Whether you're considered a soccer mom chic or college dorm student comfort is always on the forefront of your mind, the trick to dressing in womens casual clothing everyday with style is to know how to keep from looking sloppy.
For those lucky enough to dress in womens casual clothes everyday, the challenges could be many, but a few larger ones are, how to build a core wardrobe of basics with enough variety to keep it from getting boring and how to match these varieties without looking like a slob.
Here are some tips to help women build their casual attire:
Buy your casual clothes the same way you would buy career clothes: always thinking about building your best womens casual attire wardrobe. For example, when choosing your casual wear for women, choose cohesive pieces and build them around basic styles. For casual clothing the best approach is three colors for the best mix-and-match wardrobe - khaki, denim, tan; black, khaki, white; etc.
And please don't forget about a great casual shoe because nothing kills a chics sporty casual attire like a pair of white running shoes. Stick with a pair of boots or sandals, etc. You probably won't get stopped by the "bad wardrobe police" with boots and they go with almost all casual clothing.
Use casual accessories and handbags -- especially when it comes to casaul wear for women. No two worlds are more distant from one another than the classic look and womens casual attire. Please don't try to mix a gold and diamond watch with a sweatshirt unless you're Queen Latifah. Try to stay away from mixing styles.
Keep your casual clothes in good shape -- don't be lazy if they need to be ironed then iron them, if they need to be cleaned then clean them, you get the point.
Stay far away from womens casual wear cliches - like baggy sweats. Baggy sweats is for lounging around the house only and if you are certain no one will see you out of your standard casual clothes. Remember today you might have a reputation to up hold. Instead, opt for some in style womens attire, a great track suit that comes with a strong fitted look in fun colors and rich fabrics like velour or terry.
Don't get ridiculous or outrageous about casual attire for women. Remember it is just a style which can be fun and look good at the same time. So, if you're working in the garden or cleaning the house, then wear whatever works for you and leave your casual clothes for those right days.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
The Photography Portfolio: Building Your Reputation
If you have hopes of becoming a professional photographer, or even just of trying to get your work published in a public forum, you will need to create a photography portfolio. So what’s so important about a photography portfolio anyway?
There are many reasons why having a portfolio of your work available for others to view. If you are seeking employment as a photographer, then the need for a portfolio is obvious. If you are not seeking a photography job, there are still good reasons to have a portfolio. For one, you love photography and you take a lot a pride in your work. They are important to you. Most likely, some of them are very good. Why not create a portfolio that showcases your best work so you can show it to others (even if it’s just friends or family that comes over for a visit)?
Building a Photography Portfolio
Before we get into what goes into your portfolio, let’s discuss the portfolio itself. What should it be made of? How big should it be? You may have seen portfolios with covers made of all types of materials such as plastic, leather and even stainless steel. These fancy covers are usually much more expensive and may not be practical for a beginner. If you are competing for high-price jobs and want to stand out from the crowd, these expensive covers may be a nice touch. But for most people, a regular black plastic cover will work just fine. It’s what’s inside the portfolio that is most important, right?
So, you are probably best to stick with a plain black plastic cover and work hard on beefing up what’s inside. Don’t decorate your portfolio with cutesy stickers and such; this will look amateurish and unprofessional. It’s not a scrapbook; it’s supposed to represent your high-quality work.
Now, as for size, this is going to depend on the size of your largest pictures. An 8 X 10 is probably going to be your largest. If your pictures are not this big, you don’t need a portfolio this big. Your biggest will most likely be an 11 X 14 and it could be as small as a 4 X 7.
The most important thing for you to remember is convenience – both for you and for the person who will be looking at your portfolio. You want to keep it professional and easy to hold, carry and look over.
Using a Photography Portfolio
So now that you know what a portfolio is and what type to get, how do you actually use it? Well, we mentioned you are going to fill it with your best work. This means you want a portfolio that can easily be changed. You may want to pull out old ones and add in new ones. You don’t want to go for a job carrying along every picture you’ve ever taken. You’re going to want to have 15-20 of your best work. You are also going to want to be sure your pictures are relevant to the job. If you are trying out for different types of assignments, you may want to create portfolios that work for each of the types of work you are doing.
