Fashion Newsletter

Realtors - Is Your Newsletter Increasing Sales?
By Al Kernek

If you are a REALTOR focused on residential sales who distributes a monthly email newsletter, ask yourself: "Is my distribution list growing?" And more importantly, "Is my newsletter accomplishing what I wish it to?"



You already recognize that an email newsletter is an effective marketing tool to help to increase sales. Regular communication with clients and prospects is essential to increase your revenues over time. But if the results are not living up to your expectations, step back and ask yourself, "How can I improve my newsletter to increase its readership and drive more sales?" Perhaps you need to make your content more compelling or to use your newsletter in a more engineered fashion.

The marketing goals for your newsletter should be: 1) to consistently present yourself as a knowledgeable expert to whom readers can trust their real estate matters, and 2) to bring prospective clients to your Website where they can view your listings, be reminded of your realty's programs for buyers and sellers, and to see your latest promotional offers.



To retain and expand readership, your newsletters must present information of value to its intended audience. It must provide specific data beneficial to homeowners in the geographical area in which your marketing efforts are concentrated.

Some newsletters provide general "home fix-it" information, national statistical data or news on community events as their main content. There is a place for that, but this should be used sparingly. You are more likely to create a growing client base if your newsletter talks to a homeowner's wallet. Some suggestions to help make your real estate newsletter a "must read" item are:



1. Highlight a section on home values in the local area. People always want to know how their main asset (i.e., their home) is faring. Create this from MLS data sorted by zip code, then drill down to find recent sales and listings within your farming area. Show average time on market for the latter. Ideally, present this data in a graphical summary (which is easy to do using Microsoft Excel), but require the reader to branch to your website for the detailed information.

2. Using the above information, offer a tool on your Website to quickly provide a "ballpark" estimate of market value based on the latest average dollars per square foot for sales in the targeted area. Be sure to include disclaimers (e.g., "This is a rough estimate only. Actual value will vary based on location, lot size, amenities and upgrades. Contact us for a FREE competitive market analysis").



3. Identify new developments and local trends that are expected to impact future home values.

4. If you work for a full-service realty, include financial information and services, emphasizing homeowner benefits.



Your newsletter should be a vehicle for driving prospects to your Website where pertinent offerings are presented. The best way to do this is to provide compelling article lead-ins or summaries that direct your readers ("Click here for complete article") to your Website for the rest of the story. Make sure that once the article on the destination Webpage has been consumed, other enticing choices (e.g., "See Featured Listing" or "Sign up to win a FREE digital camera") are available to encourage readers to explore the Website.

In short, think through the entire process, from your newsletter to the ultimate path you wish the reader to follow on your Website. If you approach it in this manner, viewing your newsletter as but one component of a marketing machine, then over time you will be rewarded with expanded sales.

Fashion Fair Products

What Fair Trade Clothing Stands For
By Bob Brightside

Fair trade has got a good reputation for obvious reasons and has been supported by some of the largest companies in the world. For those who understand it, it is great thing that they are doing but for those who are not quite sure here is what fair trade clothing stands for.



Fair and ethical companies will aim to use goods that are produced through fair and honest dealings and nothing untoward is going on, producing ethical, organic clothing without exploiting the workers, having the goods produced in good working conditions which mean the area should have been well ventilated with enough space and breaks for workers. The fairtrade companies also want to ensure that all their products are reducing the impact on the environment during the production and transportation process.



In terms of employment the ethics companies always ensure that the products they use are made by employees who earn at least the minimum wage for that country and which they do not work more than the maximum amount of hours as stated in the directive of the country of production. These are some of the points that a fair trade company sticks to when choosing the products to sell.

Fairtrade clothing as a whole has got a good reputation and there are some high quality clothes that are available including clothes for women, men and children which are great and there are a range of clothes for all the seasons.



There are some accessories that can be purchased to really finish off an outfit and these are all available online.



