Origins of the Lanyard - Not Just For Fashion

The lanyard was born on the high seas. Imagine yourself on a ship in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. This is not a clam sea; this is the ocean at its worst. The boat is crashing through the waves; the boat is pitching and rocking. It is being tossed around like a child's toy in the bathtub. The Captain orders you to climb the mast and cut the mainsail. You know that you only have seconds to scramble up the mast and cut the lines.

You are going to need both of your hands to make the perilous climb, but how are you going to be able to get your knife with you to the top? You could place it in your pocket or try to put it in your sock. However, what would happen if the ship rolled and the knife fell out? You and the boat would perish. You certainly do not want to risk having it in your hand while you are climbing? What do you do?

This situation was one, which sailors faced regularly. Sailors needed a practical solution, and they found one in the lanyard. If there is anything that sailors do well, it is tie knots. They realized that they could fashion a knife carrier from almost any kind of rope that they found on board the ship, and then they could tie their knife to the cord. This tool permitted every sailor to have their knife right at their finger tips, regardless of what they were wearing.

When one person comes up with a great idea, it is not long before it catches on with others. This was the case of the lanyard. Sailors on ships all over the world began to create and use this device. Additionally, they realized that the idea was not limited to carrying a knife. They could tie other tools to the lanyard and have the same advantages. Furthermore, the inspiration did not stop when the ship put into port. Sailors took this idea and used it on land, and they passed it on. People all over the world began to find new and various uses for the lanyard.

Few things are able to stand the test of time. However, a simple tool used by the sailor on the high seas can be found all over the world today. People use lanyards for everything from carrying high tech identification to walking their pet down a busy street. They employ it to hold their keys or modern electronic equipment and all the while, it is almost exactly the same as it was hundreds of years ago.
If you do not own a lanyard, you might want to take a lesson from the sea and get yourself one of these versatile devices.

For more information about lanyards or to place an order CLICK HERE ==> Custom Lanyards

Homecoming Dresses Make an Impression

Homecoming will soon be here, and every girl wants to look her best for this special event. If you're not sure where you will find your dream dress that will make an impression on your date, you can look online for the absolute best selection of the latest styles. It's easy to see all of the styles created by your favorite designer all in one place, with no one grabbing the size that you're looking for from the store rack. You can look online at the dress you're considering as often as you like before purchasing it. Just don't wait too long because homecoming will be here before you know it!

Mac Duggal Homecoming Dresses Is Style for Every Girl

You may be surprised to know how many choices there are in Mac Duggal homecoming dresses. There are strapless styles, those with one strap, and many different and unique fabrics that will be a dress that you'll always remember as your favorite.

Many are form-fitting and body hugging to let you show off your curves. A hot trend this fall is a mid-thigh length dress for formal events that is made of shiny material. One gorgeous dress that's available in blue or purple has sparkles on the bodice and gatherings of ruffles at the bottom of the form-fitting style. These are no baby ruffles though! They are pulled tightly into swirls that give it a three-dimensional modern look.

If you are the romantic type who loves a very feminine look, the season is just right for you. That's because there are plenty of ruffles, bows, and embellishments on the styles for this season. A strapless hot pink mid-thigh length dress with plenty of ruffles may be the right one for the occasion. This dress is ruched at the bodice, and it has a burst of bright silver sparkles at the front side of the waist. Below this, the skirt bursts into layer after layer of flowing ruffles on top of a stiffer layer below that gives the ruffles body and a stand-out feature.

More styles

There's a princess style that's just right for any girl who wants to have that royal look for the night. Just order the dress that is sheer ivory fabric with touches of gold inserted into the material. A thick golden belt wraps the waist tightly and has a decorative piece in the middle before falling into a gathered skirt. If you have your heart set on a long, flowing gown that will move while you dance, there are many great styles to choose from in these as well. You can surely find the Mac Duggal homecoming dress of your dreams by looking online.

