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Archive for July, 2010

What are Elevator Shoes?

Elevator shoes are also known as height increasing shoes, lift shoes or shoe lift shoes. They are specially designed to invisibly increase the height of the wearer. The basic idea is to put thick insoles (lifts) in the shoes, so that the wearer can get taller. (See “Inside Elevator Shoes” for more information.) Elevator shoes look normal from outside. Well designed elevator shoes are as comfortable as normal shoes. It may take several days for wears to get used to it. Normally, elevator shoes increase 2.5-4 inches in height. There are 5 inches extra-height elevator shoes, but it will loose comfort and is more noticeable.

History of Elevator Shoes

You may raise the question “Who invented elevator shoes?” Elevator shoes history can be chased back to early 1500s when cowboy boots came out in Spain. Since 1700s, men’s footwear with Cuban heel became popular along with a brief resurgence in higher-heeled shoes for men.[1]

In modern life, people are more concerned about health. People with flatfoot feel uncomfortable when they wear normal shoes. Some of them try to put soft insoles inside shoes to make to more comfortable. Also, orthopaedic doctors sometimes recommend use thick insoles to help patient increase height. Later on, this kind of thick soft insoles became a shared secret within a particular group of people. Shoes manufactures started to design special shoes with thick insoles and keep the normal look and comfort. They call it “Elevator Shoes” or “Height Increasing Shoes”.

In the past, elevator shoes are only for men but in late 1990s, women’s elevator shoes came out. Although women can wear high-heel shoes or platform shoes to increase height, some women don’t want to show people they wear high-heel shoes. Women’s elevator shoes usually come with flat, low or middle heels with a thick insole.

Inside Elevator Shoes

It seems simple to put thick insoles inside shoes but it’s not that easy to keep the shoes comfortable and look normal. All the components of the shoes need to be re-designed to achieve this goal.

A pair of elevator shoes consists four parts:

Upper

Insole

Mid-insole

Outer-soles

Upper
The upper needs to be designed to accommodate the thick insole. There is more slope between the face and the post. Also, the post curve is higher than normal shoes.

Insole
This is the magic part to increase height. It can be made from plastic, cork, or foam. The front part is lower than the back part. There are different designs in the slope and curve to fit different feet.

Mid-insole
Because insole is usually made with soft and expensive material, it is easy to be worn out. The mid-sole provide some level of buffer between insole and outer-soles. It prevents the deterioration of your insole and provides aeration.

Outer-soles
The outer-insole helps keep the wearer from feeling uncomfortable and allows a natural instep. The natural rubber heels can be replaced by an ordinary heel.

Although the components of elevator shoes are different from normal shoes, it looks just the same when they are assembled.

It is noteworthy that elevator shoes and shoe lifts are different. Shoe lifts are separate thick insoles that can be inserted into any shoes. The disadvantages of lifts are that they need to be replaced every few months (due to hygienic reasons), they may be uncomfortable, and the larger-sized lifts may not fit in smaller shoes.[2]

Who is Suitable to Wear Elevator Shoes?

As we all know, there is no effective way for adult to naturally grow taller. Elevator shoes are designed for people who want to be taller effectively. They are for both men and women, though women’s elevator shoes are not popular. Also, if you are flatfoot, you should give it a try because most people with flatfoot feel more comfortable when wearing elevator shoes.

You can choose elevator shoes for long term wear or just for a special occasion. Some people choose to wear elevator shoes for long term because they get used to it and they like the feeling of being taller. In some occasions such as wedding, it is important for a man to be taller, especially taller than “her”. People choose elevator shoes in these situations. Most people feel normal when they wearing elevator shoes but to other people, the wearer looks taller and more confident.

Who are Wearing Elevator Shoes?

You may not notice, but actually many people around us wear elevator shoes including some famous men. For example, French President Nicholas Sarkozy, famous movie star Tom Cruise and famous venture capitalist Aviv Nevo. Over 1,000,000 elevator shoes are sold every year!

References

1. Wikipedia High-heeled footware, section “Men and heels”
2. Hudson’s Guide: Men’s Shoes in Small Sizes and Lift Shoes, secion “Appearing Taller: About Shoe Lifts and Shoes with Built-in Lifts”.

