Designer gear - Hey listen up guys and gals, what is it with you all, feeling depressed over the fact that you don`t fit in with today`s modern society all because you can not afford to wear the latest in designer gear. It is not the end of the world, and yes I agree, life is one big struggle trying to make ends meet - but remember, there are people out their fighting for survival to put a crust on the table in famine stricken countries, and their only thoughts are to keep the one and only shirt on their back - rather than making a bob or two to wear a designer one with a posh label sewn on the back.

You know - and I know that not all of the latest in designer gear will suit us personally, this could be due to our size, certain colours, or purely because it is a hideous new range. Well is this not more reason to take a rain check on the outfits that already line the rails in your wardrobe and do something with them. Remember when you first purchased these garments - it would have been because you liked them at the time, so why not like them now. Do something with them, how? That is simple, start by freshening them up. A sure way of changing the look of an outfit is by the accessories you choose to wear to compliment them.

Your image will most definitely alter that dress of the sixties that you forgot you had hanging in the closet. A different hairstyle, a different shade of lipstick and in some cases another partner on your arm, (do not break off an engagement purely for this) will speak volumes.

Designer gear is for the rich and for fashion icons that live beyond their means, who then find themselves struggling to pay the bills all because they felt the need to be in fashion for the day.

Why not consider taking a few ideas from the latest in designer gear and add them to your garments. For example: take the sleeves off a jacket and replace the buttons with different coloured ones, sew a motif onto the lapel or place a brooch instead. A blouse - depending on the material can be altered to a waistcoat design. Add beads or glitter to a belt. Shoes that you find scuffed - then stain them another colour (make sure to use the right product) The options are endless to make that - once pride of joy of yours (outfit) more updated to compete with the latest designer gear, who knows your creative talent may well shine through.

Hey listen up guys and gals once again - with what you save you could donate a few pennies to the people in them famine poverty stricken countries. These poor unfortunate people know where their priorities lie and it is not with wearing the latest in designer gear.

If you are getting ready for Hallowe’en or just getting dressed in the morning, here are a few terrible superhero costumes that can teach us all a valuable lesson.

1. The Falcon

The Falcon, Captain America’s sidekick, currently has a costume that fits the superhero universe just fine. However, Falcon’s earlier costume was entirely spandex, that exposed both his chest and his entire arms. This revealing outfit is made even more hilarious by the

The Moral: Never wear anything that looks like it is from an Earth, Wind and Fire concert.

2. Vartox

Vartox was one of Superman’s villainous counterparts during the 80s. He wore thigh-high boots, underwear, and a small vest. His hairy body was only upstaged by his terrible moustache.

The Moral: Cover yourself. Showing too much skin only makes you ridiculous.

3. Timber Wolf

In the Silver Age, Timber Wolf had a lavender wolf's head symbol. This was contrasted by an orange background. To add more zest and life to his already vibrant costume, zebra-striped epaulets top everything off.

The Moral: Don’t overpower your outfit with too many colors or patterns.

4. Daredevil

Daredevil’s first costume was yellow and red. It seems that Matt Murdoch truly was blind when he chose his outfit. The new all-red costume that we know and love today is a huge improvement.

The Moral: Don’t be afraid to change with the times. It has kept countless superheroes in style.

5. Wonder Woman

Although Wonder Woman wears a really hot bodice, Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman was given an unflattering pair of blue shorts with white stars. These shorts only emphasized all the wrong parts of her body. The illustrated Wonder Woman never had so many bulges.

The Moral: Wear clothes that fit your body type (and don’t listen to network executives).

6. Moondragon

Moondragon’s costume tries to be racy. She is practically half undressed, but which half is hard to tell with all of the bizarre cut outs and shapes. This costume only stays on her body because it is drawn; in real life it would require carefully placed double-sided tape.

The Moral: One or two appropriately placed cut-outs can be enticing. More cut-outs than that gets confusing and awkward.

