The Music Of Achievement

Like hats, wigs are used to cover a person’s head. Wigs come in all shapes and sizes, from straight to curly, short to long. Wigs are also available in a variety of colors and texture.

Wigs are worn by people for many reasons aside from covering natural hair loss. Some people wear wigs to change their hairstyles and hair colors albeit temporarily. Other people however use wigs not for aesthetic purposes but as part of tradition or the mandates of their professions.

In the olden days, the use of wigs signified power and wealth. English judges and lawyers used to wear wigs in the courtroom. Remember those white curly hairs worn by judges in old English movies?

These lawyers and judges use the wigs not for anything else but as part of their official functions.

The use of wigs is basically a necessity for people who have thinning hair or have excessive hair loss. The presence of hair even though in the form of a wig, can spell more confidence for bald people. In ancient times, the Egyptians wore wigs for the same reason people wore hats, and that is to protect their heads from the sun’s heat.

Wigs are widely used by performers, whether in movies or theaters, to help them delineate different roles that they portray. The use of wigs in theaters can somehow exaggerate the characters portrayed by actors and actresses.

For women, wigs are essential fashionable accessories because it enables them to transform from dull dark-haired girls to blonde bombshells. Women who have short hairs also wear longer wigs when it suits them. Ironically, the use of wigs as a fashion accessory can be attributed not to a woman, but to male French and English leaders who wore wigs that imitated real hair. France’s Louis XIII and England’s Charles’s II spearheaded the use of wigs as a fashion accessory.

But the wigs of the olden days were not always made of human hair due to the latter’s scarcity.

Believe it or not, wig manufacturers used the hairs of animals like goats and horses to create wigs.

The use of wigs for both men and women became more popular in the 18th century when the use of wigs became a status symbol. During that time, the wig colors varied from white to pink and there were even blue wigs.

The popularity of wigs in Asia during the 19th century led to the industrialization of the wig industry where manufacturers discovered the use of synthetic hair materials for the production of wigs.

The use of wigs as a fashion statement may have lost its popularity nowadays but this hair accessory is still being used for its functional purpose namely, to cover up hair loss or thinning hair. However, the use of wigs is still being practiced in theaters.

The author is a regular contributor to Wig Help where more wig selection advice and resources are freely available.

Eyewear without a doubt has become a wonderful fashion accessory, with an endless array of wonderful designs, styles and colors that make wearing eye glasses fun. Fashion eyewear choices can include names like; Armani, Calvin Klein, Gucci, Christian Dior, Cartier, Versace, Yves Saint Laurent, Prada and Laura Ashley to name a few. Fashion eyewear can be found in a variety of frames available in the latest shapes, styles and shades to suit every need and style. You will also find children’s fashion eyewear similar to the adult styles made with high quality materials for durability and safety, important to stand up to the wear and tear of children.

Whether you wear fashion eyewear or discount eyewear there is a pair of eye glasses to suit your face shape, personality and lifestyle. Never have there been more eyewear styles, designs and colors than there are today.

Modern technology has given us an endless variety of sport eyewear and sports specific eyewear to protect our eyes and enhance our sporting activities. With sport eyewear available to offer superior quality optics, elimination of fogging, maximum fields of vision and elimination of reflection the choices have never been better.

There are sport specific eyewear and eyewear lenses for the golfer, cyclist, mountain climber, skier, snow boarder, driver and tennis player. Sport eyewear is best known for the optical quality and visual enhancement of the lenses. One example of the innovative sports specific eyewear is the yellow enhancement of eyewear lenses that can be helpful in tennis where the tennis balls are most often yellow. Amber or rose lenses enhance soft grays that mark the shadows on a ski slope. It is very important to wear the correct protective eyewear when participating in sports, to ensure you see properly and your eyes are protected.

There are a variety of safety eyewear options available to be used at both home and work where there may be small airborne particles that can get into the eyes.

Safety eyewear may be worn when using lathes, saws, sanders and other power tools. Safety eyewear should cover the front of your eyes and the sides and top of your eyes so that particles will not get into the eyes and cause damage. Safety eyewear with polycarbonate lenses (impact resistant) are an excellent idea.

