Midnight Shopping – The New Normal
Midnight Shopping – The New Normal
Associated Press reporters out of Fredericksburg, Va. reported that, ” a month, just after midnight, the beeping checkout scanners at a Wal-Mart just off Interstate 95 come alive in a chorus of financial and at grocery stores across the country, the chimes come just after food stamps and other monthly government benefits drop into the accounts of shoppers who have rationed things like milk, ground beef and toilet paper and can finally stock up again.”
The report refers to those who are shopping just prior to the midnight hour when their food stamp rations will be deposited electronically onto debit cards for the next month. The entire scenario sounds much like the food rationing lines of decades past – only based on the high-tech, electronic system of the 21st century. Problem is, hunger in 2010 is the same as hunger in the 1900’s.
Some shoppers have children in tow and others leave them sleeping at home – alone – in this midnight hour. Empty stomachs await midnight treats. Sounds like Christmas. But it’s not Christmas at all. In fact, it is far from a holiday.
One father stated to the reporter that, “The kids are sleeping, so we go do what we’ve gotta do. Money is tight,” And they needed the food stamps because, “his job as a restaurant server doesn’t quite cover expenses for their five children.” “We try to get here between 10:30 and 11 because we know we’ve got a lot of stuff to get. That way by 12 o’clock we’re at the line cashing out and done,” he said.
This is not a third world country. This is happening now in the United States. The jobless rate is stuck at 9.6%, one and two parent households (41 million total) are shopping with food stamps at midnight on the last day of the month, children are going to bed hungry, 1 in 7 Americans are now living in poverty, and Richard Hastings, macro and consumer strategist with Global Hunter Securities. “This is going to be like this for many years to come.” And further stated that this is “the new normal”.
And yet, with all of this doom and gloom, people still refuse to look for alternative sources of income. These same people continue to turn up their noses at home based business opportunities that are working to assist Americans by supplementing their household income. I even personally spoke to someone who would not consider a home business because it would interfere with their unemployment benefits; even though the potential was clearly there for her to exceed what the benefits were paying. Does this mean that there simply is no hope for the majority, because they refuse to recognize there has been a paradigm shift in this country. It is, in fact, the very same shift that has taken people out of food lines and ‘shifted’ them to electronic debit cards. E-commerce is not the future – it is the ‘now’. And it will be the strong, those with a vision and the creative who will survive this storm. And for those who continue to dismiss the possibilities, I wonder; don’t they have a responsibility to show their children a new and different way – as well as feeding them in the midnight hour? What could they learn by watching their parent(s) turn their circumstances around by turning themselves around?…
Accessories for Autumn
Autumn is in the air, and with it comes a drop in temperatures as the leaves fall from the trees. As we begin to seek out the cosy and warm in our wardrobes, fur fashion comes into its own as the perfect companion for those chillier days, with its warmth and softness proving the ideal companion.
Fortunately, this season we’ll be spoilt for choice. The runways have exploded with a wealth of colours and styles fresh for the coming months, all perfectly combining fur’s inherent luxurious appeal with its ability to keep us toasty warm. Burberry turned heads with their peaked cap in black and white calf print in mink, while Louis Vuitton’s designs in shearling lamb looked just the part to keep the chill out. Caroline Charles showed off a spectacularly elegant cloche hat in brown shearling, while John Richmond made sure your ears will be toasty warm with some silver fox earmuffs.
Capelets and boleros proved popular as ever for the coming season, with a range of styles to suit every occasion and outfit. Bibhu Mohapatra provided some fabulous examples, in particular a long goat hair piece with detail in shredded chiffon, while Aminaka Wilmont, Anna Sui, and Elie Saab displayed beautiful capelets featuring feathers and animal print on mink and rabbit fur. Kate Moss may have brought gilets and vests back into popular appeal, but they remain a wardrobe favourite – and with the unique ability to instantly glam up any outfit, as demonstrated by Diane Von Furstenberg’s long Mongolian lamb creation and Blugirl’s belted fox fur piece – ideal for transforming any casual outfit into something for the evening.
Gloves are a vital addition to any outfit once the mercury drops below a certain point, but with this season’s offerings you can be sure that they’ll be perfectly in-keeping with your ensemble. Look to Antonio Azzuolo for some oversized white fox mittens in striking black and white, which are every bit as cosy as they are classy, or for a more sleek look you can rely on Donna Karan’s designs with lamb trim. But fur cuffs aren’t just limited to the wrists: Kenzo’s fox spats prove that they have a place in footwear too, as do John Richmond’s designs for booties and sandals.
