personalized shirts: 'RACISM' ANGER AT T-SHIRTS

ENGLISH residents in Scotland are fuming at a shop selling personalized T-shirts with the message "Grow Your Own Dope - Plant an Englishman"

They have made official complaints alleging racism and are threatening to involve the police.

However, the shop owners maintain their best-selling tops are "inoffensive".

Around 20 of the controversial shirts are being sold a week at the Key Centre in Dundee.

But English shoppers and politicians are angry.

Pauline Meldrum, who moved to Scotland from the Midlands 40 years ago, said: "I'd like all of the T-shirts withdrawn from sale immediately because they are racist and offensive.


Advertisement

"I've lived happily in Scotland and have endured a lot of anti-English jibes - some friendly and some not so well meant. But these T-shirts have gone too far. "


She added: "They also say it's OK to grow marijuana and that shouldn't be condoned.


"I'm considering reporting it to the Commission for Racial Equality or the police."


But shop assistant Tracey Leslie insisted: "It's not offensive, or racist, it's just a laugh. We get more comments about that T-shirt than any other on sale.


"It seems to really annoy some people, obviously mostly English, but others just love it."


But Jill Shimi, leader of Dundee City Council, said: "It's racist and shouldn't be tolerated.


"I condemn the anti-English sentiment - it doesn't reflect the views of Dundonians.


"I will be speaking to Trading Standards on this issue and it is not surprising that there has been complaints made already."

personalized shirts: Independent Filmmaker Travis Bettinger Offers Original T-shirts To Finance Feature Film

To put free speech before profit by selling t-shirts instead of getting investors to finance his first feature film is the goal of filmmaker Travis Bettinger.


For Immediate Release

VENTURA, Calif./EWORLDWIRE/June 27, 2006 --- To put free speech before profit by selling t-shirts instead of getting investors to finance his first feature film is the goal of filmmaker Travis Bettinger. Through his Web site Bettinger is offering a product that people can enjoy and collect while supporting independent media.

Typically, a filmmaker offers equity in a film to investors who want to see a return on their investment. Subsequently, there can be pressure to compromise to ensure increased returns. With the "digital revolution" one can create, market, and sell a product with a minimum of means, using the proceeds to finance a low-budget movie.

"This is the democratic potential of the wired' world in action," states Bettinger, "People can get a cool personalized shirt while participating directly in creating entertainment with integrity - all online." The t-shirts are high-quality, cost around $20, and are printed and processed through a well-established third-party company.

Bettinger has long championed the use of inexpensive digital tools to empower freedom of expression, not only by producing a number of original projects, but also by guiding others as a digital video instructor at a local non-profit cable channel.

For additional information on the shirts and the movie, visit http://www.sexanddrugsmovie.com.


HTML: http://newsroom.eworldwire.com/releases/14881
PDF: http://newsroom.eworldwire.com/pdf/14881.pdf
ONLINE NEWSROOM: http://newsroom.eworldwire.com/309756.htm
NEWSROOM RSS FEED: http://newsroom.eworldwire.com/xml/newsrooms/309756.xml
LOGO: http://newsroom.eworldwire.com/309756.htm


CONTACT:
Dennis Travis
Dennis Travis Media
10574 Nopalito St.
Ventura, CA 93004
PHONE. 805-201-2525
EMAIL: hfbrainsyrup@hotmail.com
http://www.sexanddrugsmovie.com


SOURCE: Dennis Travis Media

personalized shirts: Warm weather heats up Fireworks T-shirt sales

By George Derringer/ SWAMPSCOTT@CNC.COM
Thursday, June 22, 2006

T-shirts are hot, as hot as Monday's weather, red, white and blue hot.

"We've been selling a lot of T-shirts and getting some really nice donations for the fireworks as well," Maureen Gilhooley, administrative assistant to the Board of Selectmen, said on a sweltering Monday afternoon.

The T-shirts, which just went on sale last Friday, are being sold to support the big fireworks display each July 3 that has come to be an annual town highlight. Fireworks are supported entirely by donations and fund-raising efforts, entirely outside the town's tax-supported budget.

