PRIVATE-LABEL BABY FORMULAS

Many people struggling to save on baby formula will tend to use private-label baby formulas. This kind of baby formula is labeled with the name of a retail store brand. Knowing that some people want to get the best quality of baby formulas with more affordable prices, private-label baby formulas which are also known as store brand baby formulas have become the best option. To cope with the nutritional needs of every baby, baby formulas are present to fulfill it. The following details will explain about private-label baby formulas.

It is known that switching from name-brand baby formulas to private-label baby formulas is money saving. There is a potential saving up to 600 US dollars in each year for one baby. Who will not be interested then? In addition, there is already complete nutrition in the store brand infant formula.  What makes people interested to use private-label baby formulas is there are some online companies giving away free baby formula samples. Hoping that if more people can try the free samples, they can purchase the products, many online companies compete to each other to give free samples of baby formulas on even a regular basis. We can check the online store or the website at least one time a week to find out if they offer free samples of private-label baby formulas.

We should be carefully about any possible expired private-label baby formulas sold in the market. There are some characteristics indicating that the baby formulas are expired such as the smell and the look. If the baby formula smelled spoiled, we should not use it. In addition, if the formula looks contaminated and damaged, it is highly suggested to not use it. Furthermore, we can get free private-label baby formulas by combining sales and coupons. This combination will surely make you get either free or very cheap baby formulas.

Whole Life Insurance

        Having life insurance is very crucial to our life for we do not know what the future looks like. It can be something bad will come to us like a car accident or we should pay for our children’s tuition that needs certain amount of money as soon as possible and the role of life insurance is reducing some of your burden in your life. In general there are four types of life insurance that are made for people with each life insurance has its own terms and conditions. The four kinds of life insurances online are Whole life insurance, Universal life, and variable life and Term life insurance.

         Let’s talk about the first type of life insurance: Whole life insurance. As the name suggests, Whole life insurance will protect the insurer in his whole life with permanent coverage. It is one of many popular type of life insurance that is chosen by the insured people for they think they feel secure if they are protected in their whole life without worrying something bad happen to them. Moreover, it is popular due to the premium that the insured people pay is still stable as long as they life. As it will protect your whole life, the premium fee is higher compared to other types of life insurances.

The Good Things Coming From The Pay Day Loan Service

Among so many other ways to get some instant cash, the online payday loan services that spread on the internet has been chosen by so many people in this country. There are a number of people who like to use the online payday advance loans service in the internet because they know that they will get more advantages from using pay day loan than the advantages that they might get by choosing other kind of source of instant cash. If you want to try the pay day loan service, I think you will need to know the advantages of using this service. Thus, here I am going to tell you about the advantages and benefits that you might like to hear.

The first advantage of using pay day loan online internet service is that you do not need to stand in line to get yourself served. Since the service is based on the internet, you can just apply for a loan at the comfortable place at your home. You do not need to wait for a long time to get your application accepted. The second advantage that you can grab by using pay day loan is that you do not need to wait for a long time to get your money. 

Making the Most from Car Insurance Aggregator Program

People often find much difficulty paying their online car insurance, especially in term of monthly payment, once they have decided to buy one. What they thought previously as something bearable for their financial condition often turns out to be something extremely hard to cover any longer.

This unfortunate turn of event is mostly caused by the negligence due to the side of these people themselves. At tie when they were buying their auto insurance, they forgot to simulate their very own terms of payments in the whole years. Yes, these people just bought the insurance and never actually took advantage from the insurance aggregator program which, if used wisely of course, could easily help them avoiding such trouble.

Therefore, if you are trying to buy or get your own car insurance for yourself, never forget to make the most benefit from such calculator program. This program is designed to help you projecting your financial condition over the very years you choose to pay for your insurance. Thus, even right now, you will be able to see the very ‘future’ of your own financial condition so that you could correctly make any decision regarding your own term of auto insurance payment in the future.

The Easiest Way to Get Cash Loan in Urgent Cash Loan

        Almost all people may once need to pay the unexpected bills. In this situation, you need money fast to pay the unexpected bills. There are some people may become worried when they are in this condition. If you need money to pay the unexpected bills, you do not need to be worried. In this condition, you need to get the cash loan. Getting the cash loans is not difficult today. It is because you are able to get the cash loans online. If you want to get the cash loans online, you are able to apply for the cash loans online in Urgent Cash Loan.   

Urgent Cash Loan is a site that will help you to find the fast cash loans. In order to get the fast cash loans through Urgent Cash Loan, you only need to do the application process online. You only need to complete the simple application form within minutes so that it will save your time. This site will match you with some lenders that offer the cash loans depend on your situation. After that, you are able to choose the right one that is match to your need. If your request is approved, the lender will deposit the money into your bank account.

