Cowboy Fashion Do's

By Jason Murphy

Technically speaking, all Stetson Company hats can be branded as a Stetson. However, American popular culture has created for us the image of a Stetson hat as the classic cowboy hat. Cowboy hats are distinguished as having wide brims and high, distinctly-shaped crowns. Straw, fur, and wool felt are the common materials used for making these hats. Straw, aside from being cheaper, is the best hat for during hot weather. However, age and long wear might cause it to become brittle. For durability, fur felt hats of either beaver or rabbit are best though more expensive. If you think that you can put on any cowboy hat and it will do, you might be surprised that there are fashion do's and dont's when it comes to wearing one.

Banish the thought that real cowboys only wear one hat. Real cowboys have several cowboy hats and other than function, they have other reasons. First, straw and hats of light color are fashionable and must be worn only in the summer or dry seasons. This is because they are airy, breathable, and as your science teacher always says, light colors absorb less heat. Second, the season for dark colored and felt hat is during the colder months. Aside from protecting the head against the bitter weather, these hats also absorb more heat, thereby keeping the cowboy warm. Though no clear reason is given why, white hats are no-no after the celebration of Labor day. You might just be branded as a fashion flop if you do so.

Okay you got your hat and you know how to wear one, but still, it's not enough to project a cowboy image. Cowboys follow certain etiquette when wearing hats, and you would do yourself a good deed to do as they do. Cowboy hats are not worn indoors except in public places that are enclosed and large (malls, square dance halls). Like all other hats, take it off when seated at a table, especially during meals. Wearing it while dining gives the impolite impression that you're in a hurry to finish eating and leave. A big no is wearing it inside Churches. If you feel like wearing it in a church, by all means attend service at a Cowboy Church.

Cowboys pay respect to ladies. Doff your hat to passing ladies by way of greeting and respect. Don't exclude men in uniform either. Church officials are also rendered the same courtesy. To do this properly, bow your head slightly at an angle and hold your hat by its crown. Lift it slightly as if taking it off, pause, and place it back. During services that require standing for a period of time (flag ceremonies, mass) hold your hat by its crown at chest level as if in a semi-hug. Now that you've learned your hat basics and etiquette, brush your cowboy hats and head out. The town needs you partner.


For more valuable information on cowboy hats please visit http://www.cowboy-hats.net

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_Murphy

Color and You and Your Wardrobe

By Carmel Baird

When you are sewing for yourself, selecting fabric is so important and selecting the colors to suit you is even more important.

Not all of us can afford to have our colors done, but you can experiment with this.

When in a fabric store, take a bolt of fabric to a mirror, put it up to your face, more across at your shoulder. take note of how it affects your skin tone and take particular note of your eyes.

If it is your color, your skin should look a very good color, you will look healthy and your eyes bright and alive. If it is not your color, the the 'color' will drain from your face and your eyes will look tired and dull.

You can do this with what you have in your wardrobe right now.

All colors have undertones, and the color experts have classified them for fashion as "warm" and "cool" or the latest "silver" and "gold"

To determine if you are a silver or a gold, place the metals one at a time against your skin and see which is the brightest, that brightest one will be you.

If you like a particular color and you don't think it fall into your colors, this may not be true, you may still be able to wear it.

Most colors have an undertone, these undertones are what determines whether the color is "yours" or not.

Colors have a warm undertone or a cool undertone. If you want to wear that color you love, then find the fabric that has your "undertone" and this you will see by "laying" the fabric on you, by that I mean, draping across you and seeing the result, if your skin takes on a healthy glow, then that is for you, if it makes your skin look sallow and dull, then leave it where it is.

You will have a "power" color too. The power colors are mainly black, navy, grey and brown. One of these colors will suit you better than the others, The one you always feel good in, and makes your skin tone and eyes bright and healthy. Many people think black is the all powerful color, not so, if it doesn't suit you it will have the opposite effect.

So try navy or brown, once again if the color drains from your face, don't wear it.

Once you have established your power color, when you really want to make a statement, go for that job interview, wear POWER.

If you can afford to have your colors done, then I would suggest you do just that. Knowing you are wearing what suits you, will give you confidence beyond anything you have known before.

I'm not sure if they are still doing it, but Gract Cosmetics have fully trained color consultants and while this is not a plug for Grace Cosmetics, I do know they used to do party plan makeovers. Not sure but you could check out your phone book to see if you have a Grace consultant in your area. A party like that can be a lot of fun too, for you and your friends,

The color consultants are listed in the yellow pages too.

Have some fun finding your colors, watch your confidence grow.



© CTBaird 2006 SewMoreForU

Author CTBaird of Sew More For U your DIT Sewing Guide http://www.sewmoreforu.com/sewingbook.html

http://www.sewmoreforu.com/sewing-patterns.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carmel_Baird

Collecting Art - Do You Have The Bottle

By Henry Bateman

The headline reads “Undiscovered master piece sells for millions at Auction”. The family was overjoyed to discover that a picture that had hung on their grandfather’s wall for years attracted a six figure price at auction. Grandson and heir said “The whole family knew he collected odds and ends but we never envisaged it would amount to anything.”


