kids clothing

organic clothing information

2011-12-16T23:42:00.000-08:00

For consumers who are looking for organic clothing information, buying organic clothing is the only "natural" choice. The clothing industry is a $7 trillion industry worldwide. It has been plagued with accusations of worker exploitation, child labor and environmental pollution. As a result, sales of organic clothing have been growing at a rate of at least 11% per year. Today, it is possible to be well dressed and environmentally conscious.

How does buying organic clothingaccomplish this? The benefits of choosing organic cotton over commercially grown cotton are clear; pesticide reduction and environmental responsibility. Sales of organic cotton clothing are expected to top $3 billion by the year 2010. To learn additional facts about cotton. It is the second highest pesticide-laden crop in the world. Thousands of deaths per year are attributed to the use of pesticides in cotton growing. Making a single t-shirt from regular cotton requires 1/3 of a pound of pesticides. In West Central Africa, cotton provides employment for approximately 10 million people, and it is their only cash crop. Change may come slowly for cotton growers, however. Organic cotton costs about twice as much to produce because it is labor-intensive and it can produce a lower yield. But instead of pesticides, ladybugs are used to control pests, and manure is used instead of fertilizer.

Organic wool clothing and yarn provide the most natural environment for the sheep and the sheep growers, not to mention the lack of pesticide residues and synthetic chemicals next to the skin. Commercially grown wool is laden with chemicals. Sheep are first treated with pesticides to kill parasites; the fleece is cleaned with petroleum-based detergents. Then the dyes used are high in toxic heavy metal content. Finally, the runoff from these processes pollutes our streams, and workers exposed to these chemicals may suffer neurological damage. New Mexico is the U.S.'s largest producer of certified organic wool, representing about 80% of North American organic wool production.

Silk, a natural fiber harvested from the cocoon of the silkworm, is a smart choice for organic clothing. The mulberry tree is the silkworm’s primary food source. The major concerns with silk production are labor exploitation and the harm cause by using synthetic dyes. A better choice is dye-free raw silk, and silk which has been treated with natural, plant-based dyes.

Hemp is the newest star in the war against pesticides. A naturally insect-resistant plant, it can yield three times the amount of fiber as cotton, with virtually no need for pesticide use. It is, however, still illegal in the U.S. It is currently grown in many countries throughout the world and is imported to the U.S,

The latest trend is for organic bamboo clothing. For more information, visit the Fox News story "How green is bamboo-based clothing?"

What about synthetic clothing?

Clothing made from synthetic fabrics take a toll environmentally. Polyester, for example, is made from petroleum, is not biodegradable, and its manufacture pollutes the environment. One exception is Tencel, which is made from wood pulp. It is biodegradable and its chemical by-products are recyclable.

seraphine maternity Wholesale matternaly clothing: wholesale@seraphine.co

Effects of Race, Gender, and Clothing Style on Stereotype Activation

2011-12-16T23:36:00.000-08:00

The Effects of Race, Gender, and Clothing Style on Stereotype ActivationFor many years people have thought that the clothing one wears has a seriouseffect upon how they are perceived. Understanding how one’s outward appearanceshapes the perceptions others hold ofthem can be incredibly useful for people in all points of life, frominterviewing for a job to making a goodimpression on a date. Various phrases andslang across the vernacular indicate that people are always judged to an extenton face value. “You are what you wear”is just one phrase that shows how ingrained this logic is in the collective consciousnessof society. In a series of interviewswith women, Guy and Banim (2000) discuss the importance of clothing on a woman’ssense of personal identity while still maintaining a sense of appropriatenessin various circumstances. Understandinghow clothing plays a role in person perception has been a recent focus ofpsychological research, and can have implications for various social situationsinvolving impression formation.