Applying for Online Payday Loans through Priority Payday Loans

        People who need money in hurry need to look for the best way to get money fast. Borrowing money from banks is not easy for some people who have bad credit. If you face this problem, you do not need to be worried. In this condition, you need to look for the best way to get the loans that are not required the credit check. The best way that you are able to do to get the loans without credit check is by applying for payday loans online. Today, there are many lenders that offer the payday loans online. There are many payday sites that will help the borrowers to find the payday lenders.    

Priority Payday Loans is a site that will match the borrowers with the lenders. There are various types of loans that are offered by the lenders in this site. Payday Loan is a loan which is offered by the lenders in this site. If you want to apply for the payday loans in this site, you do not need to fax any documents. Besides, there is no credit check required so that people who have bad credit are able to get the payday loans easily. To get the payday loans through this site, you only need to complete the application form online.

How to Make the Most of Couture Wedding Gowns

Nothing looks quite as elegant as couture wedding gowns when they come out just right. If planned and executed carefully and perfectly, a custom made dress can look and feel like the dress of your dreams! There are several ways to make sure your couture bridal dress looks great and makes you look even better!

Here are a few of the things that help make couture wedding gowns look the best that they can be!

Styles and Fabrics That Fit the Occasion

A comfortable bride is a beautiful bride, which is why it is necessary to make sure that the fabric and styles used in couture wedding gowns suit the season, occasion and location as much as possible. Obviously, if the wedding is to be held outdoors in the summertime, it makes no sense to buy a heavy wedding dress with heavy fabrics that will be quite uncomfortable in hot weather. On the other hand, it is equally uncomfortable to be wearing cotton, gauzy, lightweight gowns in the middle of a cold snap. Be practical.

Detailing

Lace or embroidery? Seed pearls or rhinestones? How about sequins? Boning? Petticoats? Silk flowers? Hand beading? These are the details that add to the magic of the designs - but only when done right. Too little, and they're of no help, while too much is just tacky. A good designer will help you decide on just the right amount of detailing added at just the right places to flatter you most.

Undergarments

Wearing the proper underclothes go a long way in making sure that whatever couture wedding gown you might have chosen, it will look good on you! Undergarments certainly affect how a dress fits, and how smoothly it hangs on a figure. Don't skimp when investing in good undergarments.

Shoes

Having the right height, design and material for your shoes can go a long way in making the most out of your couture wedding gowns. The height of the shoe affects the hemline and how the skirt falls, and there's a right shoe height for every design. Short tea-length dresses, for instance will do best with high heels that flatter the legs, while tall brides in streamlined gowns might do well with ballet flats or jewelled sandals. When it comes to shoes, choosing the right ones will spell the difference between looking good and looking great.

Accessories

Flowers in your hair or a pearl hair band (or tiara) holding the veil in place may just be the finishing touch you need, but that truly depends on the designs. Carefully choosing the right accessories to match the different designs for couture wedding gowns is the key to the perfect look. Less is usually more.

Can a Woman Row Across The Pacific? She Already Did

What if I told you that it was possible to row a boat across the Pacific Ocean? And what if I told you that it has been done before? And what if I told you that a woman has also accomplish this task? Indeed, there was a woman who rowed the Kon-Tiki Route - from Lima Peru to the Polynesian Islands across the Pacific Ocean. Can you even imagine that? This same woman braved the Atlantic Ocean as well, yes, in a rowboat. If that wasn't enough, a few years later she decided to sail around the world.

Now then, I don't know about you, but this sure sounds like a life well lived to me. Someone refusing to live in mediocrity, take the easy route, or succumb to fear. She was determined, dedicated, and committed to the cause, her cause. When she left Lima Peru they thought she was crazy, but no one thought she was crazy when she rowed ashore on that Polynesian island after accomplishing something seemingly impossible.

Okay so, I'd like to recommend a very good book to you, one which I personally own, and one which has given me motivation to do something great myself someday. The name of the book is;

"Challenging the Pacific - The First Woman to Row the Kon-Tiki Route," by Maud Fontenoy (also author of Across the Savage Sea), Arcade Publishing, New York, NY, 2005, 155 pages, ISBN: 978-1-55970-818-0.

Her story is incredible, as she battled the weather, the unknown, the mighty currents, and lived to tell about it. A lesser woman would not have been able to accomplish this, and would have drowned along the route. Of course, Maud is no ordinary woman. What I'd like to say is; there is no reason to live in mediocrity or become an ordinary person. You should live your life for the moment, and enjoy the experience, and never be stifled by society's norms, or the fear which fills the hearts of lesser men, or women.

