Three Steps to Being an Adventurous Shopper

You are out with your girlfriends and it is time for lunch. Where do you go? There are lots of cafes to choose from. Will it be ethnic, organic or the café in the bookshop? In the end, you usually choose the tried and true café where you know what to expect. The lunch is nothing special.

How often do you do something similar when it comes to choosing where to buy your clothes? Back to the tried and true, usually a retail or chain store most of the time. You get clothes that look okay yet you feel that your wardrobe is full and you have nothing that you really want to wear.

It is time to become more adventurous.

Like cafes, there are dress shops everywhere. It is time to play and explore. Most of the advice in magazines is about tried and true classics or they highlight the trend of the season. The slightly different clothes that add excitement and personality to your wardrobe are often found in small, secret places.

Here are my three modern dressing tips for business and professional women over 40 to make your adventurous shopping easier.

Step 1 - Explore Your Local Suburb and the Neighbouring Ones

It is easier, closer and hidden gems are often right under your nose. Remember the feeling of excitement when you found a new coffee shop that had just opened in your local area? It is not long before you go in and taste what they offer. You cannot walk in and out. You have got to stop, have a coffee and cake and then decide if you will return.

So it is with the little dress shops in your neighbourhood. Pick a street or shopping centre to explore. Check out the ads in your local paper and make a list of new shops to visit. Stop at that dress shop you have always driven past because you have pre-judged it by its name or its location. Be daring and ask a well-dressed local where she shops.

Step 2 - Get to Know the Owner or Saleswoman

It i time to face your fear of being talked into something expensive you do not really want. Take a friend if it makes you feel safer.

Go exploring with a goal in mind - either to find a certain item of clothing or to find a new shop that stocks clothes for your work, lifestyle and personality. You are looking for a shop that also gives great service. You are over 40 and old enough to speak plainly. Age has its benefits.

Tell the saleswoman why you are there. A good saleswoman cannot help you if you do not know who you are and what suits you and your whole lifestyle. You want someone who will only suggest small changes to develop your unique style. Walk away from someone who wants you to make a radical change. She has not made a real effort to listen and understand you. If you feel comfortable with this person and you get a gut feeling that you can trust her, you will be more open to suggestions about new styles and colours to try on.

Step 3 - Expect Some Failures

Not every new coffee shop meets your expectations. You move on without feeling guilty. So it will be with exploring new dress shops. There will be some successes and some failures.

You will have to walk away from some shops. Say thank you and then politely tell them why that shop is not for you (be it the clothes or the service). Be a mature adult rather than a scared child afraid to speak your truth.

Staying with the tried and true is doing the same and expecting different results. Being a little more adventurous is about finding a new dress mentor who helps you become a more definable and shining you. Together you both enjoy sharing the adventure.

Fashion - Here Today, Gone Tomorrow or Sticking Around

Help! You scream as the change of another season comes and there is the newspaper headline - Real Trends for Real Women - and it has the top 10 trends for the coming season. Only 10, you think sarcastically. You read on and there is an eleventh one in there as well as five more fashion trends in another article in the newspaper supplement.

No wonder you are confused about what to buy to feel modern and look good without converting your spare bedroom into a giant walk-in wardrobe.

Here is my no-nonsense guide to help business and professional women over 40 interpret new season fashion trends.

Do Not Believe All the Words

These types of articles often tell us to forget fads and unwearable runway trends. Ten seems to be a favourite number. So off they go to find examples of how to interpret their chosen trends for the coming season. Sounds helpful but in order to get ten of them they mix trends with fads and classics.

A fad is a short-lived, one-season fashion or colour that suits only a limited number of women. It is definitely aimed at the young and slim or women who can wear that season's particular colour.

A trend is a fashion or colour that looks good on most women and stays around for one to three years. It changes from a fad to a trend in its second year.

When a fashion suits every woman and can be interpreted in many different variations, it becomes a modern classic like crossover styles. These are the modern dressing skills that every business and professional woman needs to learn.

Fashion writers prefer to call most fashion ideas trends rather than fads because women will buy a trend. We convince ourselves that it is a good financial buy because everyone is wearing it. When someone close to you asks you why on earth you bought that, you can reply that you will get lots of wear out of it as it is a modern and trendy.

Go Beyond the Hype

When you see and read these articles, be critical and go beyond the hype. If there is a colour of the season eg gold, it is because gold is a colour that those with warm colouring can wear well. Choose carefully - gold skinny jeans are a fad whilst gold accessories are a classic look that suits most women.