It is virtually impossible to find any store that could possibly stock all of the dresses that a girl could find online. You can choose your special dress by style, color, fabric, or by a combination of all of these. The best part of looking at dresses online is the feature that allows you to get a close-up look of every single part of the dress. Just put your mouse over the bodice, and you'll see every single detail up close. Go down, and the waistline can be enlarged, as well as the skirt. It is possible to see every single details of the dress. There are measurements that tell what size you should order for your special gown. Just look at the bust, waist, and hip measurements and it is possible to order from size 0 up to size 22 in some styles. Others go up to size 16. It's easy to find Mac Duggal homecoming dresses to fit every girl's style and figure.

Look for exciting styles for homecoming dresses. that are available in a rainbow of colors and fabrics. For more information visit us at NetFashionAvenue.Com

1920s Fashion History - The Cloche Hat

There aren't many more famous elements of 1920s fashion then the cloche hat. 

The Roaring Twenties were famous for the masculine influence of designers like Coco Chanel, who's Little Black Dress revolutionized fashion by "letting go of the waistline."

The History of the Cloche

Cloche hats were wildly popular with the young flapper girls of the 1920s, because they allowed women to tuck their hair up into the hair to give the appearance of having short hair. Short hair not becoming popular until the middle part of the decade.

Like many of the popular trademarks of 1920s fashion, the cloche was invented in France by the famous Parisian milliner (i.e. hat maker) Caroline Reboux in 1923.

No one knew how popular this simple "bell shaped" hat would become.

The deep snug-fitting crown of the hat plus the small brim covered a woman's head and shield her eyes from the sun, but minimized the radius of the brim that would blow the hat off in the wind.

Materials

Because of the popularity of these hats, they were made from many different materials so women could wear them throughout the entire year.

Cloches were usually made from satin, silk velvet, rayon faille, horsehair, straw, cotton or felt. In the cold winter months they were often made out of animal furs like mink or brushed "napped" beaver pelt.

The Different Styles

"Cloche" is French named because it is "bell" shaped. There are many varieties of cloche hats, some had wider brims than others, some had feathers, others were totally plain.

Today the different styles of 1920s hats are often lumped together. Here are some of the different styles:

Gigolo Hat - Was introduced by Caroline Reboux in 1925, the gigolo hat was named after the "ladies man"
of the day. It featured a wide, drooping brim that was irregularly shaped and dipped lower on one side than the other. It also had an irregular crease a the top of the hat.

Reboux was famous for using minimalistic styles and making them interesting through her use of irregular shapes, creases, and hat molding techniques.

Turban - Inspired by the Art Deco movement in 1920s fashion, the turban was also introduced by Reboux and her assistant Mme. Agnes. It featured wraps of fabric around a cloche structure, revealing a hat that was both functional and reminiscent of the ancient Egyptian culture that was popularized in the 1920s.

Late 1920s Cloches - As the style progressed fashion designers took it to the limit, stripping the hat down to it's most minimalistic form. They cut away the front part of the brim and turned it back against the brow, leaving flaps for a woman's ears and making it look more like a football helmet than a hat.

Famous Hat Designers of the 1920s

1920s fashion is known for its progression from the Victorian Age, the often forgotten milliners who reinvented the hat during the Roaring Twenties were:

Maria Guy, Jane Blanchot, Louisa Bourbon, Suzanne Talbot, Marie Alphonsine, Rose Descat, and of course Paul Poiret.

What Makes 1920s Fashion Special?

These milliners brought the stodgy old fashions of the Victorian Era out of the closet and "made it new."
Like the rest of 1920s, the fashions moved forward rapidly, replacing the old outdated conventions of the past at an alarming rate. Designers took what society gave them and reinvented new fashions that closely reflected the new bustling society which surrounded them.

Jesse B. loves 1920s fashion because it reflects the elegant Golden Age of style.

He invites you to come celebrate the history of the 1920s, discover Al Capone, Louise Brooks & Coco Chanel like you've never seen them before.

Men's Designer Clothes - The Success Of Y-3 Clothing

Over the years men's designer clothes have produced an array of interesting and innovative ideas, but perhaps the most exciting developments have been where two separate industries have come together in collaboration, producing something which is far more than the sum of its parts.

