Do you know how to make a French braid? It’s easy. If you have long hair, then you have probably experimented with braiding before. Maybe you have even tried your hand at French braiding. French braids are actually much easier…
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Sitting in a swanky restaurant with a sophisticated suitor, you steal a glance over the top of your menu. Who knows? This might be THE ONE. Then, without warning, your date begins to brush one shoulder, and a flurry of…
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October 17, 2014 Skin and Body
Pretty and polished or shiny and sparkly, fancy nails are everywhere. How can you find your own best manicured look? Teens and preteens Young ladies may experiment with the entire spectrum of colors. Neons and brights in reds, purples, blues,…
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Accessories are IN. Are you? Here are five basic guidelines for women’s bracelets: 1) Go for classy, not trashy! Preteens can pull of the “20 bracelets for a buck” look. Grownups simply can’t. Let’s lose the rubber bands, unless we…
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This is not your mother’s dinner party. In fact, your grandmother would likely not recognize today’s forms of hospitality either. In bygone eras, a host would receive guests in the parlor. After cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, they would advance to…
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Are you coloring your own hair, but you want it to look as if a professional did it for you? Do you want to achieve salon-perfect results at home? What’s the first dead give-away that you colored your own hair…
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Last Christmas, my preteen’s favorite present was a gift card to Bath & Body Works. Who knew baths and showers could be so much fun, or so expensive? In the past, parents would cajole kids into bathing with basic shampoo,…
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For men or women, accessories can upgrade an average appearance into a polished personality. Casual clothing can become downright presentable, if you add a few stylish accents. Choose the appropriate accessories, and your jeans and tee may look so chic…
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Perhaps people who spend $200 for a pair of glasses need to have their heads examined, rather than their eyes. Designer eyewear is the rage these days. Near- and far-sided people alike are making spectacles of themselves by spending a small…
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Do-it-yourself braid waves are a simple means of creating a salon-like perm hairstyle without the salon prices. What’s more, homemade braid waves are temporary, lasting only until the next shampoo. You can create your own hairstyle with braid waves. Braid…
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DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME! My teen daughter wants to be a beautician. She’s awesome with hairstyling. But she’s still learning, in the color department. Aiming to encourage her developing skills, I allowed her to color my hair several months…
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How do you care for dry, cracked feet? Feet take a beating each day, carrying us through each day. In changing weather, feet may become dry, chapped, cracked and sore. Rather quickly, we may suffer from blisters, tender callouses, and…
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RENTING A TUX FOR A WEDDING OR PROM?LEASING A LOVELY GOWN FOR A PARTY? From Paris to Peoria, partygoers may rent tuxedos, top hats, gowns, and other elegant items for special occasions. How can you avoid being taken to the…
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Remember the scene in 1999’s The Bachelor, when hundreds of brides chased Chris O’Donnell through the streets of San Francisco? Similar reenactments occur each year at Filene’s Basement’s annual bridal sale. Eager brides-to-be storm the bridal department. This time, they…
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Remember the old Army joke? The commander assembles the troops and announces: “Men! Today I have good news and bad news. Let’s start with the good news. Today you get to change your underwear. Now the bad news. Clark, you…
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If accessories make the outfit, then vintage accessories can make the outfit even more intriguing. Pick an era you love. Do you value Victorian? How about glitzy 1950s gems or funky 1970s souvenirs? Know your own style. Do you favor dainty…
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Outlet malls and discount stores are the new marketing meccas for Americans. They are now popping up in every state. Nearly every major manufacturer of consumer items has a website and an outlet. (Many even offer outlets on their websites!)…
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When the lady mayor wears a trendy trim suit to cut the ribbon on the new city hall, the photojournalists put her picture on the front page. Can she show that suit again? Not likely. When the boss’ wife wears…
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If you’re like me, your makeup drawer probably needs a regular weeding, just like the garden. Half-used lip glosses, eye shadows, eye liner pencils, blushes, foundations and other cosmetics seem to multiply on their own. Mailed makeup freebies and cosmetic…
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July 8, 2014 Friends and Peers
Do you love your friend just the way he or she is? Are you embarrassed by your friend, when others are around? Does your friend’s appearance make you squirm, if he or she appears in public in an odd hairstyle…
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Skinny jeans are not for everyone. Really, they only work for extremely skinny people. Waiflike models are the only ones who can really get into them! These slender stovepipes can go with nearly anything. (Sure, if you’re THAT skinny, then…
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For the genealogist or family historian, family photos are a treasure trove of clan lore. They must be preserved and protected! Over the ages, photographs do deteriorate. Mold and mildew, extreme temperature changes, dust and dirt, direct sunlight, and water…
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What a timely topic! Just yesterday, my teen and I were trying on jeans at a department store. On the other side of the parchment-thin fitting-room wall, two girls were having a profanity-laden conversation. Had there been an attendant present,…
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“Sure, Spike. I’d love to go out with you tonight, but I have to stay home and rearrange my sock drawer.” That’s the oldest excuse in the book. (What book? Don’t ask. Men don’t get it, and women won’t tell.)…
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Having a relative or loved one in prison can be heart-breaking. Regardless of the crime for which he or she was convicted, we can help with the rehabilitation process by offering support in a variety of ways. HELP Often, inmates…
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Irresponsible relatives come in many forms, both intentional and unwitting. How can parents encourage family unity, while protecting their children from relatives’ recklessness? 1) Deliberate Doters Grandparents and others love to shower little ones with gifts, flattery, and attention. How…
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When cropped pants reappeared for women, several years ago, who would have guessed that the styles would last so long? “Where’s the flood?” Does anyone remember flood pants? As children, we would tease one another about nearly anything. Too-short pants…
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DON’T TELL! Fashionistas have trumpeted their distaste for ladies who wear stockings, pantyhose or tights with open-toed shoes. As a result, many women prance around in sandals and flip-flops, even in midwinter, exposing their bare toes to the elements. And…
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Banish bunions, blisters, and back problems! Making new footwear your own may require smart shopping, softening the shoes, scuffing the soles, and sometimes stretching for size. SMART SHOPPING If a shoe doesn’t fit comfortably, don’t buy it. Many shoppers mistakenly…
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Put your best foot forward! Dress for the position you WANT, not the position you HAVE now. That’s the cardinal rule for work attire, including shoes. First and foremost, any office footwear must be clean and kept in first-class condition….
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