Research shows that you can quite easily make a hundred bottles of perfume for under $300. Then you sell each bottle for up to $50 each, and you have $15000. Minus your costs and you have made an easy $14700, and that’s just the beginning.
Perfume costs next to nothing to make and sells with unbelievable markups. Is it any surprise that so many celebrities have cottoned on to the idea and are trying to retire on a fragrance?
Some of the most profitable perfumes on the market are ones which were the cheapest to produce, and when you start small it doesn’t work out any dearer for you to make than if you were investing thousands.
In the past it was difficult to source your ingredients, packaging or bottles and spray nozzles. Even designing and producing the label seemed like a year long job. It has all changed with the internet boom, and online ordering means you can scope out the cheapest but still quality ingredients etc. You can order and pay by credit card, and as quickly as it arrives you will be on your way to success. Not only is this great for the novice scent inventor, but will hopefully have the effect of bringing the cost of perfume down in the near future.
There are some things you will need to remember when you begin your project of perfume making. First come up with a catchy name for it, but make sure it is also sensible. Design a label with some simple artwork and research the requirements for ingredients and listing them as well. Next you need to scope out the best priced bottles, lids and/or pumps. Don’t buy cheap and nasty ones, but don’t spend a fortune either. You want it to look professional without costing more than the contents.
Spend a couple of days choosing your fragrances, and research what other ingredients you should use. Make sure you are in a sterile environment when preparing, then pour it into your bottles. Work out how you want to present the finished product, whether you can afford boxes or maybe you can come up with another creative way to make it look appealing and professional.
It really is really a simple process, not rocket science. If it is something you have always wanted to do, don’t waste another moment. Seize the day and the opportunities we have and put your nose and your personal taste to the test.
http://www.rachel.in/article-details.asp?ArtID=228
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Hot Flashes Remedy - Is There One That Really Works?
Looking for a much needed hot flashes remedy? Then you are obviously experiencing "the change." Hot flashes are the first sign of approaching menopause and the one symptom that most women would like to conquer. Before you run to your doctor and begin hormone therapy, try employing a few simple tips that can work as your hot flashes remedy.
One little known hot flashes remedy is apple cider vinegar. Taking a little of this vinegar has given many women relief from migraines, sinus headaches and even allergy symptoms. More importantly, women report fewer hot flashes! If apple cider vinegar works as your hot flashes remedy it may even increase your energy, alleviate dry skin and aid in weight loss. For no known side effects, I say bottoms up!
Another more prevalently known hot flashes remedy is exercise. Women who reported hot flashes so severe that they plagued them day and night sing the praises of exercise as the ultimate hot flash cure. The amount of exercise required to diminish your symptoms and act as your hot flashes remedy will vary. Reportedly, moderate exercise for 1-2 hours a day, 4-6 times a week has squelched hot flashes completely. On a side note, when the regular exercise stopped, the hot flashes immediately came roaring back. Talk about an incentive to keep exercising!
An increasingly popular hot flashes remedy is to drink soy milk or take soy products. In some women a glass of soy milk has almost a miracle effect. One woman reported that a glass of daily soy milk kept her hot flash free during the day, but she was continuing to experience night sweats. After warming up a good old cup of soy and enjoying it before bed, her night sweats disappeared and she finally got that elusive good night’s sleep. As long as you’re not allergic to soy, there’s a great possibility it may be your long sought after hot flashes remedy.
Soy not doing it for you? How about trying a little Tumeric? Women in India use this powder to help ease their menopause symptoms. This spice is said to not only ease hot flashes, but also soothe irritated skin. Taken in a small dose Tumeric has no known side effects, but they have the potential to help your fight in finding your hot flashes remedy.
A more common hot flashes remedy is cutting out the sugar in your diet. Cutting your sugar intake is known to help with many physical and emotional ailments, but also may decrease the frequency and intensity of your hot flashes.
If the above suggestions don’t help, never give up! There’s no need to live in misery for years and years to come. There are many other natural remedies that relieve hot flashes. It is simply a matter of systematically finding what your triggers are and eliminating them, then trying some of the many remedies that are readily available to you. Keep at it and you will eventually develop your own hot flashes remedy.
About the Author:
Discover how YOU can stop your hot flashes and menopausal symptoms without HRT. Pick up your free special report "Coping with Hot Flashes the Natural Way" by clicking here: http://www.survivemenopause.com
One little known hot flashes remedy is apple cider vinegar. Taking a little of this vinegar has given many women relief from migraines, sinus headaches and even allergy symptoms. More importantly, women report fewer hot flashes! If apple cider vinegar works as your hot flashes remedy it may even increase your energy, alleviate dry skin and aid in weight loss. For no known side effects, I say bottoms up!
