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Everyone knows that there a models and fashion designers in the fashion business, but what about all the behind the scenes jobs that are just as important?

A great career for someone who knows how to put looks together is a fashion stylist. A fashion stylist creates different looks for their clients. They go out and get the clothes and accessories for the client and works with them to create the perfect look for an occasion.

A fashion buyer is someone who purchases all the merchandise for a company to sell. Depending on the company this could mean they work with suppliers who manufacture huge amounts of textiles, or they could be working directly with designers. A fashion buyer needs to know about the current trends in fashion both current and what is coming in the next season.

A fashion merchandiser is someone who can spot upcoming trends and show these trends in stores. A fashion merchandiser is also someone who is responsible for watching the customer buying trends and maintaining the correct amount of inventory in a store to make sure that theyare not left with a lot of out of season merchandise.

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Many little girls see playing dress-up as an enjoyable way to spend time with friends. Their imaginations have the chance to run wild and they can be princesses, mommies, or even models as they walk around in beautiful clothes that make them feel grown up. If there is a little girl in your life that enjoys the art of dressing up and presenting fashion shows to all the friends and family, there are things that you can do to encourage this type of play and instill a sense of fun in this activity.

Set some of your clothes aside for her to play with. When you do not wear something anymore or you just do not feel that it is still in style, add it to her collection of dress clothes. Hang on to those Dereon pants and avoid giving her items that are expensive or cannot be replaced. At some point, when she gets just a little older, your budding designer may want to start creating her own clothes. That means cutting, tearing and ripping clothes just to sew them back together in a new and different way.

Giving little girls an opportunity to play fashion designer, runway model and even princess gives them a chance to explore who they want to be when they grow up and what they enjoy doing. By providing all of the materials needed for dress-up play, you are giving her a chance to explore her creative side. Even if she does not find a career in the fashion industry, at the very least, she was able to be a princess for a little while.

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You may enjoy wearing jewelry often, but can never find the right jewelry to wear with your clothes. Perhaps you do not have enough variety of jewelry, or you simply only like one style. If you are not sure how to match jewelry to your outfit, consider theses simple tips.

Match similar items together. For example, if your outfit is fancy, look for fancy jewelry to match it. Likewise, if you are wearing a simple outfit, you want to wear less elaborate jewelry. You also want to match similar pieces of jewelry. If you are wearing diamond earrings, you may want to wear a necklace or bracelet that contains diamonds as well.

Do not concentrate your jewelry in one area. For example, avoid wearing too many bracelets on one arm along with a ring on each finger. Try simply wearing one ring, such as your wedding ring, and a similar bracelet. You also do not want to wear something elaborate in one area and leave the rest empty. When you wear large earrings, add a necklace as well to balance your look.

Consider colors as well. Wearing the appropriate colors can help balance out your appearance just as well as distributing your jewelry across your body. Wear colors that go well with your outfit to avoid a clash of colors.

If there is one area on your body you want to draw attention to, feel free to wear a little extra in that area, but avoid going overboard. If you want to draw attention to your face, try wearing more elaborate earrings than bracelets so the attention is drawn to your face rather than your arms.

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If you have an eye for fashion and can’t wait to see the latest runway shows and new designers, then you probably like to dress accordingly. Not everyone has the means to afford the latest designer labels, so it’s important to know how to achieve the same look at a fraction of the cost.

Till you reach that pinnacle where you can buy whatever you wish, make sure you start looking at the runway clothes and their specific styles. Choose a look that you are interested in and use a search on offers.com to find something similar. Chances are, you can find a similar look without paying an entire month’s salary just to get it. All it takes is a little education, a little patience, and a keen eye for fashion trends. Imagine looking like your favorite models and not having to give the outfit back when you are done wearing it.

Fashion styles come and go, and that is why it is important to spend what you can afford instead of taking your entire income to buy a set of clothing that may or may not be in style a few months from now. By investing in affordable options, you not only can look like a million dollars, you’ll feel like it, too. Most people won’t even realize that you don’t have the designer label sewn into the neckline of your clothing; they’ll just see that you look impeccably dressed, and they’ll think you spent way more than you actually did. Now that’s smart shopping.

