Continued from Part 1 which exhorts fathers to combat society's lies about beauty and teach their daughters the truth.
By Ryan Malone September 2008 edition of Trumpet »
Girls, this article may have been written to fathers, but we can benefit equally from the beauty truths and tips expressed here. My prayer is that you will discover the Royal Princess the Almighty designed you to be. Ed.
A Facelift for Free
God’s Word also has a lot to say about hairstyles, jewelry, cosmetics and clothing. Isaiah 3:16 shows that the end-time decline of our nations is directly tied to the improper values in women’s appearance—the power they try to exert through their beauty—whether in applying cosmetics or in walking seductively. The rest of that chapter says God will strip them of their beauty and ornaments. This society, preoccupied with its warped sense of beauty, is about to be destroyed.
What our daughters need most of all is real, LASTING spiritual beauty. You can help give that to your daughter. Ecclesiastes 8:1 says “wisdom maketh [the] face to shine.” Teach her the truth about eternal, inward beauty and that will cause her face to shine more than all those who spend thousands of dollars a year in keeping their face “lifted.”
The Apostle Peter, using jewelry metaphors, exhorts Christian women to focus their adorning on the “hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price” (1 Peter 3:4). He also points to the outwardly beautiful Sarah, wife of Abraham, to teach where her real beauty lay: Her trust in God and His government gave her the most beautiful adorning any woman could desire (verses 5-6). This is the fundamental lesson in spiritual comeliness.
In 1 Timothy 2:9, the Apostle Paul addresses physical fashion, telling Christian women to “adorn themselves in modest [well-arranged] apparel.” Then the rest of the verse shows how true beauty comes from godly humility and the development of the mind in understanding God’s Word. If our daughters seek that, they will one day possess eternal beauty—with a radiant face, shimmering hair and dazzling eyes. God’s Word promises that!
Help Her Stand Out in Society
How can we help our daughters radiate the genuine happiness that enhances their beauty? Much of that comes from the happiness and encouragement WE GIVE THEM. They look to us fathers for that support; they need us to let them know what we find admirable about them. If we show them the proper kind of love and attention, they will feel adored, protected and truly beautiful. A daughter who is not cared for by her father will either feel she is not worthy of a man’s love or will seek that attention and care in misguided, damaging ways.
With all this in place, you can then help her understand what makes her beautiful physically. Teach her that the majority of her outward beauty rests in her face—in her eyes and smile. Also teach her—with the aid of her mother if she is in the picture—that good hygiene and proper health often does more for the appearance than clothing. Exercise can aid in appropriate muscle tone and healthy skin.
Also encourage her to develop feminine mannerisms. Helen Andelin, in her book Fascinating Womanhood, states, “There are thousands of rather plain women with irregular features and faulty builds who succeed in being attractive to men because they are models of femininity. On the other hand, there are thousands of other women who have beautiful faces and features but who, because of woodenness, or masculinity of manner, never impress men as being especially attractive. When a woman is tender, soft, fun-loving, lovable, and also innocent and pure, who stops to inquire if she has beauty in the classical sense? [T]o most men she seems a paragon of femininity. To them she is beautiful!”
Teach your daughter about these attributes of lasting spiritual beauty. Love and adore her; set the example of possessing positive energy. And if she stands out a little in this ugly world, then let it be for the RADIANT BEAUTY that God is creating in her and for being the royal princess that she is! •
True Beauty - how do you rate? Here's a quiz to help you personalize the article you just read.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Friday, December 19, 2008
Teach Your Daughter True Beauty, Part 1
Fathers! You may not realize how important physical beauty is to your daughter. Here’s how you can combat society’s lies about beauty and teach your daughter the truth!
The pressure on a young girl to be pretty is one of the greatest weights on the female mind—especially in the Western world.
In his 2001 book "Bringing Up Boys", Dr. James Dobson tells a story that all parents of girls should heed. When Western television penetrated the islands of the South Pacific for the first time, it “projected images of gorgeous, very thin actresses who starred on Melrose Place, Beverly Hills 90210, and other teen-oriented shows. Four years later, a survey of 65 Fijian girls revealed how their attitudes had been shaped (or warped) by what they had seen. Almost immediately, the girls began to dress and try to fix their hair like Western women.” Officials, he reported, saw “serious changes in eating habits among … adolescents. Those who watched tv three times per week or more were 50 percent more likely to perceive themselves as ‘too big’ or ‘too fat’ than those who did not. More than 62 percent had attempted to diet in the previous 30 days.”
The pressure to be pretty is a monstrous thing. Add to that how society defines pretty, and it can be perilous. It can produce in our daughters a dangerous cocktail of vanity, materialism, health problems and a host of character flaws.
Do our young girls have any hope to escape the rank deception that comes their way about their physical appearance? How can the false images popular culture relentlessly thrusts on them be combatted?
The answer lies in the home, with the parents—particularly the FATHER!
Make Your Daughter Beautiful
Fathers: You have a special role as the first male authority in your daughter’s life to ensure that she not only feels beautiful but that she also knows what true beauty is!