Probably the biggest area of impact that this research may influence isthe business world. In recent years, research on clothing has focused onperceptions of professionalism and other work-related traits in a job interviewsetting. This research has examined thecrucial first impressions that clothing may cause during a job interview which,practically, could be the difference between landing a job and another jobsearch. Willis and Todorov (2006)investigated the importance of first impressions in their study. Resultsindicated that first impressions crafted in one-tenth of a second correlatestrongly with perceptions made in the absence of time constraints; furthermore,they found that increasing the time to analyze the subject to half of a seconddid not significantly change the correlation of the variables under examination(including attractiveness, competence, and trustworthiness). In fact, the only thing that continued toincrease without time constraints was the confidence that their perceptionswere right at the beginning. Among professionalworkers from various fields, a study found that 81% rated appearance of a professionalemployee as “very important” to the evaluation of the product or service topotential customers or clients (Easterling, Leslie, & Jones, 1992). Thus, first impressions and appearance areimportant regardless of whether they are accurate or predict work performance. GenderStereotypes and the Workplace Social psychologists agree that social perceiversautomatically categorize people into visually perceptible social groups, namelyrace, gender, and age (Blair et. al., 2002). Research has shown that socialcategorization, or the grouping of people into mental categories, is strongly linkedto the activation of stereotypes; that is, stereotypes are activated simply byperceiving physical attributes of social groups (Blair et al., 2002). Furthermore, Devine (1989) showed that peopledo not have to be high in prejudice against a particular group to havestereotypes automatically activated about the group. Rather, all social perceivers, regardless ofindividual levels of prejudice, automatically activate learned stereotypes as aresult of social categorization. Asreviewed in the study by Blair et al., research has demonstrated that gender isone of the categories that captures theattention of social perceivers (Zarate & Smith, 1990). Studies have shownthat categorizing someone by gender automatically activates gender stereotypes thatrange from domains of intelligence, such as the alleged gap between math andverbal skills (Nguyen & Ryan, 2008), to underlying personalitydifferences. Most gender stereotypesindicate that women and men are separated into different trait domains, withmen considered to have more “competent” values such as competitiveness,independence, and ambitiousness, whereas women fall into the “warmth andexpressiveness cluster” that includes gentleness, interest in art, andsensitivity to emotions (Broverman et al., 1972). Various studies have shown that there aregender differences in self-evaluations, with women rating themselves higher onaverage on agreeableness and the emotional stability/neuroticism scale than men(Costa et al., 2001; Goodwin & Gotlib 2004). Additionally, these findings have been shownto replicate across cultures (McCrae et al., 2005). Despite their integrationinto the workplace, recent research shows that perceivers still have a negativeperception of women in the workplace. For example, men tend to be judged asbeing significantly more associated with “business” words such as ambition,leadership ability, and competitiveness than women (Prentice &Carranza,2002). While men are often seen aspowerful in a business setting, Cuddy et al. (2004) showed that women in theworkplace are more likely to be perceived as less competent than men,especially when they reported having children. In this study, however, womenwere rated as “warmer” when they had children, although this is not necessarilya desirable trait in the business world. This shows that even when women areable to overcome the negative perception of their competence in the workplacethey pay a penalty for that respect in another domain, whereas men do not havethis difficulty. Recent studies have examined how gender may interact withclothing style in the workplace. Glick et al. (2005) found that women whodressed in an attractive manner, or “sexy,” at work were not thought of as lesscompetent if they occupied a low prestige job such as a secretary, but if theywere in a more powerful job such as in management then dressing in anattractive manner damaged their perceived competence. Even when women are considered to becompetent, they receive negative evaluations because of that competence, for literatureindicates that women are often perceived as either “warm” or “competent,” butnot both (Cuddy et al., 2004). Another studyinvestigated how clothing style and gender affected the perceptions oftherapists; results indicated that formal clothing was viewed more favorablythan casual clothing and that, overall, females were viewed more favorably thanmales (Dacy & Brodsky, 1992).