Cover of Heidi Klum

Heidi Klum is widely considered one of the most influential people in the modeling business. As a Victoria Secret model, she is seen as a great clothing model, a successful actress, and a great role-model for anyone that wants to look great. Despite being one of the best looking models in the business, Klum does not fall into common unhealthy habits and disorders, like Anorexia or Bulimia, which are common problems in models. Instead, Klum accredits her success to diet and exercise.

While the word “diet” might make some people lose hope, the diet Heidi Klum follows is one that is easy for most people to follow. The diet is high in protein, but low in fat and carbs. This means lots of egg whites, skinless chicken (white meat), turkey, almonds, and protein shakes. Sound like a diet you could stick to? Other foods that fit this bill are salmon, soy, and certain cuts of pork. And, while almonds and fish can have a considerable amount of fat, most of these fats are healthy fats such as Omega-3′s. Klum also eats salads and vegetables to ensure she gets all the necessary vitamins and minerals. The portions are not unreasonable, either. The aim of this diet is healthy eating, not the absence of eating.

Heidi Klum’s success with this diet is famous, but many other people have followed the same diet and exercise with great results. It is a sad misconception that you cannot eat anything if you want to make it in the modeling business. Heidi Klum will disagree with that idea, as will anyone that has seen her.

In an account of her new popularity in the New York Times, Ms. Medine is recognized for the strength of her feminist desire to dress for the entertainment of herself and her friends, rather than the pleasure of men alone. She has been criticized by some for the expensive nature of many of the labels she favors, but to her credit, her blog will give any aspiring fashionista a thorough education.

So what labels do you need to become a Man Repeller? Here are just a few favored by Leandra Medine:

• Eleven Objects: A maker of elaborate detachable collars.
• Anarchy Street: A purveyor of all kinds of items, of which Ms. Medine favors their crocheted tank tops.
• Proenza Schouler: A house that makes very unique shoes and clutches.
• Rag and Bone: A group that is well-known for its amorphous and very long skirts and dresses.
• Marni: Another source of unusual shoes, particularly wedges.
• Alexander Wang: A maker of very long and sometimes diaphanous dresses.
• Amanda Uprichard: Maker of blouses, including a brightly-colored floral top favored by Ms. Medine.

I come from a place where men just aren’t supposed to care about the way they look. Most city ‘metro’ men would think me a country bumpkin. Don’t get me wrong, I know some of the latest fashions but when I look in the magazines and see all these really good looking men and women what I can never look like I straight away think Why bother and give up.

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But a few years ago I had a scary thought, You see whenever we go out my wife takes the time to look good for me, but I wasn’t taking the time to look good for her!Didn’t seem fair really.

I mean there is so much to this fashion stuff, the right jeans (should you wear jeans?) the right haircut. Do we go for the Armani or Saville row. Where do we turn for help?

The people at reichen.org are the people to turn to. They have the latest info on the latest fashions not just for us men but also for the ladies (Guys that means you could get something for that special someone in your life as well!) They can help with the latest fashions and even with the stuff you might want designed for that special occasion.

An education grounded in fashion merchandising is key for anyone with career aspirations in the area. A valuable program will gear you for the competitive fashion industry and give you the skills to succeed in your passion. Make no mistake; an educational basis is the best way to get what you need for such a career.

One thing to consider in regards to your education is where to study. Luckily, there are accredited online degrees in fashion merchandising, as well as management and similar areas, which can help you. Not only can you get a valuable education, but you can experience the convenience and versatility of an online education.

You should also try to make steps into the fashion world as you study. Ideally, you could work for a fashion retailer or something in the industry. Don’t overlook other options as well, such as building a fashion blog (both information and for your designs), and unpaid opportunities that will improve your resume.

Consider how your educational and job-related opportunities can prepare you for a career in fashion merchandising. These ideas can get you started in pursuing your dreams, and you may be a merchandiser, in time.  Gain the education, experience, contacts, and passion you need to make it in the fashion world in order to reach your goals.

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Becoming a model can be hard work. A lot of people want to become a model because it is glamorous and sexy. However, modeling is an extremely competitive business and can be very stressful. Depending on the type of model you wish to become, there are certain qualities models need to have. You always have to be in good health, have clear skin, stay in shape, etc. height and weight depend on the type of modeling you wish to do. There are other features you must have as well, depending on who and what you are modeling for.