Another more prevalently known hot flashes remedy is exercise. Women who reported hot flashes so severe that they plagued them day and night sing the praises of exercise as the ultimate hot flash cure. The amount of exercise required to diminish your symptoms and act as your hot flashes remedy will vary. Reportedly, moderate exercise for 1-2 hours a day, 4-6 times a week has squelched hot flashes completely. On a side note, when the regular exercise stopped, the hot flashes immediately came roaring back. Talk about an incentive to keep exercising!
An increasingly popular hot flashes remedy is to drink soy milk or take soy products. In some women a glass of soy milk has almost a miracle effect. One woman reported that a glass of daily soy milk kept her hot flash free during the day, but she was continuing to experience night sweats. After warming up a good old cup of soy and enjoying it before bed, her night sweats disappeared and she finally got that elusive good night’s sleep. As long as you’re not allergic to soy, there’s a great possibility it may be your long sought after hot flashes remedy.
Soy not doing it for you? How about trying a little Tumeric? Women in India use this powder to help ease their menopause symptoms. This spice is said to not only ease hot flashes, but also soothe irritated skin. Taken in a small dose Tumeric has no known side effects, but they have the potential to help your fight in finding your hot flashes remedy.
A more common hot flashes remedy is cutting out the sugar in your diet. Cutting your sugar intake is known to help with many physical and emotional ailments, but also may decrease the frequency and intensity of your hot flashes.
If the above suggestions don’t help, never give up! There’s no need to live in misery for years and years to come. There are many other natural remedies that relieve hot flashes. It is simply a matter of systematically finding what your triggers are and eliminating them, then trying some of the many remedies that are readily available to you. Keep at it and you will eventually develop your own hot flashes remedy.
About the Author:
Discover how YOU can stop your hot flashes and menopausal symptoms without HRT. Pick up your free special report "Coping with Hot Flashes the Natural Way" by clicking here: http://www.survivemenopause.com
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
6 Secrets To Choosing The Perfect Evening Bag For A Night Out
After a hard day's work, there's nothing more exciting to do than hit the town at night. Don a sexy and sophisticated outfit, put on your stilettos, grab an evening bag and get out the door!
But wait, don't just grab any evening bag. You may be wearing the perfect outfit but if you're carrying the wrong purse, your total look is ruined. It may sound like an exaggeration but it isn't.
You can always go for the classic evening bag—black, shiny, and small—and be done with it. It is a safe choice, although it's not always the right one. If your outfit is already black to begin with, you run the risk of looking boring. But why would you want that? You're on a night out to relax and have fun. Let your evening bag reflect the high spirits you're in.
On the other hand, if you pair up a very funky evening bag with an already busy outfit, you're bound to catch everyone's attention for all the wrong reasons. You'll end up looking like a fashion victim who's trying too hard.
The secret is finding the balance, and here are some easy tips to help you find it:
1.) Spice up a plain outfit with a brightly colored evening bag.
Don't be afraid of prints, trimmings, and all that jazz! You have the license to carry an eye-catching bag if your outfit is austere. A little black dress comes alive with an evening bag decorated with red and gold sequins.
2.) On the other hand, go for a plain and sleek evening bag if your outfit has loud prints and trims. The bag will tone down the busy design of what you're wearing. You'll manage to look trendy and classy at the same time. If you're wearing a Pucci-print dress, a suede evening bag in solid brown will complement the brazen quality of your outfit.
3.) Ditch the one-texture look because it makes you look like you're wearing a costume.
If you're wearing a metallic top, carry an evening bag with a matte finish. Going metallic from head to toe is just overdoing it. The same goes with other textures.
4.) Size does matter.
Evening bags are tiny to begin with, but they're still meant to carry your essential stuff. Besides, a lot of evening bags are more spacious inside than they seem from the outside. Your bag should be large enough to carry the basics: lip gloss, compact, cell phone, driver's license, keys, credit card, and a few bills.
5.) Various evening bags differ not only in design and color but in the way they are carried.
Some bags have straps or handles while others don't. Deciding on what kind to choose depends on the items you'll bring and the activities you'll do. If you're worried about losing your stuff, an evening bag with a strap is good choice. You can keep your bag close to you and still have your hands for eating dinner. If you're planning to hit the dance floor, you can go for a clutch bag. You can easily leave it on the table. When you're done, you can just as easily pick it up.
6.) To really make an impact, your evening bag should not only complement your outfit, but it should also be a beautiful and unique accessory on its own right. Evening bags made of exotic and rich materials like pineapple fiber and Thai silk provide any outfit the added pizzazz an ordinary bag just can't give. The best thing about them is they're not expensive in spite of their high quality. They're just usually hard to find, but thanks to online stores like Siam Sensibilities, they're made more accessible than ever.
There tips mentioned above are not really clear-cut rules. They're just guidelines to help you make an informed decision. But in the end, it's all up to you. Let yourself go! Feel free to experiment. Mix leather and lace. Go for sequins and feathers. Just don't do it all at once. Surely, there will be other nights to try other combinations.
