are not only a different species, but also a completely different market with a viable, well-established end product–luxurious fiber.

The original strategy for emus was to create an alternative market for meat, like chickens and turkeys. But an emu meat market never materialized in the U.S. You never saw emu roasts in your supermarket, packages of emu drumsticks, smoked emu in the deli, or emu on a restaurant menu. That’s because the emu industry created the infrastructure to harvest the meat and byproducts, process the meat for consumption or get it properly packaged for supermarkets. The emu industry never bought advertising to bring the meat to the public awareness and create a demand.

Emus also produce a valuable oil on their rump pad, although they must be slaughtered to get this oil. However the emu industry never developed an infrastructure to process and market the oil. So there was no real profit from emu oil.

Alpaca is an Elite Fiber

Alpacas produce fiber, not meat. So you don’t have to slaughter the animals to obtain end product. The alpaca lifespan is 15 to 20 years, producing elite, luxurious fleece that can be sheared and processed into textiles year after year. Alpaca fiber is hypoallergenic. Many peolple, who are allergic to sheep’s wool, can comfortably wear alpaca next to their skin. In addition, alpaca is an elite fiber that in demand by fashion houses worldwide.

A raw, unprocessed alpaca fleece usually brings in enough money to pay for an alpaca’s feed and upkeep. Selling alpaca fleece gives the alpaca rancher another revenue stream for his operation. Processing raw fleece into yarn and then into finished apparel adds value that results in higher profits.

Run Away Emu Breeders Market

One female emu can lay 30 to 50 eggs each year. This means that an emu rancher must find buyers for the eggs and/or hatched offspring of each hen. Thus the U.S. emu flock grew too quickly to allow for stable market values. The demand for emus could not keep up with the supply. Since there was no emu meat processing infrastructure, emu ranchers ran out of emu-buying customers. The rapid reproductive rate of emus also made it difficult to keep up with expenses and needed equipment.

In contrast, alpacas give birth to just one baby a year. So alpaca herds grow slowly, yet the demand for alpaca fiber in the fashion industry remains high and is even growing. New U.S alpaca ranches are growing by about 30% per year, with the average start-up ranch purchasing a start-up herd of 2 to 5 animals. Demand for alpacas greatly exceeds supply. Based on the slow, but steady growth rate of the overall U.S. alpaca herd, demand will continue to exceed supply for many years to come.

Closed Alpaca Registry

In addition to the run-away emu growth rate, emus and emu eggs were still being imported into the U.S., which flooded the market. This was a terrible situation for emu farmers, who had no way to sell the meat, and no new emu farms to sell live birds and eggs. Many emu farmers quit the business and turned their birds loose into the woods.

The North American alpaca industry has closed its animal registration book, the Alpaca Registry, Inc. (ARI), to imports. This means that only alpacas, whose parents are already in the stud book can be registered. Having an unregistered alpaca is like having a house without a deed or a car without an owner’s certificate. A closed registry protects North American alpaca farms from seeing their alpaca investment lose value in a market flooded with imports.

AOBA National Marketing

Another way that the alpaca industry differs from the emu industry is that it has a well-organized national marketing organization, the Alpaca Owners and Breeders Organization (AOBA), which drives the alpaca industry in the following ways:

• Purchases TV advertising on satellite that markets into rural areas.
• Certifies alpaca halter and fleece shows throughout the USA
• Publishes the Alpaca Farm and Ranch Guide for people researching alpaca investment and provides well-qualified sales leads to AOBA members
• Publishes Alpacas Magazine to promote alpaca ranching and apparel
• Hosts an annual Fiber to Fashion conference to promote alpaca fiber and apparel.

Herdsire Stud Fees

Unlike emus, alpacas herdsire can earn significant stud fees. The value of an alpaca is directly related to the quality of it’s genetic charactistics. The quality of an animal’s fiber is greatly determined by its genetics. Fortunately, a female with mediocre fleece can produce babies with much better fleece characteristic by simply breeding her to a superior herdsire. There can be dramatic fiber improvement in just one generation. This makes it possible to improve the genetics of the offspring, and thus improve the overall value of a rancher’s herd on a continual basis. So breeding females “up” to a superior male is important in the alpaca industry.