How can we make our daughters beautiful in a godly way? The answer lies in understanding how God adorned the first woman.
When God clothed Adam and Eve in animal skins (see Genesis 3:20-21), the Hebrew for clothed means to don with apparel or raiment—namely outer garments. It implies adding attractiveness rather than hiding shamefulness” (Herbert W. Armstrong, "The Missing Dimension in Sex"—request a free copy). Being clothed with raiment can make your daughters prettier. Yet, this Satan-dominated society often wants to define “pretty” by how much skin you show. Of course, different contexts (and even cultures) allow for different coverings.
If you want your daughters to be beautiful, adorn them (and teach them how to adorn themselves) God’s way. Teach them that modest apparel makes them more beautiful. It is ugliness to be immodest, which can arouse lust in a man and lead to more ugliness.
What’s more, the main seat of physical beauty for the female is not in the body or the clothing. It is in the FACE.
How Supermodels Make Themselves Ugly
Dale Carnegie, in "How to Win Friends and Influence People", relates a story about a dinner party he attended. “One of the guests, a woman who had inherited money, was eager to make a pleasing impression on everyone. She had squandered a modest fortune on sables, diamonds and pearls. But she hadn’t done anything whatever about her face. It radiated sourness and selfishness. She didn’t realize what every man knows: namely, that the expression a woman wears on her face is far more important than the clothes she wears on her back.”
Yes, every man—every FATHER—knows that. How often do you remind your daughter that the most beautiful thing about her is her SMILE? Yet how many “beautiful” women grace magazine covers with sour looks on their faces? It’s meant to be seductive or sexy, but as a man and father, I’m troubled by it. Not only is it intimidating, it’s not nearly as pretty. Teach your daughter that she exudes beauty when she has a POSITIVE attitude and expression on her face.
Mr. Armstrong wrote, concerning sex appeal, that it “is somewhere between 95 percent and 99 percent what one sees from the neck up! It is, mostly, what one sees in the face of the other which exerts the appeal” (op. cit.).
But our deceived society and its fashion designers seem to think that beauty is 95 to 99 percent from the neck DOWN. Modern fashion wants to show as much cleavage as possible, or as much of the top of the rear end as possible, or when swimming, to show as much of the gluteus maximus as possible. Yes, God designed those areas to be beautiful in a marital relationship. But ask your daughter: Does she want to be a mere OBJECT? Or would she rather attain beauty the way God intended it to be done—by living a happy life that SHINES through the face and then adorning the rest of her body modestly in a way that highlights her figure but doesn’t draw undue attention to it over her character, mind, sparkle, energy and smile?
God is not AGAINST outward beauty, but He also says it IS VAIN: It won’t last but a few years—it’s merely a TYPE of the spiritual beauty God wants to praise us for. Still, God made sure Eve was physically appealing to her husband. God’s Word describes women like Sarah, Rebecca and Esther as outwardly beautiful.
Continued next week with:
A Facelift for Free
and
Help Her Stand Out in Society
Go to Part 2.
By Ryan Malone September 2008 edition of Trumpet »
The pressure on a young girl to be pretty is one of the greatest weights on the female mind—especially in the Western world.
In his 2001 book "Bringing Up Boys", Dr. James Dobson tells a story that all parents of girls should heed. When Western television penetrated the islands of the South Pacific for the first time, it “projected images of gorgeous, very thin actresses who starred on Melrose Place, Beverly Hills 90210, and other teen-oriented shows. Four years later, a survey of 65 Fijian girls revealed how their attitudes had been shaped (or warped) by what they had seen. Almost immediately, the girls began to dress and try to fix their hair like Western women.” Officials, he reported, saw “serious changes in eating habits among … adolescents. Those who watched tv three times per week or more were 50 percent more likely to perceive themselves as ‘too big’ or ‘too fat’ than those who did not. More than 62 percent had attempted to diet in the previous 30 days.”
The pressure to be pretty is a monstrous thing. Add to that how society defines pretty, and it can be perilous. It can produce in our daughters a dangerous cocktail of vanity, materialism, health problems and a host of character flaws.
Do our young girls have any hope to escape the rank deception that comes their way about their physical appearance? How can the false images popular culture relentlessly thrusts on them be combatted?
The answer lies in the home, with the parents—particularly the FATHER!
Make Your Daughter Beautiful
Fathers: You have a special role as the first male authority in your daughter’s life to ensure that she not only feels beautiful but that she also knows what true beauty is!
How can we make our daughters beautiful in a godly way? The answer lies in understanding how God adorned the first woman.
When God clothed Adam and Eve in animal skins (see Genesis 3:20-21), the Hebrew for clothed means to don with apparel or raiment—namely outer garments. It implies adding attractiveness rather than hiding shamefulness” (Herbert W. Armstrong, "The Missing Dimension in Sex"—request a free copy). Being clothed with raiment can make your daughters prettier. Yet, this Satan-dominated society often wants to define “pretty” by how much skin you show. Of course, different contexts (and even cultures) allow for different coverings.