And Monday was a great day.

"People have been coming in for beach stickers - standing in line for them, in fact - and they see the T-shirts and walk upstairs to buy some for the entire family," Gilhooley said. "And we very much appreciate the donations by check as well."

The idea for the shirts was submitted by Sheila Burke, Gilhooley said.

She said in addition to the T-Shirts the effort to raise funds for the fireworks also includes the all-important "Swampscott Day" golf tournament at Tedesco Country Club, which has been rescheduled for June 26 after an early-season rainout.

T-shirts will be available at the annual Strawberry Festival on July 2 and perhaps other places, including the golf tournament, said Gilhooley, an annual leader of the fireworks fund-raising effort.

Of course, people don't have to wait for a request to arrive in the mail. Donations, made payable to the "Fireworks Fund," may be sent in care of the Selectmen's Office, Town Hall, 22 Monument Ave., Swampscott, MA 01907. All amounts help. And the fireworks will be at dusk Monday, July 3.

Town Hall is open for personalized T-shirt sales during regular business hours.

Fourth of July parade taking shape, marchers needed

Details for the Fourth of July parade are shaping up, but there's lots of room for more, says Marianne Hartmann, one of the organizers, as well as police officer Jim Schultz, who is organizing both marchers and drivers.

The parade is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Sunday, July 2. Marchers of all kinds are needed and there will be a float contest as well. Schultz says he's looking for people with antique cars and trucks or people with unusual "classic" cars to drive in the parade, as well as groups who want to march.

Neighborhoods and various teams or groups are especially encouraged to enter the contest, Hartmann says.

There is also a theme of "Swampscott Honors Home Town Heroes" for the parade so local military men and women are being sought for the civic and patriotic event. Schultz, who doubles as the town's veterans agent, would like to hear from military folks who can add their presence to the parade.

To take part in the parade or get more information, call Hartmann at 781-799-8235 or contact Schultz at the police station, 781-595-1111.

personalized shirts: Baby Clothes For All Seasons

Few things seem more important at a baby shower than duckies, monkeys and theme colors. Once you get the baby home though, the most important thing about baby clothes is how well they protect your baby ...

by Kirsten Hawkins

Few things seem more important at a baby shower than duckies, monkeys and theme colors. Once you get the baby home though, the most important thing about baby clothes is how well they protect your baby.Depending on the time of year that your baby is born, and the type of climate you live in, there are a variety of concerns to take into consideration for your baby's very sensitive nature.

For summer babies, or babies in warm climates, overheating is not the only concern. A baby's skin is incredibly sensitive to light, especially with the increasingly less protective o-zone layer.

Sunscreen is not the only necessity for baby's sensitive skin. Keeping a towel or blanket over the baby's carriage or bassinet during summer play is a great way to keep the sun from harming your baby. Umbrellas and pop up tents are also great for beach days. Make sure there is plenty of ventilation but little to no sun—that way your baby won't get sunburned or have to squint at the bright sun rays.

For daily summer wear, onesies that are made of a lightweight cotton are a great alternative to pants and personallized shirts. In addition to being comfortable, they will easily fit in a small bag or purse that you can bring along in extra in case of a spill or accident. Another bonus of your baby being born in the summer is that it will keep shoe costs down, since a baby in a stroller in seventy five to eighty degree weather does not really need to wear shoes! Keeping a blanket in the stroller is important, especially if you're in air conditioned buildings a lot, since babies are a lot more sensitive to the change in air temperature.

For winter wear, bundling babies in layers is a good way to combat the difference between heated buildings and the outside. Avoiding long stretches of being outside in colder temperatures is probably a good idea, but for short walks or trips between cars and buildings, warm bundling is vital. If you live in a climate that has a lot of snow, the danger of sun burn is even more prevalent than in the summer, since it attacks from all angles. Warm socks, mittens, and hats will do a good deal to keep most of the baby's body heat in. Buntings that button down the front are a great way to let the baby escape from the heat a little bit when you are inside without too much effort for you or discomfort for the baby.