About The Author
Rex Freiberger sells his beautfiul & funky line of unique handmade handbags at budget friendly prices. Sign up for The Siam Newsletter at http://www.siamsensibilities.com and get his exclusive Aromatherapy E-book and 10% off all future purchases.
But wait, don't just grab any evening bag. You may be wearing the perfect outfit but if you're carrying the wrong purse, your total look is ruined. It may sound like an exaggeration but it isn't.
You can always go for the classic evening bag—black, shiny, and small—and be done with it. It is a safe choice, although it's not always the right one. If your outfit is already black to begin with, you run the risk of looking boring. But why would you want that? You're on a night out to relax and have fun. Let your evening bag reflect the high spirits you're in.
On the other hand, if you pair up a very funky evening bag with an already busy outfit, you're bound to catch everyone's attention for all the wrong reasons. You'll end up looking like a fashion victim who's trying too hard.
The secret is finding the balance, and here are some easy tips to help you find it:
1.) Spice up a plain outfit with a brightly colored evening bag.
Don't be afraid of prints, trimmings, and all that jazz! You have the license to carry an eye-catching bag if your outfit is austere. A little black dress comes alive with an evening bag decorated with red and gold sequins.
2.) On the other hand, go for a plain and sleek evening bag if your outfit has loud prints and trims. The bag will tone down the busy design of what you're wearing. You'll manage to look trendy and classy at the same time. If you're wearing a Pucci-print dress, a suede evening bag in solid brown will complement the brazen quality of your outfit.
3.) Ditch the one-texture look because it makes you look like you're wearing a costume.
If you're wearing a metallic top, carry an evening bag with a matte finish. Going metallic from head to toe is just overdoing it. The same goes with other textures.
4.) Size does matter.
Evening bags are tiny to begin with, but they're still meant to carry your essential stuff. Besides, a lot of evening bags are more spacious inside than they seem from the outside. Your bag should be large enough to carry the basics: lip gloss, compact, cell phone, driver's license, keys, credit card, and a few bills.
5.) Various evening bags differ not only in design and color but in the way they are carried.
Some bags have straps or handles while others don't. Deciding on what kind to choose depends on the items you'll bring and the activities you'll do. If you're worried about losing your stuff, an evening bag with a strap is good choice. You can keep your bag close to you and still have your hands for eating dinner. If you're planning to hit the dance floor, you can go for a clutch bag. You can easily leave it on the table. When you're done, you can just as easily pick it up.
6.) To really make an impact, your evening bag should not only complement your outfit, but it should also be a beautiful and unique accessory on its own right. Evening bags made of exotic and rich materials like pineapple fiber and Thai silk provide any outfit the added pizzazz an ordinary bag just can't give. The best thing about them is they're not expensive in spite of their high quality. They're just usually hard to find, but thanks to online stores like Siam Sensibilities, they're made more accessible than ever.
There tips mentioned above are not really clear-cut rules. They're just guidelines to help you make an informed decision. But in the end, it's all up to you. Let yourself go! Feel free to experiment. Mix leather and lace. Go for sequins and feathers. Just don't do it all at once. Surely, there will be other nights to try other combinations.
About The Author
Rex Freiberger sells his beautfiul & funky line of unique handmade handbags at budget friendly prices. Sign up for The Siam Newsletter at http://www.siamsensibilities.com and get his exclusive Aromatherapy E-book and 10% off all future purchases.
The Smart Woman Manifesto: What is a Smart Woman?
A Smart Woman uses her entire toolbox of experiences, talents, feelings, logic, intuition, education, and yes, even her mistakes, to live her life authentically engaged. She takes the time to care for herself, evaluate what she really thinks and feels, and acts and reacts from a place of patient love, energized compassion, and balanced accountability. Choices are opportunities and she welcomes them. Opportunity leads to her future and she faces that future with a ready and willing heart and a nimble and open mind.
A Smart Woman respects others’ points of view while still making her own choices. She gives generously to others while nurturing herself. She knows the value of boundaries and is skillful in using them to build stronger relationships. She speaks up when she needs to and she knows how and when to supportively listen as she keeps her vision of peace and tolerance in sight. She knows when to walk away, wishing luck and best wishes to those who are on another path. She knows and values her true worth.
Adaptable, caring, capable, and clever, a Smart Woman embraces life and triumphantly whoops and hollers her way to joy. She claims her power and her divine birthright, as each of us do, in a myriad of infinitely beautiful and unique ways, creating a fulfilling life as a Smart Woman. She's not out to prove anything to anybody. She is here to learn, live, love, laugh, and contribute.
I believe we all have a lot to share, to communicate, to witness, and to celebrate. I would feel honored and thrilled to know you are by my side. So, what do you think? Are you ready to explore? I hope so, because today, I am making firm plans and those plans include you. I am a Smart Woman with firm plans. Are you?