Shopping for children’s eyewear can be an overwhelming task given all the choices available combined with wanting to find something your child will want to wear while at the same time being long lasting. Most children need eyewear for nearsightedness or farsightedness and will either have to wear their eyewear on a part time or full time basis (this will be established by your eye care practitioner). Children’s eyewear can be found in a wide variety of designs, styles and colors with several designer styles similar to the adult versions. Both plastic and metal eyewear frames can offer durability that will keep up to your child’s demands. Spring hinges that allow for flexibility at the temple and polycarbonate (impact resistant) lenses are also great choices for children’s eyewear. It’s a good idea to let your child participate in selecting their eyewear, this way they are more likely to wear their eyewear. It’s also wise to stay clear of fads that will quickly become outdated and of course you’ll want to make sure your child’s eyewear fits properly and comfortably.

One type of eyewear that we often forget about is that of specialty eyewear. Specialty eyewear can include computer eyewear, reading eyewear, driving eyewear, sport eyewear, protective eyewear and safety eyewear. Some of the specific uses of specialty eyewear can include; computer eyewear lenses are designed specifically for the close distance associated with the computer; sport eyewear can give increased enjoyment and protection during sports while helping to better see the lines in a golf course or tennis balls; safety eyewear can give protection from dust and glare; eyewear for hobbies such as beading, needlepoint and crafting helps the eyes as your spending a lot of time at close distances.

Where you will purchase your eyewear will most likely be a matter of personal choice based on factors such as time, convenience and eyewear knowledge. Before you make any eyewear purchases you’ll want to of course visit your eye care practitioner for any necessary eye prescriptions and it also helps to know what styles look best on you. A visit to an eyewear shop can allow you to try on a variety of designs and styles with the help of a knowledgeable salesperson. After you have your eye prescription and know what styles look best you are free to purchase eyewear from the multitude of online eyewear sites. Choose from many of our featured merchants that we have screened for you. Discount eyewear sites offer a wide selection of brand name eyewear, designer eyewear, fashion eyewear, sport eyewear, children’s eyewear and prescription eyewear at discount prices. Before making any eyewear purchases make sure the site is reputable.

With so many wonderful eyewear designs to choose from it can often be difficult deciding upon one pair of eyewear frames. With that said, new designs and styles are constantly appearing making the choices even more overwhelming, you’ll most likely want to have a few pairs of eyewear in your collection. Some of the current eyewear trends can include; rectangular and oval shaped designer eyewear frames with colors like quartz, rose opal crystal, white, peach, lilac, havana, black and gold; ultra-thin lightweight frames; semi-rimless styles; scandium eyewear frames, a new lightweight material that is lighter than titanium; stained glass designs on eyewear frames.

With the thousands of eyewear styles, designs and colors available wearing eyewear has never been more exciting. There is eyewear to complement any face shape, lifestyle and personality. You can look great and feel comfortable wearing eyewear.

Valerie Giles owns and operates Eyewear-4U http://www.eyewear-4u.com, an eyewear site featuring fashion eyewear, sports eyewear, prescription eyewear, discount sunglasses and contact lenses as well as accessories.

Conversation between Adwin Ang & Andy Gilchrist
Good day everyone and Welcome to our Interview with Andy Gilchrist!

Adwin:
Hi Andy, first of all I would like to thank you for taking some time off from your busy schedule for this online interview. I have read the materials from your CD; you bet they are highly informative products. Especially you use charts and picture to illustrate. Also it is a very good and fast reference guide.
My first question is Andy, what have made you decide to come up with a website’s that focus on men’s fashion?

Andy:
It was an extension of my natural and long time interest in men’s clothing. I started out at the monitor of a men’s fashion Forum that was connected to Men’s Health magazine and liked the idea. I then decided to write a book on men’s clothes, (The Encyclopaedia of Men’s Clothes) which took me two years, and the website was a vehicle to sell the book.

Adwin:
I have read and saw the huge number of topics which you covered on menswear both on your website and CD Rom e-Book “The Encyclopaedia of Men’s Clothes”, the information really amaze me on what I have missed out all these years.
Where or how did you develop your fashion sense? Any special training or courses one need to take?

Andy:
Some of it came from my father, who living in the middle of Kansas (USA) and doing oil exploration work. But he was always interested in men’s fashion and the quality of the various brands of shoes, suits, shirts, etc.
And honestly I think it somewhat out of insecurity!! Not being born the best looking guy in the world (don’t argue!) I realized that image and looks was important and that I needed to make myself look as good in public as possible.