Cremation jewelry
is a vital and creative expression of joy, laughter and affection a loved one or even an exceptional pet added to your daily life. Cremation jewelry has no rhyme or rhythm, memory and remembrance jewelry pendants come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, particular metals and finishes. Our extraordinary line of urn pendants and ash necklaces can be customized to express the spirit of your beloved and express your taste and style.

Our cremation remembrance jewelry not only comes standard with our exceptional customer service, but the order is fast, efficient and hassle free. Jewelry Keepsakes feels that you have enough difficult choices to make and we want your cremation jewelry and memorial locket purchase that soothes and relieves the stress of some.

Jewelry Keepsakes has a wonderful line of crematory jewelry, cremation pet jewelry and pendants to remember from which you can select. Our memory souvenir medallions and cremation are in the shape of hearts, crosses, signs of faith, and many other animals. Not only do we have a great mix of shapes and sizes, but also metals and finishes. Sterling silver jewelry memories a pet urn jewelry, hair, 14-karat gold, medallions, necklaces gold vermeil cremation, cremation pendants in brass and stainless steel jewelry remember to name a few.

Many of our outstanding souvenir medallions and urn pendants can be engraved and personalized to your selections. We receive requests for names, dates, anniversaries or even nicknames to be engraved on the back, front or both sides of the picture pendant or necklace urn that is selected. Jewelry Keepsakes wants your jewelry to your remembrance, a family heirloom for a few days and a treasure of cremation necklace that contains a small tribute to a beloved family member, friend or pet.

Jewelry Keepsakes has worked diligently to produce a cremation remains jewelry online shopping experience like no other. Our jewelry and souvenir medallion cremation site is secure and you can be sure to order from us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We offer standard ground shipping but also realize that sometimes time is of the essence, and we can overnight or two days of air in your memory or jewelry urn necklace. All pendants remember our memories and cremation are beautifully packaged with a small funnel and adhesive as well as instructions to help you complete your cremation pendant.

Jewelry Keepsakes believes in customer service. Our cremation jewelry and memorial jewelry representatives customer service are the best in the field. All our representatives have been selected for their part, knowledge of our urn and the ashes pendant necklace products but, more importantly, their compassion. Our customer service is at your service and is available to answer your questions on the calendar. Jewelry Keepsakes wants to make you really happy with jewelry and cremation memory medallion of your selection and we are happy to answer any questions you May Please contact us by e-mail, toll-free number or online chat!

All talks on equality between men and women come to a halt when it comes to women’s shoes. There seems to be some sort of intrinsic magnetic attraction between a woman and shoes. Perhaps it’s the reason why most women find an irresistible urge to buy that enticing pair of shoes in the display window without considering the price, consequences or outfit she’ll wear with them. The urge to buy fashionable shoes is so strong in women, that many don’t even care if they need the shoes or not and whether they are in their budget. They simply find ultimate solace in buying the most fashionable and trendiest pair of shoes in town!

‘I see a pair of shoes I adore, and it doesn’t matter if they have them in my size. I buy them anyway,’ Hollywood actress Keira Knightley once said.

Introduction on womens shoes
Women’s shoes have progressed form being merely practical and protective coverings for the feet to creative and artistic interpretations of fashions, cultures and styles. A woman’s shoes also denote the class she belongs to, her attitude, her mood for the day and in a very subtle manner, they convey sexual messages to members of the opposite sex.

With so much emphasis on shoes and such an intense bond between a woman and her heels, it’s only expected that no shop is passed without being scanned or any websites are left without being trawled by most women, with a similar and unspoken aim of buying the most fashionable and perfect pair of shoes or high heels possible.

How women’s shoes fashion/style has changed over the years:
The first shoes ever made have been dated back to about 40,000 years ago according to historians. Of course we can safely assume they didn’t look anything like the heels you saw on the high street last week, but they were shoes none the less. 40 000 years ago, shoes were merely a means of protection for the foot and were completely practical. By the middle Ages, the look and the feel of the shoes improved (according to our perception of what good shoes look like) and they were made with more care and designed to fit the foot more comfortably. Technological advancements of the 20th century led to the development of better shoes in general and more aesthetic women’s shoes, in particular. A mix of cultures and a global trend of sharing styles and designs began which led to the onset of shoe fashion and the shoe industry.