Here's to you and your Smart Woman path!
About The Author
Vicki Flaugher, creator of http://www.SmartWomanGuides.com, is on a mission to nurture and empower the 35-55 year old Coming of Age female audience. Her website is a worldwide community site where Smart Women everywhere can submit articles about their own experiences surrounding topics like aging, health, entrepreneurship, relationships, spirituality, and sex and sensuality (to name a few).
A Smart Woman respects others’ points of view while still making her own choices. She gives generously to others while nurturing herself. She knows the value of boundaries and is skillful in using them to build stronger relationships. She speaks up when she needs to and she knows how and when to supportively listen as she keeps her vision of peace and tolerance in sight. She knows when to walk away, wishing luck and best wishes to those who are on another path. She knows and values her true worth.
Adaptable, caring, capable, and clever, a Smart Woman embraces life and triumphantly whoops and hollers her way to joy. She claims her power and her divine birthright, as each of us do, in a myriad of infinitely beautiful and unique ways, creating a fulfilling life as a Smart Woman. She's not out to prove anything to anybody. She is here to learn, live, love, laugh, and contribute.
I believe we all have a lot to share, to communicate, to witness, and to celebrate. I would feel honored and thrilled to know you are by my side. So, what do you think? Are you ready to explore? I hope so, because today, I am making firm plans and those plans include you. I am a Smart Woman with firm plans. Are you?
Here's to you and your Smart Woman path!
About The Author
Vicki Flaugher, creator of http://www.SmartWomanGuides.com, is on a mission to nurture and empower the 35-55 year old Coming of Age female audience. Her website is a worldwide community site where Smart Women everywhere can submit articles about their own experiences surrounding topics like aging, health, entrepreneurship, relationships, spirituality, and sex and sensuality (to name a few).
How To Create Charisma With Colors And Style
Ever seen all those celebrities on television and how they just exude so much radiance and magnetism, that you cannot help but stay glued watching them? What is it about them that keep them attractive and desirable?
The answer is one word: charisma. The process on how to achieve and possess such similar charismatic flair involves another word: colors.
The following are basic tips and advice to help you have your own charisma with the use of colors and style techniques.
First things first, know yourself.
It helps to get the varied opinions of people who know you best. Ask around and interview family members, friends, relatives, or colleagues, and try to make them give an opinion – an honest one of course – of what it is they think are the colors that best suit you. Alternatively, you could always ask and engage the services of a consultant that specializes on image enhancement.
Such a professional could readily determine the kind of colors that work best for your particular eye color and tone of your skin, as well as your hair.
Choose the colors that work best for you.
A very effective way to test which colors are best for your skin is to face a mirror, preferably with natural available daylight, while holding a fabric or a piece of clothing under your chin or beside your eyes. Now, observe which stands out. Does the color stand out or do your features stand out?
Appropriate colors should focus more on you, and not on the dress or garment. If you have eyes as blue as the ocean, then wearing a dress that is similarly blue in color will help make your very own eyes attractive and stand out.
Wrong colors are those that make your appearance dull. It may even look repulsive, or it could cast a shadow on you. Wrong colors also give people the impression that you are sick or tired, even if you feel perfectly fine.
Apply prints and shapes.
Prints in any garments you plan to wear should just as well be proportionate to your physical features, as based on the naturalness of your body’s geometry. If your features are between medium to small, it is just as perfect that any patterns or jewelry you are to wear are sized in a similar manner.
Also, your face’s shape and features should also determine the shapes and kinds of accessories you are to wear. Oval faces may just as well wear oval earrings as well. However, a combination of features is present sometimes. Eyes that are oval sometimes belong to a face with a chin that is square. Look in the mirror and analyze what goes best with what.
Layer your clothes.
Sometimes, this is the best recourse for anyone, so as not to appear overly dressed or under dressed for the occasion. Wearing layers makes it convenient for anyone to take off that scarf, jacket, or tie, so as not to appear too formal.
Overall, practice makes perfect. Eventually, getting used to the colors you have on you will make you more confident and attractive, as you get to determine which makes you feel more magnetic and charismatic. The important thing is being comfortable with your own skin, your own color, and your own style. Work on those features, enhancing them without the need to change them. You are unique; embrace your uniqueness. That charisma cannot be bought or sold.
About The Author
Sue Brubaker shares information gathered from years of study and research on Anti-Ageing and Self Improvement.
The answer is one word: charisma. The process on how to achieve and possess such similar charismatic flair involves another word: colors.
The following are basic tips and advice to help you have your own charisma with the use of colors and style techniques.
First things first, know yourself.
It helps to get the varied opinions of people who know you best. Ask around and interview family members, friends, relatives, or colleagues, and try to make them give an opinion – an honest one of course – of what it is they think are the colors that best suit you. Alternatively, you could always ask and engage the services of a consultant that specializes on image enhancement.