Seattle's Clothing Style

2011-12-16T23:30:00.000-08:00

People say clothing style helps youto express your personality or characteristics--this sounds pretty vague . .. Nowadays, not only women but men also spend much time expressing themselvesby wearing nice looking outfits or wearing distinguishing apparel to show theiruniqueness. Since each city has its own climate differences, local people inmost cities in the States have different clothing styles, too. When it rains,Seattleites put on jackets with hoods instead of using umbrellas. When you walkaround the streets in Seattle’s downtown area, you will see that people’soutfits are most likely divided into various branches. In Seattle, based on theauthor’s downtown observations, the clothing style is distinguished by three majorcategories.

- The Hippie Look:
The Hippie Look is observed mostly in theBroadway area of Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, which is geographicallywest of downtown actually, it's east of the waterfront . . .. When you walkalong Pike Street and reach Broadway Avenue, you are then entering the rightplace: the middle of hippies and punks [rephrase slightly for grammar--you arenot literally entering into the bodies of these people, but their domain, wherethey hang out]. The Hippie Look includes punk style, too. People with hippieoutfits usually wear black colored leather or cotton jackets, skinny jeans thatcover thighs and legs tightly, and boots. The overall color of the style isblack or dark in tone. Besides the main clothing apparel, people who are infavor of the Hippie Look prefer wearing accessories, too. Sometimes they put ona belt with a big buckle, various custom made emblems, or metallic earrings,rings and a necklace to show their sparkling fashion taste.

Money clothing

2011-12-16T23:25:00.000-08:00

Money Clothing is a UK based designerstreetwear brand that was first launched in 2003. The menswear label was thebrainchild of Nick Cordell and Melvyn de Villiers, who wanted to create anurban label that was popular by both its brand and the quality of the product.They broadened their articles, preserving the variations they were prominentand even beloved for; but additionally adding to their style with moresophisticated, cleaner styles built with the help of special, unique suppliesand equipment. The designers, especially Takashi “Maru” Marujo, arranged fortheir denims to be developed in Japan. These kind of Japanese built jeansusually are built implementing Kojima selvedge woven with vintage looms
The name of the label was derived from theobsession with money that many people have and this was portrayed in theirearly jeans collections which would often display the currency symbols such asthe British Pound and US Dollar on the rear pocket of the jeans.
The Money clothing collection is made up of fourmain types of garment. Money T-Shirts which often feature large slogans to thefront such as the brands logo or the King Ape logo, Polo Shirts which areeither striped or plain with the King Ape logo featuring on the left breast,sweatshirts and their range of Jeans.
Money have quickly developed a cult celebrityfollowing in a short space of time with David Beckham, Jay-Z, Chris Brown andthe Italian soccer teams all devotees of the brand which has led to thecredibility of the company rising and its distribution expanding Worldwide.

How to Display Clothing

2011-12-16T23:23:00.000-08:00

Clothing displays in retail storesshould be attractive and easily accessible to customers. There is nothing worsefor a customer than trying to sort through a pile of disorganized clothes on ashelf or rack. The best way to display clothing in a store will depend on thecustomers you aim to attract, the limits of the store's square footage and theclothing for sale

1. Purchase clothing racks andshelves. Get vertical racks with two arms on opposite sides of the upper rack,and round racks. The vertical racks will be used for displays of new clothingnear the front of the store. Round racks are used for clearance items near theback of the store. Shelving is used to display folded items. If specificclothing does not come with hangers, purchase those also.

2. Organize clothing by sizefrom smallest to largest, and by color. This not only makes it easier for thecustomer to find what she is looking to purchase, but also makes it easier tocount inventory. Get familiar with the color wheel and display complementingcolors alongside one another.

3. Display clothes as completeoutfits. On a vertical rack, hang shirts or sweaters on one arm and matchingpants or skirts on the other. The front shirt or sweater on the rack can bedisplayed with a necklace or scarf around the top of the hanger. The front pantor skirt can include a belt. This encourages a customer to purchase not just asingle item, but two or more matching items.

