Who were the Hippies

Hippies were a part of a youth movement, composed of the younger generation and teenagers between the ages of 15 and 25. These youngsters or hippies rebelled and criticized middle-class values, embraced elements of non-Judeo-Christian religions, opposed the Vietnam War, promoted sexual liberation, and created intentional communities, often considering their tribe as a new religious movement. Hippies favored “peace, love, and personal freedom over political and social orthodoxy.

The hippies fashion was embraced by the youth and even seniors across the continents, in the 1960s. The focus of the decade and years later was on the vibrancy of the apparel and accessories and not on what others thought about a particular appearance. People, generally, sported clothes that they felt expressed themselves and their individualism and not for sake of pleasing the regular line of fashion. The empowering rock music and world-wide protests against social stigmas like apartheid churned out the blue jeans and denim. It was the era of casual attire; an age when people felt that drug addiction was okay to experiment with. The hippies, as they were commonly described by the ‘prim and proper’ and socially answerable citizens, designed a whole new lifestyle of their own.

The 1960s’ Hippie Fashion

The 1960s’ hippie fashion comprised apparel that would probably appeal to only the youth of today. The baby boomers, also called the flower children, did not hesitate to flaunt flowers in their hair, much like the customs and sights of the orient. In the west, the hippies also indulged in body painting, body piercing and tattoo body art. Not much of this was ever appreciated by the older generation. The men sported long, loose flowing hair long like the women. The ‘free look’ comprised not focusing on what others thought of their self-expression through apparel, believing in ‘equality for all’ and protesting against social evils. The hippies fashion statement was a rage with the youth. It showed signs of fading out as they grew older. They pretty much lived up to The Days of Our Youth are the Days of Our Glory! Unlike the formal business environment today, way back in the 1960s’, the hippies fashion trends offered clothing for work and leisure a very informal and casual look.

The fashion clothing was a form of counterculture and nonconformist. The personal expressions of people and the times resulted in easily recognizable styles that made a major impact on the contemporary world. The fashion was derived along the ‘anything goes’ line. Hipsters and bell-bottom jeans, ankle fringes, flower patches and peasant blouses were all part of the fray. T-shirts and skimpy halter-neck tops were part of everyday wear. Women wore long skirts and dresses that redefined what was ‘acceptable’. The hemlines were difficult to digest for the conservatives of the era and the micro and mini skirts were a cultural shock. Short skirts were worn with knee-high boots, while the long flowing skirts were considered better matched with sandals. Flowing ribbons in the hair or the dress was nothing unusual. Flowers strongly emphasized the hippie movement. They were used to represent peace and love. Tired of the toll that World War II took on culture and economy, the hippies sported floral patterns on dresses and skirts and jeans. Artificial flower tiaras and real flowers were worn in the hair.

Hippie Hair and Jewelry

During the hippie movement, men and women grew their hair long and avoided fussy styling and hair products as braiding hair was popular, although, contrary to popular belief, they did still shampoo. Usually hair was parted in the middle and bang-less. During this time period, long side burns were the thing for men. Fashion accessories during the time also included bandana’s and other headgear, scarves. Hippies accessorized their hair with flowers or little hair clips or a colorful headband across their forehead. A skinny ribbon tied at in the back of the head with long easy flowing hair became a legendary look throughout the 1960s.

Women’s jewelry was mostly based on nature or from Native American or any similar handmade designs. Any necklace sporting a peace sign with Beads was hugely popular. Jewelry that made music was highly desirable since music was an essential part of the hippie scene. Necklaces that featured bells as pendants and jangly ankle bracelets were a favorite among women. In general, the ankles received a lot of attention, especially amongst those living on the warm west coast, because many hippies preferred to go barefoot.

Coloured contacts are worn for a variety of reasons. As a fashions accessory, they are worn to compliment a fancy dress outfit. These usually go down well at Halloween dressing up that vampire suit or witches costume. They are used frequently in the theatre or in movies giving special effects to the local villain or character. Coloured lenses are also just fun to wear out to your nightclub to give a different look. As long as they are looked after properly and kept clean they are safe to wear and will not affect your eyes or vision at all.

Coloured contact lenses work best with people with naturally dark eyes. Depending on what look you are going for you can chose from three different types of lens. The first is enhancement lenses. These just give a gentle tint to your natural colour rather than completely changing it. It is not particularly good on dark eyes as the tint blends in with the true colour almost like trying to put a water colour wash on an oil painting.

