Fashion Tips part 2

HEM YOUR PANTS FOR A SHOE HEIGHT

"The biggest mistake women make is wearing pants that aren't the right length for their shoes," says stylist Kate Young. To fix this, hem to either heels or flats—no going back. Generally, hems should just graze the tops of your shoes and be from 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch off the floor.

THROW ON A SCARF

It's the ultimate accessory according to a host of the best-dressed women we interviewed. Stash one in your purse or carry-on to transform simple Ts in the time it takes to make a knot.

GO HANDS-FREE FOR EVENING

A dressy bag with a chain helps you hold crudités and a cocktail—plus, it lends a cool edge to evening wear, says stylist Cher Coulter. Wear the chain diagonally across your body for the best effect.

CONSIDER THE WEAR AND CARE

Before you buy, try to gauge how a piece might hold up after a few washings. And don't shell out for clothes you can't, or won't, take care of. If you know you'll never hand-wash that embellished sweater or fancy bra, walk away.

EMBRACE YOUR SHAPE

"Once you know which silhouettes flatter you, filter trends ruthlessly," says designer Shoshanna Gruss. For instance, if you're petite and shapely, it's best to avoid tall columns and billowy maxis even if you love them. Go for a dress with a defined waist and just-above-the-knee hem.

Fashion Tips part 1

SHOW SKIN STRATEGICALLY

Looking truly sexy involves knowing what to bare—and what to keep under wraps. Otherwise, where's the mystery? "Choose one—only one—body part and show it off," advises Jen Rade, stylist to Jenna Fischer and Angelina Jolie. "If it's cleavage, don't show your legs. If it's your legs, stay covered on top."

ROUND UP WHITE BUTTON-DOWNS

They elevate jeans and keep ball skirts from drifting into fantasy-land. But all that mileage comes at a cost: a short shelf life. So buy three, don't overbleach (which can cause yellowing), and refresh regularly.

ACCESSORIZE IN BRIGHTS

If you've got a closet full of neutrals—be they navy, black, camel, or gray—add energy with boldly hued shoes and bags. Not only is a hunter green satchel more lively than ho-hum black, but it's also surprisingly versatile.

THINK IN MULTIPLES

Take a cue from Jackie O, who had a closet full of sheath dresses. If you find an especially flattering fit right off the rack, go ahead and buy doubles. When it works, why question it?

KNOW YOUR STRETCH

The secret formula for a soft but formfitting T? 95% cotton, 5% Lycra spandex. For jeans to hold their shape, they need at least 2% Lycra.

5 FOODS EVERY WOMAN NEEDS TO EAT

 



 

It’s just not worth throwing your health away by making the wrong choices at the supermarket. Here are five things every woman should always make sure to have in her diet.

1. Leafy Greens

The deep green-colored vegetables that you can find in any salad are doing a huge part to fight off a host of diseases, including type-2 diabetes. Leafy greens include great choices like spinach, lettuces, rocket, watercress, bok choy, silverbeet and even herbs like basil, cilantro, and parsley. Eating them raw, like you would in a salad is the best way to make sure they stay as potent as they can be: once you start cooking leafy greens they start to lose all of their health benefits. If you do wind up cooking any of these do it for as short amount of time as possible, escpecially before they start to lose their bright green color.

2. Oats

Not just oatmeal, but oats in any dish contain a soluble fiber called beta-glucan that helps stop cholesterol from getting absorbed into the body through the small intestine. The more oats you eat, the more you can cut down on your overall cholesterol levels, including the bad LDL cholesterol.

3. Green Tea

Green tea has long been known to fight cancer and heart disease. The polyphenols like catechin and flavonoid antioxidants in green tea have also been proven to bust fat and to curb the number of free radicals in your body. Free radicals damage cells, contributing to the aging process. Drinking green tea not only makes you healthier, but look healthier and younger too.

4. Omega-3s

Omega-3s are ploysaturated fatty acids that our bodies turn into compounds that reinforce a host of functions including the circulatory system, the nervous system and the production of disease-fighting molecules. Studies examining the protective benefits of omega-3s on heart health have shown real reductions in the amount of cardiac arrest. But the reason why you need to have a diet rich in omega-3s is because that is the only way to get them: the human body doesn’t produce omega-3s, it can only get them from food.

Salmon is a fatty fish. It’s a fatty food choice altogether: it contains twice as much fat as steak has. These aren’t the same fats we’re dealing with though. There is no better way to get the amount of omega-3 fatty acids your body needs than by eating salmon. Other great sources of omega-3s include flaxseed and flaxseed oil, walnuts and omega-3 fortified eggs.

5. Fruits

Not all fruits are going to give you the same disease-fighting benefits. A fruit like the blueberry stands out way above others because it contains fiber, antioxidants and polyphenols. Polyphenols help your body process and break down fat cells. Another great fruit choice is avocado. Its high potassium levels are accompanied by high fiber content and a number of vitamins. Other disease-fighter fruits include prunes, grapes, apples and grapefruit.

Tesla Release Electric Car Patents To Public

A few days ago, we reported that Telsa Motors CEO Elon Musk had hinted he would be opening up patents to the Supercharger stations that charge their electric vehicles (EVs). This would have made it more convenient for competitors to enter or expand the EV market, reducing demand for traditional vehicles powered by gasoline. Today, Musk formally announced that Tesla Motors were not just opening up the patents for the Superchargers, but for all of the patents obtained by Tesla; over 200 in all.