Of course, you only want to show your best work but you want to give the impression that you can handle any type of assignment given to you ad not that you are “stuck” in only one type of photography.
You want to showcase your best work; this is best technically as well. You may have a photo that is really important to you because of the image it represents or the memory it brings but if it is not technically perfect, it doesn’t belong in a business portfolio. Save that one for your coffee table.
There are many reasons why having a portfolio of your work available for others to view. If you are seeking employment as a photographer, then the need for a portfolio is obvious. If you are not seeking a photography job, there are still good reasons to have a portfolio. For one, you love photography and you take a lot a pride in your work. They are important to you. Most likely, some of them are very good. Why not create a portfolio that showcases your best work so you can show it to others (even if it’s just friends or family that comes over for a visit)?
Building a Photography Portfolio
Before we get into what goes into your portfolio, let’s discuss the portfolio itself. What should it be made of? How big should it be? You may have seen portfolios with covers made of all types of materials such as plastic, leather and even stainless steel. These fancy covers are usually much more expensive and may not be practical for a beginner. If you are competing for high-price jobs and want to stand out from the crowd, these expensive covers may be a nice touch. But for most people, a regular black plastic cover will work just fine. It’s what’s inside the portfolio that is most important, right?
So, you are probably best to stick with a plain black plastic cover and work hard on beefing up what’s inside. Don’t decorate your portfolio with cutesy stickers and such; this will look amateurish and unprofessional. It’s not a scrapbook; it’s supposed to represent your high-quality work.
Now, as for size, this is going to depend on the size of your largest pictures. An 8 X 10 is probably going to be your largest. If your pictures are not this big, you don’t need a portfolio this big. Your biggest will most likely be an 11 X 14 and it could be as small as a 4 X 7.
The most important thing for you to remember is convenience – both for you and for the person who will be looking at your portfolio. You want to keep it professional and easy to hold, carry and look over.
Using a Photography Portfolio
So now that you know what a portfolio is and what type to get, how do you actually use it? Well, we mentioned you are going to fill it with your best work. This means you want a portfolio that can easily be changed. You may want to pull out old ones and add in new ones. You don’t want to go for a job carrying along every picture you’ve ever taken. You’re going to want to have 15-20 of your best work. You are also going to want to be sure your pictures are relevant to the job. If you are trying out for different types of assignments, you may want to create portfolios that work for each of the types of work you are doing.
Of course, you only want to show your best work but you want to give the impression that you can handle any type of assignment given to you ad not that you are “stuck” in only one type of photography.
You want to showcase your best work; this is best technically as well. You may have a photo that is really important to you because of the image it represents or the memory it brings but if it is not technically perfect, it doesn’t belong in a business portfolio. Save that one for your coffee table.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Sunday, August 22, 2010
The 3 Dolls
Priya was the cynosure of everyone’s eyes. Her parents favourite and her grandmothers special. Everyone loved Priya, her relatives, her teachers, the shopkeepers, the maid servant, everyone.
Because Priya was a very humble girl who gave love and respect to all whom she mingled with. She had no bias for dark and fair, rich and poor. She loved them all and she spoke with them all. Spoke to everyone – that, was the only cause of uneasiness her parents shared about Priya. She could talk to just about anyone at length, she would talk about the sun and the moon, the stars and the sky. She could talk for hours unending.
Priya would treat everyone equal, she had created no stereotypes. But this also proved to be a disadvantage as she could not distinguish between good and bad, the drunk and the sober, the evil and the good hearted. Many a times she would get fooled because of her kind heartedness. Either she would end up giving a few more rupees to the market vendor or be robbed by an urban beggar.
Priya’s loss with money and belonging were on the rise. Once every week she would come home crying and wailing about being a victim, giving away Rs. 100 for an item not worth more than Rs. 10. Once when her mother told her to give a few sweets and clothes to hers aunts house a few kilometres way, she came back home empty handed. She had given it all to a stranger she had met who told her that he had not eaten any sweets for months and his children had not been gifted any new clothes since a long time.