OK the above is fiction, but it’s what’s at the back of the majority of collector’s minds, especially those who collect art. Buy it cheap and sell it for squillions. Just don’t rely on it as your retirement fund. In many respects it is a lottery, your betting your collection decision against that fickle beast, public opinion. The beauty of the art collecting lottery is you can hang the ticket on your wall for all your friends to admire.


Now that can be scary, you’re opening yourself up to ridicule because 90 out of 100 people know damn all about art. If it isn’t chocolate box pretty it isn’t art, right. Wrong, have a look at the masters of art in your local museum or better still here on the internet and see how many pretty pictures you can find. Look at Picasso, Gauguin, Pollock, Matisse, Cezanne or Van Gogh to mention a few.

It’s OK, I’ll wait.

Not much prettiness there. What is there is life, both the depiction of it and in the picture itself. There is an energy that radiates from art and if you allow it that energy will take you places you have never been before. But be prepared, it will confront you, it will challenge you, it is opinionated and isn’t afraid to speak its mind, it is prepared to stand up and be counted, it is art.

As such it is in the vanguard of human experience, it is raw, it is fresh and new. It isn’t the tried and true of recipes of yesterday rehashed, it is pushing the boundaries. In the 21st Century it is computer generated art in all of its many and varied forms. Be it fractal art, manipulated photography or cartoon cells, the collectable artists of today are using a keyboard and a mouse. If Michelangelo were to paint the Sistine Chapel today you can bet London to a brick he wouldn’t be using intonaco. Now as then he would be using that latest technology available to him.

For the collector this just adds another level of complexity. Because computer art is so easily reproduced, what does one actually collect? As in the past, collect signatures, preferably from a limited edition. Obviously, the shorter the edition the better. If an open edition with a signature is all you can afford, go for it, it is better than a poster with or with out a digital signature. If your print isn’t signed by the fair hand of the artist, as a collectable, it is worthless and that includes digital signatures. It is a $29.99 commodity and barely worth the paper it’s printed on. Although the frame may attract a bid or two.

If you consequently come across your print on the cover of Vogue or in a TV commercial for whatever, chances are you’re on a winner. That is the paperback of your signed first edition. Assuming of course your print has staying power, for so much of the mass media is based on ephemera. It is the quick hit that attracts attention and while this can be true of art there is a deeper relationship just waiting for your attention in works that can stand the test of time.

For anyone seriously considering collecting art, the pieces to acquire are those you can live with. If you like it from the start that is a bonus though not essential because if you have chosen wisely you will, over time and many conversations, come to love your new found friend. Works of art do become trusted friends and when it comes time to dispose of them it is a gut wrenching experience. This I know for I have been there and done that. When I had to dispose of my collection a few months ago my main concern was that they were going to good home rather than the financial return they could afford me. Consequently the ROI was less than if I had been less sentimental.

Though if ROI is your motivation and you can be hard nosed at the end of the day you will have many hours of enjoyment from your friends upon your walls along the way.


About the Author: Henry bateman is an artist/photographer and collector. His art can be seen at http://www.pissedpoet.com

Source: www.isnare.com

Start An Art Collectible Hobby And Beautify Your Home

By Rose Hillbrand


Collecting is a fun hobby, and one of the most interesting things to collect are art collectibles. Many different items can be painted with artwork and become an art collectible. Hobby enthusiasts collect such things as saw blades, and wooden eggs which have had artwork painted on. People even collect designer rugs as art. Another art collectible hobby is collecting limited edition plates, thimbles, Christmas ornaments, and figurines produced by such companies as Bradford Exchange. And of course, many people collect fine art paintings.

The person with an art collectible hobby will probably find his or her own favorite artists whose works they appreciate. They can choose to focus on one particular artist, either past or present, or they can choose from the works of many artists. On the other hand, they may collect art and art objects around a theme they enjoy, such as cigars, wild animals, or piano music.

One may think of an art collector as a rich person who has the money to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on an original Van Gogh. A person of more modest means can collect art too, however. Post cards are a good place to start. Most art museum gift shops offer high quality, glossy postcards printed with some of their more notable acquisitions. By buying those cards one really appreciates, anyone can have an art collection.

Ebay is a good source of art collectibles whatever type of art or collectible you fancy. In fact, if you are just starting out, the choices and options can be overwhelming! Just remember that you can sell your own belongings as well as buying those of others. This should make the impact on the budget a little less powerful. Other ideas for inexpensively collecting art collectibles are scouring flea markets, thrift shops, and garage sales. You never know what treasure someone else may be getting rid of.

One nice thing about art collectibles is that artists can be found in every part of the world. The art collector should scout the local art shows, museums, and artist's hangouts to find out just what sort of talent can be had less expensively and close to home. Because of the local flavor of some artwork, art collectibles make good travel souvenirs. For instance, the artist Linda Barnicott specializes in paintings of scenes, buildings, and landmarks found around Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Similarly, collectors can find local artist almost everywhere.

