Old Fashion Girl

Archive for the ‘Old Fashioned’ Category

What To Do With Your Unwanted Clothes

Many of us, at some point in our lives, end up with more clothes than we know what to do with. Some of us end up holding onto our old outfits, determined that they will fit us again, or that we will find use for it some day, but they needn’t sit there doing nothing. There are a number of things you can do with your old, unwanted or un-wearable clothes.

Get out your sewing machine

If you sew, then you can make all sorts of amazing outfits by altering existing clothes. Find patterns and fabrics that you particularly love and then look for a sewing pattern that you like the look of. After a little bit of work, you could end up with a gorgeous new outfit without having to spend a fortune hitting the shops. You could even think about selling them!

Sell them on

If your clothes are in good condition, or are of a very high quality, then you could sell your unwanted clothes on a site like Ebay. There are step by step guidelines as to how to set up an account on the website, but you should also heed the advice of experienced sellers if you want to get the best price for your clothes. Setting up a secondary account, or having a friend bidding for you is always a good way of pushing up the price of your goods. Once you have sold your goods, make sure you pack them well and think about using printed labels to ensure that your parcel gets to the right place – especially if you are selling internationally.

Donate

Charity shops are always looking for clothing donations and there are things like Salvation Army bins all over the country where you can drop off your unwanted clothes.

Recycle

There are a number of recycling schemes for clothes that will allow you to dispose of them in an environmentally friendly way. Marks and Spencer have also just teamed up with Oxfam to pioneer a recycling scheme on the high street, making it even easier to recycle your clothes.

Choosing a Prom Dress

Popular in America for decades, the school prom is steadily gaining more and more popularity in the UK. Now, one of the most important nights of a young girl’s life is the night of her prom, when she gets to say goodbye to her friends and her childhood and celebrate in style.

When shopping for prom dresses, bridal shops are always a good place to start. Bridesmaid dresses are a very popular choice amongst girls looking for something beautifully elegant and refined to wear for their special evening. Rose Fahey, who sells Bridesmaid dresses in Reading says, “I’ve seen a massive rise in young girls coming to us for prom dresses in the last few years. It really is important for them – I think that they really want to leave a lasting impression on their school friends. It’s a landmark time for them, so they want to mark it properly. I think that looking sophisticated properly marks the transition into adulthood”

The great thing about shopping at a bridal wear shop is that you can get the dress fitted and have proper, expert advice, although beware – this will not be good for your wallet!

If this all sounds a little bit out of your price-range, then there are loads of boutiques and stores on your high street (not to mention the internet) that can offer you stylish choices at a price that suits every pocket. If you’re worried that the dress might not be unique if bought at a chain store then you can customise it with jewellery and other accessories. Try your local craft store for ideas!

Check out vintage stores too for something totally unique – you can even try charity shops! If you give yourself enough time and are up for some reparations, then you could end up finding something totally gorgeous and absolutely individual.

If you’re lucky enough to be a dab hand with a sewing machine, you could even have a go at designing and making your own dress, making it something that is totally you. Find a dress pattern that suits you and pick some beautiful fabric and you are sure to wow your friends.

Indian Bridal Wear Tradition

Sumptuous, elegant and vibrant, Indian bridal wear is not only beautifully opulent, but comes from long standing and time-honoured traditions. Saris, the most popular form of bridal wear are thought to have been popular amongst Indian brides since as early as 1,000 BC and Lenhga Choli was introduced during the height of the Mughal Empire. These wonderful costumes have evolved and developed over the centuries by skilled craftsmen and have, in more recent years, been the beau of many a world-renowned fashion designer.

Popularised in part by the increasing popularity of Bollywood in the UK, traditional Indian wear has also become a favourite of the Western fashion world. There are many different types of bridal wear, coming from different regions and varying in material and detail.

Banarasi Saris are traditionally thought to be some of the finest Saris in India. Produced in Varanasi, Banarasi Saris are notorious for their use of gold and silver brocade as well as their highly detailed embroidery and fine silk. They tend to be fairly heavy, use Mughal inspired designs like floral motifs and can take up to a whopping six months to complete.

Kanchi saris are renowned for their fine silk. Produced in Kanchipuram, around 50,000 of the city’s inhabitants are involved in the hand loom industry. These hand woven saris are well-sought after due to their fine craftsmanship and material quality.

Mysore silk saris, characterised by their richness come in a variety of different colour combinations and a dazzling array of prints. These saris are traditionally worn by South-Indian brides.