After reading her account of what happened, it doesn't sound like something that I would want to do, but I am humbled by her incredible success, vision, and perseverance. This shows the true essence of the human spirit, what's possible, and why you should never give up on your dreams and goals. Far too many people do, and then they grow old and wonder what happened, they lived an ordinary life, but they also did so by choice. This is your life to live, so live it full-tilt, make it count.

Honoring Friendships As Great American Women

It's a late Friday afternoon in early August when they start to arrive at the cash bar. Within a few minutes, the lounge is full of laughter and cheer as old friends reunite and newcomers are warmly welcomed.

The atmosphere is enthusiastic and expectant. No wonder.

These twenty-some women have much to look forward to. They have left their usual chores behind for a weekend of good wining, dining and camaraderie at a very hospitable conference center near Minneapolis.

Every year since 1995, this getaway has brought dozens of American women together from several different states, and even as far away as Scandinavia.

How did it all get started?

Many years ago, an executive member of a large, nationwide scholarship organization was nearing retirement age. The thought of losing contact with her network of interesting, professional women got her thinking.

"I must find way to keep in touch with this amazing group of women!"

Brainstorming this thought resulted in the idea of collecting women friends, relatives and friends-of-friends once a year for a weekend of open-hearted sharing and studying topics of interest to all. In this way her network would not only flourish, but could even expand.

She decided to call the event "The Great American Women Getaway" as it would allow American women to get away from life's usual demands and enjoy spending truly quality time together.

How is it organized?

Each year, the theme of the coming year is decided on during that Getaway. Everyone has a chance to contribute ideas. A few months later, all attendees receive a copy of the "Getaway Gazette" with a short article about each session that took place. In February, it is high time for the planning committee for the next Getaway to start finalizing ideas for the up-coming event. Everyone on the mailing list is contacted and volunteers are recruited to lead the various presentations.

The committee also researches possible women authors who might be interested in speaking about a recent book they have written. This is always a very inspirational highlight for the women.

As plans finalize, the committee sends out a description of the various sessions to encourage everyone interested to register as soon as possible. Those already on the mailing list are welcome to suggest new names of women who might be interested in the event. Everyone is always made warmly welcome.

As all preparation and planning is done by volunteers, there is only a small registration fee. Room and board at the conference center is provided at a reduced rate.

About a month or so before the start of the Getaway, final information is sent out.

Needless to say, this information boosts excitement even further.

Then, on a late Friday afternoon in early August, a gang of cheerful, enthusiastic gals of all ages gather at the conference center's cash bar and the fun begins!

What sort of topics are covered?

During the years, innumerable subjects have been explored during this weekend of fun discovery.

A complete list would require several pages, but here are a few topics from recent years:

Pioneer women on the trail West, Women and the Arts, being mothers and daughters, how the brain works, the history of the English language, reducing pollution, getting to know Annie Liebovitz, experiencing a labyrinth, sharing worldviews, making dream catchers, the art of patchwork quilting, the luxury of fragrant oils, drawing on the right side of the brain, hospice care, adoption.

An event that enriches women's lives year after year

The goal of the Great American Women Getaway is to connect interesting women with great ideas and good books. Strong and meaningful relationships are the result.

Perhaps you have been wondering about how to keep in touch with friends and family. Why not consider organizing a yearly retreat that gets everyone talking, sharing and learning together?

Sexual Wellness As a Path to Freedom

Sexual Wellness as a path to freedom

My hope is that this phrase will make you stop and think. Hmmm...how is this possible?

How does a healthy sex life give you a feeling of freedom?

First of all, let's define what is meant by sexual wellness or healthy sex. Sexual wellness is a return to the inner wisdom and truth about BEing a sexual person. It is a place that lives inside of you where you feel safe and have the power to enjoy sex without restraint, and have full permission to express your sexuality. This does not mean that you have to hang yourself upside down and create exotic gymnastics to have a fulfilling sexual experience. It actually has nothing to do with what is happening on the outside during sex. Sexual wellness is a quality of energy that pulses at a high vibration which results in vibrant health on the inside.

For every individual, the path to find sexual wellness is unique. No two orgasms look the same. You explore your personal inner most ecstatic feelings by allowing, receiving and surrendering to pleasure. Safety is the key.

Knowing you are safe is also an inside job. You experience safety when your body is very relaxed and your mind is easeful without stress and worries. How hard is this for you? According to current data, at least 60% of women are repressed sexually so I imagine many of you find it difficult to feel safe. BTW, the 60% statistic has also been noted to be low by many sexual experts. That's a WHOA Baby!

It makes me sad to report it, as I know the value of sexual wellness for you, your relationships and the entire planet. When we free ourselves from the confinement of fear around our sexuality, the joy factor on the planet will increase substantially.