Layers work in almost every weather. As any New Englander will tell you, the ability to put on a layer or take it off is the key to combating shifting climates. This is particularly important for your baby, who is much more sensitive than you to slight changes in temperature or outside conditions. So keeping an extra sweater around, or putting an onesie underneath warmer clothing is a great way to prepare for anything that Mother Nature has in store. She likes to keep new mothers on their toes!

About The Author:
Kirsten Hawkins is a baby and parenting expert specializing new mothers and single parent issues. Visit http://www.babyhelp411.com/ for more information on how to raising healthy, happy children.

Copyright Kirsten Hawkins - http://www.babyhelp411.com

personalized shirts: Baby Clothes By Disney

Disney and children go together like milk and crackers. Its just a given that in almost any American household where children reside there is something in the home that was made by, produced by, licensed by, or endorsed by Disney ...


by Kirsten Hawkins

Disney and children go together like milk and crackers. Its just a given that in almost any American household where children reside there is something in the home that was made by, produced by, licensed by, or endorsed by Disney.

Because of this natural affinity that Disney and kids seem to have, the Disney Corporation has been making clothing for children for nearly as long as they've been in business. This form of licensing and merchandising took off to new levels when George Lucas proved that there was money in movie licensing tie-ins with Star Wars in 1977. Today when a Disney movie is released there are kids' and babies' clothing items bearing the likenesses of the main characters faster than a parent can say Bambi. While some Disney titles are hit or miss these days (compare the numbers for Home on the Range with those for Finding Nemo) there are titles that seemed to strike a chord with kids and parents alike and the company still sells massive amounts of children's, toddlers', and babies' clothing related to those films.

The Little Mermaid

Even sixteen years after its release, kids and parents still love The Little Mermaid. Every little girl wants to be Arial (the titular mermaid) and their mothers don't mind helping them. Disney still sells personalized t-shirts, swimsuits, and various other clothing items for babies and children with the film's motifs in droves.

Finding Nemo

One of Disney's most popular recent releases, Finding Nemo offers massive amounts of babies' clothing designs. Like Mermaid, the film's aquatic theme lends itself especially well to swimwear and summer wear for boys and girls alike. In fact, the first item listed when you enter the "infants" page on Disney Direct, the company's web store, is a Finding Nemo one-piece swimsuit for girls.

Classic Characters

The more things change, the more they stay the same someone once said and he may have been on to something. Of all the Disney themed apparel for babies and toddlers, no items are more popular with the kids or their parents than those that bear the images of Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, and the lovable dog Pluto. These are baby clothing items that are unlikely to ever disappear and which are so popular that a child throwing a foam brick in the daycare center is likely to hit at least one kid with Mickey stenciled or printed somewhere on his or her clothing. Suffice to say that when you're choosing casual clothing for your little Mickey or Minnie Mouse, you can't go wrong with designs by Disney.

About The Author:
Kirsten Hawkins is a baby and parenting expert specializing new mothers and single parent issues. Visit http://www.babyhelp411.com/ for more information on how to raising healthy, happy children.

Copyright Kirsten Hawkins - http://www.babyhelp411.com

personalized shirts: 6 Popular Gift Ideas For Father's Day

6 Popular Gift Ideas For Father's Day
Father's Day is a special day for any man who is a dad. Handmade cards by little ones and his favorite home-cooked meal are not all you can do for him, though. There is a wide variety of popular gifts for Father's Day that you can choose from to surprise him with. Some easy ideas are: ...

by Nicola Kennedy

Father's Day is a special day for any man who is a dad. Handmade cards by little ones and his favorite home-cooked meal are not all you can do for him, though. There is a wide variety of popular gifts for Father's Day that you can choose from to surprise him with. Some easy ideas are:

A gift card to Home Depot, Lowe's, or his favorite hardware store – I have learned from years of experience with my husband that hardware stores truly are a man's "toy store". Any man can make twelve trips to a hardware store in one week and never get tired of it. Not only will he appreciate the gift, but you will get something done around the house or yard!