For those who have never brought any ethical clothing, you could probably not tell the difference in quality. In some items fair trade fashion is better and the care and attention that has gone into the making of it often sways people to buy fair trade. Fair trade products have been in the news for many years now, food and drink are widely available with some supermarkets preferring them over other brands. This shows the popularity of fair trade products.



Clothes are set to follow the trend and this is great news for the future of thousands of employees around the world.

It is also good news to those who currently buy ethical clothing and appreciate the quality and production methods behind them.

Famous Cothing Designers

Famous Fashion Designers
By Trishia Lopez

Fashion designers use flair and know-how to create everything from hospital uniforms to the eye-popping outfits worn by rock stars and models. Jobs for fashion designers are expected to grow more slowly than the average for all careers through 2014, according to government economists. A study of the work of several other fashion designers records how fashion changed throughout the decade.



Fashion

Fashion design is also a labor of love, requiring long hours and little chance of superstardom -- but for many, the work itself is the reward. Fashion designers, in fact, are some of the most creative and eclectic people that you will ever meet. Men's fashions during the 19th and 20th centuries have been conservative and dull in comparison to women's. The fashion industry is a big part of our economy. Here is a short list: Chanel Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel (1883-1971) created feminine fashion that provided the feeling of luxury and combined traditional women’s clothing with styles, fabrics, and articles of clothing used by men. Her fashion revolution liberated women to express their femininity with elegance and grace.



The Hollywood film "The Devil Wears Prada", starring Meryl Streep, has brought a lot of attention to the world of fashion. More information about Prada Versace Gianni Versace (1946-1997) became interested in fashion working in his mother's small dress shop. By 1978 he had become a design leader of women's and men's fashions. More information about Giorgio Armani Jean-Paul Gaultier (1952- ) is a French fashion designer who never received formal design training. In 1967 he purchased the Polo label and launched a world-wide fashion empire that includes clothing lines for men and women.



Fashion

The high prices commanded by the fashionable Fendi purses have created a large market for fake goods from Asia bearing logos that are eerily similar to the inverted FF. In 1985, they took part in a fashion show featuring "New Talent", and the following year, they presented their first independent women's ready-to-wear show. You'd have to be walking around with a shopping bag over your head to not realize that fashion is everywhere. In order to succeed in the often cutthroat--and frequently debt-ridden--world of fashion, designers can no longer hide behind their model's skirts.



Most fashion designers, however, work for apparel manufacturers, creating designs of men’s, women’s, and children’s fashions for the mass market. Employment growth for fashion designers will be slowed, however, by declines in the apparel manufacturing industries Designers in most fields are expected to face strong competition for available positions.



Most women of means had a dressmaker who would create garments according to the latest fashions. Instead of catering strictly to a few wealthy clients, coveted fashion designers now create product lines ranging from perfumes to pantyhose that can reach consumers at every price point. "Consumers at the middle and lower level have realized they can get just as good a fashion direction with clothing at disposable prices that they can wear once and throw away--or if it falls apart, who cares.

Organic Fashion

Organic Materials Used in the Clothing & Fashion Industries
By Eileen Traylor

Organic implies food and other items derived from raw materials that are wild-crafted or organically grown. The processes used minimize damage to the environment and improve the quality of life for the workers and animals involved.



Following is an overview of the growing variety of organic materials being used in the clothing & fashion industries to assist us in making healthier choices for ourselves, our families, and the earth. Additionally, we have included a summary of the dye processes most widely used by eco-friendly manufacturers.

Natural color clothing is the healthiest and most eco-friendly. These include color-grown cottons (brown, blue, purple, green) and natural color wools and alpaca. No dyes are used and the fabric maintains a consistent color.

Clay-dyeing uses an age old technique of grinding minerals and irons found within earthen clay, blending with water then soaking natural color cotton to the desired hue. After several washings, a slight color change may be expected.



