FabSugar

Style For Style: Shower Steam Your Clothes

FabSugar — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 16:00:33 PDT

It would be nice if every household had a garment steamer but the reality is that the majority don't. So then what is a girl to do when she has a fabulous cocktail party to attend and her Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti Satin Strapless Dress, $995, is all wrinkled? Yes, an old fashioned iron might do the trick, but sometimes a fabric is too delicate for that. Plus, your lackluster ironing skills may burn a hole in your lovely dress. Oh no!

To see my easy solution to unwrinkle clothes,

Chances are you're going to shower before you head to your soiree, right? While you're getting clean, your wrinkly dress can get...well, unwrinkly. All you have to do is hang your darling frock somewhere in the bathroom while you shower. The idea is to let the steam from your shower permeate the dress, much like a garment steamer. There you have it; a garment steaming process without the bulky machine!

Source

4 Tips For Less-Wrinkled Arrivals and 1 Solution

SavvySugar — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 12:30:01 PDT

While irons in rooms are standard at major hotels, it's possible that you'll arrive somewhere with no iron to be found or no time (or desire) to press all your now-unpacked clothing. I've got tips to keep things running smoothly or, at least, smoother along the way.

Dressed to impress(ed). Set time aside to press wrinkled clothing before traveling, but make sure to let them cool down completely before packing away! Taking time to do this extra step also lets you think about whether or not you really, really need all those items as the ironing marathon goes on and on.
Slow your roll. While I employ the rolling technique when I want to maximize suitcase space, it doesn't come without a very crumpled side effect. If you want to keep everything as smooth as possible, fold clothes on a hard, flat surface (like a table) before loading them in.

There are more wrinkles to get out, so figure out how to do so and keep reading.

How to Have a Clean Home Without Cleaning and Other Savvy Hits of the Week!

Emily Co — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 00:15:31 PDT

How to have a clean home without cleaning
Guess how much people were spending on engagement rings last year?
Ten ways to improve your résumé right now
How to have wrinkle-free clothing when traveling
Want to borrow something from your friends? Follow these tips
Did a company wrong you? Fight back as a consumer
From graduation to beyond: a financial time line for 20-somethings
Everything you need to know about retirement
Smart ideas for bathroom organization

How to Avoid New Mom Comparisons

BabyCenter — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:00:57 PST

We're excited to share this post from our partners at BabyCenter! Every week, we will be bringing you the best parenting and lifestyle stories from the experts at BabyCenter, including this post from Evonne Lack about avoiding the dangerous trap of competitive parenting.

The comparison game is one new moms know well. Even when we try to avoid the "does your baby do this yet?" questions, it's pretty impossible not to notice when, say, a friend's 5-week-old is smiling and yours isn't. As mom Heather Cianciolo says, "Doesn't every mother compare her kids?"

Blame it on our survival instincts, says Kathy Seal, coauthor of Pressured Parents, Stressed-out Kids: Dealing With Competition While Raising a Successful Child.

"We're hardwired to push our kids to compete. After all, our ancestors' children had to be strong enough to get that last piece of meat or outrun that dangerous animal," Seal says. "It's also natural to want our kids to acquire skills, so we compare for reassurance."

Normal as it is, comparing can be a recipe for stress. It can also prevent us from fully appreciating what our kids are accomplishing. Here are some common comparison traps - and how to sidestep them.

Related: Developmental Milestones

Milestone & Developmental Comparisons
Babies vary widely when it comes to hitting milestones like sitting up, crawling, and walking, which makes this comparison trap a particularly easy one to fall into.

"I remember sitting in music class, watching a 10-month-old demonstrate physical milestones that my 19-month-old was just getting around to. It was hard," says Cianciolo.

As moms, we're encouraged to watch for any development problems or delays and to get help right away with anything we notice. So it's no wonder we're constantly wondering what's normal and what's not.

Sidestep the trap: Research shows that as long as your child is reaching milestones within the normal range, how quickly he reaches them has no bearing on his later skills.

So if your 18-month-old says only one or two words compared to your same-age nephew's dozen, it doesn't mean your child won't eventually gab your ears off.