Let's take a look at our key words and their definitions, and how you can use the meaning behind them to skip down the path of sexual liberation and freedom. And please do skip it gets us out of our serious minds always helpful.:)

Allow: 1) to make a possibility, 2) to give consideration to circumstances or contingencies.

Allow yourself to consider what needs to BE present in order to feel safe and experience pleasure.

Receive: 1) to come into possession of, 2) to assimilate through the mind or senses

Receive and possess pleasure by experiencing joy through your senses. Let all your senses come alive throughout your day.

Surrender: 1) to give oneself over to something (as an influence), 2) to yield to the power

Surrender to the power of pleasure and allow it influence your life.

There are obvious issues which prevent us from experiencing deep satisfaction and fulfillment with sexuality. We, as women, are awfully good at complicating most situations. Our darn brains just don't want to turn off sometimes.

Start where you are...and cultivate a knowing that sexual wellness heals you and creates freedom in every aspect of your life.

"Health is not only to be well, but to use well every power we have."

Hairstyles for 2012 for a Fashion Forward Lady

Glistening hair

Glistening hair, the most coveted one, doesn't just happen, no matter what your hair length or texture, you've to work for it! Do not expect it to happen overnight, you have to religiously follow certain steps to grow that beautiful and healthy glistening hair. The good part is that it is not hard it just requires discipline and patience.

You can use hair serum with light concentration of oils and silicone and apply it to the roots of the hair everyday. Leave it in your hair overnight for better results. To keep every strand of hair shinny and strong, go with hot hair oils. Cold rinse adds loads of luster to your hair. For that ultra shine go with professional hair treatments.

Bold colors

We all know and love Katy Perry, maybe not as mush for her music as it is for the constant change of her hairstyles with different color shades. She goes from pink, to light blue and green in a heart beat and looks fabulous in all these shades. Bold colors are big for this spring/summer season. The top of the color chart are the soft pink mixed with blond shades of orange. The contrast of bright and dark colors is the new look.

Pony tail, top knots, wrap it ups - embellished

Whether you prefer short hair or the Rapunzel look, everyone relies on a pony tail at one time or another. The pony tails are back. You can go with soft and low, sleek and high, low and parted on side with curls for longer hair. The sprout look is perfect for short hair. With this length, it's difficult to fit every last hair into an elastic band. Little pieces of short hair sticking out can give the hairstyle a playful edge. You can turn the pony tail into an embellished wrap up with chic hairpins or a top-knot if your hair is thinner to avoid the look of lifelessness.

The beach wave look

The urban wave of messy hair is back. The soft curls are the newest and hottest hairstyle trends. You can pull off this look without much effort. A simple blow-dry of hair and it's done. It looks messy and yet polished.The beach waves will give you super sultry look that will seamlessly take you from day-to-night, work-to-play. If you want to go for a more sophisticated waves than use curling iron to define the locks and then pass through the strands with a hair comb.

Voluminous bouncy blowouts

Loosely curled, Bohemian-inspired hair as seen on stars have been in high demand lately. If you want to provide your hair with sophistication and 1960s Hollywood glamour, than opt for a voluminous bouncy blowout. You can't pull out this look if your hair is thinner, but if you have thick hair than you should go for it.

Braids

Braids are enormously versatile. There are many different braided hairstyles that can be done. There's the milkmaid, the over-the-shoulder, French braids, braids tucked into buns, mini-braids interwoven into hair, French braids that give the illusion of an under-cut, the braid as a headband, fishtail braids. We could go on and on. The point is that they are huge and have the ability to provide you with the look of a Roman and Greek empress and are perfect hairstyle especially for summer and weddings.

Go for at least one of this look and you're guaranteed to be branded chic and charming

5 Simple School Fundraising Ideas

School spirit is more vivid with fundraising. To support a particular group, occasion, or campaign, schools and other non-profit organizations use successful fundraising events to keep the finances flowing.

Most of school fundraising helps varsity teams' subsidize uniforms and equipment. Provide better health care services for students as well as construction of important facilities of the school. The fund used in these improvements usually comes from parents and alumni funds.

Here are five simple tips that can make your school fundraising extra lucrative.

Art pieces

You can sell or set an auction for art pieces made by famous local artists. If you know someone from your school that is having a name in the art scene, you can invite him over together with his pieces to help raise funds and popularity at the same time.

Handicrafts

Most of handicrafts are made out of recycled and cheap materials but once done and sold, can actually cost more. You can invite groups that specialize on handicraft making. Or, those moms that are not busy can give their time to the event as well. They will surely be happy to help their children and school with this type of project.

Food

While everyone is busy with school fair, you can sell student's most favorite food. It can be cupcakes, pizza, chocolates and anything that you know they will surely like.