Low-impact fiber-reactive dyes remain the most widely used in the organic manufacturing industry because of their color diversity. The colors are bright, rich, and colorfast. Low-impact fiber-reactive dyes are considered an eco-friendly pigment because they contain no formaldehyde or heavy metals (ie. bright turquoise and bright yellow typically require heavy metals to achieve their brightness) and create less waste water runoff than modern dyeing methods. Seventy percent or more of the dye actually adheres to the fiber during the dye process. Waste water is filtered multiple times and is returned to the water system cleaner than it was originally. But, the actual dyes are almost always found to be made from synthetic petrochemicals. As the industry grows, however, one may anticipate development of a true non-toxic pigment to rival the low-impact dyes currently available.

Organic cotton, inherently soft to the touch, is grown without chemical fertilizers or pesticides; requires minimal processing and possesses no chemical finishes. This growing method improves soil quality; supports biodiversity and our fragile ecosystems. Organically grown cotton yields are high and the chemical-free working environment promotes health and wellbeing.



Bamboo fabric is extremely durable which belies its luxurious delicate sheen and soft rayon-like drape. It retains its antibacterial qualities, killing odor-causing bacteria that live on human skin. It has excellent insulating properties and is highly absorbent and breathable, wicking moisture away from the skin while keeping the wearer cooler in summer and warmer in winter. Bamboo, a highly renewable resource, is a fast growing grass, ready for harvest within 5 years. It is naturally resistant to pests making it relatively easy to grow without the use of chemicals.

EcoSpun is a polyester fiber made entirely from recycled plastic bottles! EcoSpun fleece is warm, durable, lightweight, weather resistant and soft to the touch. It is often blended with other fibers such as cotton, wool and Tencel for manufacture of clothing, blankets, carpeting, fiberfill and other home furnishings.



Woven hemp can be traced back 10,000 years making it one of the oldest textiles known to man. The fabric for the first flag of the United States of America was hemp, as were the covers for the wagons that dared to venture west, attesting to its strength and durability. It resists UV light and is mold resistant. Its texture is compared most closely to linen. For the record, industrial hemp has no drug value. Hemp is grown organically, needs no irrigation, is insect resistant and is harvested and processed without machinery. It produces up to 3 times more fiber per acre than cotton. Woven hemp is breathable and may be produced on its own as a fabric or combined with other fibers as a blend.

Ingeo fibers offer a viable sustainable solution to synthetics. As a fabric, Ingeo's luxurious feel contradicts its durability and easy maintenance. A derivative of fermented corn, an annually renewable resource, Ingeo fibers require about half of the energy needed in the production of synthetic polyester and release fifty percent fewer greenhouse gasses during the production process. From raw material through to the end product, the manufacture of Ingeo fibers integrates environmental responsibility with excellent product performance and comfort. This extraordinary product delivers comparable performance characteristics to the easy care synthetic polyester fibers we have come to love in a variety of clothing and home accessories.

Linen is derived from the flax plant, and like hemp, its use dates back thousands of years. Linen is absorbent and breathable which gives it excellent wicking qualities. Organically grown linen drapes beautifully and compliments many fabrics as a blend, giving eco-friendly designers yet another fabric to further verify that the new "green" is style, quality, and performance.



Soy fabric is made using a by-product of the process used to make tofu. Because of its high protein count, it is receptive to natural dyes, has an amazingly soft cashmere quality, is lightweight, breathable and super comfortable to wear. What more can we say?

Tencel is made from wood pulp cellulose. It offers a soft, silky hand, has super absorbency qualities, is as strong as any synthetic, enjoys the coolness of linen and is as warm as wool! The most naturally hygienic fiber, Tencel prevents the growth of bacteria. Through manipulation of the fibers during processing, a variety of looks from denim to suede can be accomplished.