When you take a world leading sports clothing designer and manufacturer and fuse their skills, knowledge and experience of cutting edge technology and the demands of sport on sports clothing with one of the world's leading innovative fashion designers the results will almost inevitably be something rather different. This is exactly what happened back in the late 1990s and early 2000s when leading fashion guru Yohji Yamamoto began collaborating with sports manufacturer Adidas.

Originally Yamamoto was working on just sports trainers, and with the fusion of Adidas' technology and understanding of the sports industry with Yamamoto's originality and innovative designs the Y-3 trainers became immediately very popular, resulting quite quickly of worldwide sales exceeding $100 million. The popularity of these Y-3 trainers was based partly on the sports technology brought by Adidas as well as the unique and very different designs offering by Yamamoto. These were sports trainers which looked quite unlike the sports trainers of the day, and today they are still amongst the most distinctive brands on the market.
They quickly grew a massive following, and became popular both within the sports industry and the fashion industry. People began buying Y-3 trainers both for their training and participation in a range of sports from running to boxing, as well as for relaxing and using as everyday casual men's designer clothes. These trainers managed to cross the barrier between cutting edge sports and cutting edge fashion, as a direct result of this unique fusion of the two industries.

After the popularity of the Y-3 trainers Adidas and Yamamoto launched the full Y-3 clothing range, which today includes everything from running shorts and trousers to vests, sweatshirts, running tops, sports jackets, baseball caps and even casual wear such as t-shirts and jeans. The Y-3 signature label and easily identifiable brand image became synonymous with innovation, unique designs and quality. Y-3 clothing is known to be made using the very highest quality materials and manufactured to a high standard. Perhaps you would expect nothing less from either a world class sports clothing manufacturer or a world class fashion designer or men's designer clothes, but certainly when you pair the two together the results were always going to be extraordinary, and remain a massively popular brand today.

Unfortunately one of the problems for consumers today is that the popularity of this brand has resulted in a huge market for counterfeit goods, but there's one easy way to spot the difference between counterfeit or fake Y-3 clothing and the genuine article.

Because Y-3 clothing has always had a reputation for using the highest quality materials and manufacturing their products to a high standard, anything less than exceptional quality is an immediate giveaway. For example, fake Y-3 trainers are usually just made from plastic, but the genuine article is always made from high quality leather. Most people can tell the difference between good quality leather and cheap plastic fairly easily, either by looking carefully, feeling it or smelling it.

The problem of course lies in buying Y-3 clothing online. The internet has enabled customers to buy men's designer clothes very easily with just a click of the mouse, but this also enables sellers of fake goods to sell their products with just a click of the mouse too. The advice for anyone looking to buy genuine Y-3 clothing is to avoid places such as eBay and purchase direct from a reputable retailer with an established reputation.

For a wide range of men's designer clothes, including 100% genuine Y-3 clothing visit Infinities, a retailer with over 20 years' experience selling innovative designer clothing.

How to Choose Dress Color for Summer - Tips You Need to Know

You'll have a lot of fun and parties in the summer, the brightest and lightest season all year around. When choosing your favorite dresses for these happy occasions, you can't consider clothing style and quality only. In fact, dress color is an equally or more important factor. Want to know the best color for your summer dresses? Read on and you'll get the answer.

Hot summer 2011 color trends

You never want to be out; keeping up with the latest fashion is a must. Let's see the top colors for this season.

Various shades of the pink and the coral colors abound in almost all Spring/Summer fashion collections. These tones from neon pink, salmon to watermelon and fuchsia show off ladies' feminine and soft temperament to the best.

Bright hues of the yellow color family are essential for 2011 summer dress. Orange, lemon, chartreuse, daffodil, mustard - just be free to choose in all possible variations and show your passionate, energetic nature.

Dress in blue and you're certainly in fashion. Produce a fresh and lively look with aquamarine, azure and cerulean; or give a feeling of nobility and tranquility with navy, indigo and sapphire. Besides it's easy to team blue with other colors and prints.