A significant reason for the change in style of women’s shoes over the years is the gradual transformation in the purpose of wearing shoes. Changes in the social, cultural and economic milieu of the society and civilization has led to the steady change in the purpose of being well-shod from just protection, to functionality and practicality, to mix of style and sensibility, to style statement, sex appeal and simply shock value as depicted in celebrity women’s shoes today.

Types of women shoes:
There is a huge variety of tremendously beautiful women’s shoes in today. Of all the types of women’s shoes, high heel shoes can righteously be called the most stylish, sensational and popular type of womens shoes. With a heel height ranging from 2 inches to a whopping 8 inches, high heel shoes are considered the ultimate in sex appeal when it comes to women’s shoes. Owing to the popularity of high heels, shoe designers have created various types of heels such as dagger-like stiletto heels, wedge heels, stacked heels and low heels, kitten heel shoes etc. The other popular types of women’s shoes include sandals, mules, ankle boots, the fetish thigh-high boots, backless mules, athletic style sneaker boots, ankle-strap shoes, pumps etc.

The types of women’s shoes can also be categorized according to the purpose of the shoes. For example you can buy smarter, dress shoes for a party, more sturdy and stable work shoes, dance shoes, platform shoes, boots, unisex athletic shoes, comfortable orthopedic shoes and slippers for those cold winter mornings.

Why women love to buy shoes?
Women’s shoes have lot of sexual connotations. When they buy a new pair of shoes, women secretly desire to catch the attention of the opposite sex or at least look better than the girl standing next to her (although few will admit it). Since variety is the spice of life, a great way to keep the guys at your finger tips is to make sure you head out in show stopping, flamboyant heels every time you leave the house.

Unlike clothes, women can buy any shoes that their heart desires without being left feeling overweight, too skinny, ugly, etc. Shoes don’t give women a complex like some fashions do. They’ll never make you feel tall or short either. A beautiful pair of shoes is always likely to compliment a woman. Moreover, the right pair of women’s shoes has the capability of making her feel sexy, elegant and gorgeous.

With the constant changes in society and the general evolution of social rights,

Women have taken a far more authoritative, opinionated and equal stance than they used to. With status and equity, women have a new found power that pushes them to be different, to be the best they can be. Because of this, they want shoes that fit best with any and every type of outfit, occasion and event that they attend. Further, they do not at all wish to look mundane by wearing the same shoes every time and rather want their shoes to represent their attitude and power.

Fashion conscious parents are no longer satisfied with just any old type of girl’s clothing and babies clothing for their daughters, these days designer clothing is a must have for the discerning parent. At younger ages girls are becoming fussy about what types of clothes they wear. This has lead to a huge boom in the designer girl’s clothing and babies clothing industries. Little girls want cutting edge designs, one off originals, vivid colors, retro, vintage, ruffled, whimsical and beautiful, it is now possible for the fussiest of little girls to find clothing they will love.

Girl’s clothing designers are cashing in on the trend, designing more and more for little girls tastes in clothing, moving away from what they believe parents will like. Designer girl’s clothing and babies clothing is not just something that only the wealthy can afford, in today’s girl’s fashion markets designer ranges can start as low as $30.00 for skirts and shorts and $40.00 for girl’s dresses, making it possible for all parents to attain affordable designer girl’s clothing and babies clothing.

Parents are preferring to pay that little bit extra for their daughter’s clothing, the quality of the fabrics and workmanship of the garments are worth it, designer quality means the clothing lasts much longer compared to mass produced ranges. Designer girl’s clothes are made with extreme care, there are rarely any flaws or faults, the finishing touches are often hand crafted, the detailing is superior and the finished product is more desirable than cheaper girl’s clothing brands.

To gauge the quality of a designer piece of girl’s clothing or babies clothing a comparison test against cheaper, mass produced brands is the most effective way. Place the designer piece of girl’s clothes next a cheap brand, the shape of the clothing is first thing you will notice. The designer girl’s garment is shaped to perfection, you will notice that the cheaper brand is often not shaped quite right. Compare the finishing touches to the clothing, you will notice almost immediately that the designer label has superior finishes, you will often notice flaws in cheaper brands, loose threads and uneven hemlines almost immediately.