Wool is considered organic when the wool is harvested without harm to its source. Guidelines to insure this include the prevention of overgrazing through limiting the number of animals per acre. No synthetic pesticides may be used on grazing lands, feed is organic, and antibiotic use is regulated. Raw and untreated, wool has scales that cause shrinkage and make it feel itchy and coarse to the hand. To improve these qualities, organic wool is slow-washed to reduce shrinkage and produce a wonderfully soft texture.

Fashion Optical

How to Choose Eyeglasses For Men
By Aakash Shah

Men are always concerned about their comfort apart from style and fashion when it comes to their eyeglasses. The durability and the fit of the glasses matter to them much more than that of women. They may wear a frame according to the choice of someone special but they will not forgo their comfort under any circumstances. According to a research conducted by Vision Council of America the fact that comfort is the main concern for men was highlighted. About 59%of the men agreed to this fact. There was another majority of men who emphasized on durability of frames stating that frames that are flexible and does not break easily are their main concern.



Here we will discuss some points which will allow checking whether the eyeglass frame you are going for is comfortable. Make sure of the fact that the temples of the frame does not dig into the side of your head. The next fact you have to see is that the temples are long enough. You should also check out the nosepiece and make sure that they are adjustable and are made up of soft silicon material. The last thing you should check is that the eyeglass stays in place when you move your head up and down.



Men who are looking for frames which are more durable should ensure the fact that the frames are made up of titanium, stainless steel and other flexible material such as Flexon. These materials are very strong and are much more durable. Men's eyeglasses are such where there is a combination of fashion and function. There are five trends quite common in all men's eyeglasses.

Firstly the use of aviator glasses and double brow-bar style has been the latest trend. These eyeglasses are made of new material.



Secondly the use of large and bold frames is quite common today. This is the latest trend. These type of frames mostly suit men with big faces.

The third type of frames available today is in rimless and semi-rimless styles. These frames are mostly preferred by men who want a new look and trendy look. These frames along with anti-reflective glasses are very light and thus render a lot of comfort.



Fourthly the use of titanium frames is very common. This is because this material is very light weighted, non corrosive and very durable. Stainless steel and aluminum frames are also durable and light weighted, thus making these frames very popular.

Fifthly plastic frames are also being used to give a trendy and retro look. These frames are also lightweight, durable and comfortable. These frames are mostly preferred by the youngsters as they are available in a variety of styles.

Fashion Jobs NYC

February in New York City
By Rosalie Scott

Bundle up for a buggy ride through Central Park. Or book a romantic Valentine's Day dinner at a Manhattan bistro. From ice skating at Wollman Rink to the buzz of Fashion Week, despite the chilly temperatures there many reasons to take a winter break in the Big Apple.



Celebrate Valentine's Day

Chocolates and flowers are nice, but if you really want to wow the special someone in your life, what could be a better than a romantic trip to New York City for Valentine's Day? There are dozens of romantic destinations for couples to make the most of the cold.



As countless Hollywood movies and TV shows depict, just walking around the city itself is enchanting, with Central Park providing some of the best romantic backdrops. Recreate a Sex in the City moment and take a carriage ride through Central Park just like Carrie and Mr. Big did on his last night in New York. Or for a truly classic winter activity, bundle up against the wind and twirl around the Wollman Rink with your better half. Located in the southern portion of Central Park between 62ndand 63rd Streets, this picturesque rink is featured in the classic movie Love Story as well as the John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale flick Serendipity. After you've unlaced your skates, consider strolling hand in hand to the diner Serendipity 3, another setting from this romantic comedy. The New York City landmark's Frrrozen Hot Chocolate is a wildly popular treat.



Get Caught Up in Fashion Week

The fashion industry in New York City is huge, providing jobs to over 175,000 people. So it's no surprise that New York's Fashion Week is a massive event, turning all eyes on the city as it kicks off a series of international Fashion Weeks including London, Milan and Paris.