You can order a bulk of food to have discount. If you're a good baker or cook you can also make them yourself. Although it can be time consuming, at least you have the full control of the amount and the production of the food.

Apparels

Shirt, jacket and cap are most worn apparels of students especially during school events. You can sell personalized printed shirt or even have them design their own shirt. All you need are t-shirts of any color, painting materials, silk screen for printing and of course creative mind.

Accessories

Girls and boys will never skip your booth if you're selling hip and cool accessories. From necklaces, earrings, bracelets and other fashionable accessories such as scarf, belt and sunglasses. If you want to spread a particular message, you can engrave it on famous rubber bracelets and get people wear them wherever they go.

There are other that you can use in fundraising such as sports events, pageants and other contest. Meet with your group and gauge the pulse of the students and other potential customers to build a successful fundraising campaign.

Getting The Gemstone You Would Like To Wear

When you think about the ancient Egyptians, you will realize how much these folks adored gemstones and jewelry, and that is only one example from history. You need to be careful about purchasing synthetic or genuine gemstones, and the artificial ones can be extremely difficult to tell apart from genuine gems. To help you find the gemstone that suits you best, I will be covering several helpful insights and pointers.

There is no need to speak about the pure beauty and significance of diamonds, as these are the world's best recognized and loved gemstones of all. They're also well-known as being the hardest natural substance in the world. What is unknown for many people is the fact that a lot of diamonds aren't technically the highest possible top quality available. If you would like something different from a typical diamond, then consider a colored diamond. More rare and pricier types would be green, pink, yellow and blue diamonds. The level of quality, purity, reflectivity, as well as coloration and dimensions will all play a role as deciding factors of the value and price of a diamond.

As you are already aware, value is subjective. For instance, red coral and coral, in general, are considered very valuable in some cultures. As a matter of fact, this type of gem had been considered as one of the best gemstones, equaling to rubies and diamonds. However, this kind of gem is no longer considered as a precious gemstone today because it does not has the exact same hard quality as many gemstones.

Those individuals that believe gemstones contain magical forces think of red coral to be effective like a diamond and guardian for the individual. Together with other semi-precious gems, red coral is well-liked by people who use beads and who make that sort of jewelry. If you would like top quality from a coral gemstone, then look at the blood coral. White coral from Japan is also quite popular.

Many folks buy gemstone jewelry over the internet today, and although this offers you the opportunity to access a large number of items you'd never ever be able to otherwise find, certain precautions should be taken. Be sure you read online customer reviews, and that is something you could do for any purchase. Should you be unaware, virtually any professional online jewelry dealer should include a money-back guarantee, so you'll definitely want to look for that. Hopefully you understand not to hand your hard-earned money over when there are no options to get your money back for your order. Stay far away from paying by any means that will not likely provide you with any room for disputing.

In summary, gemstones are a fascinating subject matter on which thousands of books have been published. Individual's personal preferences vary when this involves gemstones, but each of us values the wonder and glamour of at least one stone. One of the best approaches is to seek out all you possibly can about the kinds of gem you truly enjoy. There are so many precious and semi-precious gems around the world that it is amazing to learn about. Whatever the stone is, in regards to what you may love - you are the only one you have to make happy.

Prenatal Fitness Programmes Keep Mums in Shape

You've just found out that you are going to have a baby. Yippee! "I will take more care of myself, stop smoking, stop drinking, eat for two and lie around all day looking after me". Stop right there! Certainly, stop smoking forever, stop drinking and eat really healthily, including lots of protein, fruit and vegetables but you actually need to up your exercise regime if you want a healthy baby and if you want to be fit and well through the pregnancy and if you want your figure back after the birth.

Keeping fit during pregnancy will help your body through this time and will prepare you for childbirth. It will also help tremendously in your recovery after childbirth. By doing simple fitness exercises, strengthening exercises and components of pilates and yoga, you will stay fit and healthy through the entire nine months and you will be pleasantly surprised at how quickly you bounce back after the birth of your baby.

Your prenatal fitness programme should be designed by pregnancy experts who will explain that getting your exercise when you are pregnant is extremely important in terms of taking care of your baby as well as yourself. Did you know that pre-natal exercises actually strengthen your baby's heart? Not only that, as we all know, exercising at all ages, prenatal through to old age increases IQ and cognitive abilities so if you exercise when you are pregnant you can substantially increase your baby's IQ and yours at the same time! Everybody wins.

Another study has revealed that exercising just 30 minutes on most days of the week may help prevent gestational diabetes which is a factor in the development of preeclampsia, a potentially serious pregnancy complication. There is absolutely no doubt that partaking in an exercise programme during pregnancy is essential for your good health and your baby's health. Partaking in a prenatal fitness programme is as important as your monthly visits to your doctor or midwife and your prenatal classes. Also you will find that exercising with other pregnant women will give you the chance to swap notes on all aspects of your pregnancy and being in a class will encourage your participation as it is so much more fun doing this type of activity in a group.