If you want your daughters to be beautiful, adorn them (and teach them how to adorn themselves) God’s way. Teach them that modest apparel makes them more beautiful. It is ugliness to be immodest, which can arouse lust in a man and lead to more ugliness.
What’s more, the main seat of physical beauty for the female is not in the body or the clothing. It is in the FACE.
How Supermodels Make Themselves Ugly
Dale Carnegie, in "How to Win Friends and Influence People", relates a story about a dinner party he attended. “One of the guests, a woman who had inherited money, was eager to make a pleasing impression on everyone. She had squandered a modest fortune on sables, diamonds and pearls. But she hadn’t done anything whatever about her face. It radiated sourness and selfishness. She didn’t realize what every man knows: namely, that the expression a woman wears on her face is far more important than the clothes she wears on her back.”
Yes, every man—every FATHER—knows that. How often do you remind your daughter that the most beautiful thing about her is her SMILE? Yet how many “beautiful” women grace magazine covers with sour looks on their faces? It’s meant to be seductive or sexy, but as a man and father, I’m troubled by it. Not only is it intimidating, it’s not nearly as pretty. Teach your daughter that she exudes beauty when she has a POSITIVE attitude and expression on her face.
Mr. Armstrong wrote, concerning sex appeal, that it “is somewhere between 95 percent and 99 percent what one sees from the neck up! It is, mostly, what one sees in the face of the other which exerts the appeal” (op. cit.).
But our deceived society and its fashion designers seem to think that beauty is 95 to 99 percent from the neck DOWN. Modern fashion wants to show as much cleavage as possible, or as much of the top of the rear end as possible, or when swimming, to show as much of the gluteus maximus as possible. Yes, God designed those areas to be beautiful in a marital relationship. But ask your daughter: Does she want to be a mere OBJECT? Or would she rather attain beauty the way God intended it to be done—by living a happy life that SHINES through the face and then adorning the rest of her body modestly in a way that highlights her figure but doesn’t draw undue attention to it over her character, mind, sparkle, energy and smile?
God is not AGAINST outward beauty, but He also says it IS VAIN: It won’t last but a few years—it’s merely a TYPE of the spiritual beauty God wants to praise us for. Still, God made sure Eve was physically appealing to her husband. God’s Word describes women like Sarah, Rebecca and Esther as outwardly beautiful.
Continued next week with:
A Facelift for Free
and
Help Her Stand Out in Society
Go to Part 2.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Tall By Design - Fashion with Height
Tall Women's Clothing
If you're a tall woman looking for fashionable tall clothing that fits – then check out Tall by Design. They are a specialist tall women's clothing store based in Auckland, New Zealand.
Fashion with Height
At Tall by Design all of their garments are created in the same long lengths no matter what size you order – whether you are a size 8 or size 20. They have created a fashionable range of tall garments that are stylish, essential pieces.
In this video clip, watch Tall by Design's Joan Oxspring talk to TVNZ about her store initiative, while famous tall girls model Tall By Design outfits.
If you're a tall woman looking for fashionable tall clothing that fits – then check out Tall by Design. They are a specialist tall women's clothing store based in Auckland, New Zealand.
Fashion with Height
At Tall by Design all of their garments are created in the same long lengths no matter what size you order – whether you are a size 8 or size 20. They have created a fashionable range of tall garments that are stylish, essential pieces.
In this video clip, watch Tall by Design's Joan Oxspring talk to TVNZ about her store initiative, while famous tall girls model Tall By Design outfits.
Friday, June 6, 2008
More Boot-Buying Tips
If you're shopping for boots, you may find the following reader comments helpful.
Sarah says:
"I have loose ankles (my ankles twist really easily, the opposite of strong ankles, I suppose -- if my shoes don't have a supportive heel, my ankles will be twisting all day) and my left arch is quite high, so I have to make sure that the boot is a neat fit for support but doesn't put pressure on the top of the arch, and that my heel has an adequate platform to stand on. I must have a full zip, otherwise I can't get my foot in. There mustn't be any seams on top of my foot because these create pressure points. I definitely have to stand and walk around in the boots for a couple of minutes to make sure there's no excessive sideways wobble and that I can confidently put most of my weight on my heel. This fact alone makes me hesitant to try mail-order boots, as I might love the look of it, but there's no way you can tell by the picture if boots have too much slope under the heel so that most of the weight is constantly sliding forward onto the ball of the foot. I think that would always be the case once the heel is over three inches, and these are the boots and shoes that give the wearer very sore feet after a short while. The ball of the foot is not designed to carry one's full weight for any length of time.
"The only difficulties I have with high heels is when driving and trying too walk fast! I fix the first problem by having more comfortable footwear along for wearing in the car, and the second just requires practice.
"For the rest of the purchase decision, it's a matter of finding decorations I like [accents such as tassles, studs, or ruching], and a toe shape that fits and suits my foot. A softly pointed tip (nicely rounded) looks good on my feet and fits my narrow foot and tapering toes (second toe longer than the rest)."