Such a professional could readily determine the kind of colors that work best for your particular eye color and tone of your skin, as well as your hair.
Choose the colors that work best for you.
A very effective way to test which colors are best for your skin is to face a mirror, preferably with natural available daylight, while holding a fabric or a piece of clothing under your chin or beside your eyes. Now, observe which stands out. Does the color stand out or do your features stand out?
Appropriate colors should focus more on you, and not on the dress or garment. If you have eyes as blue as the ocean, then wearing a dress that is similarly blue in color will help make your very own eyes attractive and stand out.
Wrong colors are those that make your appearance dull. It may even look repulsive, or it could cast a shadow on you. Wrong colors also give people the impression that you are sick or tired, even if you feel perfectly fine.
Apply prints and shapes.
Prints in any garments you plan to wear should just as well be proportionate to your physical features, as based on the naturalness of your body’s geometry. If your features are between medium to small, it is just as perfect that any patterns or jewelry you are to wear are sized in a similar manner.
Also, your face’s shape and features should also determine the shapes and kinds of accessories you are to wear. Oval faces may just as well wear oval earrings as well. However, a combination of features is present sometimes. Eyes that are oval sometimes belong to a face with a chin that is square. Look in the mirror and analyze what goes best with what.
Layer your clothes.
Sometimes, this is the best recourse for anyone, so as not to appear overly dressed or under dressed for the occasion. Wearing layers makes it convenient for anyone to take off that scarf, jacket, or tie, so as not to appear too formal.
Overall, practice makes perfect. Eventually, getting used to the colors you have on you will make you more confident and attractive, as you get to determine which makes you feel more magnetic and charismatic. The important thing is being comfortable with your own skin, your own color, and your own style. Work on those features, enhancing them without the need to change them. You are unique; embrace your uniqueness. That charisma cannot be bought or sold.
About The Author
Sue Brubaker shares information gathered from years of study and research on Anti-Ageing and Self Improvement.
Monday, June 4, 2007
San Francisco Chronicle
Women's apparel sites up ante with customized and interactive features
In the world of fashion, where looks count for everything, apparel Web sites often put style over substance. Everyone's got a gimmick. The Web sites will automatically download software such as Flash Player 4 or Shockwave for animated, moving images.
Issey Mikaye's Pleats Please (www.pleatsplease.com), winner of a fashion Web site award , begins with a screenful of swirling shoes that can leave one slightly queasy -- and no option to buy them yet. The fun custom-blend beauty site, Reflect.com (www.reflect.com), allows the customer to create individualcustom makeup colors, provided you fill out a personality questionnaire -- which asks, among other things, if you were a house, which kind would you be? The options include: "I'd be a maintenance-free house with an exercise room."
At Neiman Marcus (www.neimanmarcus.com), the gimmick is the interactive Manolo Blahnik shoe boutique where you can click on a slingback stiletto and watch it float dreamily across the page.
Even Lands' End (www.landsend.com), the down-home clothing company, recently introduced a 3-D measuring system on its site. Click on a variety of body-type options or sizes, and the image of the woman you say you are appears on the screen. Click on the clothing options provided and you can dress her up like a Barbie doll.
All this can be loads of fun if you own a fast computer with DSL access. Those with ordinary phone-line hookups should be prepared for a possible slow ride through the sites.
That said, it's still exciting to surf fashion Web sites given the incredible range of products for sale. Digging into fashion sites is a great way to get an instant education on designers, products, fabrics and the latest styles.
Most sites have zoom-in or enlarge options, very helpful tools in determining fabrics and detailing. Most sites also do a good job describing items in great detail, and some sites, such as Casual Corner (www.casualcorner.com), allow the consumer to click on a color swatch for a better idea of what the difference is between "cobalt" and "azure."
But unless you fit perfectly into every size 10 skirt ever made, it's going to be tricky to order clothing online from unfamiliar labels. Accessories are a much safer bet. A digital image of a handbag, a watch, a belt, is very close to the real thing.
In hunting down purses, The Chronicle turned up a startling variety of styles on a variety of sites. The major department store sites can have dozens of bags from mostly familiar labels, such as Dooney and Bourke, Furla, Prada , Fendi, Gucci and many others.
The Purple Skirt (www.purpleskirt.com) site has lots of bags with a whimsical, kitschy feel, such as the selection of embroidered or beaded bags by less familiar designers Like Lulu Guinness and Isabella Fiore. And also a few high-end leather bags by Jamin Puech of France. While the Purple Skirt site (co-founded by actress Tracey Ullman), is fun to look at and has eclectic choices, selecting a handbag can be time-consuming, since only two items per page are displayed. Surely the Web designers can manage a few more photos per page.