A discerning parent will be aware of imitation designer girl’s clothing and baby clothing, what we call ‘knock offs’, cheaper clothing brands often copy designer girl’s clothing brands, this is also a huge issue in the baby clothing industry as well. One only needs to apply the above comparison test to imitation girl’s designer clothing and the same results will be noticeable almost immediately. After washing the cheaper garments, often you will notice that the piece of clothing becomes misshapen, shrinks or comes apart at the seams, the inferior workmanship is duly noted in these instances.

The best way to ensure that you are purchasing a quality piece of designer girl’s clothing or babies clothing is to shop at reputable boutiques which carry authentic girl’s designer clothing labels. Contact manufacturers to request a list of girl’s clothing and babies clothing boutiques, manufacturers will also give you a list of online stores which carry their labels, this will ensure that your purchases are authentic.

Online stores are great places to shop for your designer girl’s clothing and babies clothing, as garments are often a little cheaper than in bricks and mortar boutiques. Online stores have less overheads and running costs, this enables the online boutique owner to pass on some of these savings to their customers. So remember, when you purchase designer girl’s clothing and babies clothing you are paying a little more, but in the long run it is better value for money than cheaper brands as the clothing will last a lot longer.

Opening up a Clothing store has become a huge trend in the world of business. Entrepreneurs, and the entrepreneur wannabes, have chosen this line of business thinking that starting and maintaining a clothing store is a lot easier than starting and maintaining a food service business or a purified water distributor. But that’s where they are wrong. This particular industry may be easy to start, but it’s a lot harder to maintain than other business.

The industry of clothing is a very competitive world. Almost 80% of retail clothing business fails within the first five years of their businesses. This is primarily because of the owner’s lack of preparation, experience, poor management, lack of competitiveness, and a poor knowledge of what’s hot and what’s not in the world of fashion clothing.

Setting up a retail clothing business is much like any other businesses, it must undergo extensive planning, preparation, and self motivation for the business to grow in success. And this is where most of the entrepreneur and entrepreneur wannabes miss out, which is why failures and bankruptcy is very common in this line of business.

So before starting a retail clothing business such as a clothing store or boutique, you must first plan ahead and get all the necessary things in place before investing half or the whole of your life savings in it. Here are some steps and tips on how to properly start your retail clothing business.

Step 1: Test Your Own Capacity

When I said “Capacity”, I mean is your own ability and skills to handle a business, in which case, retail clothing business.

Now in this line of business Experience can come a very long way. Experience is the baseline for all business starters; it would be a huge waste of money if you’re going to start a business with nothing but your ambition for grandeur. Keeping a positive mindset is very helpful yes, but it won’t get you that far if all that’s all you know. Many of the entrepreneurs I met had failed in their attempts in a retail clothing business because they lack one of the key roles in a business, experience.

Experience plays a vital role in this line of business or any kind of business. Experiences can come from anything from merely lending a hand on a friend’s or family’s business, or from special merchandizing courses that you attended. Whatever it may be, experience in handling any business is very important in starting another.

TIP: If you don’t have the experience that you need, then why not try your hands on having a part time job on local clothing store or take lessons on merchandizing. This way, you could learn how to handle a business, while having hands-on experience on the real deal.

Now in any kind of businesses, Risks are a very common thing. Some risks are small enough for you to even notice it, but some are huge, so big that if you fail, you’re likely to loose all your life’s saving. Now I’m not trying to push you away or anything, it’s just that risks are always there. Starting any kind of business always entails risks.

TIP: It all depends on the mindset; if your mind is set to recognize risks as a challenge then you’ll likely to enjoy taking a lot of risks in your business. Risks “are” a way for business to grow in success if taken strategically and properly.

In taking any businesses, we must always have Faith in ourselves and in the industry we took upon. You must get things straight here. Do you really prefer a business of selling clothes rather than a business that involves food or water? Passion is one of the most important trait that a business man or woman should possess when handling any kind of business. It has to be enough to get you through the yearly holiday rushes as well as the slow summer lulls. If not, then you’ll likely to loose your courage to continue on.

TIP: Remember, taking on a business is like getting married, “for better or for worst”. So before you take on this business, then make sure that you’re committed in this line of business so as to avoid unnecessary bankruptcy.