An avid boot lover, who admits to owning 7 pairs, says:
"When buying boots, I recommend you go for comfort. There are some lovely flat boots around if you want to be mega-comfortable, but if you want to feel a bit fancier and want a heel, I would say a wedge is a great idea. They're fashionable, but comfortable and they don't have the teeter factor that thinner heels have. I stomp around in mine all day long and don't get sore feet and I have very wimpy feet. Overland Shoes have some of the nicest and most comfortable boots I've ever tried on. They have an Italian brand called "Isabelle Anselmi" and though they're usually a couple of hundred dollars a pair, they last forever and are lovely.
"My favourite boots are the ones I'm wearing now. They're a rich chocolate brown with a stacked wooden wedge heel. I polish them with bees wax.
"I think the look of boots with a mid-calf length straightish skirt and a long coat looks great in winter!"
For expert advice on boot care and how to measure your feet, ankles, and calves to get the appropriate size and style, visit DuoBoots.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
When Skirts are Too Cold, Part II - Boots
It's not only the old who get cold. Let's face it -- when the weather's cold, we all feel cold! You may think that the skirt falls from favour when the temperatures fall toward zero, but here are 3 secrets that enable you to keep the skirt in service.
Wear layers underneath.
Line the skirt.
Wear boots.
This week, we wear boots.
Boots go with anything -- skirt, dress, trousers, coat and hat -- and are sooo practical. A dressy boot can hide a chunky sock on a day when nylons are foreign to the climate. A tall boot can elongate a short leg (keep the colour flowing from boot to skirt - ie black boot and black skirt). A knee-high or high ankle boot hides a thick ankle or calf -- they make skirt-wearing a joy. [http://www.trinnyandsusannah.com/rules/thickankles/boots]** If you're careful selecting your style of boot, it can be worn on almost any occasion - casual or dressy, home, shopping, or church. Probably not for formal, but that's why that category of dressing is called special occasion. = ) You expect special food, special clothes, and special heating.
**I don't usually recommend Trinny and Susannah material, because they are crude and their orientation is sexual attraction. They do offer some practical wisdom, but it's difficult to filter the good from the bad.
Things you should know before shopping for boots:
What colour?
What fabric?
What price range?
What heel height?
What size?
Store or catalogue?
Colour
Black, grey, brown, white, red? Decide what coordinates best with the outfits in your wardrobe. However, if you have the funds for a special pair, don't be shy of cheerful red or dazzling white that goes with everything. Just remember that you'll need the coordinating shoe care kit in order to prolong the look and life of your boots -- black polish doesn't look so good on red leather!
Fabric
Suede is easy to care for. You don't need nugget/polish, only a suede brush to remove dried dirt.
Real leather is amenable to being oiled and polished, retaining it's fine appearance.
Synthetic will be cheaper, but will quickly show wear.
Price range
Brand names and construction fabric make a difference to the price. If you're a label enthusiast or you want real leather, you may have to pay more. However, stores are eager to get rid of their stock and I've been surprised at the significant sales they're offering before we're even properly into winter.
Heel height
Do you want a dress boot or a casual boot? The way stores separate these catagories has a lot to do with heel height. If you are considerate of your spine, you won't be wanting a spiked heel. If you spend a lot of time on your feet, you won't be wanting a tiny standing platform. Just because everyone else seems to be stretching themselves doesn't mean you have to. You can be wise and stylish at the same time. There are boot options that don't promote the long leg and bouncing backside display.
Size
Are you going to wear stockings or socks inside your boots? This will effect what size is suitable. If your boots are sheepskin lined, you probably won't be wanting to wear heavy socks as well. If your boots are synthetic fibre, you'll feel most comfortable in cold conditions if you have a foot covering that wicks the moisture away from your tootsies. Make sure you take the appropriate socks or stockings with you when you go shopping.
Because boots cover where shoes don't, you have another area to consider -- your ankles and calves. Some boots are a slender fit. Some provide for wider proportions. Some styles are cleverly designed to cater for calf differences, such as lace-ups and half-mast zips looking like they're on purpose. Make sure you fasten the boot all the way up and walk around to check it's comfortable.
Store or Catalogue?
Internet and mail-order catalogues are the most convenient way for many of us to find the apparel we need, but how do you handle the challenge of choosing the correct size?
BOOT FINDER
NZ find-a-footwear-store
I went to Google NZ, selected "pages from New Zealand" under the search bar, and typed in "footwear". I found this link which allowed me to browse through a variety of online shoestores in my country. While I have tried to cover a reasonable portion of the world, such research is extremely time consuming, so if you don't see anything you like here, try this search method for yourself.
Ezibuy (www.ezibuy.co.nz or www.ezibuy.com.au) offer 7 new boot styles in the latest catalogue, some of which the ladies above are wearing. Here is a clearer view of them:
Number 1 Shoes offer a 15% discount voucher if you register with their database. Doesn't list boot fabric, doesn't show zip, but a low price of $49.95 for the style illustrated below.