4. Place at least one saleitem on a display near the front of the store to draw customers inside. Saleitems are different from clearance items, which should be displayed in the backof the store. Sale items are those clothes that are still considered new product,but you are slightly discounting them for the purposes of luring customers intothe store. Sale items should be clearly marked with the price and discount.Clearance items are those items that are old or from the previous season andare deeply discounted in order to expedite their sale from your inventory.

5. Dress mannequins for windowdisplays and within the store with new items. Pay attention to the seasons anddress the mannequins appropriately. During winter months, highlight sweaters,pants, long skirts, jackets and boots. In the spring, focus on tank tops,skirts and sandals.

How to Find Deals on Kids Clothes

2011-12-16T23:19:00.000-08:00

Mothers of young children all knowone thing: Children grow quickly and are constantly outgrowing their clothes.Because of this, the need to regularly shop for kids clothing is a necessitythroughout the entire year and not just when special "back to school"offers are on sale. Fortunately, there exist a plethora of great, affordableoptions for fulfilling the need to restock the apparel items in your child'scloset. From online offers to discount priced stores, there are a wide varietyof kids clothes shopping solutions that can satisfy even the pickiest child orthe most discerning mother. As an easy, convenient first choice, onlineclothing retailers are often the perfect solution for busy mothers. With itemsdelivered straight to front porches, there is no need for driving to a store,picking out items, and then waiting in line for a dressing room to try on theselected kids clothes. With online retailers, most of the frustrating parts ofthe shopping experience are easily eliminated. Additionally, often the shippingprices for online retailers are wonderfully low. Some clothing stores evenoffer free shipping deals for orders over a certain minimum p Take a Look atSTD Testing Baltimore A great way to make online shopping even more affordableis to look for coupons. Many online kids clothing retailers offer specialcoupons on the Internet that can't be used in stores. Sometimes these couponsoffer a modest percentage off kids clothing, but other times they can representhuge savings. It's worth keeping an eye out for these and other online offers,especially if they can be combined with kids clothes located in a website'sclearance section. Non-online options are also great choices for shopping forkids clothing as well. While large department stores often offer decentlydiscounted apparel items, second hand stores can also be a terrific place toinvestigate. Stores such as the Salvation Army and Goodwill can be full ofgently worn items at very affordable prices. Goodwill department stores usuallyeven have special "color coded" discount offers, so keep an eye outfor these discounted tags while shopping. No matter where you choose to do yourshopping, remember to be flexible. Don't turn down a great deal just becauseit's a little too big or not quite the right color. Large kids clothes canalways be taken in by a skilled seamstress, and clothing in non-traditioncolors can often be made to match something. As long as you keep an open mindwhile shopping and do your homework, you're bound to come up with plenty ofgreat deals on kids clothes.

Parkinson and clothing

2011-12-16T23:14:00.000-08:00

Wearing clothes thatyou like and feel good in can do wondersfor improving self-confidence. Whilepeople with Parkinson’s disease can sometimes experience problems withclothing, professionals, such asoccupational therapists, can advise on various dressing techniques, equipment,assistive technologies and an ever increasing range of fabrics and styles,which all help to make dressing and choosing clothes very much easier. Dressingand undressingDifferent techniques may enable you to maintain your independencein dressing and undressing, and may also enable you to keep wearing yourexisting wardrobe. Experiment to find the easiest way of dressing and undressing.This may involve trying different positions (for example sitting down),different fabrics (stretchy fabrics can be easier to pull on and off) or using differentitems in the room to help (for example, using the wall, bed or a solid chairnext to the bed).

The following tipsmay also help:

• Consult an occupationaltherapist for advice about dressing and undressing.

• Allow time andspace to dress, and try to choose a time when you are ‘on’ and your medicationis having the maximum effect.

• Make sure that youstay warm when dressing or undressing, particularly if you need a long time.

• People withdifficulty fastening buttons often find this becomes much easier if they sitdown and describe the movements to themselves along the following lines: “Grip button… find hole … push button into hole … and … pull.”