Prada’s success with their must-have fox fur stole has paved the way for brightly colours neckwear across the board, with designers such as Tfank, Marc Valvo, and Gucci all continuing the trend for colour blocking and bold tones in scarves and stoles. And, once you’ve selected the perfect piece, you can complete your outfit with a gorgeous handbag – purses, clutches and pouches were shown off in abundance on the runways, resplendent in Autumnal colours in a huge range of styles, such as the Finn Raccoon shoulder bag from Dsquared2 with leather strap, and Dries Van Noten’s gorgeous rabbit creation.
Finally, top it off with some mink framed sunglasses from Givenchy or a wide mink belt from Miu Miu. With so much choice in such a huge range of styles this Autumn, there’s no reason not to look fabulous.…
Dress Up Games – Try on Grown Up Roles For Children
Children have always loved to have a closet full of clothes for dress up games, and they have moved to the Internet as well. For adults, a virtual makeover of hair and makeup is the equivalent of a child hood game, with an increased fashion sensibility that makes the experience both fun and inspirational. There are a lot of websites that allow for this type of pretend.
Girls who love to pretend will enjoy playing dress up games for girls in real life and on line. There are clothes for work and play, and even outfits for virtual pets. Try on evening wear and vacation apparel to see a whole new person. The character that a girl dresses up can go from being a child to a princess with just a few mouse clicks and some imaginative style.
Parents need to be aware of the things that their children do on line. Dress up games are another aspect of the Internet that adults need to help monitor. Check for awards by such organizations as the Children’s Technology Review to judge whether or not the dress up games for girls that your daughter plays are suitable and safe for her. These are fun ways to try out the imagination and develop a sense of style and self, without overspending. Girls can be fashion models, or princesses. They can have exciting adventures and go on exotic vacations, all the while dressing to play the part, with an on line character or avatar that they choose to portray.
Whether you have a dress up game in a box in your home, or your family plays them on the Internet or in software, it is a fun way to develop fashion sense and security. Adult girls love makeovers and so do young girls, and that is why this type of play is popular. An added type of fashion game allows the player to earn points or coins and shop for the look that she wants. This is a great way to practice budgeting and managing money, life skills that we all need to develop. Imaginative play is how the work of childhood is done.…
The Perfect Place to Buy Sleepwear Online in India
Do you also feel that you have nothing to wear most of the times, and that you have to keep up to the current trends? Are you into high street fashion but it hurts your pocket to keep up with the trends? Then you would be more than happy to know that henceforth, Miss Chase- the UK fashion brand is now in India. Why Miss Chase? For the first time ever, UK fashion has been made affordable. It’s this brand new e store where from you can buy chic and stylish ladies tops online along with trendy bottom wear, party dresses, and accessories- all that you can possibly think of.
Now you can flaunt chic and uber cool UK fashion whenever and wherever you want and that is not going to hurt your pocket. Choose from their amazing collection of tops like the ladder sleeve, scoop back, slash back, sheer shirts and the hottest selling peplum tops in solid colors and floral prints! Their bottom wear also deserve a special mention here. From the elegant palazzos to the lacy skirts, asymmetrical skirts flirty shorts in bright and happy colors to sensuous rompers in electric blue and ravishing red is all you need to make a statement.
Along with the entire eye catching bright color blocks to flirty floral prints, there also have a sleepwear range. Buy sleepwear online in India from Miss Chase’s sassy and sweet range of nightwear. From cute camisole sets to shorts set, from comfy drawstring pajamas to sexy boyfriend sleep shirts in different designs- you are going to fall in love with it – not to mention how comfy they are. Miss Chase is not just about style but also about comfort. The entire range of apparels are designed and manufactured with utmost care. Each piece goes through multiple quality checks just to ensure you get nothing but the best.
Miss Chase is your one stop shop for all your fashion needs. Bought a top but can’t find what to accessorize it with? Take a look at some gorgeous fashion accessories from Miss Chase- there are statement neck pieces, bold cuffs, dainty earrings to bracelets in pop colors- there are scarves and bags, stockings, graphic leggings and shoes – you name it they’ve got it. The stuff that you see is something you’ll not find anywhere else. Shop the entire look within a matter of minutes- and give your wardrobe that fresh UK style make-over.
UK fashion now has a new address – your age old concern of having nothing to wear is about to be taken care of. Once you see the collection, you will not choose anything else and shop ladies tops online along with buying sleepwear online in India only from Miss Chase. Have a party to attend or going dancing in clubs this weekend? Check out the super stylish dresses in monochromes. No matter what the event is, you will find that perfect apparel to match with it. What are you waiting for ladies? Let’s start shopping!…
Nike Shoes – An Historical Landmark in the Sporting World
Nike Shoes – An Historical Landmark in the Sporting World
Ask any kid today; he or she would say “Nike” if you tell them “shoes.” Nike has become a synonym itself for the word shoes. No wonder it did, for it has a long success behind it. The name of the company is fully justified and can never be called a misnomer for in Greek Nike is the goddess of victory. The company has its headquarters today in the Portland metropolitan area and has about a revenue excess of about $20billion (USD) today.
