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Spring this year roars in with many familiar finds from 2003! The ethnic patterns, the turquoise and coral jewelry, the ever-present animal prints, some metallic touches and from further back, the return of the platform shoe. The new thing is looser fitting clothes moving away from the body. One difference is that coral and turquoise are the pink of 2005!
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Jewelry:
The chosen stones this spring are turquoise and coral. Chunky necklaces, bangle bracelets (worn in groups)
and large rings are new again. Bracelets in wood as well as metal are popular. (Yes, I threw mine away, too. Had to make room for the
brooches which are definitely on the way out.) Coin and zodiac jewelry is also becoming popular. Couture is saying earrings are smaller and chandeliers are out... BUT, I'm still seeing lots of drop earrings, hoops and some chandeliers on the pages of high dollar fashion catalogues.
 Shoes:
THE shoe for spring is the platform, so start practicing your balance again. You don't want to fall off your shoes! Many are ankle tied and rope wrapped. The other shoe holding its own is the flat... ballerina-ish. Those round toes they were promising us in heels haven't quite made it to the USA yet. The newest innovation is a shoe
with a heel that can be changed from stiletto to lower and sensible. Unfortunately they are still quite costly!
Slacks/pants:
The new style is loose and flowing. The sailor pant
and nautical look is also very in. These baggy britches are being paired with small, fitted tops so we will not resemble aircraft carriers! Don't get rid of your skinny legged capris and chopped pants... they still have a place in spring fashion. The loose fitting pants are flat front and to the waist. Low rise, it seems, is only around in jeans.
Tops:
Mainly small. Jackets are of two
varieties; one boxy, textured, colorful, waist length, collarless—with bracelet sleeves. The other is fitted, smooth texture fabric, neutral colors and paired with the season's new full skirts and loose pants. Cardigans are out now, replaced by these jackets.
Skirts: The pencil skirt is still with us. The mini (conservatively above the knee) and the full skirt are fresh for spring. I recommend taking these full skirts in VERY small doses. Not a trend I see lasting.
Color: Lots of white with coral and turquoise. As usual, with spring returns color so pastels return as well. Khaki is big with the safari look oncoming. The navy and white nautical flavor is also strong.
Materials:
Wood, rope, crochet, straw, ethnic beading, metallic & pearlized leather and gold.
One more thing—shorts! From just above the knee to short shorts, they made a come back on the runways, both for dress (the longer ones paired with a jacket) and for play. We'll see how that plays out in reality. For now, put all this under the new, looser fitting trench and wait for the spring thaw!
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Article contributed by:
Clothes Circuit | 6105 Sherry Ln. Dallas, TX 75225 | 214.696.8634 Email Us Visit Our Website
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 We teach our kids how to ride a bike, how to read, to avoid strangers, but one of the most important lessons we can pass on to the next generation is how to develop responsible spending behaviors that will last a lifetime. Here are five tips for teaching your children healthy money habits:
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1. Start small
- Young children can learn valuable money lessons from watching you. When at the supermarket or bank, explain to them what you are doing. Give your children toy money and encourage them to play store.
2. Give allowances - A weekly allowance is a good way to teach children how to budget and spend wisely. Encourage them to save a portion of their allowance each week in a savings account so they can see how their money will grow with interest. If you make allowance day Monday instead of Saturday, they'll learn to budget so they have fun money left for the weekend.
3. Wants vs. needs - Explain the difference between things they want and things they actually need. Encouraging them to save for something they really want is a smart way to teach healthy spending habits and delayed gratification.
4. Teaching teens - Giving a teenager a prepaid spending card is fairly common these days. Set guidelines for their use of the card and explain how credit works. Sit down with your teen each month to go over the credit card bill and receipts to show them how fast charges can add up. Set a payment plan to pay the card off monthly to avoid finance charges.
5. College days - College can be treacherous for students with credit cards. The pressure to spend on a limited income often causes college students to rack up thousands of dollars of debt while away at school. Explain the pitfalls of credit cards before they go to college. If you are nervous about their overspending, make an agreement where you can check their balance online, find a prepaid card, or simply don't let them open an account until they are out of school and have a full time job.
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Article contributed by:
The Kids Closet | 130 S. John St. Rochester, IL 62563 | 217.498.9434
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Did you know that
Oxyclean is a great way to restore vintage linens? Add to very hot water and let it dissolve completely. (See instructions on package for proper amount.) Submerge tablecloth in solution as hot as fabric will tolerate, the hotter the better, but test delicate pieces first. Soak for three hours stirring occasionally. Rinse thoroughly (your washing machine is fine for this step except for very fragile laces) and dry flat. For really tough yellow stains soak up to three days,
checking occasionally to see if stain is gone.
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 Do not put fine linens in the dryer—doing so will set any remaining stains and may shrink
cloth out of shape. If the stain is not completely gone, soak again using a little more Oxyclean. This is very much trial and error but the process truly does work! The nice thing about the process is that it generally will not remove the color from embroidery work. If you love vintage linens like I do, seeing old pieces turn crisp white again and ready for my next tea party is like Christmas on a sunny day.
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Here is a tip on packing your linens. Starch the linens and fold them with tissue paper or packing balloons between each layer. The linens always come out of the box without even a crease.
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Article contributed by:
Saint
Barnabas Hospice Thrift Shop | 51 N. Fullerton Ave.
Montclair, NJ 07042 | 973.509.2060
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