It is a lot easier,safer and quicker to sit when dressing –both upper and lower halves of the body. Concentrating on the task and avoidingdistractions such as talking or listening to the radio while dressing will alsoimprove the ‘flow’ of movements. Describing actions as you do them, as in thebutton fastening example above, using as few words as needed appears to helpthe fingers to ‘work on manual control’ when habitual movements lose theirnatural automatic flow as in Parkinson’s. When it is necessary to stand to pullup or straighten garments, touch the back of the calf muscles against the bedsideor chair, for good balance.

• You may be able to cut down on the number of items that you have to put on bychoosing, for example, lined skirts or dresses (so that you will not need aslip), or quilted items (so that you need to put on fewer layers).

• It may be helpful to attach garments,such as trousers and underpants,together with Velcro so that you can put on two items at once. Remember thatVelcro must always be closed before washing.

• There is equipment available, such asdressing sticks and shoe horns, that may be useful, although these may not suitsome people with Parkinson’s and may be frustrating to try to use. Consult an occupationaltherapist for more advice on this. Visit your local Disabled Living Centre forfurther advice and an opportunity to try out dressing aids. An appointment isoften necessary, so phone beforehand.

Mountain Man Clothing

2011-12-16T23:08:00.000-08:00

The Fur Trapper erawas only a short period in American history, but it remains a favorite.Every weekend somewhere in the UnitedStates there is a Rendezvous taking place where re-enactors can live out thisperiod in history. We are excited about offering the Varsity Scouts theopportunity to learn about this period in history, and we want to do all thatwe can to encourage them to take part in the fun. Included here are a few basicideas and descriptions of period clothing to help them dress as mountain men.

“His dress andappearance are equally singular. His skin, from constant exposure, assumes a hue almost as dark as that of the Aborigine,and his features and physical structureattain a rough and hardy cast. His hair, through inattention, becomes long,coarse and bushy, and loosely dangles upon his shoulders. His head issurmounted by a low crowned wool-hat, or a rude substitute of his ownmanufacture. His clothes are of buckskin, gaily fringed at the seams withstrings of the same material, cut and made in a fashion peculiar to himself andassociates. The deer and buffalo furnish him the required covering for hisfeet, which he fabricates at the impulse of want. His waist is encircled with abelt of leather, holding encased his butcher- knife and pistols- while from hisneck is suspended a bullet pouch securely fastened to the belt in front, andbeneath the right arm hangs a powder horn transversely from his shoulder...Themountaineer is his own manufacturer, tailor. shoemaker and butcher; and fullyaccoutred and supplied with ammunition in a good game country, he can alwaysfeed and clothe himself, and enjoy all the comfort the situation affords. Nowonder, then, his proud spirit, expanding with the intuitive knowledge of nobleindependence, becomes devotedly attached to those regions and habits thatpermit him to stalk forth, a sovereign amid natureʼs loveliest works.”

winter clothing

2011-12-16T23:02:00.000-08:00

Because the area around you may get cold during thewinter you must have good winter clothing and gear. Having clothing and gearthat will not stand up to the weather conditions could cause you to die. It may sound cliche, but layering is the bestapproach to winter outerwear. Layering should consist of at least three layers:a base layer - thermal underwear of silk or synthetic cloth, a mid layer suchas a long sleeve shirt or sweater and an outer layer. Many people with extremecold experience will wear a base layer, a long sleeve shirt, a sweater, alighter weight jacket and then their parka. Some wear a down vest for corewarmth which also provides additional warmth in extreme cold when they will notbe active. A down vest and mid-weight jacket can provide warmth in most caseswhen combined with other layers. By using layers of clothing you can moreeffectively control your temperature, being too hot can be as dangerous asbeing too cold as you will be tempted to remove a heavy layer of clothing. Youcan unzip or remove one or more layers if you get hot, you can also zip or puton another layer if you are cold.

· ThermalUnderwear

Thermal underwear, NO COTTON, comes in several weights(and insulation values) - silk/tech silk weight, medium, heavy, polar/expeditionand then goose down. Each level is designed for a different level of cold.Silk/tech silk is the lightest weight and is for cool days when there is apossibility of sweating, it will wick away the sweat while also providing some insulation,thereby keeping you warmer than without any thermal underwear. Heavier weights willkeep you warmer at colder temperatures and will also wick away any sweat.