In 1967, Nike was the first product that was sold by the company (then called by its founders Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight as Blue Ribbon Sports Inc) and it was a soccer cleat. The famous waffle soles and air soles were created by the Nike Company and was commercialised by them for the first time in the world in 1972 and 1979 respectively and the company earned a huge profit for the shoes made the athletes happier. This gave the company the idea to go public in 1980.
In 1984, the company’s prestigious Air Jordans were created after an agreement that was signed by the then Super Start of NBA, Michael Jordan. That was the first time ever, a range of shoes was created for basketball alone or rather for Michael Jordan alone. Later this brand swept the market clean of other shoes. Apart from the Jordans, the company also released another elite class of sport shoes called Air Force 1 later.
From 1988 to 1996, many developments pushed the company higher. A store called Nike Town was established in Oregon (presently the Head Quarters) in 1990, just after the famous tagline “Just Do it” was created in 1988. Now, it is a large enterprise that manufactures all types of sports apparel after many acquisitions and expansions and is the favourite brand for millions.…
Finding Bed Linen to Match Your Bedroom Decor by Shopping Online
Finding Bed Linen to Match Your Bedroom Decor by Shopping Online
Buying new bed linen is not something you would necessarily make a special shopping trip for. The solution is to buy it online through one of the terrific online shopping malls, which have many stores selling home furnishings including for the bedroom. This saves having to go out when quite frankly you may have better things to do with your time.
Amongst the stores featured here there are some well known and established names from shopping malls across the UK. There are also perhaps other less well known names to conjure with, but with just as good a choice of bed linen as the big department stores. The bottom line is the shopper can browse around each store to find what suits them best, without having to do the leg work required in a large shopping centre.
Some of these stores can offer customers eco-friendly furnishings for the bedroom, including an organic range of cotton bed linen. These shops have linen to cover all sizes of beds whether it is a single or a king-sized as well as matching pillow covers. It is important that customers have lots of choice and hopefully that is what they get online.
Sometimes people like to really add a lot of colour to the bedroom and some online stores can certainly provide that. They have bed linen with many bright colours as well as some rather more conservative styles. The beauty of shopping online is that you can quickly see whether a colour is going to match your current decor, making it less likely that you will need to send something back to the shop.…
Lingerie Tips For Plus Size Women
Every woman needs to feel good and to have fun with every piece of lingerie she wears. Forget lingerie that is too revealing, too skimpy, too tight, too trashy or just plain not you. Lingerie is as individual as the woman who wears it. With a little effort, you can find lingerie that feels like it was created just for you.
If purchasing underwear is a joy of yours, yet that is all you know concerning lingerie, then you are only at the start of your journey into the opulent world of lingerie. Specific bras and panties can make a woman feel sexy, seductive, passionate and can even bring out their animal side! Wearing sexy lingerie is a sure way to spark a fire in the bedroom, yet it can also work wonders when you choose a cozy night in front of the television with your significant other.
As fashion becomes more accepting of the plus size woman, the lingerie options available to her will increase. New fabrics that are comfortable, colorful and sensuous can be transformed into gorgeous lingerie for women of any size. We will now show you just some of these exciting new possibilities.
Baby doll nighties (also know as chemises) are one of the most popular of all types of lingerie. The baby doll chemise is very flattering to the plus size lady as it plays up her curves while downplaying the parts of her body she you may like the least. The baby doll is sexy, playful and very figure enhancing. It can also be naughty as opposed to nice when it is called for.
Most babydoll chemises are made from material that are very lightweight and soft such as cotton, lace, net and silk. Some come in a bustier style similar to a bra while others are more relaxed for comfort. The conventional babydoll nightie is made with spaghetti straps, a plunging neckline (to varying extents) and sports an empire waist. Most babydolls fall somewhere in the thigh area.
Sheer and lacy is not necessarily the same thing as naked. If you’re a plus size woman and you shy away from lingerie like that, then you haven’t found the type that’s right for you yet. Avoid sheer lingerie if you find it’s too short, too tight, or just plain too skimpy. You can find long, lacy sheer nightgowns that will look stunning on you. You could say that long nightgowns resemble floor length ball gowns that sweep across the floor; they’ll give you a sense of beauty, elegance, and sophistication.
Purchase full length filmy negligees or mini length babydoll styles. The short ones are perfect in the heat of the summertime. Also shop for full but sensual night shirts and really cute babydoll pajama sets. Net coordinates like a cami and short shorts are other appealing garments to keep in your bedroom closet if you are a full bodied gal who wears larger sizes.…