Anyone can be a model, but there are limits to what types of modeling some people can do. For example, if you are 5”4’ and have a lot of curves, you most likely will not be a runway model, but you may be able to become a plus size model.

Before you start applying for modeling jobs, you will want to get some professional photos done and put together a portfolio. Before you start working with an agency, make sure they are legit. Avoid scams; there are plenty out there. Always act professional and polite. Make sure you let them know how serious you are about modeling. If you want to be a more professional model, they may require you to change some things about your physical appearance. For example, they may require you to loose 20 lbs or get a tan.

Modeling is not for everyone, but if you are serious enough, it can be a very rewarding experience. No matter who you are, you will always get rejection, so do not get discouraged.

There is a genuine possibility of finding one’s own unique style as well as keeping the pace with changing fashion trends. You’ll feel like a model without having to leave your room. It is always advisable to follow the fashion industry closely and bring your own individualistic perspective into it. It would not be incorrect to say that one can choose from a wide range of fashionable dresses depending on his or her choice. Industry professionals are highly self-assured over here.

The clothing and accessories industries have witnessed one of the most productive periods in history. People can buy the latest runaway type dresses at affordable prices. It is a long concluded theory that different types of accessories bring an aesthetic sense to the clothes worn. There is a long list of accessories to choose from like gloves, handbags and belts. It glamorizes the whole “feel” factor. The single most influential aspect is to be aware what suits you the most. It can be anything from the color of dresses to the fitting pattern. People have certain number of options available to follow the latest runway fashion trends anytime or anywhere.

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The Fashion Institute has graduated a number of notable alumni, including Calvin Klein, Michael Kors, and Carolina Herrera. The Institute has also educated a number of the fashion reality t.v. show Project Runway’s contenders. Students can live in a limited number of on-site dormitories, which are substantially less expensive than the nearest real estate. The faculty of FIT are renowned leaders in the fashion world. They range in expertise from computer graphics, fashion merchandising, patternmaking technologies, textile and package designs, to photography, marketing, and exhibition design. The FIT library has an enormous variety of materials that are specific to fashion, and that are difficult to find in other academic collections. Look into FIT today and see if it would prepare you for your future in fashion.

Or do you?

For most of us, planning ahead for something we want takes a bit more self-control than we can muster. We want the new pair of jeans now, or the new vest or skirt ensemble we saw recently on our favorite celebrity. It’s hard for us to wait, but we don’t have the money now.

Good news. The Tom Joyner Reach Card does more than put a little money in your pocket; it helps to curb your appetite until you can afford that new outfit or your pair of dream jeans. Even if you don’t want to spend a mint, saving money via the Reach Card is a good solution to reaching your pop culture dreams. Plus, you won’t be left with a headache later.

Save by:

• Purchasing only what you can afford. Just because you have $1,000 on your card currently, that doesn’t mean you should spend it all at once. Always have money on your card to use. You never know when the jacket you’ve been eyeing will go on sale.
• Buy at thrift or online discount stores. Look-a-like outfits without the brand labels will save you dollars.
• Be careful to buy those items that will look good on you. Just because Taylor Swift looks great in her cream-colored gown, doesn’t mean you will. Choose colors and styles that will flatter your figure.

In the end, pop culture looks the best when you are feeling the best about your purchase. Pay it off the moment you put on those new pair of celebrity jeans.

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Fact: Not all women have the same kind of bodies.

Fact: Very few fashion leaders recognize this.

In the real world of female fashion, women spend a lot of time trying to squeeze into clothes that do not fit them or suit their body types, let alone their personalities.

Some women are long and lean; some women are small and petite; some are big on top and small at the bottom; other women are reversed and small on top and big at the bottom.

All body types can be attractive, especially when you are wearing the right styles to suit your own personal brand of curves. Fortunately there is a fashion line that was developed to suit women’s curves and their own individual body types.

In 2003, rapper Nelly and his 2 partners, Yomi Martin and Ian Kelly, had just completed a very successful men’s line of clothes. While coming up for air, the team noticed that there was definitely a lack of fashion for curvaceous women.

Apple Bottoms is a term that Nelly coined for women with round bottoms and curves that need clothes that actually fit, while being attractive as well as comfortable.