"Milestone development has very little to do with a child's future potential, so I encourage parents not to worry if their children are late bloomers or seem to be at the outer limits of normal," says Darshak Sanghavi, a pediatrician who's also an assistant professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and author of A Map of the Child: A Pediatrician's Tour of the Body. "It's tempting to think that what a child does when he's young is going to control his destiny, but everyday experiences don't bear this out. We can't determine a child's destiny based on what month they started walking," Sanghavi says. Enjoying your child's current skills and tricks can help ground you in the present and prevent you from fretting about the future.

"It's hard to hear my 15-month-old niece saying more than my 2-year-old daughter. But it helps to focus on the special things my daughter does - like when we get ready to read, she gets the blanket and pillow and sets it all up, which really makes my heart melt," says Kim Lybrand.

Finally, remind yourself that while we can certainly help our children learn new things, we can't force them to reach milestones before they're ready. When we attribute our kids' development to our superior parenting skills, it can come back to bite us.

"When others noticed how well my son got around, I felt like we must have done something great to facilitate his excellent gross motor skills," remembers Jennifer Parker. "But then I'd hear other children speak so clearly, while my son wasn't yet talking at all, and I'd feel like such a bad mom."

More on no-competition motherhood after the break.

5 Can't-Fail Winter Skin Care Tips

Real Beauty — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 06:02:16 PST

We're happy to present this article from one of our favorite sites, Real Beauty.

Just because you're showing less skin during the colder months doesn't mean you can skimp on a proper skin-care regimen. Dr. Mitchell Chasin, medical director of the Reflections Center for Skin and Body, tells us his top tips for keeping yours hydrated and healthy all season long.

Tip #1: Find a body wash that isn't going to dry out your skin. Look for products that are soap-free and use the word "hydrating" to maintain moisture. Now would be a good time to swap your gel formula for a creamy one.

Tip #2: Moisturize everyday to keep dry skin at bay. When you apply lotion right as you step out of the shower, you are sealing in the moisture that your body has just absorbed. Not to mention, the combination of the cold weather, wearing gloves, and constant hand washing can cause painful dryness and cracked skin. (Your hands can show signs of aging faster than other parts of your body.) Indulge in a heavy moisturizer and keep it in your bag, car, and office-and don't forget to use it often.

Tip #3: Since your skin type can change with the seasons and environment, you may need to asses what's happening and switch up your products. Look for signs of dry or oily skin, breakouts, or changes in pigmentation. To ensure you are treating your skin appropriately, visit your dermatologist for a consultation.

Tip #4: Sort through your skin-care routine. Using too many products together, such as facial masks and exfoliators, can irritate skin. If you have to, label your products with designated days so that you don't overlap treatments too often. Also, remove and replace any expired products from your stash.

Tip #5: Did you know that UV rays can damage your skin through your clothing? Sunscreen is essential in protecting your skin against premature wrinkling, skin cancer, and dryness. We recommend using at least an SPF 40 daily. And, don't forget your lips-a great balm with SPF can prevent dryness and cracking.

Save Money With Vintage Clothing Just like Chloe Sevigny

LearnVest — Fri, 06 May 2011 00:15:54 PDT

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

Vintage fashion is inherently democratic.

Celebrity style icons like Chloe Sevigny, Nicole Kidman and Alexa Chung don’t get their inimitable style from mindlessly chasing every new trend - and neither should you plunk down serious change for the latest “it” bag when you could spend less money and sport an original piece.

Vintage is generally defined as anything that’s more than 25 years old, high-quality and illustrative of its era. In short, you’ll know it when you see it - and then you’ll fall in love with it.

Why We Think Vintage Is Worth It

If a piece of clothing is more than 25 years old, it’s probably endured because of superior fabric and craftsmanship. Vintage clothing also tends to be easier to customize because it has wider seam allowances for tucking in or taking up. Little compares to the thrill of finding a statement piece that you know no one else will be wearing at the cocktail party. It’s even eco-friendly because you’re reusing fabric and saving energy on production of a new garment. (For some of our favorite new green fashion, read this.)

But best of all - you knew we had to bring this back to your bottom line–vintage wares provide better value for your money. Well-made pieces range from $10 for lingerie and shoes to $350 for boutique coats. Case in point: Bridgett Artise, designer, shop owner, and author of Born-Again Vintage, cherishes the Alexander McQueen coat and Chanel jacket she nabbed for $7 and $15, respectively at a Salvation Army in New York City. (Her tip: Always be on the lookout for undiscovered stores and sources of vintage, before their secret is outed.)