Ask yourself these two questions. Will I be happy wearing this next year and the year after? Are the women whose fashion sense I admire wearing this?' If you can answer yes, to both questions, buy them. If you answer no, put them back. Life is too short to waste money on clothes with no real value. You want versatility so you can wear the new item with a number of other clothes currently in your wardrobe.

Find the Real Treasures

The real fashion treasures are not fads or trends. They are modern classics or old classics worn in modern ways. This is where you learn and apply modern dressing skills to your professional and business dressing.

An often overlooked classic is the Trench Coat. If you do not own one, look for one in a colour other than black that will go over your dresses or skirts/pants and tops. A red or beige trench coat will look smart for years and years. Wear your old or new trench coat with a narrow or medium width matching or contrasting-coloured leather belt as an alternative to the cloth belt that comes with the coat.

Sheer material jackets are also a modern classic. They can be interpreted differently for various seasons. The material adds interesting texture, it allows the colours underneath to shine in a new light and it covers but does not completely hide your arms - good for those worried about saggy arms and wrinkles.

By all means, read and look at any article on each season's top trends. Do not believe all the words. Go beyond the hype. Find the real treasures. Let your real personality shine.

The New Slimmer Me - Who Is She?

You have made the decision, stopped the excuses and faced your embarrassment. You have dropped weight and are well on your way to your target goal weight.

Suddenly you are scared. Who is this new woman who is emerging from under the protective layers of weight? There is less of you weight-wise but more of you emotional-wise that is being exposed. With less weight, people notice and compliment you more. How is the new you going to dress?

Dropping weight means changing your mindset and your dressing habits. Here are three smart dressing tips to help you dress for the new confident you.

Your Covering Changes not Your Basic Body Shape

Many women believe that when they drop weight, they change from a large, rounded apple shape to an hourglass shape. That is not true.

Your basic body shape is determined by your bones and the width of your shoulders. These do not change. Only your covering over them is changing. As you drop weight, your true body shape will become obvious and more defined. Now is the time to become excited about who you really are.

Look at your shoulder, waist and hip width in the mirror. If all three are the same width, you are rectangular. If your shoulders are the widest, you are inverted triangle. If your hips are the widest, you are pear-shaped. If your shoulders and hips are virtually equal and your waist is smaller, you are hour-glass. If your waist is the widest, you are an apple shape.

Read articles and books on body shapes and how to dress for yours or book a consultation with an Image Consultant.

Styles that Work for all Body Shapes

Crossover tops and jackets are great for changing body shapes. Choose ones with ties so that you can wrap them tighter as you drop dress sizes. Retailers, pattern books and some party plan clothing companies have wrap jackets that can be worn many different ways. This is a money-saving option to expand your wardrobe and look fashionable while continuing to lose weight.

Modern wrap dresses and classic shift dresses suit every woman. Wear one with a self-tie or belt and you can bring it in a few sizes as you slim down. Tops, shirts and dresses with a princess line from the shoulder flatter all body shapes. Take the side seams in as you get smaller. Do not safety-pin side seams. That is sending a negative message to your mind and body.

Clothes that skim your body make you feel good about yourself.

Quality or Cheap & Cheerful

It is your call. Both do the job. You can go to shops that sell classic styles in good quality fabrics at a reasonable price. If necessary, have them altered to fit. Alternatively go to a discount store, outlet centre or boutique stores that have cheaper, fashionable clothes. Try the second-chance or charity shops. It is not about the price. It is how you wear it.

Do buy new clothes and new underwear. Waiting until you reach your magic goal weight is denying yourself the pleasure of the journey. Tell yourself you are worth the effort and the cost of looking nice whatever your weight and size.

Magic Tip:

Raise your skirts and show some leg. Best skirt length is just below the knee. Second best is just below the widest part of your calf. Add nice shoes. People will love the new you because you are doing what many women over 40 are scared to do. You are showing your legs.

Discover the new you as you make dropping weight an exciting journey not a punishing chore.

Are Plunging Necklines Worth It?

Rules are meant to be broken - especially by the young for whom most fashion is created.

Today many young women, and I am including those up to the age of 40, seem to be happy wearing plunging necklines for everyday wear. What happens if you want to look smart but for whatever reason, you do not feel comfortable wearing a plunging neckline? What do you do?

Here are three modern dressing tips for business and professional women over 40 so that you do not have to miss out on wearing some lovely modern fashions. These dressing tips can also apply to girls and women of any age who feel that the plunge is not for you.

Wear a Cami or Singlet Top Underneath

If you find a dress or top that plunges past your comfort point, consider buying or wearing a smooth-fitting cami or singlet top underneath. Both of these look smart and you can match, blend or contrast with the colour or pattern to your dress, skirt, pants or jeans. A fitted cami gives you the modesty you want. Make sure that the cami or singlet covers just the top of your bust. One that ends close to your collarbone looks old-fashioned.