Earth tones claim their space for this season fashion with the '70s style in trend. Black is no longer the only chic color that tells of sophistication of the wearers. Now you can add a vintage vibe to your wardrobe with dresses in earth tones. Russet, umber, ochre and sienna are all great options.

White and black are generally used by fist-class dressing designers, without exception for this year. You'll never be wrong no matter you dress in white or black alone, combine them together or pair with other colors.

Your skin color talks

Trendy or not, the dress color must complement your skin tone, especially in the summer when you expose most of flesh.

Spring complexion people look best in warm or bright colors like golden yellow, coral, bright aquamarine and royal blue. Suitable tones for summer are pastels and light colored neutrals. For example, lavender, plum, and pale yellow accentuate summer complexion well. Black and orange are not good here. People with autumn skin colors should dress in earth tones or colors with golden undertones. Try gold, orange, camel and burgundy. Winters should go for rich and clear colors like navy blue and dark pink. Snub subdued and pastel colors in this case.

Consider your body figure

Summer is the season which your body shape shows itself most clearly. It's great if you have enviable figure and show off as much as you like. On the other hand, it's a total different story.

Luckily you can use the color tool to conceal some points you don't like. For girls and ladies with less height or more size, darker colors help to make an elongated and slimmer look. Also stick to straight dresses in monochrome. If you really want multi-colored or printed outfit, choose those with vertical stripes or lines. You'll get a good effect.

Keep these tips in mind and you are sure to choose the perfect color for your summer dresses!

Ivy Monn, from http://www.dressesshop.com, offers useful information and advice about dresses at any occasion. We carry a gorgeous array of custom-made dresses and in stock dresses at affordable prices with uncompromising quality and service. Visit today and find your favorite dresses on discount.

How to Look Taller With A Few Simple Fashion Choices

Not many people want to be short. But if you're born that way, there are some simple fashion advice and tips you can use on a daily basis to greatly help give the illusion of being much taller than you actually are. Some of the most successful short people in the world use these tips, including many Hollywood celebrities.

*Wear High Heels

This is not necessarily a tip for women only because there are companies that make shorter men look between two to five inches taller with shoes that have hidden platforms built into their soles. But whichever gender uses them, high heels will make among the most dramatic difference to the height of any short individual. They don't have to be expensive, designer heels, and they shouldn't be so highly raised that you feel and look awkward walking and standing in them. But they're a definite essential in your goal to look taller.

*Match Legwear with Shoes

If you coordinate the colour of your legwear with you shoes, it creates the visual dimension of increased height because of the longer, linear look that comes across. When you go shopping, be on the alert for the types of fashion legwear you enjoy wearing most and simply combine them with your favourite type of footwear. For example, if you're wearing a beige pair of pants, wear a matching colour beige pair of shoes. You don't need to spend much money at all to accomplish this height-increasing look as there are many choices out there in a wide variety of price ranges.

*Dress in One Colour

You can go one step further than the above tip and choose to dress yourself from top to bottom in all one colour. Two of the best colours to accomplish this goal with are the darker ones such as black and navy. You can use this monochromatic look with shoes such as wedges. Shoes should be a matching colour as well, and if you're wearing boots, make sure they're at least to the knee rather than flat ankle boots, which can make you look shorter and stout.

*Wear Vertical Lines

There are many varieties of men's and ladies jeans that are offered with subtle vertical lines. Wearing clothes with vertical as opposed to horizontal lines greatly increases the look of height of anyone wearing them. Many suits come with vertical stripes, as do tops and legwear. Vertical lines make the eye look upwards instead of across the body so you'll not only look taller but you'll look thinner too. Clothes of this nature can be either formal or informal, depending on the circumstance and the impression you want to make on people.

All of these fashion tips can help boost most anyone's height and confidence level at work or at social engagements. And when you feel better about yourself, you'll enjoy these fashion choices even more.