Fun electronic gadgets – Think digital camera, MP3 players, wide-screen TVs, DVD players, laptop computers…anything electronic. Many of these popular gifts for Father's Day can be pricey, so make sure you save up.

Personalized gifts – Picture frames, plaques and figurines can commemorate a particular Father's Day. You can also purchase mugs and t-shirts with photos and special messages.

A gift certificate to a hobby or specialty shop – Whether dad likes golfing, photography, woodworking, or wine, there is a specialty shop for that! Get him a gift certificate that he can use however he would like.

A gift certificate to his favorite restaurant – Most restaurants offer gift cards or certificates in many amounts. Choose dad's favorite restaurant and get him a gift of a meal. To make it extra special, plan the whole night out on Father's Day and treat him to a meal there instead!

Apparel – Dads can always use work clothes, casual clothes and chore clothes. Find out what area of dad's wardrobe is lacking the most and fill in the gaps. Trick dad by taking him to the mall and finding out what colors and styles he likes before you buy.

Other popular gifts for Father's Day are, of course, the crafty items you can make with your children at home. Anything from the heart will be popular with dad!

Nicola Kennedy takes great care in celebrating Father's Day, both as mom to her husband's children, and as a loving daughter. She can help you find great Father's Day gifts with tips and news, information and views at http://www.ILoveMyPop.com

This article may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links are included intact. All rights reserved. Copyright http://www.ILoveMyPop.com


Copyright Nicola Kennedy - http://www.i-love-my-mom.com

personalized shirts: 8-Tips for Packing and Traveling Lite

How-to Pack and Travel Lite

In this day and age of traveling cephalalgia, there are a few packing tactics to employ. To cut out an extra thirty to forty minutes at the arriving airport, start with packing small luggage. Since carry-ons can not exce...

by Holly Bentz

How-to Pack and Travel Lite

In this day and age of traveling cephalalgia, there are a few packing tactics to employ. To cut out an extra thirty to forty minutes at the arriving airport, start with packing small luggage. Since carry-ons can not exceed a linear dimension of 45 inches, you can escape the fiasco of the baggage terminal by simply packing and traveling light. To learn how to pack all your needs into one suitcase, read more.

Use the following pithy packing tips to make your travel light:

Make a list. Compose a pack list. Be sure to coordinate shirts and blouses with bottoms. To maximize your traveling wardrobe fashion savoir faire, stick with solids and versatile basics. Rule-out any clothes that do not match other items.

Roll ‘em up please. The best way to fit all your clothes is by rolling pants and personalized shirts. First fold each item in half. Then simply roll. To try to maintain any creases, start on the bulkiest end of the article of clothing.

Gear up. How to make an awe-inspiring impression out of a basic or mundane outfit? For the most glam appeal, accessorize with a vibrant tie (for him) or a florid scarf (for her). Multihued accessories can liven up just about any attire.

Minimize bulk. After you check for space, edit outfits – ruthlessly. Try to pack microfibers with wrinkle and stain free comfort. With most of your attire, stay in the same color scheme – in case you have to layer up for warmth.

Employ shoe smarts. For men, any leather rubber-soled shoes can make the day and night transition, easy. For woman, a pair of flip-flops, strappy sandals and comfy wedges can serve all casual – chic dressing needs.

Put under garments on the top. To reduce the embarrassment of under garments becoming the side show attraction of the open luggage scan, place all panties in a plastic bag free of any clippers, lighters or other questionable paraphernalia. For expedient security review, place the transparent bag on top of your other items so security can access the bag without ruining your efficient packing method.

Lose Extra Baggage. Leave the heavy travel guide at home. Duplicate important resources to keep your luggage free of extra pounds. Since most hotels and resorts provide irons and blow-dryers --leave yours at home for light travel.