Kashmiri saris are characterised by their amazing elegance, it’s opulent, woven embroidery and its easy portrayal of beauty and gracefulness. These are particularly popular amongst the Marwaai community.

Over the years, traditional Indian bridal wear has developed to become lighter and easier to wear, and although the style of embroidery and colour has changed little, fabric is now much sleeker.

Online High Fashion Store Avenue 32 Introduces More Rising Stars of Design

Avenue 32 is more than an online store. It is a luxury shopping neighbourhood online offering customers a dazzling selection of established and award winning designers alongside a who’s who of up and coming high fashion stars.

The site regularly introduces new labels to its constantly growing collection and this week has been no different with several exciting new lines made available, including Ohne Titel, Barbara Casasola and Sara Bataglia.

From a lemon yellow, winged mini dress in silk to a herring red cotton tank and colour blocked knit cardigan, the striking Ohne Titel collection at Avenue 32 features original constructions and appealing bright, playful, positive colour schemes. A range of outfits are available along with some gorgeous gladiator sandals, perfect for the summer.

Designers Flora Gill and Alexa Adams pair architectural shape and soft draping with a focus on the ideal fit and finish of an outfit. Ohne Titel clothing provide intelligent design choices for the strong modern woman.

Barbara Casasola brings her signature feminine designs to Avenue 32 through her eponymous label, which is available now. After working for Roberto Cavalli in Florence, Barbara worked with Gabriele Greiss in Paris on assignments for Lanvin before launching her eponymous label in 2011. This rising star of the fashion world has focused on cocktail and occasion wear, using a neutral colour palette combined with bold accents.

All Barbara Casasola clothing is made with care and expertise in Italy, from the pleated monastic gown and the profile evening dress in silk georgette to the short inside-out dress and square shoulder summer coat. Every item in the Barbara Casasola collection is a grand, gorgeous piece of evening wear and every item is exclusive to Avenue 32.

Also available are some eye-catching Sara Battaglia bullet bags. With loud orange, pink and yellow colouration, high quality leather detailing and Native American design, each Mochila bag makes a fun addition to your summer wardrobe.

Sara is the younger sister of Vogue fashion director Giovanna Battaglia and her cutting edge daytime bags are already a hit with fashion connoisseurs around the world. Sara Battaglia bags feature thick leather fringes and metal details in order to make a powerful statement.

Dare to be different and get one of your own or other incredible products from the leading international designers available at Avenue 32

John Lewis graduate scheme

John Lewis is the favourite retailer of the nation being voted for regularly in consumer polls. This happens because they have more than 350,000 products stocked in their stores. They also have more than 70,000 gift lines and popular quick selling homeware  lines. This plays an important part in their success. This is a national business and  enterprise that has a first class commitment to its clients and staff.

From 1929, the main aim of the company was and still is to make the people who work for it happy. This aim has never changed. This is the place where you start your career and  feel that you have worked here forever. The reason for this is that The John Lewis Partnership makes the people happy, including their partners. If you work there, it not only assures, a happy contented time in your job, it also makes you feel part of a long established team.

Because of the active co-ownership of the Partners in the business , this has  made The John Lewis Partnership unique. They shared the profit and promised in aiming its future. They treat everyone with honesty and respect, where it reflected the outstanding service that they give to the customers every time and every day.

John Lewis Graduate Scheme is modern and different enterprise for retail. This is one among the best programmes in UK. They choose students who have 2.2 grades. There are many opportunity available on retail outlets, which range from finance to store management. John Lewis Graduate Scheme is a brand for aspiration and household. This is an organisation which is expanding. John Lewis, one among the John Lewis Partnership has 32 shops and loads of other in their way. Challenging graduates can use John Lewis Graduate Scheme if they are ambitious and have strong love towards retail or if they want a job in Merchandising, Buying or Retail Management.

John Lewis Graduate Scheme has mainly three schemes – Retail Management Graduate Scheme, Buying Graduate Scheme and Merchandising Graduate Scheme.

Retail Management Graduate Scheme
Graduates who wish to run many department operations; this is the best suited scheme for them – The Retail Management Graduate Scheme. It is a challenging programme which will fit them to adjust with different challenges which comes by offering or extending many different huge products. If you are quick, adaptable, adjustable, and able to make next sale continually then you will succeed in this.

Buying Graduate Scheme
If you want to start a permanent career, then Buying Graduate Scheme is the perfect Scheme among the John Lewis graduate Scheme. You can select the different products which they sell in their stores. They have everything in their stores-electrical items to fashion items and sports goods to gardening equipment. With this, you can understand people’s need for now and for future with the help of your own ability.