Being a Specialist in this line of business can make or break the possibility of gaining success in a retail clothing business. For you to handle and maintain your business with ease, it’s very important to know the industry for which you have taken upon. Having knowledge of what’s hot or what’s not, knowing what’s happening behind the stage curtains, and having a keen sense of what will be the next big thing is what making money in this industry. So it’s very important that you have the necessary knowledge in what you sell and what you’re about to sell to your customers.

TIP: You really don’t have to become a specialist just to start a retail clothing business. All you need to do is to do some research about what’s happening in the word of fashion clothing. Ask around, you’ll be surprised on the amount of knowledge that these urban people have about clothes.

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Step 2: Choose Your Specialty

Now some of you might think that starting up a clothing store simply means selling clothes. Now that’s where you’re wrong. In this industry, it’s important for you to choose your niche or your specialty.

Before you open your own fashion clothing store or fashion boutique, you may want to think about what “theme” or specialization of clothes you may want to sell. There are a lot, a few examples include: bridal or wedding boutique, business clothing boutique, casual wear / rough gear / street clothes, children’s wear boutique, couture, formal wear boutique, lingerie, maternity store, men’s wear boutique, special size boutiques (petites, plus size, tall, etc.,) sports wear / active wear, teen gear, women’s wear boutique, etc.

Just choose where you want to specialize on. If your business grows, you could turn your niche into a whole-rounder, providing not just one type of clothing but a multiple one. But until then, you should concentrate on your niche and make it grow.

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Step 3: Location

Location in this line of business is very important. Aside from experience in handling a business and knowledge about your line of business, location is the third most important part of a retail clothing business. Now why is the location of your shop very important? Well let’s say that your clothing store can provide the widest variety of clothes, and that you give monster discounts on all your stocks, but the problem about your shop is that customers would have to travel a mile before getting to your shop. Now that’s what I’m talking about, why would the customers bother to travel a mile just to get to your shop if there’s one just a kilometer away from them?

When choosing a location for your store, do your research. Check population statistics, demographics, neighborhood characteristics, traffic counts and area development plans, or seek advice from senior retailers. Here are some simple tips on how to locate a perfect location.

· Find out where your target market or your customers live and shops.

· Find out where your competition is (too many stores can lead to price-cutting, lower profits and difficulty in building customer loyalty).

· Create a distinct image. Make your shop unique from others.

· Make sure that people can see your store from many angles and that they can reach you by public transportation or park nearby.

Think of a location which your target customer already frequents instead of opening a destination store. Taking a high street shop is a good idea if you are planning to sell bridal or party wear, while a shop selling mid range casuals can be located in a normal multi store mall.

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Step 4: Supplier

Now once you’ve decided the location and your specialty, then its time for you to think about your list of suppliers who will be supplying you with all your products. Do your research well when deciding on suppliers; because the lower the costs that these people give you, the higher will be the profits that you will be able to make.

TIP: If you’re having hard time finding the right supplier for you, then the internet can provide you with some suppliers you want. A perfect example is with the Seven Wholesale. It is also an online wholesale clothing shop that provides a wide array of clothing stocks that can cater to any niche of your choice.

Top quality wholesale clothing lines are what Seven Wholesale can provide their customers. Learn more of what Seven Wholesale can provide with their collection of wholesale clothing lines.

Step 5: Get Known

If you want your market to know that you’re there, then its time to advertise. Before embarking on your retail clothing business, it’s important to plan out how your target market will know that you exist.

Advertising is one form. It aims to inform, create interest and establish customer confidence. It’s important that you provide the necessary funding for this marketing strategy.

Once you know your budget and target market, figure out the number and type of ads you need. Product ads focus on merchandise; institutional ads focus on your services and store image. There are many ways for your shop to get known. Among those are:

Direct mail, to send personalized information to those on a mailing list.
Newspapers, especially local papers, particularly for promoting special events.
Radio, to reach certain markets, such as country stations for western wear.
And the internet.

Now all the information you have read are just a few points about how to start a clothing store. While these are necessary basics that you need to consider, the list is by no means complete. So it’s up to you to decide the rest. This will allow you to learn more about yourself and your capability to run a business such as a clothing store business.

Top quality wholesale clothing lines are what Seven Wholesale can provide their customers. Learn more of what Seven Wholesale can provide with their collection of wholesale clothing lines. Visit Seven Wholesale at www.sevenwholesale.com for more details.