Leave restricted items at home. If you want to make it through security extra fast, avoid any firearms, weapons, box-cutters, scissors, razors, lighters and any other item that may be used in a terrorist situation.


About the Author

Freelance writer, Holly Bentz is the owner of a media boutique, www.fruitionMedia.net. From subliminal e-sales letters, informative articles to powerfully persuasive web content, Bentz takes pride in providing awe-inspiring copy.

personalized shirts: 7 Must Haves For A Beach Vacation Wardrobe

When you go for a beach vacation, the last thing you would want is to lug around tonnes of clothes. You can travel light when you go for a beach holiday, or anywhere warm. A capsule wardrobe of just ...

by Janice Wee

When you go for a beach vacation, the last thing you would want is to lug around tonnes of clothes. You can travel light when you go for a beach holiday, or anywhere warm. A capsule wardrobe of just 7 lightweight items are all you need, to stay chic throughout your holiday. Bring some detergent so you can wash each day's clothes after wearing it, and you should have enough to last through a long holiday.

With some clever coordination, 7 key items get you a myriad of looks. You look chic by the beach or in the restaurant. That capsule wardrobe goes a long way. The trick is to pick tops that go with all the bottoms in your travel wardrobe. Do that through your color scheme.


First of all, pick your color scheme. What colors look best on you. Pick 2 or 3 colors that make you look really good, and which go really well with one another. If you are uncertain, you could stick to just black and white, or a bright color and black. As long as all your tops and bottoms are within your color scheme, you can mix and match the tops and bottoms in your travel wardrobe easily.


Now for the 7 items.


#1 Your swimwear. This is where your beach wardrobe begins. You can match your swimwear with your skirts for new looks as you go from the beach, to the bar for a drink. That swim suit can double up as a body suit. A bikini top could double up as a midriff baring halter top. Choose carefully though. If you have a tummy, a one piece swimsuit that holds in your waist would minimize the problem. On the other hand, a string bikini would be really sexy on a good figure. Your swimwear something you should go to the mall to try on yourself. Pick one that looks best on you. Check your reflection in the mirrors, from all angles. Don't trust the salesgirl. See for yourself. Or get a pal you can trust for her opinion. This swimsuit or bikini is going to be worn with your skirts as well, so pick something in a neutral color, like black or white. You could also pick one in a color or print that would match the skirts you bring on that holiday.


#2 A lightweight, yet gorgeous dress like the ones found at http://www.womanht.com/discounts/womens+clothes-fullfile-dresses.htm A dress that you can easily roll up and pack into your bag. Ideally, it should emerge wrinkle free when you are ready to wear it. Or you could always hang it up in the bathroom when you take a hot shower, to let the steam smoothen the wrinkles in it. This is especially useful if you might end up going to a fancy restaurant for a meal, or an impromptu dinner date.


#3 A sexy top that flatters your body. The ones at http://www.womanht.com/discounts/womens+clothes-fullfile-tops.htm would do beautifully. If you have nice arms, a tank top, a strappy top or any top that is sleeveless would show off your arms beautifully. If not, go for cap sleeves or a long sleeve top that shows a little cleavage.


#4 A babydoll personalized t-shirt like the ones found at http://www.buy-t-shirts.net/baby-doll-t-shirts.htm .The babydoll cut flatters the female body. Especially when worn as a top. It emphasises the bust, skims and slims the waist. It is feminine, but never tarty.


#5 A wrap skirt like these http://www.buyclothing.net/wrap-skirt.htm This should match with your top, your t-shirt and your swimsuit to create different looks. After a swim, put on the wrap skirt over your bikini or swim suit, and go for a drink.


#6 A ultra short mini skirt to raise temperatures further. The ones athttp://www.buyclothing.net/mini-skirts.htm are perfect for an ultra sexy look. Again, this can be matched with your swimsuit, top and babydoll t-shirt for 3 more new looks.


