As compared to other sports activities, bowling has gained immense popularity. An increasing number of amateurs, regulars and professionals are pursuing bowling as a leisure activity, hobby and even as a profession. Bowling enjoys great global support and has been played in America since the early twentieth century. In the middle of the twentieth century, bowling was recognized as a competitive and professional sport. Just as other sports have their specific shirts, bowling too created one for its players. They served as uniforms, and viewers soon began showing their allegiance by adorning their favorite team's bowling shirts.

Apart from providing an apt sporty look that sets each team apart, bowling shirts need to be made keeping in mind a sports person's needs. The correct size, fit and attire help professionals train well and enhance their performance. When selecting a bowling shirt similar to other apparel purchases, a decisive factor is the comfort level. This is because wearing tight bowling shirts will obstruct free movement. Bowling shirts that are part of a league or team uniform are mostly loose fitting. This is because successful bowlers are dependent upon meticulous calculated free movement of the arms and shoulders. It becomes a prerequisite, as an incorrect move can harm the game.

Bowling shirts tend to be short sleeved. They may or may not have buttons in the front and are made of comfortable materials. This is important, as bowling shirts need to provide relief when players sweat during a game. This specifies the use of materials that are considered to breathe well. This includes the use of cotton, blends of cotton and polyester, rayon or polyester alone. Bowling shirts are available in various color codes that may be chosen depending upon country colors or team preferences. Team numbers, names, designs and players names may be embroidered, screen-printed or may be patched on the shirts. Bowling shirts can be purchased from local or online stores.

As the name suggests, running shoes are the most important companions of a runner, preventing leg injuries and making the running style more efficient. Shoe companies invest a lot of time and money in the technological and scientific aspects of running shoes to enable the runner to go faster with greater ease. The architecture of running shoes has evolved significantly over the years with the advancement of technology. However, some basic components still remain the same.

Running shoes primarily consist of five components or sections, which defines their anatomy, namely the outsole, the midsole, the upper, the heel counter and the post or footbridge. The treaded layer on the surface under the shoes is known as the outsole, which provides grip and control to the runner. Outsoles are generally made of carbon rubber or other similar materials. Outsoles are often studded for enhancing the grip on soft surfaces.

A mid-sole is usually made of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), polyurethane (PU) or by combining these two and is the most important component of all running shoes. It provides a stable and cushioned layer between the outsole and the upper. Midsoles help in limiting the pronation or the rolling in of the feet.

The upper might be made of leather or lighter synthetic materials to allow breathing and reducing heat inside the shoes. This part wraps the foot around over the top and has a tongue that is padded to protect the top of the foot from the pressure of the laces. Also, the upper at the back protects the foot from irritation and prevents rubbing against the tendons.

The heel counter surrounds the heel of the foot and is built in the "upper" part of the shoe. These are firm, inflexible cup shaped components controlling the motion of the back foot. The footbridge or post increases stability in the inner side of the shoe and is placed in the midsole.

It is important to choose the right kind of running shoes according to the suitability of each individual runner. This will ensure maximum comfort and stability while running. Running shoes can be purchased at local retail stores or can be bought through online shopping stores.

Ever wondered why we 'really' find the need to wear socks? After all, they're not exactly the most visible item of clothing to adorn our person. Well, to begin with, socks are very useful for absorbing the sweat produced by the feet. That's breathable socks made form cottons and wools. I used to suffer with serious problems with athlete's foot and it was all because I wore cheap tacky shoes and synthetic socks.

Leaving aside the 'dress sock' just for a minute, it's important to note that there are many different materials that socks are made of - from the natural to the synthetic - and each of these materials will give you a different feel and look. It's all too easy to grab a pack of 5 cheapies from the local department store, but if you end up treating a stubborn bout of athlete's foot because of them, then the saving is immaterial.

Okay, so that's the quality and feel out the way, let's take a quick look at the history of the humble sock. Believe it or not there is a long history of socks going back through the centuries, and socks, like underwear, were among some of the first items of clothing ever worn by mankind. The main reasons for this are obviously because people needed to protect their feet and also keep them warm.

The earliest socks ever to be worn were simply made from animal skins which here tied around the ankles. Clearly socks have evolved over the centuries and eveidence has been gathered to suggest that in the 8th century BC, socks were produced by the ancient Greeks from matted animal hair which was ideal for warmth and comfort. Hundreds of years later in 1589, the knitting machine was invented and the rest, as they say, is history!

Today, most manufactured socks are created with the use of what's known as a circular knitting machine and are mass produced. But socks have come a long way and there's more to the modern sock than just styles and materials.

Some people suffer from a foot problem known as Plantar Fasciitis and there are specially designed socks which give arch support and provide relief from the pain associated with painful condition. Makers of plantar Fasciitis socks claim that they provide an inexpensive and easy-to-use method of pain relief.

Thick socks, thin socks, cotton socks, wool socks, long socks, short socks, fun socks, and medical socks, you name it there's a sock for it! They also make great gifts if you're stuck for ideas at Christmas and birthdays.

