I am going to do more and more blogging about Fashion that gives back, and that those of us who are older can participate in wearing.
Here is one that I love because it supports an organization that was started by my former neighbor Tom Warth, right here in Minnesota. The Organization is Books for Africa, the product is from:
Out of Print  it is a company in New York that sells
T-shirts featuring iconic book covers. You can view and buy their shirts here.
They generously donate 50 cents to BFA for every T-shirt sold! Sales have been
so good that Out of Print has already sponsored an entire BFA shipment of books
to Tanzania, and they are well on their way to sending a second container.
 BFA has sent over 24 milion high quality books to 46 countries in Africa. It costs fifty cents to send a book in a sea containers. The books are collected from individuals, publishers, libraries and schools. How to feel good and be fashionable at the same time.


 

 I can't believe another year has rolled by and we are looking at another Christmas. Wow! I have an a fantastic life this past year. Gregg and I are together better than ever and in a new home, which we love. I lost the love of my life "Buster Brown" in May but in July Gregg and I adopted Henry Hicks a border collie mix. He's a joy. So although everyday I cry a few tears for Buster life is good for me. So with that I would like to wish everyone a very Properous and Happy New Year.

  Are you all aware of the cost of HRT therapy not only to yourselves but to the horses that make it possible for you to use this drug. PLEASE READ BELOW.
Any
women that are on Premarin by the Pharmaceutical Company Wyeth need to know how
it's produced. Please read below:The
urine used to make Premarin is collected from an estimated 50,000 pregnant
horses who are confined in stalls and tethered by their necks so that they
cannot even turn around for six to seven months at a time. During that period,
these naturally active animals get little or no exercise. The mares' estrogen-rich urine is harvested
with rubber pouches fitted over their urethras which can cause infections of
their vulvas and severe leg chafing. They also make it difficult if not
impossible for the horses to lie down or assume other comfortable positions.
Instead, they must stand or kneel resting on their chests even while
sleeping—all this while pregnant. Horses on Premarin farms commonly suffer from
injuries because of these inhumane conditions.
There are no official
government regulations requiring humane treatment of horses used to make
Premarin, so keeping them confined for months on end is perfectly legal. Under
pressure from animal protection groups, Wyeth did issue a “Recommended Code of
Practice for the Care and Handling of Horses In PMU Operations” in 1990.
However, it is not an enforceable law: farmers can choose whether and how
closely they want to follow these corporate guidelines.
Finally, consider
what happens to mares after they have been used for several years and are no
longer economically "productive." Because mares from Premarin farms are usually
untrained and difficult to manage, most are sent to slaughterhouses where they
are killed and butchered for human consumption in Europe and Asia. These mares
also give birth to approximately 40,000 foals every year. While farmers keep
some females to replace their mothers in urine production and a few try to sell
ponies for riding, most are sent to feedlots to be fattened for slaughter when
the mares are reimpregnated and returned to their stalls. Equine rescue groups
save as many of these foals as they can, but can only rehabilitate, care for and
adopt out a small number of those carelessly abandoned by the Premarin
industry.

 For the last six months I have been using a front load washer for laundry. Before that I had a a large top loading machine. In both cases I really cut down on the amount of laundry detergent I was using on my clothes. While soil and perspiration take a toll on clothes so does washing them in a lot of detergent. So I decided to do a little experiment and take notice of how cutting down on laundry products would affect my clean clothes. 
  In both insistence's I noticed that the less detergent I used, the less static electricity my clothes had in the drying process. As a result of using less detergent I have also cut down on the use of dryer sheets. 
  I live in a cold climate so the use to dryer sheets was almost necessary because of how dry everything gets in the winter. I have now discovered however, that using less detergent is really the key to less static electricity in my clothes. 
 My clothes are still clean and fresh, they don't have a perfume smell to them as a result of the dryer sheets. I am saving money on laundry products. 

 Because most of my clients are over forty years of age and this website is devoted to the over forty crowd, here are my denim recommendations for men.
 1. Do not wear a light wash in jeans, they are barely attractive on the young and they are especially not attractive on an older man. 
2. As men age they lose their behinds. Having jeans with extra fabric hanging back there, only makes matters worse. If your jeans hug what you have it's much more attractive than all that baggy denim.  
3. Your denims can be altered to fit, just like anything else. Big sloppy, stretched out jeans are not attractive, have your jeans altered to fit you.
4. Stick to a straighter leg, it much more flattering than a wider leg. 
Here are some examples of good fitting jeans. They have a comfortable feel but fit and give the guy some shape. Older men you could wear them just a little tighter for a more dressed look.

  I am not at all fond of ties with Christmas themes on them unless of course your going to a bad sweater party or something or that ilk.
Here are some better more sublte ideas for you guys. These are my picks from http://jhilburn.com/
 

Tis the season to wear Sparkle and Shine, but there are some simple rules to follow when dressing up especially if you are over 40.
1. Sparkle should be used sparingly, if in your clothing wear just a top or a bottom that has sparkle, keep the resr of the outfit simple along with your shoes and any other accessories. Remember less is more.
2. If you chose to make a statement of "Sparkle" with jewelry then do it up big and use that as your one piece of "Shine". I have posted some pictures below that will give you some ideas. I love J. Crew so a they come from there, but they are outfits anyone can wear.