If you prefer a cami to a singlet top, ignore those that have stretch straps as these do not hold the cami firmly in place. The cami can slip over time and you are back to revealing more of the plunge than you may prefer. This can attract unwanted comments from some men, especially if you are short like me. Yes, I learnt that lesson from experience. Stretch camis with built-in bras are a better alternative. If you want good support, wear a proper bra under these camis. As long as no one will see your bra straps, it does not matter.

I am not a fan of lace-top camis for a professional or business look as I believe they come across as either too casual or too sexual for a professional situation.

Be careful of beige and skin-toned camis or singlet tops as your neckline will still look plunging from a distance. Beige and skin-toned camis are great to wear under normal white tops, blouses or shirts when you do not want your bra to be visible.

Wear a Strapless Cami or Boob Tube Underneath

Some women wear boob tubes or strapless camis under revealing V necklines and low sleeveless underarms. You see the cami at your bustline, under your arms and across your back. Try them to see if you feel comfortable wearing them. If you have to keep hitching them up, do not buy them.

Ignore Plunging Necklines

Sometimes you just have to say - it is lovely but not for me. Even when you were young you rejected some fashion styles as not you. Be prepared to reject some plunging neckline styles and go look for something else.

Modest flattering swimwear can often be hard to find. One-piece swimwear and bikinis plunge a lot. Check out one-shouldered designs or swimwear with sheer front inserts that give a veiled glimpse of a plunge rather than an obvious view.

Bonus Tip

Try a classy back neckline plunge for one outfit only. The depth of the plunge is your choice, depending on whether you are wearing the top or dress in a professional, casual or night-time situation. A plunging back is unusual enough to be stylish, individual and timeless.

Rules are meant to be broken with style by smart women. Good quality camis and singlet tops can be very versatile fashion items. Let your personality shine as you turn plunging necklines into modern business dressing.

Is Lansinoh Affinity Breast Pump Effective?

If you have been asking the question, whether the Lansinoh Affinity breast pump is effective, then the answer is right here. After reading this article you will agree with me that there is no other breast pump that can work the same as the Lansinoh Affinity pump does. If you are looking for a cheaper pump that will not give you hard time cleaning it, then this is the breast pump for you as it has fewer parts for you to clean.

If you have just had your first child, and you do not have any experience with electric breast pumps, then you should purchase this breast pump as it is easy to use and all you need to know is highlighted in the simple manual that is in the package. Always make sure that in the package, there is a manual that will guide you as you use the pump. Otherwise the pump is easy to use, and you can also enquire from the retailer where you bought the pump, to guide you on how the pump is used for it to work effectively.

The world has now changed from being manual and had been digitalized. The Lansinoh Affinity breast pump is a digital product as well. You need to go through the guide to know how to use it because it works differently when compared to the original breast pump. Unlike the original Affinity pump, it has a letdown bottle that allows the milk to flow from the breast to the pump and into the bottle.

If for some reasons you cannot breastfeed your baby, then you should go for this pump, and you should be sure that it will not frustrate you as many people have used them and given a positive feedback in their reviews. Always remember to read the user reviews before you decide to buy the pump so that you can learn more about what other people are saying about this fantastic electric pump. The pump has been uniquely designed to pump milk into many bottles since it is one of the most advanced pumps that you will find in the market. As many people can tell you, the pump is cheaper and easily affordable, and you have no reason to continue starving your baby while you can just pump the milk and leave your baby happy the whole day while you are at work.

The Lansinoh Affinity breast pump can be powered by both AC adapters while you are at home or in the office, and they can also be powered by batteries while you are away from home. This is effective for those mothers who keep traveling every now and then. You can carry the pump with you and pump milk whenever you are ready. After getting your electric pump you will boost of the gentleness of the pump on your breasts. You will see how simple it is to use as you do not have to struggle. The pump has been designed for everyday use, and you can use it both at home and while away.

How to Look Younger

The search for eternal youth is a never ending quest. This is also why almost every 'revolutionary' product in the market that promises youthful appearance is lapped up eagerly by people. In the area of skin aging, wrinkles are the biggest enemy of a radiant, youthful appearance. When the collagen levels of the skin decrease with age or due to sun exposure, the skin loses its elasticity which results in wrinkles or premature aging. Even though home remedies such as the use of milk, honey, egg whites and honey may result in the skin looking smooth and wrinkle free temporarily, these home remedies fail to provide a long-lasting solution to wrinkles.