Merchandising Graduate Scheme

People who have strong skills for planning, a brain for figures and analytical abilities and those who wish to work with buyers to make them understand what kind of things to buy now, stock for next season and trends that they are expecting for next season and upcoming seasons, for those people this scheme is the best suited one among The John Lewis Graduate Scheme

Chandelier restoration

Chandeliers always give a touch of elegance to any home, thus they are quite popular in most homes. However, there are various things that may diminish the elegant beauty of chandeliers, thus they need restoration from time to time. Some of the factors that may facilitate chandelier restoration are accumulated dirt or grime, rusting or chipped metal as well as missing lampshades and crystals. Chandelier restoration can be one of the most difficult tasks in the home, due to the fact that most chandeliers are very fragile. In order to restore chandeliers to their original splendour, there are basic procedures that need to be followed in order to ensure that they are preserved.

The first step when restoring a chandelier is to disconnect it from its power source, so as to make its restoration easier and safer. The chandelier should be placed on a towel in order to protect it from scratches or breakage. Afterwards, the chandelier should be dismantled, placing its components such as bulbs, crystals and shades on a separate towel. The chandelier’s metallic part ought to be examined for chipped paint or rust. If there is any rust, it can be scrapped off using steel wool. The chandelier should then be sanded to its base metal and cleaned with warm soapy water. An anti-corrosion primer should then be applied and given around 24 hours to dry up, after which it should be painted using a metallic finish. The chandelier’s screws should be checked for rust, replacing the rusted screws with new ones.

Chandelier crystals should be cleaned in warm soapy water and rinsed in clean water. They should then be dried with a rag and placed on a towel. Special attention should be given to crystals which have many different pendants. It would be advisable to take digital photographs of the pendants prior to dismantling the chandelier. This will help to avoid confusion when reassembling the chandelier, particularly if they have different shapes and sizes. Crystal pendants having the same size and shape should be cleaned and stored separately, which will make it easy to restore them to their correct positions. One can refer to the digital photographs in order to ensure that they have all been hanged properly. This way, missing pendants can be identified and replaced.

The lamp shades and light bulbs should be cleaned using a damp sponge and dried immediately. If necessary, the chandelier’s body can also be cleaned with warm soapy water and then dried and polished as required. Once all the parts have been cleaned, the chandelier can be reassembled, ensuring all its parts are in place. Before restoring the chandelier to its position, it would be essential to check on its wiring. This entails checking the wiring for rusty wire connections and decayed insulation. It may be necessary to cut off the wire ends as well as peel back insulation, in order to create new connections. The new connections should be secured with wire nuts and wrapped using electrical tape. After reconnecting the ground wire, the chandelier may finally be returned to its position, fully restored.

Natural Makeup Can Keep Your Face Healthy

With so many organic products on the market nowadays it is only natural that organic makeup should begin to take its place in every woman’s makeup bag. But do you really understand why this can be so beneficial for your face?

The presence of highly concentrated chemicals in synthetic cosmetics has been known to cause burns or scars in the skin, which on the face can alter your appearance quite dramatically and leave you feeling ugly. Why do we risk this everyday when science keeps telling us that our skin is the most sensitive organ of our body?

Using natural makeup made form organic ingredients is really the safe option. For thousands of years women, and men for that matter, have been using herbs and roots from the natural environment to decorate their faces. For over 99% of this time everything was organic. That was the way things grew. It is only in the last hundred years that agriculture began experimenting with using synthetic fertilizers and pesticides made from oil. And it’s only in that last 1% that rashes and allergies began to appear when people used some of the products derived from these plants or synthesized from these chemical soups called petroleum.

Keeping your face looking healthy is what every woman wants, so it’s no wonder that many women are insisting on organic natural makeup to use everyday. Some people say these products are more expensive but really, what does price have to do with beauty anyway. If it costs a few more pounds for an item that lasts a few months anyway where’s the problem? Do you know how much cosmetic surgery costs to cover up scars?

Fragrance Focus Calvin Klein Forbidden Euphoria

Calvin Klein’s new Fragrance Euphoria has been described as a sensory explosion that has to be smelled to be believed.

The Calvin Klein range of perfumes as some of the most popular smells in the world and none more so than their iconic, Euphoria collection. For this it’s absolutely no wonder the brand has decided to expand the range and has just unveiled a new addition, Forbidden Euphoria.