Just about any garment or accessory you can think of is up for grabs, from one-of-a-kind bias-cut skirts for about $150 made of new and vintage fabric at Louise Hedley's site (www.louisehedley.com), to a $1,000 baby llama coat and other handwoven items from Peru, at Peruvian Connection (www.peruvianconnection.com), to affordable costume jewelry at Joan Rivers' site ( www.joanrivers.com ). Petite? Itsybits (www.itsybits.com) might be for you. Larger? Silhouettes (www.silhouettes.com) is also ready to serve.
One very useful all-purpose fashion site is Chic Simple (www.chicsimple.com), which among other nifty features such as wardrobe basics and trends, also provides links to dozens of other interesting fashion sites.
Apparel Web sites are plentiful and multiplying every month, but some of the biggest names in the business are still gearing up. Prada? Coming soon. Ditto for Calvin Klein and Donna Karan. Barneys New York (www.barneys.com), a sophisticated site with animated graphics and lots of categories, has adopted a wry attitude. Click on women's shoes and read: ''We're reluctant to advertise our shoes; so many of you are addicted." But it also says, "You can't shop from these pages, yet."
But no matter how handsome the site, the biggest hurdle for online apparel sites is the customer's reluctance to play guessing games with sizes and fabric. According to a recent Internet shopping survey by PricewaterhouseCoopers that appeared in Women's Wear Daily, 81 percent of respondents said the biggest problem with shopping online is the inability to try on the merchandise.
A few final words about bargain shopping. Off-price sites, such as Smart Bargains
( www.smartbargains.com ) or Bluefly (www.bluefly.com), are tempting, but like any outlet store, sizes and styles are very limited. Shopping at Bluefly, a terrific site with lots of designer names, is very hit and miss. A search for a Prada dress turned up just one item, a short, ivory sleeveless crushed velvet dress with jet-black beading, for $500 in sizes 6, 8 and 10. And once it's gone, it's gone.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2000/11/27/BU65494.DTL
In the world of fashion, where looks count for everything, apparel Web sites often put style over substance. Everyone's got a gimmick. The Web sites will automatically download software such as Flash Player 4 or Shockwave for animated, moving images.
Issey Mikaye's Pleats Please (www.pleatsplease.com), winner of a fashion Web site award , begins with a screenful of swirling shoes that can leave one slightly queasy -- and no option to buy them yet. The fun custom-blend beauty site, Reflect.com (www.reflect.com), allows the customer to create individualcustom makeup colors, provided you fill out a personality questionnaire -- which asks, among other things, if you were a house, which kind would you be? The options include: "I'd be a maintenance-free house with an exercise room."
At Neiman Marcus (www.neimanmarcus.com), the gimmick is the interactive Manolo Blahnik shoe boutique where you can click on a slingback stiletto and watch it float dreamily across the page.
Even Lands' End (www.landsend.com), the down-home clothing company, recently introduced a 3-D measuring system on its site. Click on a variety of body-type options or sizes, and the image of the woman you say you are appears on the screen. Click on the clothing options provided and you can dress her up like a Barbie doll.
All this can be loads of fun if you own a fast computer with DSL access. Those with ordinary phone-line hookups should be prepared for a possible slow ride through the sites.
That said, it's still exciting to surf fashion Web sites given the incredible range of products for sale. Digging into fashion sites is a great way to get an instant education on designers, products, fabrics and the latest styles.
Most sites have zoom-in or enlarge options, very helpful tools in determining fabrics and detailing. Most sites also do a good job describing items in great detail, and some sites, such as Casual Corner (www.casualcorner.com), allow the consumer to click on a color swatch for a better idea of what the difference is between "cobalt" and "azure."
But unless you fit perfectly into every size 10 skirt ever made, it's going to be tricky to order clothing online from unfamiliar labels. Accessories are a much safer bet. A digital image of a handbag, a watch, a belt, is very close to the real thing.
In hunting down purses, The Chronicle turned up a startling variety of styles on a variety of sites. The major department store sites can have dozens of bags from mostly familiar labels, such as Dooney and Bourke, Furla, Prada , Fendi, Gucci and many others.
The Purple Skirt (www.purpleskirt.com) site has lots of bags with a whimsical, kitschy feel, such as the selection of embroidered or beaded bags by less familiar designers Like Lulu Guinness and Isabella Fiore. And also a few high-end leather bags by Jamin Puech of France. While the Purple Skirt site (co-founded by actress Tracey Ullman), is fun to look at and has eclectic choices, selecting a handbag can be time-consuming, since only two items per page are displayed. Surely the Web designers can manage a few more photos per page.
Just about any garment or accessory you can think of is up for grabs, from one-of-a-kind bias-cut skirts for about $150 made of new and vintage fabric at Louise Hedley's site (www.louisehedley.com), to a $1,000 baby llama coat and other handwoven items from Peru, at Peruvian Connection (www.peruvianconnection.com), to affordable costume jewelry at Joan Rivers' site ( www.joanrivers.com ). Petite? Itsybits (www.itsybits.com) might be for you. Larger? Silhouettes (www.silhouettes.com) is also ready to serve.