The majority of ranches own less than 10 females. So alpaca ranches, especially smaller ranches, often need to purchase breeding services. Either they don’t own a herdsire, or their males are too closely related to the females, which would result in in-breeding. It’s very common for a stud service fee to cost between $1000 to $2000, with really top national herdsire services going for $3500 to $5000.

In short, the prognosis for the alpaca industry is excellent because it is based on the sound market principles of steady herd growth rate, demand exceeding supply, and the increasing value of elite fiber.

Virginia Lyons owns Able Oaks Ranch Alpacas in East Texas. She has been breeding and raising elite alpacas and miniature llamas with persistently fine fiber since 2003. Virginia is an experienced weaver and teaches workshops and hosts free events about alpaca ranching, alpaca fiber, and much more.

Please visit http://www.ableoaks.com

Just as the sporting goods retail industry has been taken hostage by wholesale prices from internet vendors, motorsports retailers are feeling the pinch. At the same time, online merchants like the streamlined nature of a uni-dimensional sales atmosphere. Just as sporting goods stores will never be ran out of business by their online competitors, there is and will always be a need for corner retailers for the everyday needs of the motorsports enthusiast.

Since their inception, dealers were their own parts source; their parts counter personnel were the authority on filters, tires, gear and oil. The great thing was/is that these are the guys you see at the tracks, some customers race with on the weekend and have good knowledge of local conditions and vendor support. The downside of the parts and apparel business is that dealers aren’t consignment shops and owners and management are faced with forecasting the next year’s business based on a mix of last year’s hot products, cleaning out the mispurchased inventory and what’s hot for the next year. To make matters worse, it’s always difficult for a dealer to stock parts for make of machinery that they don’t represent. When manufacturers have problems, or one particular product line is down, well, then showroom traffic and subsequently the parts take the biggest hit.

Enter online parts warehouses. We all know how it works; few online parts superstores actually stock parts, however some do and the ones that do, can offer an awesome buying experience for the consumer. Basically, most sites will negotiate a wholesale purchasing contract with a distributer that has several warehouses for parts distribution, then upload their entire available inventory onto their website. These types of businesses can and usually are ran out of someone’s home office, living room or garage. Not as glamorous as the flashy website, but usually they get the job done. The upsides to buying your parts this way is that you can research exactly what you want, shop price without having to haggle or negotiate and not have to leave your house. We all know this. The next step to this evolution is international ordering. The US sets the standard for commercial research and development for the motorsports industry’ from motorcycle and ATV to auto and the snowmobile industry.

When it comes to the development of parts, testing and proving and marketing and promotion no other nation brings products and hop up services to the world like we do. The reality now is that online vendor’s customer bases are worldwide. The demand for suspension services, motor rebuilds, trick parts and manufacturer/retailer only parts and apparel is high overseas. Unfortunately, internet based businesses are being gouged by banks and processors for high discount rates, because this type of activity is looked upon as high risk. In fact, internet only parts and apparel sites are high risk, so the increased risk and rate hikes might drive up the prices of the low cost products and services everyone loves. Traditional banking today is under the same revamping process that the motorsports parts industry has just undergone. With international orders becoming more conventional international banking is taking the edge off many frustrated yet savvy internet based merchants.

International, offshore merchant accounts offer multicurrency processing, third party fraud scrubbing and virtual terminals for these businesses to keep their businesses that operate on somewhat of a tight budget a needed break to continue to offer the same quality for the price. Merchant service providers are in a unique position to source banks that work well in certain regions that may be more popular for a particular business; as well, certain merchant service providers specialize in specific types of industries. It’s just as important to use a processor or merchant service provider with a portfolio that resembles your industry. This can be helpful because they’ll be in tune with your sales cycles, busy times of the year and types of chargebacks that you may get, what is causing them and how to handle them.

Jennifer Loganathan is the President and CEO of Stradafee Limited. Stradafee is an electronic payments company as well as an eCommerce and Internet merchant account provider. Merchant accounts make it possible for businesses to provide online credit card processing For more information on credit card processing visit http://www.stradafee.com

Part one of this series discussed the importance of effective advertising to attract customers to your garage sale. This article will give you great ideas on how to get organized for your sale and how to present your sale items in a way that will make customers want to buy.