If you wish to mask your natural eye then you want to go for an opaque lens. They are made from a thick layer of colour blending several hues like a natural eye. This covers the iris leaving a small area in the centre so you can see through without the lens affecting your vision. These two types of lens can also be used to correct deformities in eyes and come in prescription lens and non-prescription.

The third type of coloured lenses is the fun lens. These come in a variety of designs and colours from subtle to wild. You can get plain fluorescent colours or ones with wild designs from animals, horror or mirrored for example.

The lenses are made using different processes depending on manufacturer. One process used is the gel edged technology. It is very comfortable to wear and durable. A vibrant layer of colour is layered onto the lens and then another layer of lens material is compressed on top. This method adds a deeper texture and with the added dark ring around the colour gives an all round more youthful look to the eye.

One way to get started filling your wardrobe with ladies clothing is to begin with ladies tops. The chillier season is perfect for neutral and natural colors such as black, white, gray and various shades of brown. You can find long shirts with ornate prints as well as other casual gear such as long sleeve shirts. However, just because the weather takes a cold turn does not mean you will have to put away those sleeveless or short sleeves tops. This is the perfect time to layer your clothing.

For instance, you can look into various ladies tops such as cardigans that can go perfectly over a short-sleeved print top. You may want to get a pleated front top that goes great under a blazer for an important business meeting. There are also beautiful refined tops that can be worn with light jackets that include their own belts. Furthermore, many of these tops are available in soft comfortable materials such as satin and silk. These are not the only options you want to consider when it comes to ladies clothing.

While you are choosing your ladies tops, you want to make sure they are a perfect fit with other articles of ladies clothing such as pants. You may need a nice comfortable pair of business trousers or a fun pair of trendy treggings pants. If you will be wearing boots, you should look for trousers with flared legs that will allow your boots to fit under them. Then again, you can also go with modern ¾ leggings or sporty 7/8 pants.

Skirts are also still an option to match with a fancy top even as the weather gets colder. There are many comfortable and stylish skirts available such as corduroy designs that include pockets. A short wraparound skirt can be a fun choice for a night out. On the other hand, a boiled wool midi skirt can be versatile enough for work or for a social gathering. If you want something a little more fun, you can find ladies clothing such as a skirt with a dip dye effect.

It’s All in the Waistline

Most women are narrowest in the area right under their breasts, just below the rib cage and before the belly fat begins. One of the best dresses to camouflage belly fat is one with a banded, ruched waistline which sits on this area of the body, slightly higher than the natural waistline. The fabric gathering effectively creates the illusion of a thin waist.

The Wrap

Another great dress which will make your waistline look thinner is one with a deep V neckline. You draw the eye from the waist and toward the face by revealing some skin in the chest and neck areas. Wrap dresses are great for this because they tie at the waist and have a V neckline. A statement necklace or a colorful scarf are two handy accessories that also serve to draw the eye away from the waistline.

The A-line

Another great dress to minimize your middle is an A-line dress. An A-line dress is narrower at the top and waist and wider at the bottom. The extra material flowing from the narrower waist creates the illusion of a smaller waistline and makes you look slimmer.

The Empire Waist

A dress with an empire-style waist is another of the best dresses to hide belly fat. The empire dress has a raised waist line, often right under the bust, and the rest of the dress falls loosely over the stomach and hips. This draws the eye line towards the face while hiding the waistline from view

Pattern

While the proper style of dress is important, another crucial factor in concealing belly fat is the dress’s pattern and material. In general, women with a few extra rolls around their waistlines should look for dresses with vertical, rather than horizontal patterns. One-color dresses in a darker color tend to be the most slimming.

Material

Women with thicker waistlines should also choose dresses made from non-clinging materials, which only accentuate those rolls of belly fat that we want desperately to hide. By choosing material that doesn’t cling to the body, such as matte jersey, your dress will skim over your body, keeping any belly bulge out of sight.

Depending on the activity, you may either need a roll-top bag, duffel bag or backpack if you just want something for general use. However a waterproof bag that can be attached to a bike rack may be more suitable if you require something for a more specialised purpose. On the other hand if you’re looking for a waterproof bag to go on the roof top of your car or for carrying very large loads, then a rooftop cargo case may be the obvious option. Or perhaps all you’re after is a small waterproof pouch for use on the beach or by the pool and big enough to hold some money and a phone.

There are hundreds of shops and stores that sell waterproof bags from a whole variety of different manufactures from different countries. A whole variety of different sizes, shapes and colours are also available.What to buy rather than where to buy is therefore the most important question. I hope that this article will provide you with detailed information that you can use when making a purchase.