The first test was a line of jeans; these jeans became popular so quickly that the whole line was quickly sold out before the team could blink. Convinced they were on the right track, lines were developed for girls and teens as well as a larger selection for curvy women.

Apple Bottoms had become the expression of urban fashion and womanly curves.

Of course the dress is only a small part of the ensemble. There are plenty of other factors to consider and none may be more important than the shoes. The shoes are what completes the wedding dress. The shoes say as much about a woman’s sense of style as engagement rings do. Shoes these days are as progressive as the dresses themselves. There is an assortment of styles and trends that are very hot right now. They happen to be pink, blue and come in various other styles and assortments. The shoes for the dress can cost a lot more money than a regular pair of shoes.

The interesting part of bridal fashion week is the way that it can bring in a wide variety of styles. The woman looking to dress her best at the wedding can take the time to see some of the hottest modern trends in wedding gowns. These days the hot thing to do with a wedding dress is to throw a little bit of color on it to add some flavor. These dresses often have a silver or gray coloring in select places. There have been plenty of people who are finding a lot of merit in going with a pink wedding dress.

The subtle upgrading of shoes has made the fashion industry take notice of the latest wedding styles. Getting the dress can be a fashionable solution to your dress indecision.

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It’s a burst of sound and glitter. It’s the stir of a season. Heat is clinging to the evening, crowds are claiming the streets and you are…scowling, unwilling to offer the remnants of tired mascara and dry lips (the effects of a cubicle on your make-up are unfortunate). You hide yourself away instead, uncertain of how to transform tedium into theatricality. It’s easier, you know, to just rely on a Janus mask. Its expression will be far better than your own — unless you choose to redefine yourself.

Mardi Gras is meant to be a celebration of life and laughter. It’s designed to offer respite from the doldrums of day to day life. Choose to conquer the night with the following kinds of make-up and gain the confidence they can bring.

Bright Shadows

The days are often ordinary, requiring dull stares and duller design — all tones neutral and work-worthy. They brand you one of the many and not one of a kind. Mardi Gras offers a far brighter experience, however. Channel your technicolor needs into shadows. Consider red, gold or indigo for a royal look. Sweep your chosen shade along the creases of your eyes, smudging it at the corners. Follow along the curve of your brows with an iridescent powder to reflect light; add mascara to finish. The effect will be smokey and strong.

Lash Impact

The carnival season is one of excess. Less is never more and more is always better – such a philosophy can even be applied to lashes. Discover instant drama with Mardi-Gras Tri Color Eyelashes. These metallic fibers (offering shimmers of yellow, green and purple) are ideal for any style. Use an adhesive to apply them directly to your lashes; choose a dark liner to then blur along the ridge. This will blend the natural with the synthetic and make the lashes look seamless, although you should pair these with neutral shadows to avoid conflicting colors. The eyes should be a focus, not a distraction.

Bold Lips

No smile is to be forgotten. No grin is to be ignored. And yet the days are too often burdened to chapped lips and weak color. Mardi Gras offers a far more memorable alternative, however. Choose bold shades — such as burgundy or coral — and offer your lips the style they deserve. Ignore the notion of neutral hues (especially when coupled with emphasized eyes). These colors can be paired with all forms of makeup. Avoid heavy penciling, however, and complement the look instead with gloss.

Cheek Simplicity

Fat Tuesday is shaped to indulgence. All laughter is to be wild; all gestures are to be easy. However, while lips and eyes can be bright, it’s recommended to keep a face unadorned. Choose a simple highlighter to capture light (apply it along the curve of your cheeks). This will allow skin to appear youthful. Refuse thick powders or blush.

No longer hide yourself beneath masks and dull colors. Create a style that is instead thoroughly your own — and thoroughly perfect. Are you ready to celebrate?

The most important is known the technical side of the business. There is much to lean then knowing what looks good on people. It would be helpful to take fashion courses to understand this aspect. To be admitted to a school, you will have to send in your work of sketches with an application. Once enrolled, you will learn more about colors, fabrics, textures and patterns. During the time of your education you will be asked to design clothing for fashion shows as school projects. You will be graded on this as well as gaining experience.