Getting organized will help you to know what you have, what you need, and what to do with it. When going through your garage sale goods start sorting them into categories such as household items, sports and recreation, toys and games, etc. This will help you during the presentation part of the sale later. Once you have a good idea of what you have make a list of what you might need for the sale such as tables for display, stickers for pricing, coins and small bills for giving out change, clothes rack and hangers, chairs and a table to sit at, snacks and drinks for your sales people (you and your kids). Having everything you need ahead of time helps to eliminate some stress and the mad dash feeling when customers start showing up and your aren’t ready yet.

The layout of your sale can encourage or deter shoppers. Most will agree that they are more likely to peruse a sale if items are visible, easy to find, and the prices are clearly marked. The same goes for your garage sale customers. Lay similar items near each other on tables if available or in clusters on your lawn and driveway. Do not crowd too many things together. Make use of other sale items to prop things up and make it look nice. If you have clothes to sell, put them on hangers and hang them on a rack. No one likes to paw through a box of messy clothes to find something that might fit or look nice on them. This is a great way to get rid of wire hangers or the old plastic hangers. If you don’t have a clothes rack, you can improvise with a rope or broom tied or propped between two ladders. Arrange the clothes by color or type and size.

Pricing can be done with stickers or signs on tables clearly marking that these items are a certain price. Color-code your stickers so that a particular color sticker represents a particular price and make a sign to illustrate the color pricing. This method saves huge amounts of time, since you do not have to write a price on each individual item. Pricing items is entirely up to you and you will find many people like to barter, so do not worry about setting a price too high. You can always lower the price as the sale goes on throughout the day.

Customer service is part of presentation as well. Greet your customers as they arrive with a friendly smile and hello. Ask if there is something you can help them find and let them know you are available if they have any questions. Play a little upbeat music to set a fun and positive atmosphere. Shoppers in a good mood are more likely to buy.

When you advertise in multiple sources, organize your sale items in a way that is easy for shoppers to find what they are looking for, and present those items in so people can see things they did not know they wanted and you are guaranteed to get the most bang for your buck. Remember, garage sales are a great time to be outdoors with your family and neighbors, so have fun.

About the Author: Ron Maier is the President of Everything Hangers, a leading online provider of plastic hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.everythinghangers.com

With the internet making it easier than ever to source artworks, it’s relatively simple these days to build up a great-looking collection.

While prices for unique works are increasingly beyond the reach of many, limited editions of, say, 150 plus are financially and widely accessible, making it possible to acquire pieces by major artists for reasonable prices.

There can be a downside, however. While little beats the pleasure a signed work can bring, generally speaking, the larger an edition, the less likely it is to appreciate in value quickly – or even substantially.

Nevertheless, the contemporary art market is full of contradictions, and with growing demand at all levels, recent trends have often seen this assumption overturned.

As an obvious example, Damien Hirst’s early prints for Eyestorm consistently fetch $10000-$16000 at re-sale, a very substantial profit on their original price. More recently, prints by Banksy and other urban artists have proved equally lucrative.

In other words, it’s becoming increasingly possible – although by no means a certainty – to make profits quickly with relatively little outlay; although the trick, as always, is knowing what to buy and when to sell.

Buying for fast profit

The art world has a curious attitude to speculation. Buying and selling purely for profit is still regarded as just a little unsavory, even though the entire art market is dedicated to this pursuit. Perhaps it’s because art has such a curiously dual nature, combining aesthetic and cultural worth with a commercial value that can reach very high sums indeed.

Whatever the case, it would be difficult to consistently make money from art without some genuine appreciation and an insight into what will stand the test of time. And many dealers are themselves collectors, at least partly funding their own acquisitions through trading.

Yet it’s certainly true that, with contemporary art consistently showing remarkable returns on investment, it’s also become an attractive proposition to a very wide range of buyers.

In general, non-specialist speculators often trade in the work of artists whose frequent media coverage makes them well known to the public. And as shown by the two examples mentioned above – Hirst and Banksy – this can certainly reap substantial rewards.

But it’s also important to remember that, in an increasingly novelty-driven world, the next big thing is usually just around the corner. ‘Celebrity’ artists often take on the nature of a trend, and fads can become outdated with dramatic speed. Knowing when to sell such work is vitally important.

