Originally a standard jacket worn by the U.S. Army Air Corps in the 1930s and 40s, the Type A-2 leather bomber jacket has become an American clothing classic. It was extremely popular during World War II because of both its quality and its appearance, and was later glamorized by Hollywood in numerous WWII movies, including The Great Escape and Patton.

The A-2 flight jacket was awarded to Army Air Forces airmen for completing basic flight training. Over time, jackets were covered with artwork, patches, and rank marks that reflected the airman’s journey through duty stations. In 1942, all contracts with manufacturers were halted in order to introduce cloth-shelled jackets. However, due to its popularity, the A-2 jacket was later brought to life in the late 1980s as a U.S. Air Force-issue item.

The Type A-2 flight jacket has two snap-flap patch pockets, a shirt-style collar, epaulets, and knit cuffs and waistband. Very few authentic jackets exist today, and they are thus very expensive to purchase. An alternative option is to purchase a replica. However, even replica bomber jackets can get pricey, ranging from $500 to $800 each. Companies such as American Mystique are known for offering high-quality replicas, including the modern Cooper A-2 Bomber Jacket.

If you’ve visited the Chic Star homepage lately, you’ve noticed the designs that we’ve been featuring. But did you know that these women’s clothing designs were submitted by Chic Star fans just like you? Creative people all over the country have submitted designs to the Chic Star team, which reviews each one and selects a few for production. Then the Chic Star community votes on the designs that it likes best. The designs that get the most votes become part of the Chic Star line, and the designer receives the product for free, as well as his or her name on the label and mentioned in the product information on the website. If you’re an aspiring fashion designer or just have a great idea for styles of women’s dresses, be sure to submit your design today. If you’ve ever wanted to see your friends wearing clothes that you designed, this is your chance!

While it was once taboo for women to undergo plastic surgery for beautification, such procedures are now commonplace. Procedures including face lifts, breast augmentation, tummy tucks, and liposuction are becoming more and more common as a way for women to look more youthful and beautiful. As plastic surgery has become an increasingly acceptable means of enhancing appearance, it is not surprising that surgery is now being done on every visible feature.

For years, lingerie and swimsuit models have been getting surgical corrections done in more intimate areas of the body. Now these types of procedures are making their way into the mainstream. Many women feel that such enhancements result in boosting their confidence and increasing their sex appeal. An example of such a procedure is called a vaginoplasty. This procedure involves reconstruction of the vagina for medical or cosmetic purposes. While many women seek this procedure for beauty enhancement, this operation can also correct medical issues as well or issues caused by childbirth or injuries.

As demand for the procedures has increased, the pool of professionals performing the operations has also risen. One such professional is Dr. Joseph Berenholz, a board-certified OB/GYN for over 20 years who runs the Laser Vaginal Rejuvenation Institute of Michigan. In the 1970s, he began performing laser surgery for cervical dysplasia, a procedure which helps prevent the development of cervical cancer. Dr. Berenholz began performing beautification procedures in his efforts to find a solution for patients who were dissatisfied with changes in sexual activity following childbirth. As demand for procedures grows, Dr. Berenholz, along with other physicians, is finding new ways to meet the cosmetic and medical needs of patients.

There are many options when it comes to green home decorating. From bamboo flooring to stone counters, natural materials used in the home are actually quite trendy and beautiful. Here are a couple of things to keep in mind if you plan on jumping on the green home bandwagon.

One of the best ways to keep your home green is to use sustainable or recycled materials in your decorating. Bamboo hardwood flooring, salvaged wood cabinets, and granite countertops are all beautiful ways to use responsible materials when decorating your home. Many of these materials are either biodegradable or can be reused in the future.

If possible, purchase products for your home that were manufactured within 500 miles. If your bamboo hardwood floor was manufactured in Asia, for example, the energy used to transport it to your area reduces just how green your home is. Locally-produced products should always be your first choice whenever possible.

There are a lot of good reasons to choose tanning lotions over sun exposure to give your skin that extra touch of color during the summer or another point during the year. Health concerns like skin cancer is the one most often cited by doctors and other health professionals. But another important factor to keep in mind is that indoor tanning lotions can save you money over tanning outdoors. This is a much more immediate benefit than preventing damage to your body down the road. Purchasing a self tanner is also more economical than spending money on tanning bed lotions and visits to your local spa, one popular way of getting a tan during the winter months and rainy weather.

How can you save money by tanning at home? When you purchase a lotion for sunless tanning, you don’t have to find a place to get some sun. That means no need to pay for a membership at your local pool (especially if you prefer tanning to swimming) and no need to burn the gas to drive all the way to the nearest beach (if you’re lucky enough to live in a costal area–of course, there are many people in the United States aren’t.) You don’t have to spend the money to buy trendiest new swimsuit (or even just a flattering one) to show off to everyone. Best of all, with lotion tanning, you choose the time and the place that best meets your needs. And really, what do we have that’s more valuable to us than our time?