Few of us realize just how much high-end designer merchandise is available at our fingertips. Designer clothing for the entire family is available at your local discount store and online at rock bottom prices. Discounters are able to offer brand name fashions by designers such as Prada, Kenneth Cole and Vera Wang at such great prices because they don’t have to stock the same merchandise at each store. This gives the buyers the flexibility to bargain with the designers and pass the savings on the consumer. Discounters are also required to agree not to advertise within the stores.

Local discounters such as TJ Maxx, Ross Dress For Less, Marshalls and Loehmann’s offer the same designer fashions you would find in fashion department stores at 40-60% off. Signing up on the e-mail lists of these discounters will enable you to receive information on the latest styles and savings which will be delivered straight to your inbox. Visit the websites to find the stores closest to you. Shopping at your local store will allow you to see the clothing up close and try them on if necessary. Remember, if you make a fab find scoop it up immediately because great bargains don’t last long. Also, shop often because new merchandise arrives weekly. Discount designer child clothing, discount designer plus size and maternity clothing and items for the home can also be found.

Shopping online can also net some great designer deals at fabulous prices. More and more consumers are purchasing their clothing online where they are afforded the luxury of shopping from home and avoiding crowded stores. Online discounters such as Overstock.com, ClassicCloseouts.com, Bluefly.com, and Ebay.com and many others allow you to purchase discount designer clothing from the convenience of your home.

Overstock.com sells discount, brand-name merchandise up to 80% off the suggested retail price and ships every product, big or small, for only $2.95. Discount designer clothing for men, designer handbags and designer items for your home are also available at many online stores. Search google.com for discount designer clothing for many other stores where bargains can be found.

When you visit Russia, you will be stunned to see so many well-dressed beautiful women on the streets. Miniskirts and dresses are very popular and Russian women have the figures to show them off to advantage. Russian women enjoy looking their best and they are very neat and stylish.

As Lynn Visson's "Wedded Strangers" says:

“Both Russian men and women find American women badly dressed. Fashion in Soviet Russia was dictated by the regime. In the Soviet era, trying to look attractive and feminine was not easy.”

“Obtaining fashionable clothes was both incredibly important and difficult. Looking good was a way of asserting control over oneself in a controlled and drab Soviet existence.”

Russian women have a completely different style of dressing than in western countries. They wear short skirts and makeup to make them look as attractive as possible. They like to look sexy.

A Russian woman might wear a tight fitting leopard skin top with a short miniskirt. To her, she is dressing stylishly to show off her good figure. To westerners, her suggestive clothing makes her look ‘cheap’ and ‘available.’

Once Russian women come to America, many of them adopt the casual clothing of Americans. That certainly is the case with my wife, who now finds herself in tee shirts and jeans most of the time when at home.

Of course, when we go out, she knows how to look her best. When she is in Russia, she would never go out of the house like she is dressed in America.

Lingerie has been a very important part of a woman's wardrobe for centuries. Though the style of lingerie changed and evolved over the years, they still constitute the aura of allure and attraction.

Lingerie requires a lot of care as they are very delicate. It is important to read the note written on lingerie, which best describes the cleaning process. Lingerie should always be washed by hands, as they are usually made of lace, ribbons or very thin and delicate material which is susceptible to tearing easily. If you have to put it in the washing machine, make sure that it is on an easy cycle wash. Some delicate lace lingerie need dry cleaning to be washed carefully. Machine wash reduces or fades the elasticity of a garment. It is important to note that if your lingerie is machined washed or washed harshly very often, it will not last for a very long time.

While hand washing your lingerie, make sure that you use very mild detergent. Mild detergents protect the color of the lingerie from bleeding or fading away. Lingerie should be washed very carefully in Luke warm water; and it should not be rubbed too hard. If you wash lace or ribbon very harshly, it will tear. Wired or padded lingerie should not be washed in the machine for too long, as the wire may get detangled and the pads may get destroyed, making the lingerie useless. For best results, lingerie should never be put in a drying machine. You should always dry your lingerie on a string out in the open, to maintain the quality of the material.