Just imagine how good you will feel when you have had your baby and all those baby pounds have disappeared. Enroll in a class today and get exercising for you and your baby.

Don't Let Summer Sabotage Your Style

Summer is almost here and the warm weather probably has you peeling off your layers and pulling on your shorts. Yet as the temperatures rise and you begin to break a sweat while simply sitting on the porch, don't let your style suffer.

In many areas, warm weather can be synonymous with casual clothing. Just think about it - head to the beach and chances are your mode of dress barely consists of more than a tank top and shorts or a simple dress teamed with a pair of flip flops or thongs. Or if you're at home you may be wearing the exact same thing and wishing you were at the beach. It's summertime and the living' is easy. Yet don't let the more casual of seasons sabotage your style or your credibility. With a few tips you can tweak your chic while keeping your cool.

1. Business Casual does NOT mean Casual - There is a fine line between business casual and casual dress, and often times it can be confusing to know what's appropriate. Generally speaking, avoid anything that you'd wear to the beach or around the house such as flip-flops, logo tee shirts, sheer and voluminous dresses, jean shorts, tops and dresses that are strapless or have spaghetti straps, and shorts in general are no-no's when it comes to the workplace. Rule of thumb: if you're not sure, the answer is 'no'!

2. White Isn't Always Right - Years ago you'd hear to wear white undies beneath your white pants, and a white bra under your white top. Well, today that's not the way to do it. Wearing white under your whites will only show and create a distraction where you'd prefer discretion. Opt for skin tone colored bras and panties and keep your unmentionables under wraps.

3. Stray Straps - Going lighter in your clothing sometimes mean that your bra straps can find their way into the daylight. If this is the case, you'd be better off going for a different top or dress, or perhaps covering up with a jacket or cardigan. Brightly colored bras are not the solution! Visible bra straps are just plain sloppy. Wear a tank to cover them up if necessary.

4. Boyfriend Sweatshirt - Sure, your office gets chilly, but avoid pulling out a jacket that looks like you borrowed it from your boyfriend. Big, baggy and boxy jackets that do nothing but hide your outfit while keeping you warm will undermine your look. Opt for a more fitted jacket that complements your style and helps you look great.

5. Feet First - If you opt for bare sandals, be sure your feet are ready to make their debut. A pedicure can help you to avoid feet that are rough, dry and unsightly. Add a pretty coat of polish, whether nude or bright, to keep your feet looking their best.

Don't use summer as an excuse to let your appearance go. Sure, your look may be a little more casual, but that doesn't have to mean sloppy or frumpy. Take a little time to be sure and add in those little touches that can mean the difference between frumpy and fabulous!

Happy Summer!

The Fear of Becoming an Invisible Woman Once You Turn 40

Is invisibility the only choice for women over 40?

In a recent article in my weekend paper about women over 40, one particular participant was bemoaning the fact that she was now invisible to younger men. She was sharing one of the greatest fears of baby-boomer women. It is the fear of losing your attraction to others. Whether it is your size or what you are wearing, many women feel unnoticed and bypassed both in their professional and personal life.

Here are two questions for you to consider? Who are you dressing for? What do you want to do with the rest of your life?

Read on for my views on whether invisibility is the only option for business and professional women over 40.

Is Invisibility the Only Choice? Yes!

Invisibility is the only option if you choose to take that option. If you decide to retreat from contact from others, wear dowdy clothes, slouch and look unhappy, you will be invisible to everyone and not just young men.

If how you dress and look becomes unimportant to you and you decide to follow your current passions, you cannot be invisible. Your life-affirming attitude will shine through to others.

Is Invisibility the Only Choice? Maybe!

Beware of invisibility by accident. This is when you live in mostly beige or black clothes or become so much of a stereotype of your age group that you show no individuality.

You might have put on extra weight or wear dowdy, shapeless clothes because it is all too hard. You have no idea how to look modern and stylish. To you it seems like the media is only interested in women much younger than you.

You might relate to the survey result In Weight Watchers, July 2010 magazine that found that women today feel less valued by their partners than men do. If any of these are you, it is time to change invisibility by accident.

Is Invisibility the Only Choice? No!

Face the question that frightens you. Who are you dressing for? Are you dressing for men and of what age group? Are you seeking compliments from other women? Are you dressing to please yourself first?

Dressing for yourself to suit your shape and personality improves your posture and puts a smile on your face. Believe me, men of all ages may not notice your clothes or your hairstyle but they do notice your self-confidence. So do other women. They notice the women who walk tall and quietly proud of their individuality. Look around for female role models in your local community or women over 45 who are on a bigger stage.