The 3 items in the boot section are only a small example of the many styles in-store. The website provides a find-a-store feature. Number 1 Shoes specialize in cheap footwear, so don't expect the quality, service, and information of somewhere like Overland Footwear.
www.Kumfs.co.nz
You can browse Kumf styles online, but you can't buy them there. The website doesn't mention prices, but they do provide a store locator feature (with stores in NZ, Australia, USA, and Hong Kong) and a contact option so you can phone, fax, or email and ask for price and current stock details. If a store doesn't stock an item but it's on the website, they will probably be happy to order it in for you. Stores like this offer loyalty discounts, so be sure to ask what's available. If you and your friends all buy at the same time, it might win you all a special discount.
Overland Footwear offers a store locator, online purchasing, trend advice, and a varied and gorgeous range of boots. The following 10 images are merely a sample of this.
Overland shoecare tips and products are found here. Quality footwear isn't cheap, so it's worthwhile knowing how to make it last.
Sheepskin boots like these from Koolaburra are popular and certainly cosy, but there are two drawbacks. They're entirely casual and they don't offer any arch support. They may seem a snug fit when you first try them on, but very little wear will flatten the wool and leave quite a bit of wiggle room.
I found these and the following styles from www.kiwi-sheepskin.com by googling for 'sheepskin boots'. Commonly known as Ugg boots, they come in a mulitude of colours and designs.
But what I was actually looking for was wool-lined leather dress boots, not so common right now. I found some here:
B A Mason says: "Finding the right fit in a tall boot just got a lot easier. Blondo’s side-zip, Water-Resistant Leather Boots offer you a selection of calf sizes. There’s a back elastic gore panel on the 14" boot and a side elastic gore panel on the 16" and 18" boots to add an extra stretch factor. Soft felt insoles. Ultrasuede linings. Slip-resistant, rubber-like soles stay flexible even as temperatures drop. Sensible 1-1/2" stacked heels. And they’re practically maintenance-free … salt, calcium and mud wipe off easily with a damp cloth."
I'm particularly interested in this part: "Soft felt insoles. Ultrasuede linings." Most boots have a synthetic lining which encouraged the foot to sweat, something that can make you very uncomfortable when it's cold!
This website has a huge range of boots divided into very specific categories. There's a button for white boots, one for fleece-lined boots, one for leather boots, one for low-heeled boots...and so on down a list of 70 options, plus a sale section.
Next week: "Bootiful Memories".
[Note: Sorry about the missing images. Google+ swallowed them. 😣😕]
Wear layers underneath.
Line the skirt.
Wear boots.
This week, we wear boots.
Boots go with anything -- skirt, dress, trousers, coat and hat -- and are sooo practical. A dressy boot can hide a chunky sock on a day when nylons are foreign to the climate. A tall boot can elongate a short leg (keep the colour flowing from boot to skirt - ie black boot and black skirt). A knee-high or high ankle boot hides a thick ankle or calf -- they make skirt-wearing a joy. [http://www.trinnyandsusannah.com/rules/thickankles/boots]** If you're careful selecting your style of boot, it can be worn on almost any occasion - casual or dressy, home, shopping, or church. Probably not for formal, but that's why that category of dressing is called special occasion. = ) You expect special food, special clothes, and special heating.
**I don't usually recommend Trinny and Susannah material, because they are crude and their orientation is sexual attraction. They do offer some practical wisdom, but it's difficult to filter the good from the bad.
Things you should know before shopping for boots:
What colour?
What fabric?
What price range?
What heel height?
What size?
Store or catalogue?
Colour
Black, grey, brown, white, red? Decide what coordinates best with the outfits in your wardrobe. However, if you have the funds for a special pair, don't be shy of cheerful red or dazzling white that goes with everything. Just remember that you'll need the coordinating shoe care kit in order to prolong the look and life of your boots -- black polish doesn't look so good on red leather!
Fabric
Suede is easy to care for. You don't need nugget/polish, only a suede brush to remove dried dirt.
Real leather is amenable to being oiled and polished, retaining it's fine appearance.
Synthetic will be cheaper, but will quickly show wear.
Price range
Brand names and construction fabric make a difference to the price. If you're a label enthusiast or you want real leather, you may have to pay more. However, stores are eager to get rid of their stock and I've been surprised at the significant sales they're offering before we're even properly into winter.
Heel height
Do you want a dress boot or a casual boot? The way stores separate these catagories has a lot to do with heel height. If you are considerate of your spine, you won't be wanting a spiked heel. If you spend a lot of time on your feet, you won't be wanting a tiny standing platform. Just because everyone else seems to be stretching themselves doesn't mean you have to. You can be wise and stylish at the same time. There are boot options that don't promote the long leg and bouncing backside display.