Getting into the business is not that simple. So secure a spot and more experience, it would be best to intern for a while at fashion agencies and learn as much as you can while building a portfolio. If you choose you can start your own boutique, but keep in mind that it is a business that requires long hours and patients.

Other ways to help you in the industry is to go to fashion shows and expos on a regular basis. This way you stay in the loop on the latest so you won’t be outdated with your trends. It is all about taking risks to design will help you stay on top and be noticed.

The competition is high, but with hard work and determination it can happen for you. Giving up should never be an option!

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The flexibility for a woman’s wardrobe is endless, but there are a few basics for women to have in their closet.

Denim is always in fashion! A few pair of jeans can go a long way. There are many colors and styles that they come in for altered looks; such as capris, cargo and shorts for comfort and looking chic. These jeans can be played up or down depending on the atmosphere. In the not so warm months, basic jeans will do the job just fine.

A nice pair of slacks and button down blouses are a must have for every woman. It’s not just for business purposes, but can be worn to make a woman look sophisticated. A pair of heels or flats can make this creation look like you’re ready for a business meeting or a day out with friends. Pearls and other jewelry can change the look of the outfit.

One of the most fascinating clothing features is a simple dress! A few dresses in a wardrobe can go a long way! They come in different lengths and cuts for all occasions. If you’re looking to save money, a simple black dress can be changed with jewelry, scarves, shoes and a belt. This will be a winner every time.

For the more formal events, a woman should have that one special evening gown. Granted that you might ware it once or twice, it never hurts to keep it handy. It should be something elegant, but not too bulky so there is versatility for accessories. If you gain or lose weight, gowns can always be altered so you don’t have to make another big purchase.

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Truth is men have a more flexible wardrobe then a woman. There are ways for men to get away with looking good without empting your pockets. Although there are some men out there that can be just as high maintenance then woman, the average man only needs a few essentials to stay in the fashion loop. Here are a few ideas to keep handy.

It is a good idea to keep at least two suits. One should be a basic black suit. The black suit can be used for many occasions and you will be able to accessories it with different ties and shirts. I’ll talk more on that later. The other should be a gray suit. This color is good for business occasions especially if it has small pinstripes in them.

As noted before, the ties and shirts are a must. You don’t need hundreds of them. Three to four neckties will do. Make sure you have them in different colors and designs to play up with the suits, as well as a nice white and black shirt. Having a shirt in soft yellow or pink is good to add variety. You’ll be amazed at how a shirt and tie can change the look of a good suit!

Next, men should have a nice pair of khaki pants and a couple pair of jeans. These items never go out of style and can be matched with t-shirts and sweaters. They can also be played casual or dressy depending on the event.

A simple pair of black and brown dress shoes can be rotated with your clothing. Keep a nice leather belt handy as well. Believe it or not, you have just completed your wardrobe!

Evolved from the “union suit” — one-piece underwear that went from neck to ankle – when it was divided into tops and bottoms, the T-shirt found its way onto sailors around the time of the Spanish-American war. When they did hard work that made them sweat, the could remove their clean uniform blouses and still have a cover for the torso. Clark Gable set back sales in 1934 when he revealed he wasn’t wearing one in “It Happened one Night,” but during World War II, images of soldiers in T-shirts and fatigue pants pushed sales back up. A T-shirted Marlon Brando method-acting into a sweat in “A Streetcar Named Desire” (1951) didn’t hurt, either.

Usually woven of cotton or polyester, or a blend of both, it’s made with a simple weave that keeps it soft. The name comes from its form when seen flat. The designs may vary a little in the sleeves or neckline, but they have emigrated from being hidden underneath to being the top shirt for men and women.

Once that happened, here was a canvas just waiting to be filled. It started in the ’60s when slogans and witty sayings (“I’m with stupid”) started to appear. Tie-dyeing added color, and soon artists were transferring more than words to the fill the open spaces. White still is the basic color, but white can be dull, so now they’re available in every color of the rainbow (sometimes on the same shirt.).

T-shirts and jeans became a main uniform for a young generation 40 years ago, but the look lives on as that generation ages and those following accept the simplicity of the outfit.

The messages might change, but the shirt wears on.

People being people, though, they’ll want something stylish to go with functionality. Newspapers are fine in a sudden rain shower, but you don’t want to be seen at the theater wearing one.