#7 A pair of high heel sandals that is pretty enough for the restaurants in the resort. If it is too cumbersome to wear on the beach, you can always go around barefoot. Just make sure you get a pretty pedicure (and manicure) to show off on the beach. A pair of metallic gold or silver toned sandals would be glamorous, and go well with everything.


About The Author

Janice Wee is the webmaster of http://www.womanht.com/discounts/ where you can get all your essentials at bargain prices. It is also where you can also get coupons to use for savings in a number of online stores.

personalized shirts: 10 Critical Steps To e-business Safety

10 Critical Steps To e-business Safety

Copyright [C] 2002 Shahnaz Rauf, snzeport.com

Web site and e-business security is a very sensitive
issue. Some of the top brass in cyber-marketing have
hired full time network wizards to work it ...

by Richard Lowe

10 Critical Steps To e-business Safety

Copyright [C] 2002 Shahnaz Rauf, snzeport.com

Web site and e-business security is a very sensitive
issue. Some of the top brass in cyber-marketing have
hired full time network wizards to work it out for
them. Giants such as Microsoft have set up special
network security courses just to resolve such issues.

If you had a brick and mortar business, you would be
maintaining a regular schedule and time sheets to
monitor your employees. Also you would be ensuring
tight security by installing alarms, closed circuit
monitoring (video cameras), electronic cards etc.
Online too you need to monitor your 24 hour sales
person...

- Is he really doing the job you want him to do?
- Is your eshop secure from the darker elements?
- Who and what are your customers doing?
- Where are they coming from?
- Does your business have any loop holes?
- Are your transactions safe etc?

Yes you need to set up all your bells, whistles,
snooping devices and other security measures.

Here are 10 basic ‘must do' steps for small home
based webmasters like you and me:

1. Trade mark all your slogans, logo, ultimate
selling proposition etc. by putting a TM sign [For
example: The House of Viral e-BooksTM ]. This also
gives you a touch of `class` and creates a brand
image for you.

2. Put a Copyright notice and date (Copyright [C]
2002 Your name) on all your creations, articles,
sales letter, web pages etc.

3. Put a disclaimer - `use it at your own risk`
clause for all your work- articles/ebook/website/at
the end of ezine etc. This discourages those
elements who are not capable of accepting
responsibility for their actions and need to pin
it else where.

4. On all outgoing auto-responder messages – put
the ‘this is an autoresponse' clause to avoid
any spam complaints. For I have experienced that
in the rush to grab something free, some people
will keep sending several emails to auto-
responders instead of waiting patiently for
response to arrive. Then of course, the basic
autoresponder sends them an equal number of
responses.

5. Make your ezine/ list double opt in - state
this right at the top, also let them know that
confirmation e-mail and computer IP address is
on record. If you want to be even more secure,
tell them that any false spam complaints will be
prosecuted and damages will be claimed due to
downtime- this will discourage any ‘happy-go-
lucky' individuals whose sole purpose in life is
to mess it up for hard working, down to earth,
honest people. [Beware: The double opt–in
procedure may reduce your subscriber count – but
will let you cultivate a very high quality list
of people who really want to hear from you.]

6. Monitor your website statistics – usually your
webhost should enable raw statistics, but any good
sitemeter should be able to provide this information:

- Who is visiting your website?
- Where are they coming from?
- How much time they are spending?
- Which pages they are clicking to?
- And whole lots more.

Again this is very essential.

7. Track Your links - This is the single most
important factor that can give an instant boost
to your advertising efforts. you need to know:

- Which ads are pulling?
- Where are your buying customers coming from?
- How many files/ebooks/software are being down
loaded from your site?
- Who is clicking on your links – IP address of
your clients?
- How much traffic you are sending to some one?

Any good link tracker should be able to provide
this information.

8. Keep tabs on your web-host`s performance – You
need to know:

- When your website went offline?
- When it came back up?
- How many hours it was un-accessible?
- How many seconds did your page take to load up?

Here you may use the services of
http://www.internetseer.com

9. Broken link monitoring - broken links can

- Create a bad image/impression about you in your
customers minds.
- Affect your search engine ranks.
- Impact your business negatively.