Ups and downs in the market aren’t just related to artists with familiar public profiles, of course. The art world itself frequently generates its own, ‘flavor of the month’ buzz. A few years ago, Martin Kippenberger’s prices rose dramatically, then leveled just as quickly. Chinese and now Indian contemporary art have been subject to the same kind of intensely fashion-led markets.

Clearly, money can be made through quickly identifying and speculating on trends, but you’ll need to have your finger firmly on the pulse. Knowing what’s considered exciting is essential, but you’ll also have to determine how long this excitement is actually going to last.

Long-term investment – knowing your artists

When it comes to collecting art, you’ll often read the following: the safest way to build a collection is simply to buy work you really like.

Such advice seems tailor-made to shield less knowledgeable collectors from potential disappointment, and perhaps even encourage sales of less desirable work. Buy a piece you love and if the value falls no harm has been done. If it gains in price, that’s a bonus.

I prefer to look at buying art a little differently.

Of course it’s important to purchase work you want to own and view.

But since contemporary art presents real investment opportunities, it makes sense to think carefully about what to add to your collection. After all, look at almost any online art site, and you’ll see that prices for fairly standard pieces are often equivalent to what you’d pay for work with far greater investment potential.

Although there’s obviously no way of predicting future value for sure, the key is to familiarize yourself as much as possible with the background of artists you’re drawn to.

How long have they been practicing? Is there a theme or thought process behind their work? Has this evolved coherently over the years?

Artists with at least some degree of complexity and persistent ‘vision’ are generally more likely to gain steadily in appreciation and price.

You’ll also want to know if the artist has achieved some kind of recognition. Is their work held by collections, galleries or museums? Has it been exhibited consistently?

Professional opinion is yet another important factor in trying to determine an artist’s long-term prospects. If a large number of critics and academics coincide in their high opinion of an artist, this is another good sign that they will retain or even gain value.

Mid-career artists can be judged much more easily in relation to their existing work; and after all, good art isn’t just about something that happens to look nice on a wall.

It’s about a certain kind of commitment and an obvious path of development. If all these factors are present, buying probably makes sense. Limited editions by Jeff Koons, for example, were relatively inexpensive 5 or 6 years ago, but with recent record-breaking prices for major works, have also shot up in value.

Even artists who disappear temporarily from the art market radar are much more likely to re-emerge at a later point if they show the ‘right’ kind of commitment and passion.

Emerging artists and the schlock of the new

New young artists are often fizzing with ideas, many of which can seem ground-breaking or even radical, but the problem is that they have yet to prove their long-term worth.

This said, you can certainly gain an insight into potential by applying the criteria above. It’s especially important to determine if they have something genuine to express or are simply employing methods that could, over time, increasingly be seen as just a gimmick.

Of course, if you’re looking to make a high return on investment, rapidly emerging artists can prove highly lucrative.

In such cases, it’s probably a good idea to invest in as substantial a piece as possible, although as we’ve seen, editions and multiples can also prove money-earners.

But keep a close eye on auction prices and signs of market fatigue. Such artists might be the talk of the town right now, but will they fulfill their early promise?

If, after a few years, their work appears stuck in a rut and prices seem to be leveling or even dropping, it’s time to think twice about their long-term appeal. On the other hand, if they do continue to create great work, any pieces bought for relatively low sums at the start of their careers should steadily rise in value.

Spreading your bets

If you’re lucky enough to have substantial sums of money to spend on art, newer artists, as we’ve just seen, can produce significant return on investment.

But perhaps the best way to offset the risks that they may never fulfill expectation is to ‘spread your bets’ across a selection of up and coming names.

Buying the work of several different artists might mean settling for less significant works, but with the right kind of knowledge – and luck – hitting a jackpot is still potentially viable.

If you’ve done your research, the chances are fairly good that at least one – and hopefully more – of your chosen artists will gain in recognition.

And given the phenomenal increase in prices for contemporary art, if that happens, eventual profits could far outweigh the costs of initial purchases, even if other works fail to make the grade.

It’s worth remembering that many well-known collectors buy huge amounts of work by new, ‘promising’ artists.