Hats are subject to the same trends as dresses, pants or shoes. Designers, in tring to stay ahead of customers’ needs and desires, sometimes go too far, as in womens hats in the late 19th century. But then, mens hats got pretty flamboyant in the 17th century.

Hats designed to protect are made of harder stuff and aren’t designed for looks. Hardhats for construction workers protect against falling tools, board or bricks. Helmets protect motorcycle riders when head meets road, and military helmet protect soldiers in battle.

Less-extreme hats are protective, too, protecting skin from the sun that can lead to cancer. Stetsons and their cowboy ilk shade the eyes and provide limited cover against rain, but they also look sharp whether one is a cowboy or not.

A hat sometimes gets so ingrained with a movie character we can identify who without even seeing him, such as Indiana Jones. And would Humphrey Bogart look as suave without the fedora in “The Maltese Falcon”?

Men’s heads usually were covered from the ’20s to the ’40s. In the ’50s, a hat with a snap-brim was as much a part of the business uniform as the tie or coat. Hats began to lose favor in the ’60s despite a flirt with Carnaby Street-extremes. Today, if they are worn at all, it’s because someone is trying for a retro look or to proclaim a style, as in the backward baseball caps.

Still, head coverings have a function, and for that, we should tip our hats to them.

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“There’s nothing new under the sun.”

That applies to fashion. What’s new today was new 30 years ago, or 50 years ago, or 100 years ago.

After all, there are only so many ways you can drape the human body.

Short skirts, for example. They were big (so to speak) in the 1960s, but two scores earlier, the trend had already struck. In the 1920s – the Roaring ’20s – hemlines slid up the leg. Led by the young, of course, scandalizing their elders. It was the Jazz Age, and the new form of music was a part of the whole Flapper scene.

In the ’60s, the music was rock ‘n’ roll. Once again, hemlines rose, causing consternation about national decline in morals. This time, though, miniskirts, a.k.a. short skirts, never really went away (remember the “maxiskirt”?).

It’s not just short skirts that repeat, nor is it just women’s fashion. The basic suit for men hasn’t changed for more than a hundred years. A tie and a coat still mark a serious businessman despite inroads of blue jeans and polo shirts from young tech and dot-com entrepreneurs. Boys shorts have lengthened until they resemble the knickers of 100 years ago.

What has changed is the material. Nylon and rayon led the way, but polyester got a (deserved) bad name. But new combinations and new uses of the standard materials – cotton, wool, silk – allow innovation in shapes, colors and accessories. The coming of embedded circuitry means clothing that will change color and pattern and even shift form to create the latest buzz.

Still, we’re pretty much stuck with what we’ve seen before. Variations on the Scots kilt for men are growing in popularity, but so far no one has suggested togas or chitons for office attire.

Some things are best left in the past.

An alternative it to wrap both in a skirt, dress, kilt, lava-lava or sarong, but for men, that’s not generally a choice.

History records the first sightings of pants in the sixth century BCE with the horse-riding Persians. Romans tended to sneer at trouser-wearing barbarians. Then the empire stretched into colder regions and they decided warmth was a better part of valor. Pants got pretty tight in the 15th century, but by the 16th they began to take shape as the pants we know today.

Pants became the main male costume in the 19th century and today they come in various guises from jeans to formal slacks to chinos to leather. Styles don’t differ all that much – covering two limbs doesn’t give a lot of wiggle room. Cotton and wool likely make up the bulk of material, with a dash of man-made fibers like polyester to add a shine to the costume.

Women had a tough time getting into pants until recent history. In the American west, riding horses and working on ranches dictated that some kind of trouser be worn, but in the big cities that was not acceptable. Iconoclasts throughout the 20th century would scandalized the public, but during World War II, with women taking over many domestic jobs for soldiers, the style gained acceptance. In the 1950s, women began wearing jeans, but with the zipper on the right side. In the ’60s, the zipper moved to the front and but the ’70s pant suits for women were a common sight.

Pleats come and go, fabrics change, the hems ride up and down the leg and the waist rises and falls with the designer’s whim, but trousers still serve their function.

Sandals might be the oldest shoe (10,000 years or so according to radiocarbon dating); all that’s needed is a flat piece of material and a strap to hold it on. At first, the material might have been bark or leaves, at least until humans learned to tan hide.