From the hottest dresses and shoes to the latest runway looks - read more fashion and style tips at our website

Fashion for Everyday Women of All Sizes

In today's society we are overwhelmed with fashion choices. Yet, many women still feel that they are on the forgotten path leading them to constantly ponder various choices that flatter their unique shape and size. As we are all aware the fashion industry is just beginning to embrace various sizes and shapes. Gone are the days when fashion was only limited to skinny females. With an increase in the number of curvaceous females than ever before, fashion is embarking on more plus size trendy dresses. Many companies ranging from online to high fashion boutiques now stock a range of plus size trendy dresses, in an array of styles that can flatter various sizes and shapes.

Regardless of the size of an individual, you can look attractive with the right clothing that fits your body shape. People who are curvier can wear form-fitting clothes to hide unwanted bulges and flaunt their attractive assets. Petite females are able to find more fashions that do not require altering to fit the smaller sized individual. The good news is that even designers have started realizing the market-scope for plus size trendy dresses. In turn, they are also embracing the much ignored petite market.

Colors

Although, black is the most-popular color when it comes to plus size clothing, the latest fashion trends are not just limited to black. Earthy tones like grey, some shades of brown, green, gold, and olive are the latest in thing. However, it is important not to go overboard and avoid too bright or light color dresses.

Jeans

When it is about plus size trendy dresses, dark color jeans are the most preferred. A wide-leg jeans looks better on larger figure as compared to skin-fitting jeans. You can also buy jeans with a built-in panel that acts as tummy control and help you look slimmer.

Shirts

While women with larger figure cannot afford to wear a very loud printed shirt, still they need not be limited to boring button-down shirt. The latest trend in shirts is to add variety to them by trying different sleeve lengths, designer neckline, and ruffled sleeves. Graphic prints are also hot when it comes to plus size trendy dresses. However, plus sized women need to be careful while choosing graphics and patterns.

Shoes

The choice of shoes largely depends on the type of clothes you are wearing. However, the latest fashion about plus size women include flat ballerina shoes, and tall chunky heel shoes. You can choose one that goes well with your outfit. A good news for women who have been longing to wear tall fashion boots, but couldn't because of muscular calf, tall fashion boots are now available in wide width as well.

The days when plus size clothing was just limited to large frocks and over sized T-shirts are gone. You can easily accentuate your positive assets while hiding the problematic area by choosing right plus size trendy dresses.

David Nickson is an accomplished writer and philanthropist. He is currently involved in writing for the plus size dresses and trendy dresses

Women's Coats: Avoid Fashion Mistakes by Sticking to Classic Cuts

With so many different styles to choose from, it can be difficult to find a flattering coat. Coats for women come in a wide range of cuts, colours, and materials. Because there is so much choice, it is important to establish exactly what you want from your coat before you begin your search.
This means thinking about how warm you want the coat to be, and you should make your choice depending on the season. Also, think about whether or not you need a hood, if it rains frequently, then a hood is probably a good idea, and so too is a decent waterproof material, such as nylon.
Think about the colours in your wardrobe, and choose a coat that suits the majority of your clothing - it is no good buying your 'perfect' coat, then realising that it clashes with your sense of style and the colours you wear most often - if in doubt, always opt for black, as it matches all other colours.
If you want to look fashionable in your coat, either you can choose a style that is currently en vogue, or you can opt for a classic look. Here, we will look at some of the classic styles of coat that are also in fashion. By selecting a coat that has both qualities, you know that you will look like a trendsetter, while at the same time ensuring that you cannot make a fashion faux pas, as these coats never go out of fashion.
Pea Coat
Starting with a classic cut, the pea coat is great for colder climates. Pea coats are normally woolen, and have a rather long cut, finishing below the hips. They have been around since the 18th century, but remain extremely popular. Pea coats are associated with sailors, and so have a nautical theme. This is great in terms of fashion, because this season, there will be a strong nautical theme running throughout the fashion world.
Pea coats suit a wide range of styles and are fantastically versatile, concerning the types of outfits they suit. They work equally well in formal settings when teamed with a suit, as they do in an informal setting when teamed with skinny jeans and a block-coloured t-shirt.
Trench Coat
Trench coats are great for wearing in cold and wet weather because they are warm and waterproof too.
There are many different styles of trench coat, which means that you have the option to experiment with the look. Many trench coats for women come with added embellishments. If you want to look fashionable in a trench coat this season, then choose a style with a wide belt and a large buckle.
In terms of colour, opt for camel. Camel colours are a huge trend this season, particularly when it comes to coats.
Trench coats match a variety of different styles, but tend to be more suitable for women who love to wear a classic style of clothing.