Charles Saatchi is a particularly good example, and although he is famous for the apparent strength of his collection, a sizable proportion consists of artists who have now faded into obscurity (you won’t see these listed on the website).

However, the phenomenal rise in value of those who became major names – Peter Doig, for example – have reaped him many millions of dollars in profit at auction.

And if those are the rewards, you can probably afford to make the odd mistake.

Mike writes for modernedition.com, a resource providing articles and news on contemporary art, as well as limited edition prints and multiples by leading contemporary artists.

The Sex and the City New York City movie premiere was held on Tuesday, May 27th at Radio City Music Hall. Anyone who is anyone hit the red carpets to view the premiere and then mingle with the socialites at the Rockefeller Center after-party. The party was supposed to be at the MoMa, but apparently it wasn’t big enough. Seriously, how is a museum not big enough!? But anyways, that’s how big this event was in the lives of so many Manhattan higher-ups.

Seeing that the Sex and the City movie’s main focal point is fashion — and brought designers and fashionista-wanna-be’s by the droves to the theaters — everyone’s eye was (obviously) on Sarah Jessica Parker at the premiere. People were dying to see what she would wear. So imagine her surprise when she found out that her beautiful Nina Ricci gown was worn not once, but twice before! Some may say that Sarah Jessica Parker reacted snobbishly, but I highly disagree. When you are viewed as a fashion icon, and all eyes are constantly on you to see what you are going to wear, it is not cool to be wearing a third-hand dress.

Apparently, SJP was assured by the gown’s designer, Olivier Theyskens, that the dress had never been worn. In truth, it had been photographed on socialite Lauren Santo Domingo at the Metropolitan Museum ball gala in New York City less than a month earlier, and was also worn by Lindsay Lohan for a photo shoot in Los Angeles last winter. I fully support Ms. Parker for being just a teensy bit upset.

In all the mayhem I did notice one very glorious thing about Sarah Jessica’s ensemble at the NYC premiere — the necklaces! At her neck, SJP wore three antique necklaces by Fred Leighton — a 19th-century diamond riviere necklace, a 19th-century diamond and pearl fringe necklace and a 19th-century gold diamond snake necklace. You might not be able to find such vintage pieces at your local boutique, seeing as this jewelry is owned by the American Folk Art Museum, but you can bet that the ever-popular layered look will continue to be a trend and that fringe-style gold necklaces will soon be seen hitting the streets!

Alexandra is the Head of Marketing and Sales for Mademoiselle Jewelry – a company that was founded on the principal that jewelry is art. Mademoiselle Jewelry specializes in unique jewelry, sterling silver jewelry, and designer jewelry. Each piece of jewelry is hand selected for quality, uniqueness, and creativity. Mademoiselle Jewelry also carries jewelry lines specifically designed for men and children.

Retail clothing is a cut throat business. Your store needs to operate at peak performance to capture market share in your area. Employees perform thousands of small tasks each day, so it is crucial streamlined procedures are in place. Organizing you store so employees can work at maximum efficiency is equally important. These three tools can keep your store running like a well oiled retail machine, and prevent chaotic work flow. Here is how this modest investment can return thousands of dollars.

The hanger stacker is an absolute essential for any retail clothing store. This device is the best way to store extra hangers around your store. Its unique shape can accommodate all types of clothes hangers, and stores them in a way that prevents tangling. Most models can be purchased for less than $20. Place them at discreet locations around your store so employees will never have to go far to find or replace excess hangers. With hangers readily available your staff can remain on the sales floor by eliminating trips to the back room to retrieve and store hangers. Another great spot is behind the cashiers’ counters where clothes hangers are constantly piling up from customer purchases. With a hanger stacker you can move hundreds of hangers anywhere your store with ease.

If you are maximizing your stores capacity you probably have garments hung on walls and storage racks in high places. A hanger retriever can save employees hours of time over the course of the day by providing quick access to those hard to reach places. Hanger retrievers can be purchased between $18 to $20 dollars. An adjustable model gives a reach between three and five feet. With a hanger retriever there is no need to clutter your store with step stools and ladders.