One very useful all-purpose fashion site is Chic Simple (www.chicsimple.com), which among other nifty features such as wardrobe basics and trends, also provides links to dozens of other interesting fashion sites.
Apparel Web sites are plentiful and multiplying every month, but some of the biggest names in the business are still gearing up. Prada? Coming soon. Ditto for Calvin Klein and Donna Karan. Barneys New York (www.barneys.com), a sophisticated site with animated graphics and lots of categories, has adopted a wry attitude. Click on women's shoes and read: ''We're reluctant to advertise our shoes; so many of you are addicted." But it also says, "You can't shop from these pages, yet."
But no matter how handsome the site, the biggest hurdle for online apparel sites is the customer's reluctance to play guessing games with sizes and fabric. According to a recent Internet shopping survey by PricewaterhouseCoopers that appeared in Women's Wear Daily, 81 percent of respondents said the biggest problem with shopping online is the inability to try on the merchandise.
A few final words about bargain shopping. Off-price sites, such as Smart Bargains
( www.smartbargains.com ) or Bluefly (www.bluefly.com), are tempting, but like any outlet store, sizes and styles are very limited. Shopping at Bluefly, a terrific site with lots of designer names, is very hit and miss. A search for a Prada dress turned up just one item, a short, ivory sleeveless crushed velvet dress with jet-black beading, for $500 in sizes 6, 8 and 10. And once it's gone, it's gone.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2000/11/27/BU65494.DTL
Dick's tests women's apparel concept: New Ativa offshoot emphasizes upscale athletic lifestyle
ALBANY, N.Y. -- Dick's Sporting Goods opened a new female-oriented retail concept last month, named after its Ativa store brand that could provide a significant source of new growth to a company whose existing operations already possess attractive expansion prospects. The first Ativa store opened last month at the Crossgates Mall in Albany, N.Y., and a second unit is scheduled to open this month at the Walden Galleria Mall in Cheektowaga, N.Y., on the outskirts of Buffalo.
The most intriguing aspect of this new concept is the degree to which it differs from Dick's core focus on freestanding superstores, which generate 60% of sales through hard-lines categories such as golf, fishing and fitness equipment. Ativa, by comparison, is a mall-based concept that measures just 6,000 square feet. The merchandise assortment of apparel and footwear targets women with active and athletic lifestyles, while hard-lines are virtually nonexistent. In fact, Ativa bears virtually no resemblance to Dick's full-line sporting goods stores, and there is nothing in the Ativa store to suggest it is affiliated with Dick's.
Instead, Ativa features a wide entrance from the mall and a predominantly white color scheme with subtle shades of blue and teal used as accent colors. A 4-foot-wide and 10-foot-tall waterfall creates interest at the rear of the store while wooden floors, full-length wooden doors in the fitting rooms, a finished ceiling and recessed lighting create an upscale, feminine environment. There is also a service orientation to the store. The fitting rooms are equipped with call buttons and the footwear department is full service. The store also features a yoga studio with room for 12 people that can double as a community meeting room.
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From a merchandise standpoint, Ativa is an apparel store first with at least 90% of the space devoted to women's athletic wear and athletic-inspired casual wear. At least 15% of the space is devoted to the Ativa brand. The broad merchandise mix targets a full range of athletic activities, with looks and at price points ranging from $100 for a sleeveless Nike golf sweater to opening price point Ativa brand merchandise. Leading brands such as Nike, Adidas, Fila, Asics and New Balance are predictably well represented at the store. Those same brands and others such as Merrell are also part of the footwear department, where roughly 70 styles are offered. The very limited selection of hardline merchandise consists of videos, energy bars, fitness magazines and hand weights.
Overall, Dick's appears to have succeeded in creating a store that will interest female mall shoppers and if successful could presumably be expanded quickly given Ativa's small size, reduced staffing requirements, simplified operations and available mall space. Beyond confirming the existence of the initial two units, Dick's has said nothing publicly about its plans for the concept and company officials were not available to speak with DSN Retailing Today.
However, the introduction of Ativa shedes sheds some light on comments Dick's chairman and ceo Ed Stack made in January to a group of financial analysts attending a trade show in Las Vegas. During his presentation, Stack commented that within three years private label would represent 15% of total company sales compared to the current 6%.
"[Private label] is an aspect of our business we are very enthusiastic about," Stack said at the time.
He offered no details of how the dramatic growth in private label would be achieve, but clearly expansion of a store format bearing the name of the company's private label in which 15% of the selling space is devoted to private label would have a big impact.
Before further expansion takes place, Dick's will get a good read on the concept's viability from the two known test locations. The store in Albany is located in a mall that counts as its anchor tenants upscale department stores such as Macy's and Lord & Taylor and footwear stores such as Foot Locker, Lady Foot Locker, Kids Foot Locker and The Finish Line. Meanwhile, the Walden Gallena near Buffalo contains a Lord & Taylor, Galyan's, Champs, The Finish Line, Foot Action and all three Foot Locker formats.