Size
Are you going to wear stockings or socks inside your boots? This will effect what size is suitable. If your boots are sheepskin lined, you probably won't be wanting to wear heavy socks as well. If your boots are synthetic fibre, you'll feel most comfortable in cold conditions if you have a foot covering that wicks the moisture away from your tootsies. Make sure you take the appropriate socks or stockings with you when you go shopping.
Because boots cover where shoes don't, you have another area to consider -- your ankles and calves. Some boots are a slender fit. Some provide for wider proportions. Some styles are cleverly designed to cater for calf differences, such as lace-ups and half-mast zips looking like they're on purpose. Make sure you fasten the boot all the way up and walk around to check it's comfortable.
Store or Catalogue?
Internet and mail-order catalogues are the most convenient way for many of us to find the apparel we need, but how do you handle the challenge of choosing the correct size?
- Find the shoe size guide in the catalogue. It will give instructions on how to measure your foot and find the ...relative.... shoe size.
- If you're still not sure, order 2 sizes. Mail order companies have a returns policy that caters for this because they recognize that you don't have the opportunity to try on before you purchase. Shipping rates are usually standard, so you don't have to pay extra for them to ship the second pair. You will have to pay for it's return, but recycling their packaging helps keep this cost to a minimum. They may even offer a special returns rate by using their pre-printed returns label.
BOOT FINDER
NZ find-a-footwear-store
I went to Google NZ, selected "pages from New Zealand" under the search bar, and typed in "footwear". I found this link which allowed me to browse through a variety of online shoestores in my country. While I have tried to cover a reasonable portion of the world, such research is extremely time consuming, so if you don't see anything you like here, try this search method for yourself.
Ezibuy (www.ezibuy.co.nz or www.ezibuy.com.au) offer 7 new boot styles in the latest catalogue, some of which the ladies above are wearing. Here is a clearer view of them:
Number 1 Shoes offer a 15% discount voucher if you register with their database. Doesn't list boot fabric, doesn't show zip, but a low price of $49.95 for the style illustrated below.
The 3 items in the boot section are only a small example of the many styles in-store. The website provides a find-a-store feature. Number 1 Shoes specialize in cheap footwear, so don't expect the quality, service, and information of somewhere like Overland Footwear.
www.Kumfs.co.nz
Hot Style, Cool Comfort. Designed for fashion, engineered for comfort - you don’t have to compromise. Kumfs are light, soft, cushioned, and have support where you need it.
You can browse Kumf styles online, but you can't buy them there. The website doesn't mention prices, but they do provide a store locator feature (with stores in NZ, Australia, USA, and Hong Kong) and a contact option so you can phone, fax, or email and ask for price and current stock details. If a store doesn't stock an item but it's on the website, they will probably be happy to order it in for you. Stores like this offer loyalty discounts, so be sure to ask what's available. If you and your friends all buy at the same time, it might win you all a special discount.
Overland Footwear offers a store locator, online purchasing, trend advice, and a varied and gorgeous range of boots. The following 10 images are merely a sample of this.
Overland shoecare tips and products are found here. Quality footwear isn't cheap, so it's worthwhile knowing how to make it last.
Sheepskin boots like these from Koolaburra are popular and certainly cosy, but there are two drawbacks. They're entirely casual and they don't offer any arch support. They may seem a snug fit when you first try them on, but very little wear will flatten the wool and leave quite a bit of wiggle room.
I found these and the following styles from www.kiwi-sheepskin.com by googling for 'sheepskin boots'. Commonly known as Ugg boots, they come in a mulitude of colours and designs.
But what I was actually looking for was wool-lined leather dress boots, not so common right now. I found some here:
The following pair are made of felt.The key to finding what you want on Google is picking the most accurate search phrase. I got better results googling for "lined boot". Results included:
QVC.com offers the Uma Shearling Lined Boot - visit web to view image.
This search link offers several options of lined boot. The above image is just one of them.
B A Mason says: "Finding the right fit in a tall boot just got a lot easier. Blondo’s side-zip, Water-Resistant Leather Boots offer you a selection of calf sizes. There’s a back elastic gore panel on the 14" boot and a side elastic gore panel on the 16" and 18" boots to add an extra stretch factor. Soft felt insoles. Ultrasuede linings. Slip-resistant, rubber-like soles stay flexible even as temperatures drop. Sensible 1-1/2" stacked heels. And they’re practically maintenance-free … salt, calcium and mud wipe off easily with a damp cloth."
I'm particularly interested in this part: "Soft felt insoles. Ultrasuede linings." Most boots have a synthetic lining which encouraged the foot to sweat, something that can make you very uncomfortable when it's cold!
This website has a huge range of boots divided into very specific categories. There's a button for white boots, one for fleece-lined boots, one for leather boots, one for low-heeled boots...and so on down a list of 70 options, plus a sale section.
Next week: "Bootiful Memories".
[Note: Sorry about the missing images. Google+ swallowed them. 😣😕]
Friday, May 23, 2008
When Skirts are Too Cold, Part I
When chill airs and wintry winds get close and friendly, is it possible to wear skirts and be cosy? I've heard many say it isn't, but I know otherwise.