If you are interested in buying either style of coat, or simply wish to browse some of the latest women's coat trends, then visit www.jacketscoats.co.uk.
coats for women

Why Are Maid Outfits Loved by So Many Female Cosplay Lovers?

Along with the fast social development, various fresh items appear and new concepts are accepted by modern people. Costume play is exactly a unique leisure activity invented by people who feel bored with the busy commuting everyday and look forward to making some differences in their life. Actually speaking, those shows are fantastic and completely different with high-end banquets where all participants look pretty or elegant. To join in a costume play, everybody will put on a particularly made outfit and sometimes a twinkling wig. Yes, they are imitating. The inspiration for them while spicing up their looks with those unusual clothing definitely comes from a certain anime, movie or online video game. Then, what do costume plays really refer to? And what do these odd events bring to participants?

To be honest, you will never really know what you will get from a costume play before taking part in it personally. First, it' s a must to know these: costume play can be called as cosplay for short. It means a kind of reality shows, in which participators are impersonating their favorite roles from an imaginary cartoon, anime, science fiction, movie, game, etc. There is only one crucial rule for these activities: just try your best to make you look the same with the impersonated role. On the present market, a really large amount of costumes for anime reality shows is available. Or, some anime aficionados tend to let their outfits to be customized in a tailor shop for spending just a little. Anyway, it' s necessary to get to know some background of costume plays and some popular trends on suits for these shows.

In most cases, people will act characters they are fond of. Certainly, you will only never feel tiresome while purchasing or making a costume and dealing with your hairstyle to look similar with the impersonated role if you love his/her individuality and appearance. Besides, you will be more enthusiastic in getting to know the backdrop of the anime and also the character. Even though costume plays are fantastic, they still bring people much joy. Thus, it really does not make sense if making you exhausted while spicing up your look. Remember to choose the role you like.

Second, it' s a must or a better idea to follow the mainstream on costume plays. It seems fashion has stretched to almost each corner of contemporary people' s life. Even on such an uncanny activity, keeping an open mind to the current trend is also of great importance. Then, referring to popular trends on the anime reality show arena, these categories should not be neglected: Alice in Wonderland, Final Fantasy, Fruits Basket, Sailor Moon and Hell Girls. Costumes for these stories certainly also lead the biggest trends all the while.

Nevertheless, people who do not find favorite roles from anime or have no interest with those fantastic anime clothing usually trigger other fads. Maid outfits are definitely some of the hottest items required by them.
Comparing with attires that are strictly made on the basis of styles in anime or movie, maid outfits for women show us much simpler and more dolce styles. Most of them are made from cotton, carrying draped skirts, over-sized butterfly ties and lace hems. Girls often make some small alterations on their maid costumes to make them cuter or more accent their sex appeal. Actually speaking, a maid outfit is versatile in putting an emphasis on the wearer' s female property. It' s definitely because of this that makes so many female anime show lovers show deep interest on maid outfits. The combination between black and white should be the most classic design theme on maid costumes. The sharp-cut color contrast creates a kind of understated yet sophisticated beauty. Appealing sex sensation oozes out instantly when black embroidery is added onto white bodices or skirts. For females who are reluctant to make bold statements with their personality, maid outfits absolutely bring them a great opportunity to experience something different and exciting.

Costume plays trigger a big trend amongst people in different ages because they help people make some differences in their life. Through this, most people do live more interesting life. Then, maid outfits are loved by lots of females definitely because they enable women to break away from their long-term rules to spice up their appearances. Probably, you will also love the stimulating sense of impersonating a cafe maid on the coming anime show.

Maid outfits are the first choice for most female anime lovers at present. For high-quality yet cheap maid outfits for women, just go to miccostumes.com please.