The scourge of most fashion outlets is piles of clothes under garment racks. Clothes get bumped as customers move up and down the aisles and can easily fall off a hanger. Items lying on the floor can get walked on, dirty and damaged. This gives an atmosphere employees constantly have to pick up and re-hang items. The use of hanger covers can turn this into a thing of the past. Hanger covers are foam or rubber strips that can be slid on or stuck to any clothes hangers and increase the hanger garment friction ratio. An investment of 15 cents each can save your store thousands of dollars in damaged clothing, and provides a cleaner store presentation. Employees will save hours of labor and have more time to spend with customers.

About the Author: Ron Maier is the President of Everything Hangers, a leading online provider of clothes hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.everythinghangers.com.

Are you shopping for a gift for a female friend or loved one? Well, if you’ve got a bit of cash to spend, you would probably do well to look for gifts in the fashion area, and there are few things that are more fashionable than an authentic and genuine Coach handbag.

Coach handbags are a very coveted and desired item. Why are they so popular? Well, Coach is an established brand name manufacturer of fine handbags, luggage, and carrying accessories. Coach products run a little on the pricier side, but there are many places where you could purchase them for a slightly discounted price. Before we discuss where you can go to for Coach deals, let’s talk about the history of Coach products.

They have been around for more than half a century in the United States of America. The legacy of Coach all started in Manhattan, New York. I bet you wouldn’t have the least idea of what the object was that was the inspiration of the first Coach handbag. Well, believe it or not, it was a leather baseball catcher’s glove or mitten. The craftsmanship of earlier leather baseball gloves does have a resemblance of Coach leather handbags in its grain and color and stitching. The next time you get a chance to examine an authentic Coach leather handbag or other type of accessory, try examining it to see the similarities between it and a leather baseball glove.

Well, now that you know a part of the history of Coach, where can you go to purchase these great designer accessories for less? Well, there are a few good in-store sales at certain times of the year, however there is a place that you can access from the comfort of your own home that can lead the way to great deals. The answer is the internet. Many online stores offer competitive pricing on a wide range of products including Coach handbags. If you would like to find great deals, try doing a Google search for the specific model or type you are looking for.

Coach Online Outlet Store features nearly every product that Coach makes. You’ll be able to find Coach handbags and accessories for less than retail prices.

Red High Heels? Flip flops? What do you wear to work or an event that is “Business Casual”? Great question. Sometimes a daily question. For a lot of women a professional image is a must but a provocative one is a no-no. Moms can use business casual as a creative outlet for getting dressed. Relate to your wardrobe by mixing and matching budget items with more expensive pieces to create a functional and personal look.

Business Casual is a topic that is especially important for Mom Entrepreneurs. A large part of their day is spent toting the kids to events, parks and school. Frequently, a business meeting, sales pitches, and meet and greets are right in the middle of the kids schedule. As a Mom, either working in a business casual environment or creating your own business environment at home, you need functional, stylish and appropriate clothing. Many stay-at-home moms would benefit from dressing a bit more “business casual” in their everyday life as well.

Even PTA, school functions and girls night out can be benefited by business casual. If your spouse or significant other has company functions, business casual is probably the way to go.

What does “business casual” look like? This immediately brings to my mind Banana Republic. The clothes they have available are both classy and casual. If the prices are out of your budget, use their outfits as an inspiration. Look at how they put the outfit together, what type of shoes are worn and which accessories is the model wearing? Target has some equally stylish options at a fraction of the cost, just remember they may not last as long.

Here are they items you should have in your wardrobe when dressing business casual:

1. Pants- Look for linen, cotton or cotton-blend. Make sure they are long enough for heels. The hemline of the pants should fall between the top of the heel and mid-heel of the shoe, breaking at about the back to mid-arch of your instep. Dark denim is fine if the pants are trouser style. Don’t overdo the denim- save it for Friday.

2. Skirts – Appropriate length is important. Make sure the hem hits the knee. This will allow you the freedom to move easily and feel confident you are not exposing too much.. It will also be more comfortable for you when you are with the kids, like after karate class.

3. Tops – Unless you are wearing a tee under a vest or sweater, don’t wear it. Tees are far too casual. Instead, opt for button up tops that fit well, knit tops, woven tops and fitted sleeveless tops.