But on a more serious note, both footwear and foot care are important if we are to prevent the many problems relating with feet when we get older, and this starts with wearing the right socks with the right shoes.

But for people who can only afford to purchase a couple of pairs that they will be wearing for most of the outfits in their closets, they will have to choose pairs that are versatile and at the same time stylish enough not to be considered out of mode. Below are some tips in choosing shoes that look like designer shoes but have no designer prices.

Choose leather

Although buying real leather can be more expensive than buying synthetic leather, the cost will be much cheaper in the long run because leather is more long lasting. You can actually use a pair of leather shoes for a long long time. Just make sure that you store them properly, in areas where it will not be moistened as real leather can become home to molds.

Choose the classic

You don’t have to buy Ferragamo or Jimmy Choo to look good. There are designs that will look just as expensive without being really costly. Because you cannot really buy every design in the store, just choose classic designs that will fit your wardrobe.

Choose the fit

Designer shoes may look designer on the shelves but when you wear them, the shoes are not as great looking anymore. There are pairs like these. This does not mean that the design is not beautiful, the cut and the style just does not fit the structure and form of your feet.

Remember that like body types and face shapes, there are cuts and styles that will fit your feet. Choose the design that does not only look classy but also the one that will make your feet look like a million bucks.

Choose the material

Shoes need not be designer especially when you are going to wear them in rough streets and pavements. Remember that designer shoes may have delicate designs such as glass heels and bead works that may not withstand a walk downtown. When buying shoes, make sure that the material and the kind of design will fit your lifestyle and work.

A woman is not complete without a pair of nylon stockings underneath. This will keep the feet comfortable as well as the legs warm which is the best way to always put the best foot forward.

These are also used for special occasions or when going out to a party if the individual doesn’t want to wear slacks or jeans.

One company that has been in the business of providing nylon stockings is Secrets in Lace. The individual can go to the store or check it out online to see the various selections.

The Full Fashion French Heel is made of 100% nylon. The colors for this are available in beige, copper, gray and pink. There are sizes for those that are small to those who are large so it can fit any woman.

A pair of nylon stockings from Secrets in Lace will cost $32 so those who want to look good with a brand that is of excelling quality should buy one now.

If this is too expensive, the individual can try to get Opaque Thigh High Stockings by Leg Avenue. The price for one is under $5, which is available in black, blue, pink, red and white.

The woman will just match this with the outfit so it will look great when everything has been put on.

But why buy nylon stockings when silk versions are much smoother? This is because nylon is easier to wash and doesn’t run easily compared to silk. The woman can use this for more than a month before having to buy a new one from the store.

Those who are wearing nylon stockings for the first time should get measuring tape to measure the hips in order to get the right size. The sales clerk can also do this for the customer so there won’t be any problems making it easy the next time to just pick the package from the store shelf.

Nylon stockings are intimate accessories. There are other brands in the market aside from the two mentioned which could be cheaper or more expensive which all depends on the taste of the woman.

Some of these are sold in packs of three or five which in the end is much cheaper than getting a singles pack. It will just take some time to find it in the store or online so the customer doesn’t have to come back a month later should it run.

Ever since Twiggy appeared on the modeling scene in the UK back in the 60's we have had a never-ending line of models who look as though they are in the grip of chronic anorexia. When you watch some of the more ethereal specimens on the catwalks of Paris, you half expect a spontaneous fracture or dislocated pelvis from pressure of strutting - so much bone, so little tissue.

Rake thin models look androgynous, which I suppose is the point. The mystery of sexual ambiguity and all that. Some look like heroin users - others like walking Oxfam ads designed to draw people's attention to the plight of global hunger. It can get tragic too. Models Luisel Ramos and Carolina Reston, both died due to complications arising from lack of nourishment.

You imagine dinner for these women being a cracker with lettuce shreds, followed by a sesame wafer and three sunflower seeds. All that effort to look well ... bony.

It may be a look that translates well into photographs - but being a sort of biological dress rack isn't sexy. Truly sexy women have curves in all the right places. For example internationally renowned belly dancers Sahra Saeeda and Nesrin Topkapi exude female power and beauty in ways that would challenge the Thinistas .

The health issues associated with maintaining a spectral look are potentially hazardous, and there have been moves in Europe to change the perception that thin is chic. In Spain the government and fashion chains have reached an agreement that female store dummies should at the very least be a size 10.

The move is also an attempt to cater to reality. Most women don't look like Gemma Ward, so it seems counter productive to use ultra-skinny models as a retail incentive.

The measures being taken by the Spanish go beyond window displays. Models have actually been banned from working for being too thin. Last year two fashion shows banned models whose body mass index was below 18. In the case of a model who is 1.75 meters (5 ft 7 inches), she has to weigh at least 55 kg.

The average woman on the streets of N. American cities has been entirely unrepresented by the glamor end of a fashion industry, that for years has been appealing to a distant race of rail thin space aliens. It seems the industry is finally catching up with reality.