In several cases, non surgical or minimally invasive methods of removing wrinkles may provide very good results. One of the most common, and widely popular, methods of removing wrinkles is Botox. Botox injections are usually administered to the forehead or around the eye area and help to freeze the muscles, thus reducing wrinkles. The injections have to be repeated after every few months and are not known to cause any side effects.

The other popular and non invasive method of reducing wrinkles is the use of dermal fillers. In this treatment, dermal fillers such as Juvederm, Restylane and Thermage are injected in the skin to augment the skin tissues in the wrinkle prone areas. So, they can be used to remove fine lines or wrinkles around eyes, mouth, forehead and chin. The results of dermal fillers last longer than botox injections. Since these dermal fillers are natural components of the skin, they cause no side effects.

Laser treatments, chemical peels and Threadlifts are the other popular methods that work wonders for wrinkle removal. Threadlifts involve the use of thin threads or sutures that are placed under the skin and tightened over a period of time to lift and pull the skin to give a smooth, wrinkle free appearance. Threadlifts are performed with the use of local anesthesia. Laser treatments involve the use of laser beams that penetrate the skin and remove the damaged skin cells and facilitate the replacement of the old skin with fresh skin. Chemical peels work on the same principle. They are applied on the skin to remove the old, damaged skin so that natural, fresh skin can take its place. The peels remove the outer layer of the skin and the healing process takes a few days.

However, for people who have deep wrinkles that do not respond to home remedies or non-surgical methods of removing wrinkles, the best options are the surgical means, or face lifts. Face lifts are performed under anesthesia and require admission to the hospital. The procedure provides long-lasting results. Under this surgical procedure, the sagging skin of the face or neck is removed, the facial muscles are tightened and the face contour is improved. Surgery may also be performed to lift the brow, sagging eyebrows and droopy eyelids.

As a candidate for any of the wrinkle removing procedures mentioned above, it is necessary to be introspective of one's own aesthetic goals. Sometimes, it may be possible to reach the goal with a less invasive procedure, while at other times one may need to combine face lift surgery with a neck lift or a brow lift to achieve the 'perfect' look.

Choosing An Infertility Center

When a couple is faced with an infertility problem the emotional weight they carry can be devastating. The emotional distress can cause doubt on every decision made including when it's time to turn to an infertility center for more extensive and costly infertility treatment. Researching medical journals or on the Internet will reveal 10 or more large institutions located in major cities.

Now before thinking you have to visit a well known infertility center you really want to take a look at what is offered in your hometown or nearest large city. Your 'local' infertility center may have the solution to your particular infertility issue and this will remove the added stress of travel and lodging which will take time away from work as well as add to the expense of the whole procedure.

Even before you think you need In Vitro Fertilization, or 'IVF" as it is known, make sure you have explored more common options such as various fertility medications, inter-uterine insemination where sperm is placed directly in the woman's uterus as well as alternative methods such as acupuncture.

In-Vitro Fertilization procedures can cost as much as $35,000 so if you are not able to really afford that and can spend 6 months or so trying various alternative methods it can literally pay off in a relatively short period of time then you'll have that extra cash to go towards baby expenses or start that college fund.

When you actually visit an infertility center remember that you are going there to see if they are the right fit for you and your situation. Make sure they are very clear when discussing which procedures and any other work they are going to do and you will want this in writing so you can avoid any unpleasant surprises later on.

Checking ahead of time with your insurance agent regarding the tests and procedures the center will perform is important so you know what your insurance company will cover and exactly what you can expect to pay out of pocket.

If the infertility center outsources certain tests or other types of lab work make sure you know which lab will be doing the work so you don't get any surprises a few months down the road. The percentage of multiple births is also an important factor. While twins can be a cause for joyous celebration you will have two babies to care for at the same time.

Triplets will obviously be a lot more work than a single baby. There is also the cost of raising a child in dollars and cents. If you suddenly find yourself pregnant with triplets the pregnancy can be more difficult and then there is the work load and cost of raising three babies simultaneously.

When you are dealing with an infertility problem it can be very personal and you might feel intimidated at times but you need to force yourself past that and ask any and all questions you have no matter how 'stupid' they might seem. You need to know!

One other problem you might have is when you are questioning an infertility center they might not be totally forthcoming when giving you answers. An infertility center is a business just like any other and is expected to return as high a profit as possible.

You can ask about similar couples with the same issue you are facing and what the success rate is and you can also ask to speak with the staff of the infertility center and while they are obviously not going to say anything bad about where they work you can get a 'feel' for them.

Despite the emotional roller coaster you may find yourself on you need to stay calm and make the best decision possible.