The relationship between quality and price is always the first thing to consider. Even at the top end of the market from a price point of view there are some bad buys, with bags of poorer quality than those at half the price. Clearly these are best avoided. It is best to set a clear budget before your purchase and then look for best value for money at that price point.

A strong zipper, buckles and/or fasteners are the first tell tale sign of a well made waterproof bag. Finding a for sale bag is often an indication that one of these components is of an inferior quality. If you have to replace the bag sooner than intended then this initial saving can turn out to be a false economy. Value for money at your budget point is therefore of the utmost concern. In some circumstances a poor quality bag can even endanger your life or in any event can ruin your gear which you’d thought was being kept nice and dry. Not good if you’re carrying something expensive like a laptop.

Comfort is also a critical thing to consider, especially if the bag will be carried for any great distance. Some style of bags are not well suited for carrying over long distances. This may be OK if they are mainly used for storage, but if you intend on carrying them for any length of time comfort, or ease of carrying, is well worth considering.

Size

To avoid stretching the seams, potentially making it easier for water to infiltrate your bag, it is important that you don’t stuff the bag too full. It is therefore important that the bag you purchase is sufficiently big to hold all you gear and a little bit more.

Durability

Chances are your waterproof bag will be taking a bit of a beating. You’ll want to ensure that your bag is durable and able to withstand a fair bit of abuse. Heavy duty construction is a feature of most waterproof bags, many of which come with a puncture resistant reinforced bottom (that won’t easily puncture when dropped or thrown about) and a reinforced copper or brass zipper. Any handles or straps should all be double stitched or treble stitched and for best durability the stitching should be in the style of a X.

Embellishments

You don’t have to be an experienced crafter to get busy embellishing clothes! A trip to any craft store will provide you with all sorts of goodies (fabric paint, feather strips, sequined ribbons, and lace) you will need to spruce up existing apparel. Now once you have dolled up your favorite dress add a gently used designer accessory, and you’ll now have a luxe look for less. BTW, two of my preferred craft stores are: Jo-Ann’s Fabrics & Crafts, and Michaels Craft Store.

Trend Hunting

Not sure how to use what you’ve got in your closet, grab the latest issue of In Style Magazine and scout for the latest trends(I call this beloved skill trend hunting) Every season has at least one trend that you can borrow, and make your own. Spend some time looking online at fashion and celebrity news sites. Decide what you like, perhaps even steal a look(need additional inspiration, check out my post on Kate Middleton), and complete it with your best second-hand accessory yet!

The K.I.S.S. Principle

When it comes pairing inexpensive items with your pre-owned designer accessories, be sure to apply the K.I.S.S. principle. Keep It Simple Sister! You want to create a look that draws attention – not one that looks like it belongs on a Christmas tree! Less is usually more, so take it slow when embellishing any item, and when you reach the point of true awesomeness, stop!

Consider the Designer Goods You Own

Of course, there’s also the issue of the pre-owned designer clothes you own. You want to make sure that whatever “feel” they have, you’re enhancing them with your accessories. Try to carry at least one element of their design through – whether it’s the structure, color or anything else – into the items you’re creating to wear with it. Don’t get too matchy-matchy though – you want the items to complement each other – not to look like you’re wearing a uniform!

Have Fun!

The fashion industry is constantly recycling trends, and offering consumers more fashionable options. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t wear what you already have! Have fun creating outfits this can be done in 3 simple steps: First, take photos of your favorite pieces and pre-owned designer accessories. Second, mix up the photos and play around with creating an outfit. Lastly, try it on to get a better feel of what you would like to add or remove from your look. It’s not science, and it’s not something you need to lose sleep over. In fact, the more fun you have with your clothes and accessories, whether they’re cheap or not, the better you’ll look wearing them!

If you are not aware of what exactly Thinsulate is, then let us enlighten you. Thinsulate is a material developed by the 3M Company in the late 1970’s. It was manufactured using fibres 15 micrometres in diameter- thinner than polyester. The result was a fabric that was thin and a better insulator. The insulation was provided due to the higher amount of air being trapped in the smaller space between the thin fibres of Thinsulate gloves. More air trapped in a small space makes the fabric a better insulator and hence the Thinsulate gloves are better than the rest. These gloves are not only thinner and lighter, but are also highly breathable gloves that allow for more warmth and moisture wicking. For those engaged in outdoor activities or sports like skiing, snowboarding, Thinsulate gloves are perfect.

