FabSugar

Style For Style: Removing Lint En Route

FabSugar — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 14:00:22 PST

I traveled for pleasure last weekend, but I was all business on the plane ride to my destination. As I was reading the airline's free magazine, I came across a genius tip to remove lint from your clothes while en route at the airport. More on that after the jump.

We can all agree that lint is annoying, especially if you left your self-cleaning lint brush at home. But you can't let a fuzzy problem like that get in the way of your perfect ensemble and a good time.

To see how to remove lint en route,

read more As soon as I read this tip, I noted to tell you all about it. A frequent traveler advises using your baggage-claim tag to remove lint or pet hair from your outfit. Simply detach the tag from your luggage, peel off the top part, and use the sticky part to remove the fuzz. It's easy, plus it gives you a great reason to remove the annoying tag from your bag.
Source and Source

Lint Sheets A Go Go

BellaSugar — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 07:12:22 PDT

New from Scotch, (you know the tape brand), is this super cool 3M Scotch Lint Sheets Pocket Pack, $2.79. What they do is keep lint, dust and all of those not so fab fuzzy pills away from your couture! These are must haves for the red carpet or for any big moment where you need to make a great first impression.

The best part about them is they are really small so that they easily fit right into your handbag, office desk drawer etc. The idea was to make them more chic than the traditional lint tape rolls you keep stashed in your closet at home. These neat sheets are for the gal on the go; the busy woman who loves dressing in fabulous blacks or if you're just a lint freak like Fab. Now she can live fearless and lint free! They come in two different thin travel case styles: black and modern floral. Each pack contains 40 strips that can be used multiple times. Enjoy!

Source

Best Practices: Extend the Life of Your Workout Wear

Jenny Sugar — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:37:43 PST

You splurged on $70 capris, but since they make such a difference in the way you feel during workouts, you'll never go back to cheapo clothes again. Because you've shelled out a lot of dough for these items, it's best to know how to take care of your workout clothes so they'll last. Always check the label or the brand's website for care instructions, and to answer a few common concerns about washing wicking-wear, we spoke to a few of our fave brands to get the skinny on the matter.

Go With Cold
We spoke with Zobha, Lululemon, and SmartWool, and they all agree: wash your technical and wool workout garments in cold water. No need to hand wash either! Just drop your clothes into the machine. But Lululemon adds "avoid washing with fluffy clothing (i.e. big cotton sweatshirts)" so your favorite leggings don't end up with a bunch of unwanted lint as decoration.

Say No to Bleach and Fabric Softeners
Bleach does not play nice with technical fabrics, so these brands say to avoid it. When it comes to your woolens, SmartWool recommends avoiding fabric softeners "because they coat the merino wool fibers and reduce the fibers' ability to naturally manage moisture and regulate your body temperature."

To Tumble Dry or Not
When it comes to drying your gear, all these brands agree: it's perfectly acceptable to tumble dry your clothes on low. Lululemon does provide the caveat that "hanging to dry will help prolong the life of the garment." I find using the dryer helps lessen the stink factor that affects some of my workout wear. Plus it saves time - I hate when I grab a pair of air-drying capris for my morning workout and they're still damp.

If you have more questions on washing your fave pieces of gear, read up on how to wash workout clothes for more tips.

Hipstamatic D-Series: A Throwback to Analog's Heyday

Kristy Korcz — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 11:21:56 PDT

There's a new camera app on the horizon from the smarties behind Hipstamatic, and it's taking cameraphone photography to a new level. It's called Hipstamatic D-Series, and it's like nothing you've used before. Where other camera apps allow you to see your photos in real time as you change filters, D-Series is modeled after old-school disposable cameras (you know, film?), forcing you to take a "roll" of 24 shots before you can see any of the pics you've snapped. In an interview with Pocket-Lint, Lucas Buick (founder of Synthetic, the company behind Hipstamatic) says the app is a throwback to days gone by, not just a filter:

It really is a completely different way to experience photography that a lot of people have forgotten about, but it wasn't so long ago that people don't remember it, and that's the key.

Hipstamatic D-Series hasn't hit the iTunes store just yet, but it's due out this month.

Is This the Solution to All Hair Elastic Issues?