Even if the Ativa concept is deemed worthy of further expansion, Dick's is under no pressure to immediately do so because its existing full-line stores--the company operates two primary formats, 30,000 square feet and 48,000 square feet-are effectively being expanded in new and existing markets. Dick's ended last year with 141 stores, of which 58 were opened during the past three years. Another 20 stores are scheduled to open this year.
In addition, since disclosing its financial results and completing an initial public offering of its stock last fall, Dick's has emerged as a favorite of financial analysts. The company's sales increased 16% to $395 million and profits increased 48% to $19 million during the fourth quarter ended Feb. 1, 2003, prompting William Blair & Company analyst Bob Simonson to comment, "We believe this is a very impressive performance, especially in light of the difficult overall retailing environment, including the sporting goods sector."
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FNP/is_9_42/ai_101656382
The most intriguing aspect of this new concept is the degree to which it differs from Dick's core focus on freestanding superstores, which generate 60% of sales through hard-lines categories such as golf, fishing and fitness equipment. Ativa, by comparison, is a mall-based concept that measures just 6,000 square feet. The merchandise assortment of apparel and footwear targets women with active and athletic lifestyles, while hard-lines are virtually nonexistent. In fact, Ativa bears virtually no resemblance to Dick's full-line sporting goods stores, and there is nothing in the Ativa store to suggest it is affiliated with Dick's.
Instead, Ativa features a wide entrance from the mall and a predominantly white color scheme with subtle shades of blue and teal used as accent colors. A 4-foot-wide and 10-foot-tall waterfall creates interest at the rear of the store while wooden floors, full-length wooden doors in the fitting rooms, a finished ceiling and recessed lighting create an upscale, feminine environment. There is also a service orientation to the store. The fitting rooms are equipped with call buttons and the footwear department is full service. The store also features a yoga studio with room for 12 people that can double as a community meeting room.
Advertisement
From a merchandise standpoint, Ativa is an apparel store first with at least 90% of the space devoted to women's athletic wear and athletic-inspired casual wear. At least 15% of the space is devoted to the Ativa brand. The broad merchandise mix targets a full range of athletic activities, with looks and at price points ranging from $100 for a sleeveless Nike golf sweater to opening price point Ativa brand merchandise. Leading brands such as Nike, Adidas, Fila, Asics and New Balance are predictably well represented at the store. Those same brands and others such as Merrell are also part of the footwear department, where roughly 70 styles are offered. The very limited selection of hardline merchandise consists of videos, energy bars, fitness magazines and hand weights.
Overall, Dick's appears to have succeeded in creating a store that will interest female mall shoppers and if successful could presumably be expanded quickly given Ativa's small size, reduced staffing requirements, simplified operations and available mall space. Beyond confirming the existence of the initial two units, Dick's has said nothing publicly about its plans for the concept and company officials were not available to speak with DSN Retailing Today.
However, the introduction of Ativa shedes sheds some light on comments Dick's chairman and ceo Ed Stack made in January to a group of financial analysts attending a trade show in Las Vegas. During his presentation, Stack commented that within three years private label would represent 15% of total company sales compared to the current 6%.
"[Private label] is an aspect of our business we are very enthusiastic about," Stack said at the time.
He offered no details of how the dramatic growth in private label would be achieve, but clearly expansion of a store format bearing the name of the company's private label in which 15% of the selling space is devoted to private label would have a big impact.
Before further expansion takes place, Dick's will get a good read on the concept's viability from the two known test locations. The store in Albany is located in a mall that counts as its anchor tenants upscale department stores such as Macy's and Lord & Taylor and footwear stores such as Foot Locker, Lady Foot Locker, Kids Foot Locker and The Finish Line. Meanwhile, the Walden Gallena near Buffalo contains a Lord & Taylor, Galyan's, Champs, The Finish Line, Foot Action and all three Foot Locker formats.
Even if the Ativa concept is deemed worthy of further expansion, Dick's is under no pressure to immediately do so because its existing full-line stores--the company operates two primary formats, 30,000 square feet and 48,000 square feet-are effectively being expanded in new and existing markets. Dick's ended last year with 141 stores, of which 58 were opened during the past three years. Another 20 stores are scheduled to open this year.
In addition, since disclosing its financial results and completing an initial public offering of its stock last fall, Dick's has emerged as a favorite of financial analysts. The company's sales increased 16% to $395 million and profits increased 48% to $19 million during the fourth quarter ended Feb. 1, 2003, prompting William Blair & Company analyst Bob Simonson to comment, "We believe this is a very impressive performance, especially in light of the difficult overall retailing environment, including the sporting goods sector."
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FNP/is_9_42/ai_101656382
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