Are you ready to receive impowering information?
How to be warm in a skirt:
Introducing Damart
The heart of the Damart story is a unique fabric called Thermolactyl, which provides lightweight insulation against the worst of weathers. A classy, modern 'long-john' provider, the company is very sport oriented, with a number of sponsorship affiliations, keeping fit young sportsmen warm during the the winter and helping prevent muscle injuries.
The ability of Damart underclothes to provide the best thermal environment whilst still keeping the body dry and able to function normally has meant that Damart has travelled successfully to all corners of the earth and up some of its highest mountains.
But what does this have to do with attractive, feminine modesty?
It's not only the old who feel the cold. Lightweight but wonderfully cosy, a thermal under-layer makes a world of difference to what you can do (or wear) when it's cold! For instance, you can comfortably wear that pretty dress or blouse considered more appropriate to autumn than winter. Long-johns under trousers prevent the frozen thigh syndrome that frigid winds invite so readily. They form a happy temperature arbitration when sitting on cold stone steps.
Notice the different Thermolactyl grades.
The undercover range is dainty and colourful, but there's also a delightful range of outer clothing, some of it incorporating the famous Thermolactyl or a new blend of Thermolactyl and silk. Damart supplies a wide range of sizes and colours, and comfortable shop-from-home features. I have noticed that the website takes a while to display the latest catalogues, so if you want up-to-date product and sales information, go for the mailed version rather than the website.
Browse Damart here:
Damart New Zealand
Damart Australia
Overseas outlets include:
www.damartusa.com
www.damart.co.uk
If you prefer to see before you buy, use the website's Store Finder feature.
Are you ready to receive impowering information?
How to be warm in a skirt:
- Wear layers underneath. Undercover solutions discussed below.
- Line the skirt. Illustrated directions on how to do this coming soon.
- Wear boots.
Introducing Damart
The heart of the Damart story is a unique fabric called Thermolactyl, which provides lightweight insulation against the worst of weathers. A classy, modern 'long-john' provider, the company is very sport oriented, with a number of sponsorship affiliations, keeping fit young sportsmen warm during the the winter and helping prevent muscle injuries.
The ability of Damart underclothes to provide the best thermal environment whilst still keeping the body dry and able to function normally has meant that Damart has travelled successfully to all corners of the earth and up some of its highest mountains.
But what does this have to do with attractive, feminine modesty?
It's not only the old who feel the cold. Lightweight but wonderfully cosy, a thermal under-layer makes a world of difference to what you can do (or wear) when it's cold! For instance, you can comfortably wear that pretty dress or blouse considered more appropriate to autumn than winter. Long-johns under trousers prevent the frozen thigh syndrome that frigid winds invite so readily. They form a happy temperature arbitration when sitting on cold stone steps.
Notice the different Thermolactyl grades.
The undercover range is dainty and colourful, but there's also a delightful range of outer clothing, some of it incorporating the famous Thermolactyl or a new blend of Thermolactyl and silk. Damart supplies a wide range of sizes and colours, and comfortable shop-from-home features. I have noticed that the website takes a while to display the latest catalogues, so if you want up-to-date product and sales information, go for the mailed version rather than the website.
Browse Damart here:
Damart New Zealand
Damart Australia
Overseas outlets include:
www.damartusa.com
www.damart.co.uk
If you prefer to see before you buy, use the website's Store Finder feature.
Friday, May 2, 2008
From Male Clothing to Feminine
‘In seeking to become modest, I became masculine.’Genevieve Smith's Testimony on Femininity and Modesty
I’m the eldest of seven children and currently clock in at 24 years of age. I was blessed by being born into a gung-ho Christian family located in central New Zealand. I was raised to dress modestly. To me, being modest meant wearing clothing which was not skimpy, tight or revealing. But somehow, along the way, in seeking to become modest, I became masculine.
I always was something of a tomboy growing up. I preferred trousers to skirts, mainly because I didn’t like any of my skirts, but also because feminine attire would have been unpractical for a young girl who liked to romp with her younger brothers, climb trees and dig holes with them in the garden! As I grew up and matured, and as the fashions changed it became harder and harder to find clothing which I considered to be modest. I started to sew my own clothing and this allowed me to sew skirts which I liked. I began to wear skirts more and more often.
About four years ago, my brother and I took off for the USA for an extended overseas experience. I packed two pairs of trousers and two skirts – all garments I had sewed myself. When the time came to wash my clothes, I put them through the dryer and my trousers and skirts, being used to being dried on a clothes line in New Zealand, all shrank. What a dilemma! I found myself in foreign country in need of replenishing my wardrobe. This proved to be a difficult task. The clothing in the women’s sections all seemed too flimsy and impractical. And they seemed to be made for women much smaller than my height of 5’11”. And so I turned to the men’s section to find garments which were loose, baggy and ‘modest’ enough for me to feel comfortable wearing.