Adwin:
It occurred to me men in my country aren’t really dress to impress or know their dressing sense but dress according to what they think is suitable for the occasion.
For example: Some men would wear a polo-shirt or jeans for Wedding dinner. They find it more comfortable which is obviously

Where can we obtain the information on latest trends in men’s fashion? Any websites which are your favourites?

Andy:
Unlike women’s clothing, most men’s clothing (even for the most formal occasions) are intricately comfortable. Women are always searching for comfortable shoes, while men would not stand (pardon the pun) for shoes that didn’t fit well and feel good.
There is also a world wide cultural (or sexual) mind set that men are not suppose to dress well. They are “supposed” to be unkempt, rugged individuals. But if you study every male animal species you note that the male is the more colourful!

It’s good to keep up on the current trends, but not necessarily to go crazy for each fad that comes along. The value of men’s clothing is that they change fashion rarely since the styles have been evolving down through a 100 years to something that fits men’s body types, activities and makes most men look great. Look at formalwear - every man looks exceptionally handsome in the classic (no frills, no updates, no changes) basic tuxedo.
The “acceptable” colors for business (Navy or grey suit, white or blue shirt, etc.) compliment most gentlemen’s skin, hair and eye colors.

Adwin:
You mention about the “Rule of Seven” a few times in your Men’s clothes Encyclopedia. What exactly must we watch out on the ‘7 rules’?

Andy:
Just to restate that there is a “Rule of Seven” in women’s fashion that applies to men as well. The “rule” states that there should be no more than seven points of interest on your body at any one time!

The theory is that too much visual stimulation detracts from the total look.
Points of interest could be a watch, pocket square, bright tie, blazer buttons, braces, belt buckle, cuff links, fashion glasses, facial hair, vest, anything that could draw attention to that item.

So if you’re wearing an exceptional pair of cufflinks you don’t want to overpower them by adding too many other visual excitement.
When others are visually overloaded they tend to repel you. The mistake when you have too many points of interest is that the look is loud, busy and discordant (not harmonic). Too many patterns make you look like a clown.

Adwin:
The section which I find it most interesting is on casual wear.” DON’T BE A CASUAL CASUALTY!” which you mention alot of people have misunderstood the meaning of casual dressing. I do agree and myself have always misunderstood it at the long.
What are the different types of casual wear and how should we wear to address the word “Casual wear” on our invitation card?

Andy:
Part of the problem is that the person sending out the invitation has no idea what the classifications of dress are and thus confuses the guests. There are 5 classifications of dressy and 5 classifications of casual and they all depend on the occasion. It’s easy to get them all mixed up.

Adwin:
Ehm…Andy, as you know I am running a blog site on cuff links. My next question is in general how should we match our cuff links to the type of cuff shirts we wear, in terms of shirts and cuffs material?

Andy:
You can coordinate cuff links by colour with the rest of your ensemble for that harmonic impression.
You may want to coordinate the metal colour with your watch and ring, so that everything, for example, is gold, but that’s not really necessary. Many watches contain both silver and gold and colour mixing is not scorned.
Traditionally gold was appropriate for day, and silver for evening, but with the advent of a more casual approach both are interchangeable. Silver goes with blue, black or grey, and gold is best with earth tones.

Adwin:
About cuff links care, how should we store them to prevent scratches and should we clean them often for cuff links made of stainless steel?

Andy:
Store your cuff links in a felt lined jewellery case or use any other method that keeps the links from coming in contact with each other to prevent scratching.
If you don’t have a jewellery case just keep them in the felt lined box they were packed in when you purchased them. Of if they didn’t come in a box (where did you say you got these cuff links?) try storing them in a soft cloth in a drawer.

Adwin:
As you know, there are many type of cuff links in the market. For a person who intend to buy his first pair of cuff links what should he look out for? Is there such a thing as the main categories of cuff types?

Andy:
STYLES of CUFF LINKS:(from most elegant to least dressy)

Double-faced are links with two identical faces attached with a metal link. You push one face through the “button” holes of the cuff. These are the dressiest.Chain links — A chain attaches the double-faced links.
Snap on are made up of two separate pieces that snap together.

Push-through — This style has a bulbous or globular end opposite the showy side, which is pushed through the cuff holes. Also see Silk Knots below.