An art collectible hobby will keep you interested in life and give you a home filled with art masterpieces as well. If you enjoy pretty and interesting things around you, consider starting an art collectible hobby today.


About the Author: Rose Hillbrand has been a successful internet entrepreneur since 2001. She owns and maintains several websites, and has experience in affiliate marketing in numerous areas. To learn more about arts & crafts and collectibles, please visit Rose's website, Arts & Crafts For the Whole Family at http://www.10waystowealth.com/crafts/index.html

Source: www.isnare.com

A Clothing Optional Vacation - Give A Unique Father's Day Gift

By Tom Mulhall

If your husband is like most men, he is the hardest person to buy gifts for. How many new ties, power tools, or bottles of liquor does he really need? Here's a great idea for a gift this Father's Day - a vacation at a clothing optional resort.

Sound far fetched? Not really. Nude recreation is the fastest growing segment of the travel industry. It is a booming travel niche with over $400 million in annual revenues reported by USA Today newspaper. In a recent Roper poll, 25% of Americans have gone skinny dipping in mixed company. You may have already done this when you were young. Now is the time to recapture that lost freedom of your youth.

Traditionally, Americans had to go to Europe or the Caribbean to find upscale topless, nudist, or naturist resorts. In the U.S., most nude places were just rustic campgrounds, the old style "nudist colonies" that movies like the Pink Panther showed. But, in the last decade, the U.S. has now surpassed the rest of the world and has some of the finest clothing optional resorts around.

American clothing optional resorts cater to different customers. Many are still the rustic campgrounds where families with their kids go on the weekends. However, in Florida and Palm Springs, California, you will now find nudist resorts that are able to compete with the best regular 4 and 5 star resorts. Nudism in America has now grown up and some of these new resorts are considered the best in the world.

One of the most popular of these new upscale nude resorts is The Terra Cotta Inn Clothing Optional Resort and Spa. It is very popular as it was the first upscale boutique clothing optional resort to cater just to couples. So, leave the kids with the grandparents or baby sitter an be prepared to be spoiled and pampered. The press reports it is the most mainstream nudist resort in the U.S. It is truly clothing optional. Although, repeat guests go there to go nude sunbathing, sometimes "first timers" are nervous and need some time to ease into nude sunbathing. The Terra Cotta Inn is perfect for couples trying nude sunbathing for the first time. There is never any pressure. Guests go nude as soon as they feel comfortable. And everyone always feels comfortable as 99% of the guests go nude sunbathing. The Terra Cotta Inn is located in sunny Palm Springs, California. http://palmsprings.com This beautiful resort community averages 340 days of sunshine a year and is the sunniest city in America. It has world championship golf, casinos, shopping, theater, and more. Everything anyone could ask for on their vacation.

Who takes clothing optional vacations? Everyone! People have been nude sunbathing for centuries. Even one of our founding fathers, Ben Franklin was a major advocate of nude sunbathing. Now that some nude resorts have gone upscale, more and more people are discovering the fun of nude recreation. Nude sunbathers range from their 20's to 70's in age. They are teachers, nurses, doctors, lawyers, engineers, accountants, police, firefighters, movie stars, Democrats and Republicans, etc. They are everyone. What they all have in common is they wanted to try something new. They were tired of the same old boring, stuffy vacations at chain hotels, They wanted to experience something different. Nude recreation is perfect. It is a great way to add excitement to a marriage or relationship. It is very romantic. Everyone feels comfortable at clothing optional resorts because guests are screened first and everyone knows that they are not wild, orgy places. Romantic? Absolutely! But, everyone always behaves themselves around others. So it is a very safe environment for couples. And once you have stayed at a clothing optional resort, you are hooked for life. For instance, a recent TV Travel show called "Ultimate Hotels" just reported that one clothing optional resort averages just over 75% repeat guests which is one the highest repeat guest rates in the travel industry.

Why go to a clothing optional resort? You go to relax and have fun. Marie Claire Magazine in an article about nudity and body image sent a reporter to a clothing optional resort. She reported, "After a hours of lounging and chatting, I started to feel totally relaxed with both myself and my new environment... As the weekend progressed, I became more and more comfortable being naked and I sure didn't miss the pressure of picking out something to wear every morning! But most of all, I found myself feeling less critical about my body. In fact, since it was clear nobody there cared about body size, I found myself being less self-critical overall- and naturally more health-conscious." And you will have so much fun. At many of the best clothing optional resorts, you get to meet vacationers from around the world. Many life long friendships are started up from guests chatting with each other. Without wearing clothes, people are just naturally more free and friendly.

So this Father's Day, or any day for that matter, if you are looking for a new vacation experience, contact a clothing optional resort and make your next vacation a fun, nude vacation


About the Author: Tom and Mary Clare Mulhall own the popular Terra Cotta Inn Clothing Optional Resort and Spa in Palm Springs, CA. Visit their site at http://sunnyfun.com The Chicago Tribune newspaper reported their resort was one of the 10 Best clothing optional resorts in the world. They are perfect for couples trying nude sunbathing for the first time!

Source: www.isnare.com