Then one day I looked down at myself and thought, ‘I look just like a man.’ It was true. From my shoes to my sweater my clothing had all come from the men’s section. This is when I realized that in seeking to be modest I’d become masculine. I was truly horrified. I’d been seeking to please God with my modesty, but realized that I wasn’t pleasing Him by being masculine. In fact, I realized that my masculine appearance sent the message that I was rejecting God’s gifts of womanhood and femininity to me. It struck me that that was what I was missing: femininity. I needed to be feminine just as much as I needed to be modest. This would be pleasing to God.
The area of femininity became a major subject of study for me. I read books, talked to peers, sat under the teaching of older women and attempted to learn all I could about being feminine. One book I read described femininity as being the opposite of masculinity. This helped me a lot. I connected this concept with the ideas that I was learning that colours and colour combinations can be feminine or masculine, that various fabrics can be feminine or masculine, that patterns on fabric can be feminine or masculine, that cuts and styles and forms of tailoring can be feminine or masculine. My wardrobe went through a reformation, and indeed continues to reform as I learn more about femininity.
To ensure I keep learning and growing and don’t start to cruise, I’ve put into place a number of initiatives. Firstly, I review my wardrobe every six months or so either by myself or with the help of a family member or friend. Immodest/unfeminine clothing simply has a way of making its way into my wardrobe. Secondly, I’ve started a folder on femininity. Articles, pictures of feminine looking women or pieces of clothing, fabric cuttings, colour combinations and other findings relating to femininity all go into my folder.
The Lord is good. Not only has He opened my eyes about the importance of femininity, but He has shown me how important a witness I have as a Christian girl to this pagan world in the way that I dress. May my wardrobe continue to reform in ways that please the Lord. I praise the name of the Lord.
~ Genevieve Smith, 2004
I’m the eldest of seven children and currently clock in at 24 years of age. I was blessed by being born into a gung-ho Christian family located in central New Zealand. I was raised to dress modestly. To me, being modest meant wearing clothing which was not skimpy, tight or revealing. But somehow, along the way, in seeking to become modest, I became masculine.
The Slippery Slip
I always was something of a tomboy growing up. I preferred trousers to skirts, mainly because I didn’t like any of my skirts, but also because feminine attire would have been unpractical for a young girl who liked to romp with her younger brothers, climb trees and dig holes with them in the garden! As I grew up and matured, and as the fashions changed it became harder and harder to find clothing which I considered to be modest. I started to sew my own clothing and this allowed me to sew skirts which I liked. I began to wear skirts more and more often.
About four years ago, my brother and I took off for the USA for an extended overseas experience. I packed two pairs of trousers and two skirts – all garments I had sewed myself. When the time came to wash my clothes, I put them through the dryer and my trousers and skirts, being used to being dried on a clothes line in New Zealand, all shrank. What a dilemma! I found myself in foreign country in need of replenishing my wardrobe. This proved to be a difficult task. The clothing in the women’s sections all seemed too flimsy and impractical. And they seemed to be made for women much smaller than my height of 5’11”. And so I turned to the men’s section to find garments which were loose, baggy and ‘modest’ enough for me to feel comfortable wearing.
The Discovery
Then one day I looked down at myself and thought, ‘I look just like a man.’ It was true. From my shoes to my sweater my clothing had all come from the men’s section. This is when I realized that in seeking to be modest I’d become masculine. I was truly horrified. I’d been seeking to please God with my modesty, but realized that I wasn’t pleasing Him by being masculine. In fact, I realized that my masculine appearance sent the message that I was rejecting God’s gifts of womanhood and femininity to me. It struck me that that was what I was missing: femininity. I needed to be feminine just as much as I needed to be modest. This would be pleasing to God.
The Road to Recovery (and Feminine Modesty!)
The area of femininity became a major subject of study for me. I read books, talked to peers, sat under the teaching of older women and attempted to learn all I could about being feminine. One book I read described femininity as being the opposite of masculinity. This helped me a lot. I connected this concept with the ideas that I was learning that colours and colour combinations can be feminine or masculine, that various fabrics can be feminine or masculine, that patterns on fabric can be feminine or masculine, that cuts and styles and forms of tailoring can be feminine or masculine. My wardrobe went through a reformation, and indeed continues to reform as I learn more about femininity.
To ensure I keep learning and growing and don’t start to cruise, I’ve put into place a number of initiatives. Firstly, I review my wardrobe every six months or so either by myself or with the help of a family member or friend. Immodest/unfeminine clothing simply has a way of making its way into my wardrobe. Secondly, I’ve started a folder on femininity. Articles, pictures of feminine looking women or pieces of clothing, fabric cuttings, colour combinations and other findings relating to femininity all go into my folder.
The Lord is good. Not only has He opened my eyes about the importance of femininity, but He has shown me how important a witness I have as a Christian girl to this pagan world in the way that I dress. May my wardrobe continue to reform in ways that please the Lord. I praise the name of the Lord.
~ Genevieve Smith, 2004
Do you have a story of your tranformation from masculine to feminine appearance? We'd love to hear it. Email us at NarelleWorboys@gmail.com.
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