In the past few years,tanning lotions have become more and more popular among women and men who are looking to give their skin a bit of color or a natural-looking glow. There are a number of reasons for the increase in use amongst the public: better quality and more effective lotions, as well as the fact that they have become more widely available and inexpensive. But perhaps one of the biggest advantages of indoor tanning lotions in the public eye is the fact that it gives you the look you want without the need to expose yourself to UV rays, which are now known to be harmful over time. Whether you’re tanning on the beach in the middle of the summer heat or you prefer to visit your local spa and hit the tanning booth there, sun block and tanning bed lotions can only do so much to protect you,

While melanoma and other forms of skin cancer are perhaps the most serious and the most frightening consequences of too much exposure to the sun, they are by no means that only ones. The tissue-damaging free radicals that are generated when skin is exposed to UVA (Ultraviolet A) are capable of damaging millions of skin cells very quickly. This damage is, of course, avoided when you use lotion for sunless tanning.

What types of effects can this cellular damage have on a person? There are a number of visible signs that can occur, including age spots, wrinkles, changes in texture, and lax skin.However, it’s the invisible damage to your skin cells’ DNA and immunity that is what you should really be concerned about. In the long run, lotion tanning might just be the smartest choice.

One of the hottest topics in the beauty industry these days is permanent makeup.  Also referred to as dermapigmentation and micropigmentation, perhaps the most accurate term to be used is cosmetic tattooing, as the makeup is actually applied via the art of tattoo.  The inks used for this type of cosmetic procedure and the pigments used to create them are regulated by the FDA in the United States and similar organizations in other countries.

So are permanent cosmetics just for women who are too lazy to put on makeup every morning?  Not at all!  Many people take advantage of this procedure to correct problems such as missing eyebrows due to age, chemotherapy, or genetic issues.  Cosmetic tattooing can also help color-correct scars and other pale spots on the skin.  It is often also used after breast surgery to restore or correct the appearance of the areola.

These days, there are actually permanent makeup schools to help teach students who are interested in learning this fantastic procedure.  Although cosmetic tattooing actually dates back to the start of the 20th century, it wasn’t regulated until more recently.  In fact it was sometimes performed on women without their knowledge of what they were getting into — the details of the procedure were glossed over.  With the current regulations and the standards set in instruction by permanent cosmetics schools, it is much more a mainstream, trusted industry.  In fact, for many, it is a supplement or replacement for medical dermatological treatments.

While the results are overall very good, there can be complications to a cosmetic tattoo procedure.  Like other types of tattoos, permanent makeup can be very difficult to remove.  Some people might have allergic reactions to the pigments in the ink or develop scarring.  There are even reports of burning or swelling during an MRI procedure, but this is a very rare problem.

While today it’s know as the fabric of choice for luxury tablecloths and summer suits, linen actually has a very long and interesting history.  Linen is a textile made from flax plant (Linum usitatissimum) fibers, though at previous points in history, fabrics made from other plants (including hemp and cotton) have also been referred to as linen.  The luxury linens available on the market today are produced in relatively small quantities and are considered a fairly expensive textile.  Interestingly, linen has been held in high esteem all the way back to Ancient Egypt, when it was used as the bandages for mummified pharaohs and even traded as currency. 

So why are luxury table linens and other fine items crafted from linen so desirable?  One factor that makes linen such a luxurious choice is that the staple (the length of the individual fibers) is longer than other natural fibers like cotton.  The fabric is very good at distributing heat and is very absorbent, making it feel good against the skin.  That is why linen suits and other clothing are popular choices for warmer weather and why luxury bed linens are so comfortable.  Linen also tends to grow softer after each washing, meaning it actually grows more pleasant to the touch over time.  On the downside, it is easily wrinkled, and repeated creasing in the same area can actually lead to the flax fibers being broken.  This means it is harder to care for and less forgiving than some other textiles.  But many people find the benefits outweigh the negative points, which is why Irish linen is still considered to be such a luxury.

One thing to look for in the very best linen is for the thread diameter to be consistent throughout the item.  Many contemporary linen pieces are known for having “slubs” visible in the fabric, but these are actually manufacturing defects and shouldn’t appear in higher quality items.

FITNESS centres are increasingly exercising the productivity pitch to attract corporate memberships, writes OOI TEE CHING
Healthy employees are happy workers.
And happy workers make a productive workforce which contributes towards bigger profits for employers.
This is the marketing pitch a growing number of exercise centres in the Klang Valley are using to to boost their clientele, particularly among working professionals. Read the rest of this entry »

For some women the term “beauty myth” conjures up Naomi Wolf’s feminist tome on the politicization of the fashion and diet industry.
 But for the small group of predominantly women who gathered on May 24 in Mishkenot Sha’ananim for a conference entitled “The Beauty Myth feminist theory was conspicuously absent. Instead most of the presenters - artists academics writers and filmmakers - were far more interested in discussing the history of the development of what they called standard Western beauty.” Read the rest of this entry »