Goose down thermal underwear should be warn with asilk/tech silk weight set to wick away any sweat. If you are going to wearbreifs or boxers beneath your thermal underwear these should be of a "technical"or synthetic fabric that is designed to wick sweat away from your skin, thesame applies.

How To Buy Maternity Clothes

2011-12-16T22:56:00.000-08:00

Maternity wear has come a long way from the flowered tents ofyesteryear. Whereas once even

the word “pregnant” was taboo in the media and polite society, now thewatchword is basically if

you’ve got a baby on board, flaunt it. And though this can be taken a bit too far, creating a new

life is definitely not something which needs to be hidden away underyards of fabric.

Fortunately, nobody knows that better then the department and specialtystores that are selling

maternity wear these days. Thoughyou will still find some downright ugly dresses, for the most

part the emphasis is on comfort, convenience and stylishness. One thing you should remember

as you shop for maternity wear however is to accept your changing bodyand dress accordingly.

You are not “fat,” with all of the negative connotations our society andourselves place on that

word. You’re pregnant, and younaturally have to accommodate the fashion needs of that second

person you’re carrying around inside you. Trying to squeeze into too small or otherwise

restrictive clothing will be a battle that you can’t win, so why even try. Enjoy your pregnancy as

much as possible along with the changes your body is going through, anduse it as an opportunity

to develop healthier eating habits, if necessary, as well as gettingregular exercise.

In addition to specific maternity wear, such as “empire” style dresses(which are fortunately

becoming fashionable again) for special occasions, you can also findbusiness and professional

wear. Maternity pants withelastic panels in front to accommodate a growing baby, longer coats

and tunics which lengthen the body, t-shirts, shells, elastic waistskirts and stretch fabrics that are

already popular and stylish can all help you look neat and accommodate apregnancy. Unless

you have a specific reason for not doing so, informing your coworkers isalways a good idea, not

only for advice and tips they may have but also because, frankly, youmay need a break now and

then in terms of dressing a bit more casually if necessary. Remember, when it comes down to it,

it’s also about how you feel, because your perception of how you lookmay be skewed by the

dramatic changes you’re going through.

For non-professional situations, leggings and big shirts (raid yourhusband’s closet) can provide

easy outfits for shopping or just around the house. And if you attend a lot of formal occasions,

consider supplementing your wardrobe with outfits that may have onlybeen worn once or twice

available at your local thrift store or women’s exchange. You may find you want to put some of

your own maternity outfits there as well once the baby arrives. Withmaternity wear, which can be a little bland or monochromatic, accessorizing iseven more

important. Give yourself amaternity makeover, with a new easy care haircut and color. Shop for

diaper bags as well as totes and bigger handbags to accommodate all thethings you’ll need to

carry. Don’t forget shoes andunderwear, even if you’re a dedicated thong and Jimmy Choo kind

of person, you’re going to need some sensible underwear and somestylish, but flat soled shoes

once your pregnancy progresses and for some time after the baby is bornas well. And have your

partner keep up a steady flow of jewelry, watches, hair-wear and thelike, there’s nothing like a

little gift of fashion to lift your spirits as well as enliven woolleggings and a cashmere sweater.

Finally, don’t forget basic black (and other neutrals and basics fromnavy to cocoa to winter and

summer whites.) Whether you’redressing for work, for a formal occasion or just knocking

around, an elastic skirt, a pair of elastic waist pants, short or longsleeved shell and a long

deconstructed blazer, coat or tunic can form the backbone of a stylishand not overly expensive

maternity wardrobe which you can then supplement with more fun pieces,items borrowed from

friends and relatives or thrift shop finds. Just remember to buy yourself one outfit (andAmerican

designers like Donna Karan are moms’ best friend) that makes you feel asfabulous as you are.