New York City Fashion Week, which takes place twice a year in February and September, floods the city with over a quarter of a million attendees. It's all about fall fashion at the February Fashion Week events, where American designers and some international names send their fall and winter collections down the runways. From Ralph Lauren to Donna Karan, some of the biggest names will showcase the up and coming trends to thousands to fashion editors, buyers and journalists as well as celebrities and socialites- and of course the paparazzi that follow them! Tourists visiting the city while Fashion Week is taking place can't help but get caught up in the exciting buzz; with over 250 fashion events taking place throughout Manhattan everyone including the cab drivers will likely be talking about Anna Wintour and Marc Jacobs.



Inspired to shop by all the fashion buzz? February in New York City is a great time of year to pick up fantastic deals on winter clothing, as many retailers start to discount warmer styles to make way for the spring and summer fashions soon to flood their shelves. Department stores like Macy's at 34th Street and Broadway and Bloomingdale's at 59th Street and Lexington Avenue are classic New York City shopping destinations and a perfect place to start the hunt for great sale items.

Visitors travelling to New York City in February should also remember to take advantage of NYC Restaurant Week, where they can enjoy discount prix-fixe menus at dozens of top Manhattan restaurants. Visit their website for the latest information on this twice-yearly event.

Fashion Haircuts

Short Hairstyles - Trendy Or Fashion?
By Lisa Hunt

No matter what hairstyle you choose, it is important for the hairstyle to not only fit your facial shape and skin tone, but it must fit your personality too. In spite of the fact that hair grows out, you have to be comfortable with the style from the beginning. Most of us do not have the luxury of calling our employer and saying "I'm not coming to work for the next few weeks because I don't like my new haircut." Probably more than any other hairstyle, short hair takes courage because if you don't like it, other than a wig, there is nothing you can do about it. You must be patient and wait for Mother Nature to change the length.



Women of the 21st Century look for fashionable short hairstyles that are chic and trendy, but are also easy to manage. In today's busy world where women are famous for multi-tasking, they look for a modern hairstyle that will let them fit into the corporate world by day, but by night look sexy and fashionable while out on a date. Of course, if you are a modern, married woman who is also a mother, you want a style that can take you from work to the supermarket and back home again. The modern mom wants to look stylish with a minimal amount of time and effort.



If you are looking to update your style, choosing a short style definitely transports you into the modern fashion world. In fact, when you think about it, short hair became a symbol of the modern woman in the 1920s. Until then, young women had long tresses. A young woman who wanted to rebel against tradition, bobbed her hair. In the 21st Century, fashionable short styles look refreshing, vibrant, and young. They are easy to manage and help a woman to look meticulously groomed at all times.



Stylists of the early 21st Century have updated the original bob of the early 20th Century with a blunt cut and fringe. This type of style is ideal for a woman with straight hair. Hair Stylists have worked their magic on the short shag turning it into a hairdo that is glamorous. The short bob is not just for women with straight hair. Curly shags that have an old-fashioned look are becoming popular because they definitely enhance a woman's femininity. Closely related to the shags with curls are romantic short cuts and that "just woke up" messy look. The messy look is appealing because it looks like the wind just blew through a woman's hair. It sends a message that she enjoys having fun and is relaxed about her appearance.



Short modern haircuts help a woman make a statement about her personality. She is modern, but with style. Layering is a key signature style of short hair today. Stylists emphasize the layered look by adding darker tones to the strands underneath with lighter colored hair at the top, sides, and back. Intermingling dark tones and light tones help to create a sense of depth and make the short cut more interesting. The modern, fashionable short style plays with color, layering, and fringe cuts to create an updated version of the bob from the days of "Thoroughly Modern Millie" in the 1920s.



Are you interested in seeing how you look with thousands of hairstyles in 53 different colors? Check out the Offer on our website where you upload your photo and then the magic begins. This is like having a fairy godmother who, with a touch of her magic wand, can let you see yourself in different short hair styles before you cut your hair!