Some of the mightiest civilizations traveled on sandals. Egyptians built the pyramids in them, Greeks argued about existence in them and Rome conquered a large part of the known world in them.

They have definite advantages in warmer climates and seasons. Air surrounds your feet thereby keeping the stink down. Ostensibly, they should be cheaper because they use less material, but a designer’s label can boost the price.

Many of the styles reflect their origins. Simple flat soles and thin straps are an easy design. The Romans, like they tended to do with everything, made the strapping complex by lacing them to the knee. Nowadays, sandals can have high heels for the office or stepping out at night.

The simplest form might be the flip-flop, where the big toe and the one next to it hold the thing on. By hanging loose they make the noise they’re named for. (Flip-flops also are called thongs, but that brings an entirely different picture to mind.)

In the 1980s, new materials produced the river sandal. Velcro in the straps makes getting in and out of them easy. The material repels water, so you can wade in without worrying ruining your shoes. (Wading into a mountain stream in barefoot sandals certainly wakes one up.)

For many people, the sandal is the shoe of choice, and they’ll wear them until snow falls. Even then, a pair of socks, and they’re good to go.

Davis was a Nevada tailor who made clothes for miners. Mining is rough on fabric, so Davis made sure his cloth – a specific weave of cotton, usually dyed blue, called denim — could stand up to the abuse. Still, his customers had to buy bolts of cloth so they could repair torn seams. Davis’s solution: copper rivets. Davis decided he needed to patent the process, so he turned to his denim supplier, Levi Strauss, and they formed a partnership in 1872.

The rest, as the old saying goes, is history.

The “waist overalls” of Levi Strauss & Co. were intended as work clothes. Sturdy and cheap, generations of American workers have toiled in their denim pants. Then James Dean slouched onto the screen in “Rebel Without a Cause” in 1955 and American teen-agers glommed onto the T-shirt-and-jeans look. Adults, however, disdained this “rebellion” and wouldn’t let them into the schoolhouse.

Rebellion just spread the cause, though, in the 1960s. The “waist overalls” changed shape, becoming slimmer, lower in the waist with widened lower legs – “bell bottoms.” (The Levi company also threw up its hands and started calling their product “jeans.” Pop culture triumphs in the end.)

In the ’70s, not only did schoolhouses allow jeans in, but corporate boardrooms bowed to the inevitable. In the ’80s, denim became a canvas for designers and prices hit the stratosphere. In the ’90s, the cloth and style were challenged by khaki and pleated-front pants, but denim – distressed, dyed, torn, faded, embroidered, studded, straight-legged, relaxed, tight, low-hung, high-waisted, legless, bell-bottomed, natural – remains popular from toddler to oldster.

Not bad for a miner’s pair of pants.

“Husky” is, of course, a euphemism. It’s not used as much now; used to be a heavier boy dragged to the department store would head for the “husky” shelves, face burning all the while because he knew what “husky” really meant: fat.

In a country where obesity is a central concern for everyone from babies to senior citizens, you’d think the clothes sellers in the “big, big-tall” catalogs would have more consideration for their overweight customers. But no, the male models are athletic, muscular, handsome, confident – and trim.

Perhaps there’s a fear that showing fat men will hurt sales, that the strained buttons, the rolls of fat overlapping the belt, the third (or fourth) chin are turn-offs. But someone searching for a reflection of himself does not find comfort in seeing only photos of the Ideal Man, steely-eyed and steely-muscled, staring back with a sneer for the corpulent customer.

Besides, who’s to say that a such a gent is any less confident, intelligent, clever or competent than his thinner colleagues? In ages past, corpulence was a mark of success; it showed that the man had arrived and he could afford a rich lifestyle. And the clothing designers and tailors catered to him, helping with his image of success.

Success now isn’t measured in girth; we know now obesity isn’t healthy. Overweight people understand this – they’ve only been told thousands of times by family, friends, TV, magazines. It’s hard to lose those extra pounds, though – but so is quitting tobacco or alcohol.

Why, then, force the fat man to cringe every time he opens a large man’s catalog? Give these men a little pride in themselves, perhaps it could lead to a better change in their lifestyle.