Even if it seems that no one notices, it is your self-esteem that matters. Youth is spent dressing for others. Age is spent dressing for you only. Stand tall, smile and learn new dressing skills if that is what you need and you will never be invisible.

Now you are ready for the big question. What do you want to do with the rest of your life? Clarity on that attracts people to you. If you are not sure what to do with the rest of your life, I suggest you read I Could Do Anything If Only I Knew What It Was by Barbara Sher.

Last Words:Getting your partner to pay you compliments, now that is a whole different subject.

The Secret Lives of Your Clothes

With tears streaming down my face, a bundle under my arm and a box of matches in my pocket, I headed towards our backyard incinerator hoping mum would not see me. I did not want to be asked what I was doing.

Clothes are more than pieces of fabric hanging in our wardrobes. They all have stories. Stand before your open wardrobe and you could tell each item's story whether it be love, hate, embarrassment, shame or indifference.

Recently I read an article on How Clothes Can Boost Your Mood. This article talked about the things we women demand from out clothes. It also resonated with me as I have written about how hard it is to get rid of some clothes that bring up strong emotions in us.

Here is my guide to the good, the bad and the ugly of the secret lives of your clothes.

The Good

These are often favourites in our wardrobe because every time you put them on you feel good about yourself. They may be clothes or accessories and you wear them often. It might be the colour, the style, the fit, that it reflects your true personality or even all of these. Sometimes when these clothes start to fade or get a little worn, you still keep them. You are reluctant to throw out the memories of compliments and scared that you will never find anything like it again.

The good can even include a major revamp of clothes. I can remember when I left teaching and took the scissors to all my long skirts. I wanted the feeling of freedom for a new stage in my life. My way of doing this was to cut them shorter or throw them out. It felt good to change these clothes.

In a perfect world you would only have feel-good clothes in your wardrobe.

The Bad

Life is not perfect. It is messy and fluid. Bad clothes hang beside your favourites.

These are the clothes you bought on a day when you just had to have something new. This will do and it does not. Months have passed and it is still unworn. You are certain that you will soon find the perfect thing that goes with it. You live in hope that bad will turn to good one day.

Then there are the items that you thought looked good on you. It was a fragile feeling and it only took a few words to pull you down. You look ridiculous! What is that! Where are you going in that? Why are you wearing your good clothes? These are some of the words I have experienced in my life. If your confidence is low that day, the clothes are relegated to either being hidden away or only worn when you feel it is really safe to wear them.

The Ugly

That bundle under my arm at the start of this article was a dress. I was in my twenties and I had just had a big argument with my boyfriend of that time. Harsh words were said. I was taking the drastic action of burning the dress I wore during our argument. Yes, you could burn things in the backyard then. I loved the dress but it was the sacrifice.

Our clothing and accessories are not inanimate objects. They are indicators of your current emotions and the stories of your life and growth.

If it is time to move the good, the bad or the ugly on, do not burn them. Express your grief at having to get rid of the item. Then balance it by remembering all the wonderful memories this piece of clothing has given you. Now with a lighter heart, you can move on to new clothes and wonderful new memories.

How to Use Red, Yellow and Blue to Boost Your Emotions, Your Business and Your Natural Beauty

Colour is all around us. It would be very boring if we lived only in a black and white world. Colour adds interest, excitement, relaxation and individuality to our lives.

It is a visual language that we all respond to. Not everyone has learnt to tap into the unspoken emotional power of colour. When you travel or look at images from other parts of the world, it is interesting to let go of your learned responses and notice how other cultures and environments interpret the meaning of the same colours.

Red, yellow and blue are the basis from which all the colours are created. They are called the primary colours. On a colour wheel which usually contains twelve colours, the primary colours are evenly spaced - four apart.

Every colour has both positive and negative emotions and perceptions attached to it.

Here is my short guide to help you use the western world's view of primary colours to boost your emotions, your business and your natural beauty.

Red - Never Passive

The colour of action, romance and anger - red is never passive.

Usually thought of as a look at me colour, it attracts extroverts as you cannot hide in a clear, strong red. Introverts and gentler people will tend towards elegant burgundy and maroon or the more grounded red earth.

If you woke up angry, I suggest you do not wear red or it is going to be a bull-fighting day. Red is the colour for women in their 60s. It goes beautifully with grey hair and reminds you that it is now time to do things for yourself.

As red is one of the primary colours, it definitely makes your business card and advertising material stand out. Finally, red is a favourite colour choice for sporting teams that want to ignite passion in their supporters.

The Very Under-rated Yellow

Sunshine, intellect, optimism and cowardice - yellow is a very emotional colour.