There are many benefits of Thinsulate gloves that the wearers have pointed out time and again. These gloves have a unique design that makes them much warmer than other parallel gloves presently available in the market. The design is not only better in the terms of comfort, but also provides adequate safety against extreme winters. The basic and the most important benefits of these gloves are:

• Lightweight – Most gloves are often quite bulky due to the thick fibres needed to keep them warm. But not so in the case of Thinsulate. These gloves are far lighter in weight, less bulky and give the wearer more comfort. This makes these gloves an excellent choice for people active in sports.
• Hypoallergenic – You must know that since Thinsulate is a hypoallergenic material, it is a safe and comfortable choice for most people.
• Durable – You won’t have holes in your Thinsulate gloves. They are made from synthetic material, and are a quality product. They will protect you for many winters without suffering any damage. Durability is one of their biggest advantages.
• Breathable – They have high moisture wicking properties that make them highly breathable. So if you are indulging in any winter sports, your hands will be comfortable and dry all the time. You won’t have to take off your gloves and wipe the sweat off your hands.
• Moisture Resistant – In case you are caught in snow, they will protect your hands and will not let them get wet.

There are various types of gloves that are made using the Thinsulate technology making them more functional and useful. You can choose from the highly popular Leather Thinsulate Gloves. These gloves are made with supple deerskin, and are a dream combination of the durability and comfort of leather with the insulation of Thinsulate. Another choice of gloves is the Thinsulate Fleece Gloves. If you want the same comfort at a lesser price, then Thinsulate fleece gloves are your best bet. These gloves are really lightweight, water resistant and comfortable. But be prepared to buy new ones after some time as they are not as durable as leather gloves. Thinsulate Fingerless Gloves are often the best choice for those planning to do outdoor chores or going fishing. These gloves give you all of the dexterity of bare hands while keeping your palm warm.

If your regular routine includes going to the gym you will want a bag capable of carrying your athletic gear. Athletic handbags are made for this activity and come in a lot of different varieties. You will find these in department stores, online shops and sporting goods stores too. You may want an athletic bag made by a well known sporting good company like Nike. On the other hand you can also find designer athletic bags in case you want a more stylish look for going to the gym. A lot of people will use their bags in a variety of ways for many occasions.

Some sorts of large handbags are created with the intent for people with good taste, however others are more matter-of-fact. If you are traveling and yearn to pack a bunch of things all in one bag, then a duffel bag is a great option. Old fashioned duffel bags were, and still are used by people in the military, but today’s duffel bags are made for anyone who needs lots of space. You can acquire duffel bags that come equipped with wheels or removable straps to carry big loads. If you travel a lot or are often lugging around a bunch of things, duffel bags are an ideal selection.

Handbags are a fashionable accessory with a useful purpose that many people use these days. A woman who carries a small handbag will usually own at least one large handbag due to the necessity of carrying a lot of things around for some occasions. Regardless of whether or not you shop online or in town you are sure to find many types available. When you go shopping for a large handbag keep the above information in mind.

With the invention of vulcanized rubber in 1839, alterations were made in their rain-wear lines and a new rubber fabric was introduced, which was designed to deal with extreme changes in temperature. Since then, the company have been trialing many different fabrics types, to offer the best rain-wear possible.

Mackintosh nowadays, has developed into a popular, household name in the manufacture of rain-wear. This high end, luxury model focuses on quality and design of all-weather gear and rain coats.

The Mackintosh Coat comes in many diverse styles and fabrics, in fact, the whole range of products incorporates everything from classic designs and classy coats, to the more fashionable and trendier coats for the younger generation.

These products are readily available in a number of colors and one can customize the lining, buttons and collar of the jacket to ones own individual tastes and requirements. All their designs are still hand-made by their highly skilled and experienced, expert tailors.

Their whole range of coats is available for men and women, as well as children, although they are best known for their two regular collections which are called the Duncan (for both gents and ladies) and Douglas (only for gents) both of which are obtainable on the Mackintosh website or from select boutique retail outlets in the major cities, especially London.

Standard, classic Mackintosh coats usually cost around $400-600, whereas the more ‘in vogue’ ones are obtainable at around the $500-700 mark. If you so desire, you can obtain a bespoke coat at ‘Bespoke lounge’ in London for around $1000.

In spite of their high ticket price, people today are ready to spend on Mackintosh coats due to their history, quality and durability. Other models of rain-wear ranges like Burberry and DAKS often lack the originality and uniqueness in their offerings.

Benefits of a Mackintosh coat:

• They are readily available in classic designs as well as fashion forward variations.
• They are always made from the best quality fabrics.
• They are tough and hardy and will require little maintenance for a very long time.