Miriam Lacey — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 04:00:02 PDT

I'm fully obsessed with these new Hairagami Superbandz ($6) hair elastics, and not just because they look like Gummi Savers. These little gems make throwing my hair up in a bun or ponytail incredibly easy, they have amazing hold regardless of hair thickness, they don't tear hair out at all, and I never have to wrap them. I just stretch them over my hair, and I'm done. To see how they actually look in your hair and find out what else you need to know, just keep reading.

Taking a Closer Look at Vibrant, Plush Fresco Towels

Elka Karl — Fri, 06 May 2011 11:40:23 PDT

Note: I've updated this review to reflect Fresco's most current line of towels. Please click through to read my thoughts on the new line!

I've been admiring the colorful designs from Fresco Towels for a while now. The towels are available for purchase through the company's website and major retailers like Anthropologie. The designs are so fresh and unusual - I'm hard-pressed to think of anything on the market that has a similar look.

Fresco Towels is based in Los Angeles and produces bath, beach, and hand towels, as well as terry bags, pillows, and other products that are all created by a family of artisans. Made with long-staple, Turkish cotton, all the products are prewashed, preshrunk, and feature designs inspired by fashion, architecture, and nature.

Fresco sent over some products for review, and two editors excitedly snapped up the pretty towels to try out. See what they thought of the towels and terry bag.

Energy Saving Tips From a Rocket Scientist (Really)

LearnVest — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 04:50:30 PDT

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

The Scene: A 1500-square-foot, mid-century modern house in Phoenix, AZ, home to Bob and Helen Winkel.

The Inspiration: After unclogging lint from their dryer tube and realizing they were saving $15 a month on their energy bill, they decided to tackle energy-saving around the house.

The Challenge: Cut energy bills in half. Yes, half.

The Story: Despite rising energy prices, Bob and Helen cut their energy bills by 50% last year, saving an amazing $1,300 a year. They used this money to fund a trip to Paris (next year: a riverboat cruise in the Ukraine).

The Mad Scientist: Bob Winkel has been an engineer for over 40 years, and is a Chief Fellow at Honeywell. “It wasn’t rocket science,” says Bob, an engineer who has patents for space shuttle and satellite components – OK, so maybe it is?

Over the course of two years, Bob hooked up smart meters to read energy usage on almost every device throughout the house, graphed data, crunched the numbers, and kept a big binder with all his energy use findings.

The upshot? We get his best tips, sans the meter-reading and number-crunching.

Helen did veto one of Bob’s energy-saving tweaks, though: turning down the hot water heater. “There’s one thing that I need,” she says, “and it’s a hot bath.”

Learn how you can use Bob's tips in your own home after the break!

4 Tips For Saving Money While Doing Chores

SavvySugar — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 03:05:40 PST

If you've hopped on the Spring-cleaning bandwagon take note: Training yourself to play with all those fancy buttons and think about the big picture can reap sizable long-term savings. The average home spends about $1,900 a year on energy costs, according to the Consumer Energy Center. Here are some of the CEC's most simple tips for cutting that bill and using your appliances wisely:

Do your laundry efficiently by using the warm or cold water setting for washing your clothes. Always use cold water to rinse clothes. (Save: 4 percent)
Line dry clothes whenever you can. (Save up to 5 percent)
When you need to use the dryer, run full loads, use the moisture-sensing setting, and clean the clothes dryer lint trap after each use. (Save: 0.5 percent)
Conserve energy by running your dishwasher only when it is fully loaded, and turn off the dry cycle and air dry dishes instead. (Save: 1 percent)

Samsung Announcing 10-Inch Galaxy Tab This Weekend?

Kristy Korcz — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 12:30:31 PST

Rumors are swirling over two of Apple's forthcoming products, but it's not the only tech company that's making headlines over its tablet. According to a source, Samsung is preparing to announce a larger, 10.1-inch Galaxy Tab next week to kick off the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

Despite the larger size, Pocket Lint is reporting that the next-gen Galaxy Tab will be lighter and thinner than its seven-inch predecessor and will be running the same Honeycomb Android OS as the Motorola Xoom.

Find out what else the larger Galaxy Tab could come with after the break.