But Priya’s mother was furious of the encounter. She had lost her patience with the girl who spoke too much to anyone and lost her belongings. Outraged she raised her hand on Priya but only Grandma’s interference stopped her short.
Broken from within, Priya stepped into her grandmother’s room. Why is mama so annoyed with me, she asked. I do not mean to hurt her, yet she is so cross with me. Grandma brought out 3 dolls and gave it to Priya. She asked her to pass a thread through the ears of the dolls.
Priya actioned it right away. To her surprise the thread passed through and through the ears of the first doll. This is the type of person who listens from one ear and lets it pass from the other. Now try the next one said grandma. The thread went through the ear and curled outside the mouth. This is the type of person that speaks whatever he heard. Priya was anxious to know what happened to the last doll. Curiosity bounced back in her face because the thread just did not come out from the doll. This is the type of person that only listens and seldom speaks.
Then what kind of person is the best human being asked perplexed Priya? Grandma brought out a fourth doll. Priya forced in the thread though the ear, it popped out from the other. Try again said grandma. Priya inserted the thread through the ear again, it came out form the mouth. Once more said grandma, so Priya shipped the thread through the ear and it did not come out at all.
This is the best kind of a person said grandma. One who knows when to hear, when to talk and when to keep silent. Grandma starred at Priya and there was a moment of silence. Priya’s eyes twinkled as she got the message her grandmother was trying to tell her.
From that day on Priya spoke only when required, kept strangers at bay and lost nothing to anyone anymore.
Moral : one must know when to speak, when not to. What to hear and what not to.
Because Priya was a very humble girl who gave love and respect to all whom she mingled with. She had no bias for dark and fair, rich and poor. She loved them all and she spoke with them all. Spoke to everyone – that, was the only cause of uneasiness her parents shared about Priya. She could talk to just about anyone at length, she would talk about the sun and the moon, the stars and the sky. She could talk for hours unending.
Priya would treat everyone equal, she had created no stereotypes. But this also proved to be a disadvantage as she could not distinguish between good and bad, the drunk and the sober, the evil and the good hearted. Many a times she would get fooled because of her kind heartedness. Either she would end up giving a few more rupees to the market vendor or be robbed by an urban beggar.
Priya’s loss with money and belonging were on the rise. Once every week she would come home crying and wailing about being a victim, giving away Rs. 100 for an item not worth more than Rs. 10. Once when her mother told her to give a few sweets and clothes to hers aunts house a few kilometres way, she came back home empty handed. She had given it all to a stranger she had met who told her that he had not eaten any sweets for months and his children had not been gifted any new clothes since a long time.
But Priya’s mother was furious of the encounter. She had lost her patience with the girl who spoke too much to anyone and lost her belongings. Outraged she raised her hand on Priya but only Grandma’s interference stopped her short.
Broken from within, Priya stepped into her grandmother’s room. Why is mama so annoyed with me, she asked. I do not mean to hurt her, yet she is so cross with me. Grandma brought out 3 dolls and gave it to Priya. She asked her to pass a thread through the ears of the dolls.
Priya actioned it right away. To her surprise the thread passed through and through the ears of the first doll. This is the type of person who listens from one ear and lets it pass from the other. Now try the next one said grandma. The thread went through the ear and curled outside the mouth. This is the type of person that speaks whatever he heard. Priya was anxious to know what happened to the last doll. Curiosity bounced back in her face because the thread just did not come out from the doll. This is the type of person that only listens and seldom speaks.
Then what kind of person is the best human being asked perplexed Priya? Grandma brought out a fourth doll. Priya forced in the thread though the ear, it popped out from the other. Try again said grandma. Priya inserted the thread through the ear again, it came out form the mouth. Once more said grandma, so Priya shipped the thread through the ear and it did not come out at all.
This is the best kind of a person said grandma. One who knows when to hear, when to talk and when to keep silent. Grandma starred at Priya and there was a moment of silence. Priya’s eyes twinkled as she got the message her grandmother was trying to tell her.
From that day on Priya spoke only when required, kept strangers at bay and lost nothing to anyone anymore.
Moral : one must know when to speak, when not to. What to hear and what not to.
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