You may check these out using http://www.jimtools.com/
here click on the ‘link' button at page top.

10. Who's linking to you – Again if your webhost
enables raw statistics, finding this will not be
a problem – you can even find who is linking
directly to your e-book downloads etc. Otherwise
you may use:

http://www.linkpopularity.com/
http://www.jimtools.com/ - and click on the ‘link'
button at page top.

------------------------------------------------------

Shahnaz Rauf is a freelancer actively seeking writing
projects. She is also The Editor of The Monster
Twister– a Newsletter helping ordinary web owners
achieve extraordinary heights without losing their
personalized shirts. To Subscribe
mailto:themonstertwister-subscribe@snzeport.com Or
visit her website at http://www.snzeport.com

personalized shirts: 10 Classic Fashions No Woman Can Do Without

A fashion savvy Australian Aborigine once said, "The more you know, the less you need." Translation: It's better to know your way around the classics than have a closet crammed with clothing that is already so "five minutes ago".
It's smart to s...

by Julia Schopick

A fashion savvy Australian Aborigine once said, "The more you know, the less you need." Translation: It's better to know your way around the classics than have a closet crammed with clothing that is already so "five minutes ago".
It's smart to stock up on classics, no matter your personal style. Think Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, Catherine Deneuve: always, simple, chic and impeccably dressed.

Once you have the classics, you can go anywhere. If you buy pieces that are well-made and in good fabrics, they'll wear better, feel better and, of course, look better on you. The fabrics to look for are lightweight wool gabardine, silk, cotton, linen, cashmere, and textured microfibers. Go that extra mile and make sure everything fits, especially the tailored pieces. Go to a tailor if something needs to be altered. It's worth the money. Now for those of you who are not the "classic" type, you can still do your own thing. Try a Chanel jacket with jeans or a leather bomber with a chiffon skirt.

If you're downtown hip with a touch of "goth", just add a leather jacket to the classics along with leather pants and animal print accessories.

If you're the artistic, creative type, throw on some ethnic or artful pieces to give the classics your own special style. Think Peruvian hand-knit sweaters, chunky bracelets or African necklaces.

Classics are also good if you're on a budget. They last longer and you'll have fewer mad dashes to the mall to buy a piece just for one evening. If you don't believe us, try on a little black dress or a solid color suit. Add a scarf, several necklaces or different belts. See how many different looks you have?

What are the true, blue chip classics? Take notes. The wardrobe you save may be your own.

THE CLASSICS

1.) 3 Piece Suit -- Try a jacket, Personalized skirt and pants in a solid color.

2.) Navy Blazer -- A must have that makes an impression.

3.) White Shirt -- Nothing beats a crisp cotton shirt with or without French Cuffs.

4.) Khaki Slacks -- Versatility is their strong suit and they can withstand a nuclear winter.

5.) Cashmere Sweater or Twin Set -- Sedate or seductive. Your choice.

6.) Jeans -- Keep them "classic". Dry-clean or press them yourself after washing.

7.) Little Black Dress -- All hail to this number that can go from smokey bar to a ballroom.

8.) Formal Attire -- Dramatic separates are better to mix'n'match and make different outfits.

9.) Raincoat -- Go for a zip-out lining. The Trench Coat is the true classic.

10.) A Positive Self Image -- Nothing looks better on a woman than her confidence and pride.

Classics rock. Trust us.

*****

Janet Behmer and Shirley Pierce are authors of the book "Dress Me Now: How to Make Your Wardrobe Behave". It's fashion for real women with real bodies and it's changing the way women think about clothes and themselves. Check out their web site DressMeNow.com at http://www.dressmenow.com.


About the Author

Janet Behmer and Shirley Pierce have over 30 years of fashion experience between them. Janet has spent over 13 years as an on-camera host and buyer for home shopping channels and Shirley is the co-founder and president of Dress Me Now!, a company committed to the self-empowerment of women. She is invited to speak to women's groups and has been featured on radio and telelvision.