Cotton is a very difficult material to maintain. If the cotton has not been washed with mild detergent it shrinks. Sometimes, they even loose their shape and get distorted, making it useless. The color of the cotton also fades away easily. So, make sure that you wash your cotton lingerie in Luke warm water, and not very hot water as that can damage the color and material, making the fibroids very weak. Cottons should be always dried flat or hung. Cottons shrink tremendously in drying machines. It is always advised to iron cottons when they are a little damp, to straighten out the wrinkles and creases. Ironing also softens the garment.

When it comes to silk, satins and synthetic, you should always dry clean them, as they are very delicate material. Dry cleaning also protects the material from shredding or loosing its color. If you are courageous enough to risk washing your silks at home then you should be very careful and use only mild detergents. The silk lingerie should be soaked in cold detergent water for about 20 minutes, to remove the dirt particles. Only cold water should be used, as it protects the color of the garment. If there are any stains or marks on the lingerie, you should rub it very gently, to remove them. Silk should be dried flat and then ironed very gently on minimum heat.

For today’s mom to be the maternity clothes selection is extensive – unlike decades past when gingham and bows were the only maternity clothes options.

Shopping for maternity clothes can be a daunting task for a new mother to be. The rule of thumb is to look for maternity clothes in the same size that has been worn pre-pregnancy. Maternity clothes are designed to be roomier in the bust as well as the belly. About the only time a woman might need the next bigger size is if she is expecting twins or has had extra large babies in the past – 9 pounds or more.

Maternity clothes should be pretty basic, made of stretch fabrics such as cotton jersey and some spandex.

Buy no more than two maternity bras at one time because it is very possible for the mother to be to gradually grow several bra and cup sizes over the course of her pregnancy. An expectant mother who is going to breastfeed should not buy nursing bras until the 8th month.

Most pregnant women don’t want to spend money on a ton of maternity clothes and outfits so find themselves wearing the same few things over and over again for several months. It’s important that the mom-to-be pamper herself with at least one fun outfit that makes her feel great. It might be some fancy evening dress that fits tightly around the oversized belly or a really cool pair of evening pants.

When the mom-to-be is ready for the trip to the hospital the only clothes she should bring are maternity clothes. First time mothers tend to think once the baby is born they’ll be back in their pre-pregnancy clothes. That, however, is not the case for a while after taking the newborn baby home.

Women in America are larger than in past decades and plus size clothing manufacturers, realizing this, have spent the last five years ramping up their marketing efforts. According to a recent study completed by research firm Mintel, nearly $32 billion was spent on plus size clothing in 2005. The growth in the plus size clothing market in the last five years has exceeded 50 percent.

According to the Centers for Disease Control 62 percent of U.S. women are overweight or suffer from obesity. Research indicates an expected 10 percent plus size clothing market growth in the next decade.

More than half of the respondents in the Mintel study said they buy plus size clothing. The biggest group of plus size clothing providers is online catalog merchants such as Brylane, home of Lane Bryant and Roamans. Local and national retail chains are also starting to jump on the plus size clothing bandwagon as well, with retailers such as Kohl's and Penny's expanding their noted label products to include larger sizes.

Plus size clothing fashion and design options are expansive - much more so than a decade or so ago. For many years, women have had to shop from a very limited selection of plus size clothing. Now the styles are more flattering and more diverse, the manufacturer's distributions are wider and the plus size clothing products are mass merchandised like never before.

Celebrities such as Oprah and Queen Latifah as well as comedian Mo'Nique have championed the acceptability of the plus size clothing industry. In 2005 Mo'nique introduced the first annual plus size beauty pageant, which was televised nationally. It has become clear to these manufacturers that obesity is lucrative, as women with the money to spend on looking fashionable flock to plus size clothing stores, departments and catalogs.