Musk released a blog entry on Tesla’s website entitled “All Our Patent Are Belong To You” which doubles as a potential massive advance for the EV market as well as the only good reference to that Zero Wing meme in the last decade. In the blog, Musk vows that Tesla will not sue anyone who uses their technology in good faith.

“When I started out with my first company, Zip2, I thought patents were a good thing and worked hard to obtain them,” Musk wrote. “And maybe they were good long ago, but too often these days they serve merely to stifle progress, entrench the positions of giant corporations and enrich those in the legal profession, rather than the actual inventors.”

There are some minor stipulations for companies who want to use Tesla’s technology. Other auto manufacturers using Supercharger technology must also charge customers for use of the charging stations up front, and granting free access thereafter. It is hoped that other manufacturers will also assume an open source stance, allowing the industry to evolve more quickly.

Aside from the free exchange of ideas with an open source format, there are other benefits. Tesla is set to open a factory to produce batteries for EVs. If more auto manufacturers utilized the batteries, they could be produced at a lower cost per unit, driving down price. This would aid in Tesla’s goal of creating an affordable EV in order to reach a wider range of consumers.

Musk elaborated that while Tesla Motors originally sought patents in order to protect themselves, they realized they were really just limiting the competition in a field that they had hoped to expand, not constrict.

“At Tesla, however, we felt compelled to create patents out of concern that the big car companies would copy our technology and then use their massive manufacturing, sales and marketing power to overwhelm Tesla,” Musk elaborated. “We couldn’t have been more wrong. The unfortunate reality is the opposite: electric car programs (or programs for any vehicle that doesn’t burn hydrocarbons) at the major manufacturers are small to non-existent, constituting an average of far less than 1% of their total vehicle sales.”

Musk lamented that most major auto manufacturers have EVs that aren’t attractive to consumers due to their limited range, if they have EVs at all. With 100 million new vehicles hitting the roads every year, Musk believes there is plenty of room for everyone manufacturing EVs to thrive.

“Technology leadership is not defined by patents, which history has repeatedly shown to be small protection indeed against a determined competitor, but rather by the ability of a company to attract and motivate the world’s most talented engineers. We believe that applying the open source philosophy to our patents will strengthen rather than diminish Tesla’s position in this regard,” Musk concluded

 

 

5 Fashion Rules You Should Break

Are you still worried that the fashion police will write you a ticket if you wear horizontal stripes or long hair over 40?Following these outdated rules may be holding you back in the style department. Wake up your style and forget about so-called fashion rules that keep you from wearing what you want.

Rule #1: White After Labor Day

Why you should wear white after Labor Day: This outdated concept has kept a firm grip on women for years (even though Coco Chanel herself championed white year round.)

White looks amazing any time of the year, from white pantsuits (a great look over 40) to soft winter white and creams. Another great year-round white item: white jeans, which work beautifully with brights and neutrals.

Rule #2: No Short Skirts After 35

Why you should wear short skirts after 35: For petite women, an above-the-knee skirt is the only way to carry off a dress without looking overwhelmed by fabric. And for women of average height or taller, shorter skirts are a great way to show off toned legs.

While micro-minis (that just cover the butt) are no-nos for grown-ups, a shorter skirt (a few inches above the knee) is just fine. If you like the leg-lengthening aspect of a shorter skirt but don't want to show your legs, wear tights.

The key to showing skin at any age is to follow a good style guide and cover up more on top when you go show a lot of leg.

Rule #3: No Long Hair Over 40

 Why you should wear long hair after 40: Hair length should be a personal preference, although it helps if your hair cooperates by looking healthy and flattering to your face shape. At any age, longer hair should be healthy looking and lustrous.

A great cut, regular maintenance and flattering color are even more essential when you go long in middle age.

Need celebrity inspiration? Cher, Madonna, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jerry Hall, Brooke Shields. These over-40 icons prove that long hair is something that is ageless and timeless.

Rule #4: Don't Wear Horizontal Stripes

Why you should wear horizontal stripes:  Horizontal stripes get a bad rap for making women look shorter and broader, but when done the right way horizontal stripes can be extremely flattering and balance out body flaws. For example, a wide horizontally striped skirt on a top-heavy figure balances out the body visually.

Another way to wear horizontal stripes that works on many body types: skinny horizontal stripes that are closely spaced together (like classic navy and white nautical stripes.)

What you don't want to do with horizontal stripes is wear them on your largest body part: broad shoulders with a horizontally striped top will just make you look broader.

Rule #5: Tattoos are for Kids

Why you should get a tattoo: Classy 60-something actress Helen Mirren sports a cool tattoo on her hand and same-age Susan Sarandon is also a proponent of late-in-life inkings. Tattoos have become mainstream and are a great way to express yourself, regardless of your age.

That said, there are some tattoos that don't translate as well for grown-ups, like neck or knuckle tattoos. A tasteful, meaningful tattoo, however, is something that works well regardless of age or lifestyle.

Not convinced? Get a tattoo in a place that you can easily hide like a shoulder or a back so you have the option of covering it up if you want.

Paris Street Style

1. Skinny Jeans

Skinny Jeans: Somehow all Parisian women look like models in skinny jeans. I watched with envy as they consistently cut through the crowds in the underground as they glided for their metro.

2. Leather Satchels

They strung their French-branded leather satchels over their shoulders as they walked through the Sorbonne.

Gallery