Here’s how to shop vintage like a pro:

1. Measure Up

Sizes have steadily drifted upward since the middle of the century (called “vanity sizing”), which often makes the numbers you see useless with older clothing. Make sure to always try things on, and get yourself measured (or do it yourself) so you can identify what will fit you when shopping online.

For more tips, read after the jump.

Love at First Steam: Breaking Up With My Iron

Julia Millay Walsh — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 06:00:00 PDT

On rushed mornings, the last thing I want to do is drag my space-hogging ironing board out from the closet, unfold it, plug in my iron, and wait 10 minutes for it to heat up. Instead, I wind up choosing something a little less wrinkled than the clothing I initially had in mind. So I decided to buy a fabric steamer, the Rowenta 1400-Watt Pro Compact Steamer ($50), and see if I might become a convert.

My steamer is so compact, I can easily slide it under my bed when not in use. When I'm in a rush, I can conveniently pull it out and plug it in. Within two minutes, the little machine is gurgling away and ready for action. The set comes with a door hook, where I can hang the wide steam-head brush and hangers for my clothing.

The steamer has a fabric hose with a 360-degree swivel base, so you can steam at any angle - and you don't need to lay your apparel on a flat surface like an ironing board, either. Better yet, it can be used on any type of fabric. So every once in a while, I steam my curtains to keep them looking prim; they don't even have to be removed from their rods! I've also used my steamer to banish wrinkles from my sofa's skirted slipcover and even things like fabric bags and pillowcases - all tasks I'd never try with an iron.

I've had this baby for three months now, and probably use it every other day, a drastic increase from my biannual ironing. So there, I'm officially a convert. I don't know how I got through life without my magical fabric steamer, but I can say with 100 percent certainty that I'll never go back. Join the club: you (and your wrinkly laundry) will thank me.

Nudists Worry About the Wrinkling of the Naked Movement

Annie Scudder — Mon, 02 May 2011 11:37:26 PDT

Annual pantsless subway rides are popular with 20-somethings today, but young people seem reluctant to fully commit to the nudist movement. In a report on the state of the nudist resort industry today, the Wall Street Journal explains clientele overwhelmingly includes graying, wrinkling baby boomers.

Membership to national nudist groups, including the Naturist Society, have been dropping or flat for years. In order to add younger bodies to their ranks, nudists hold reverse-strip poker nights (you start with your clothes off), 5K races, and music festivals like Nudestock, although organizers should call it Nudechella, if they really want to ditch the baby boomer image. Hoping to attract new members, the newly established Young Nudist and Naturists of America will also host a naked dinner party in an NYC loft.

The main problem facing nudist clubs, according to the article, is that they feel like retirement homes. But if they can reinvent themselves to appeal to younger people, would you consider embracing the freedom that comes with wearing no clothes at nudist resorts?

How-To: Save on Dry Cleaning

SavvySugar — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 03:05:00 PDT

Do you feel like you've gone on a shopping spree every time you go to the dry cleaners? While it's nice to have shirts and pants hung so crisp, fresh, and clean, dry cleaning service all costs a pretty penny. If you are looking to save some bucks each month on your laundry, consider implementing these tips on how to save on dry cleaning.

Scope the land – Rather than go to the closest dry cleaners out of convenience, do a little research on surrounding stores. Perhaps only a block away, you'll find a better deal that also offers a frequent cleaner punch card.
Limit the clothes you take – You can hand wash most cashmere, wool, satin, silk, and cotton clothes. However, always take suede, velvet, fur, and leather to the professionals.

See more dry cleaning tips here.

Before and After: A Curtain Transformation For Around $20

Casa Community — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 10:17:41 PST

Here's a post from CasaSugar Community member LAKR from the Su Casa group:

We're renting this loft from January to June...long enough to settle in, but we don't want to spend a bundle decorating, and we can't make permanent changes, of course.
I really disliked the undersized curtains on our beautiful front window which looks out onto the waterfront. I had a feeling that floor to ceiling curtains would draw the eye upward, soften some of the echo in the room, and make the room seem wider. I would have toyed with the idea of a bold black/white Marimekko print or a beautiful color, but the budget had limitations...

This is the living room before, with the curtains that came with the apartment.

Keep reading to see how LAKR transformed the windows for around $20!