I have read that yellow is the colour that most women will avoid wearing. Fashion trends usually promote bright yellow which is a colour only a few women can wear successfully. Lemon highlights blond hair and a yellow tie makes the blue eyes of men look brighter. Butter yellow or golden amber look great on those with spring or autumn colouring.

Yellow is a great colour in the office for a business promoting enthusiasm, optimism or logical thinking. Your mind takes longer to recognise yellow. People look at business cards a little bit longer if they have more yellow in them than other colours. Lots of businesses combine yellow and blue to engage both sides of the brain - yellow for logical thinking and blue for communication.

Blue - a Favourite Colour of Men

Blue relates to the creative right-brain. In its positive aspects, light blue is the colour of communication and dark blue is the colour of trust. On its negative side, blue is associated with feelings of sadness and depression.

In nature blue can be cool and calming like a light blue sky and a tropical ocean or it can be cold and depressing like Antarctic ice with a foggy blue-grey sky.

Blue helps men communicate with each other and with women. Men find it easier and less stressful talking to or listening to a woman dressed in light blue. Fuchsia which is a combination of blue and pink attracts men as the message it subconsciously sends out is of a woman who is confident and easy to talk to.

Those with cool colouring in their hair, eyes and skin will generally have a preference for soft, pale or deep blue. Those with warm colouring will tend towards aqua, blue-green or blue-purple.

Finally, colour experts say that eating blue-purple foods like berries calms you down and helps you sleep well.

Go now and play with red, yellow and blue.Look, think and feel how you can add these colours to bring more of what you want into your life.

How to Use the Colours of Black, White and Grey to Add Interest and Diversity of Your Life

Most of us would hate to live in a world that is only black and white and shades of grey. We need colours that are pure, strong, rich, muted, soft, cool and warm to give our lives the richness and diversity we enjoy. Without black, white and grey, all the colour variations we enjoy would not be possible.

Black and white are usually considered to be non-colours although black is the absence of colour and white is made up of all the colours. Grey, of course, is the mixing of black with white.

Every colour has both positive and negative emotions and perceptions attached to it and black, white and grey are no exception.

Here is my short guide to help you use the western world's view of black, white and grey to add richness and diversity to your life.

Black: Safe or Mysterious?

Black is generally called a non-colour but if you look at your wardrobe carefully you will see lots of variations in the shades of black. It is the colour of night and nothing is more magical than moonlight reflected on water in a black, star-less sky. Black is the colour of mystery. Have you ever stared into a black inky sea? It is also the colour of fear of dark nights and black holes.

Black is a fall-back colour when you cannot find anything else to wear. All black hides your personality and can repel the happy people you want to attract.

Make it more interesting by wearing black clothes that have pattern or texture in or on them. Black is a wonderful neutral background for adding accessories in colours and styles that bring out your gentle, playful or funky personality.

Black is a serviceable colour when worn below the waist. Just try to make the black you wear above the waist more interesting.

White: As Clean as Copy Paper

We associate white with the positive aspects of purity and cleanliness as in a glass of water or a pristine waterfall. White also represents poise and confidence. It is the traditional colour of brides and the fail-safe colour of men's business shirts. White dominates summer clothing because it repels the heat and looks fabulous on fair-skinned, tanned men and women. This is why there are many Blanc du Nil shops around the Mediterranean. These are shops that sell only white clothing.

On its negative side, white is often perceived as insipid or boring. Too much white can be cold and isolating - think trendy white designer rooms you would never want to live in. People who wear a lot of white can be seen as cautious or self-sufficient and not open to receiving help from others.

When added to other colours white provides a crisp, clean contrast as in a white top with contrasting belt or in stripes, spots and contrasting white collars or cuffs. White repels light: so it can make your body look larger. For those of you with warmer complexions and colouring, pure white is too harsh. Creams and softer white colours are more flattering.

Grey: A Bit Ambiguous

Grey is a shadow colour associated with the god, Mercury, who moved easily between heaven, earth and the underworld.

Grey brings out our pre-conceived attitudes. People often only see the negative side of grey with bleak fogs, threatening storms and images of boring, austere, colourless old fogeys. Wearing grey can have a positive side as it helps you to be open to new influences and then helps you form enlightened opinions on new things i.e. using the grey matter of your mind.

Grey is a wonderful neutral especially for skirts, pants and jeans as it is softer than black and often includes black in its stripes or fine checks. Grey mixed with silver, black or white can create a striking or a gentle combination. As a hair colour, grey refers to black and white, silver or pure white hair. Wear red, pink or aqua to create a wonderful contrast to highlight grey hair.

Go now and play with black, white and grey. Look, think and feel how you can use these colours to add more richness and diversity to your life.