Hinged back — This type has a bar, which can be aligned perpendicular to the link then opened parallel, after it’s pushed though the cuff, to secure the link in place.

Stirrup are cufflinks that wrap around the shirt cuff. Some consider these garish.

Silk knots have two knots linked together with and made of silk; one of the knots is pushed through the cuff hole to hold the cuff together. Silk knots are the least dressy style.

Adwin:
I have seen a few men’s cosmetics store in Singapore but might be catering to a small group of people. But seems to me men nowadays are more concern of the way they dress themselves and they are more willing to spend on accessories.
Do you think men’s fashion wear will continue to be more popular for the next 5 years or so?

Andy:
Absolutely. Men are realizing the importance to their daily lives of looking good. A good impression helps with business, love life, family and all relationships (getting through airport security!!) There will be a boom in men’s cosmetics, quality and classic clothing (some with new high tech fabrics) and a greater willingness to spend money on items that make us look good.

Adwin :
Andy, having been in the men’s fashion industry for many years, what are the common problems that are face by men nowadays in term of their dressing?

Andy:
The casual dressing era was welcomed by many men but then it became apparent that putting all those elements together properly wasn’t so easy. Certainly not as easy as putting a suit (one element) together with a shirt, tie, and shoe and a belt that matched. It’s more difficult to dress in casual mode and look good.

Adwin:
Coming back to the topic of cuff links, do you have any resources to recommend where readers here can draw information from?

Andy:
There must be a good history or a book on cuff links out there. If not, Adwin, let’s write one!

Adwin:
From our last email exchanged, you are launching your a set of cuff links, do you intend to go into customisation cuff links for the Online community? How can they reach you?

Andy:
SmartTurnout, in the UK, in the UK, One of the sponsor’s on AskAndyAboutclothes.com agreed to design a pair of chain style (double faced) cuff links with the Ask Andy hanger on one side and some nice blue tone stripes on the other. (so you could wear the ask Andy side out for Ask Andy get-together events and the other side out for day to day wear. I should have some news (photos, prices) very soon.

Adwin:Once again, thank you, Andy!, for sharing with us your knowledge on clothing’s and await to see more of your exciting tips and cuffs launches.
Take care and have a nice day!

Andy: Thank you Adwin! Really good thoughtful questions. Good luck on the great website you’ve started on cufflinks. I really like the layout and the information there is excellent.

Adwin Ang have been in the IT industry for about 9 years and currently started his own blog in providing cuff links resources for cuff links lovers.He runs a monthly newsletter which deliever highly informative resources and tips to his subscriber. Visit his blog at http://mycufflinks.blogspot.com.

These days there’s a great deal of lingerie available to plus size ladies. Designers seem to be falling over themselves to create new and innovative designs that allow you to be more expressive and sexy than ever before. Of course one of the most evocative things that you can wear, is a beautifully designed plus size thong. There are some wonderful designs around at the moment, with everything from simple fabric triangles with a string backing, to jewel encrusted and very expensive, designer creations.

Of course some may feel that it is inappropriate for them to wear a plus size thong, but it is really a matter of personal opinion. You are the one who knows your own body best and if you feel comfortable and attractive in a thong, then there’s every reason to wear one. The main trick to wearing a thong if you are a plus size lady, unless you’re simply wearing it under your normal clothes, is to wear it with confidence. If you feel awkward, then the chances are that you will not be looking your best, but if it makes you feel good, then be proud and you will look as good as you feel.

A plus size thong can look great when coupled with a lacy bodice or camisole and now there are some wonderful twin sets available from some of the better stores, both off-line and online. Some of the more risqué shops such as Victoria’s Secrets are now beginning to carry a good selection of thongs in larger sizes and they have some wonderful designs to choose from. But if you prefer to do your shopping in a little more privacy, then there are some great online stores which have a wide variety of sizes and styles to suit every taste.

If you’re not sure whether a plus size thong is for you, then you may find it easier at first, to try a partial thong, which is also known as a Rio. It’s a great way of getting used to the thought of wearing much less material but still being comfortable. It is actually a halfway house between wearing a normal bikini and a thong. So although it has more material, it is still quite revealing and can be a good way to start off. But in the end it is only you that knows what suits you best and the most important thing is that you feel good, because if you feel good then you’ll look great.