Originally Launched back in 2005, Euphoria for women has a distinctive oriental scent, provided by black orchid and lotus blossom, with a fruity pomegranate finish. Euphoria Blossom, which was introduced in 2007, has a much softer smell and citrus notes kept the fragrance fruity.

Sophistication, seduction and mystery have always been at the main values of the Euphoria collection and its newest addition, Forbidden Euphoria is absolutely no different; encompassing the very same feel, in name and nature.

Strong and seductive but clean and fresh, Calvin Klein Euphoria is now back and ready to take the perfume industry by storm with a new addition, Forbidden Euphoria.

It boasts top notes of sparkling mandarin, peach blossom and iced raspberry, which offer a lighter, fresher scent compared to the previous two fragrances. Additionally cashmere, woods and skin musk give the perfume warmth and depth.

Even the packaging of Forbidden Euphoria stays true to the collection, the only difference being the splash of pink, which provides a fresh, youthful twist on the classic fragrance. If you haven’t yet experienced this sensory sensation, grab a bottle of seductive Calvin Klein Forbidden Euphoria today.

The Merits of Children’s Organic Cotton T-Shirts

There are plenty of reasons why you might want to go with organic cotton for your children’s clothing. If you have just had a child or still have younger children, you might want to consider these benefits of organic cotton.

It is certainly true that organic used to mean low style, but at least you were helping the environment by lacking style. This is not true in today’s society. Many people are trying to return to more natural elements in order to create a more stable life for their children. One way to do that is to look at the advantages organic cotton tees can offer.

First, childrens organic cotton t shirts are highly comfortable. No matter how many washes the cotton goes through it will always be softer than your synthetic cotton. This is because it is the real thing.

Second, these organic cotton t shirts are better for the environment. Companies that offer true organic products care about their impact on the world. They look to offer eco-friendly products by ensuring the manufacturing process is aboveboard. They will use machines, products, and policies that keep the cotton organic the entire way through the process.

Third, most of the companies offering organic clothing do so under top conditions. They are made by individuals who care about the person wearing the children’s tees and they will keep their facilities in a location that offers the best labour. In other words, the manufacturing of top quality organic tees is done in a plant that does not use child labour or cheap labour in third world companies. Quality organic materials are handled with care. If a product is organic and cheap it is probably best to avoid it because something is probably off, such as how it was made. (more…)

Introducing the new CK fragrance

New to perfume specialists Fragrance Direct, experience the rebellion with CK One Shock for him or for her.

Get ready to shock with this rebellious and evocative new eau de toilette for crazy young people who like to make waves. Like a wild night out, CK One Shock is an electrifying, heart pounding experience. The bass is pounding, the neon lights are blasting. Get ready to do the opposite of right…get ready to shock!

Unlike the original, unisex Calvin Klein CK One, the ecstatic new Calvin Klein CK One Shock Eau de Toilette comes in separate shocking fragrances for her and for him.

Both embody the vibrant, edgy and irrepressible spirit of youth.

The opulent, oriental and floral fragrance of CK One Shock for her blasts open with top notes of passion flower, pink peony and poppy. At its heart it offers feminine jasmine, narcissus, blackberry and dark cocoa, rolling over a sultry base of amber, vanilla, musk and patchouli.

CK One Shock for him is aromatic, angry and spicy, with deep oriental nuances. There are top notes of citrusy Clementine, fresh cucumber and energy drink accord, a heart of black pepper, black basil and cardamom over a base of masculine tobacco, musk, patchouli and ambrene wood.
Every sexed up, firebrand, troublemaker now has a scent which perfectly encapsulates their raw energy and their individual attitude for life and love; for seizing both, living in the moment and above all else, having a brilliant time.

CK One is one of the all time bestselling fragrances here at Fragrance Direct, and CK One Shock is already showing signs of being every bit as popular. Don’t miss out on this revelatory scent. Grab your Calvin Klein CK One Shock Eau de Toilette today.

Also available through Fragrance Direct are the entire range of CK One Shock products. If you’re already ahead of the game and have your CK One Shock Eau de Toilette in the bag, why not compliment it when any of these awesome additions. We offer the CK One Shock deodorant stick, CK One Shock Woman body lotion, CK One Shock Woman body wash and CK One Shock Man body wash.

All of these exciting new products are in stock and ready to go, plus all are available at unbeatably low prices. Do you like to hide away in the crowd, or do you like to stand out from it? If the second is true, you need to get hold of Calvin Klein CK One Shock.