4. Jackets and Sweaters – Great for layering over your tops for chilly days or cold offices. The key factor for these pieces is fit. If you are throwing on a big sloppy sweatshirt or stretched out cardigan, you will not look professional. Match your warm pieces to your outfit. They should not be an after thought. Buy the best you can afford in classic cuts for many years of use. Cashmere is always a winner!

5. Dresses – These should be at or below the knee for the same reason a skirt should be. Sundresses and strapless dresses should be reserved for after work and weekends.

6. Shoes – They add a lot of character to your outfit. Use them to add interest to an otherwise conservative look. If open-toe is acceptable then don’t wear pantyhose with them… please! A kitten heel or low heel is perfect for business casual and still functional for chasing after the kiddos when you reunite. You can also wear ballet flats, loafers and boots, but keep the sneakers at home.

7. Handbag – Your bag says SO much about you. It should coordinate with your outfit, be clean and able to hold all the goods you need to tote during the day. Look for a bag with good construction and pockets to organize our items so you can get to them quickly.

8. Accessories – Wear them. Yes, your wedding ring is gorgeous but it doesn’t really count as a fashion accessory. Buy several necklaces that can be mixed and matched with your outfits. If you wear a watch, buy one that is classy so it goes with many looks. Earrings… every day. You determine if they are dangling or not but a beautiful and interesting earring draws attention to your face.

9. Your nails – Yes, a very important part of your overall appearance. Make sure your finger nails and toe nails are kept neat and clean.. Light colored polish is best as it hides the chips better in case you don’t have time to touch up.

10. Your undergarments – Your rear view is important. Make sure you don’t have VPL (visible panty lines) and all bra straps are tucked away. Proper undergarments, such as a slip, provide you the confidence you won’t be showing silhouettes to you co-workers.

11. Your smile – The most important thing you’ll wear.

Change your style to express different versions of yourself depending on the circumstances. If the environment you are working is more artistic in nature, you have more options like Bohemian styles, ombre and tribal trends.

The key to business casual is to remember you are representing yourself in how you look. Make sure your clothes are ironed, the hem is the right length, your accessories are appropriate, and of course, smile.

Whether you’re meeting a new client or going to the PTA you will be judged by your looks before you even speak a word. Trying to land financial support for your home-based business? Present yourself as someone who can be taken seriously. Let your creativity show the true confident ‘you’ to the world.

Tammy Gibson,
Founder and Editor of A Mom in Red High Heels

One of the leading names in international fashion, Dolce&Gabbana was started in 1985 in Milan by Italian designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana.

Specializing in high-end fashion, they maintain two main lines of clothing and accessories, which appeal to fundamentally different tastes – the stylish and fashionable Dolce&Gabbana and the more casual and informal D&G.

Their collection ranges from classy suits and dresses, underwear and lingerie to beachwear, sunglasses, leather and footwear to fragrances, jewelry and timepieces. They even carry corrective eyewear. The fashion house distributes its wide range of products in over 80 countries worldwide.

With fashion collections that have frequently garnered raves from fashion critics such as “devastatingly sexy” or “fetishistic and provocative”, they want to make blatant fashion statements.

Still and all, the aesthetic is remains characteristically Italian, which has drawn the loyal patronage of such big celebrities as Madonna, Julia Roberts, Sarah Jessica Parker, Isabella Rossellini, Kate Hudson and Eva Mendes, among others.

The two designers met in Milan in 1980, while working in a fashion design enterprise. Dolce, who grew up in Sicily, had studied fashion design and had worked in their family’s modest clothing factory.

Gabbana grew up in Milan and was trained as a graphic designer. They combined their unique creativity and started their own business in two years.

Now the huge fashion empire that they created employs over 2000 people and has 261 stores worldwide. Sales in 2006 topped $1 billion, establishing them in the same league as Giorgio Armani, Max Mara and Prada Group.

Notwithstanding this remarkable success story, they have not been free of controversy. In January 2007, the fashion house was roundly criticized Britain’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for featuring models wielding knives in one of its advertising campaigns.

In February 2007, it was forced to withdraw advertisements in Paris and Madrid after consumers’ groups complained to authorities that one of its ads was illegal and humiliating to women.

Nonetheless, owing to its secure niche in the international fashion world, especially as it apparently gains strong acceptance among the young professionals in China, they will continue to make waves – and get raves – in the industry.

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