Your Next Choice

When you dress up for Halloween, it is important to choose a costume that looks reasonably good on you — especially for women, since we tend to be judged a bit more harshly on what we wear and factors such as weight.

Costumes for plus size are easy to find if you look online, but I highly recommend considering whether the outfit will look good on you before you buy it.  Don’t forget the rules of fashion, for one thing — black is slimming, whereas loud colors can draw attention to your flaws, and certain types of fabrics are more flattering than others.

Something else you might want to consider is whether the style of the outfit is right for you.  If you are self-conscious about your weight, you probably wouldn’t choose a Wonder Woman costume, for instance.  Likewise, some women can pull of the sexy schoolgirl outfit, whereas others just don’t have the confidence and attitude necessary.

Finally, you need to consider what’s appropriate.  No matter how good the costume looks on you, it won’t really be consider flattering if it’s too risque for a work party.  Flattering means more than just how it makes your body look — it also means whether it supports your image, career-related or otherwise.

Choosing a flattering costume is sometimes something of a balancing act, which is why your Halloween costume ought to be given a great deal of thought!

Technorati Tags: costumes for plus size, Halloween costume, Wonder Woman

There is a misconception that by being self-employed as the owner of your own service company, you are your own boss.  Unfortunately, that isn’t quite the truth.  Sure, there’s no one to set a dress code or chide you for getting in to work five minutes late, or to tell you not to take an hour and a half for lunch…  But there are still clients to appease, and since they pay you and provide you with their business, technically each one of them is your boss in a way.

For example, as a wedding consultant you may be able to set your own office hours and decide when to plan a day off without consulting a boss, but at the same time your career success — and your business’s success — depends upon keeping your clients happy.  So if you snooze on the job and order a mantilla veil for a bride instead of a crystal veil, you may not only get “fired” by that bride — you may also earn yourself a reputation for being unreliable.

So keep this in mind whenever you are considering starting your own business.  People bandy around terms such as “be your own boss” and “work for yourself,” but the truth is, you are working for your clients, and they are your bosses.  The difference between you and a full-time employee is that you have lots of bosses, and none of them have the micro-managing control over your work habits that your boss would have if you were a full-time employee.  Many people still consider this a blessing, but it can also pose quite the challenge for someone who doesn’t like having one boss, let alone many!

Technorati Tags: crystal veil, mantilla veil, wedding consultant

According to Jupiter Research, a worldwide Internet research and analysis company, almost 75% of the United States shoppers belong to at least one loyalty program. Loyalty programs are truly the trend these days, but one has to wonder, are they really worth it? Yes, they are.

Loyalty programs use basic logic. Offer an incentive to your customers and they will keep coming back for more. And why not? Think about it. If Joe’s coffee offers you a free cup of coffee after purchasing 11 cups, and Wanda’s Coffee does not offer you anything, what is the caffeine-addicted consumer going to do? I think the answer is obvious. He or she is going to visit the coffee shop that offers a free coffee in return for customer loyalty. It really is that simple.

Incentive programs are all in the execution. Remember, when you decide to incorporate a loyalty program, make sure potential customers know about it. Advertise it! Create a fun, engaging campaign to ensure your potential and returning customers know, off the bat, that they are going to receive a reward for returning to your business. After all, what good is an incentives program if no one knows about it?

Technorati Tags: incentive programs, Juniper Research, loyalty programs

I was walking around the Financial District the other day and watching the people who work there. They were all dressed up in their work attire. I work from home so I don’t really have work attire. Looking at them, I couldn’t help but think how boring so many of their outfits were. I love the fact that working from home lets me have a diverse and fun wardrobe.

I think that everyone should have fun with their clothing even if you do have to wear work clothes most of the time. Here are some tips for adding fun to your closet:

• Buy name brands that make you smile. How could you not have fun wearing a great brand name such as Mim Pi? You can think to yourself, “I’m wearing my Mim Pi today” and you’ll feel good.
• Keep at least one item of clothing that’s totally frivolous. You don’t need a corset or a funky hat or a pettiskirt but you should have one anyway.
• Wear colors and prints. Yes, black is more professional. Yes, it makes you look slimmer. But it gets so boring!
• Accessorize. Fun accessories are a great way to add something bouncy and exciting to your outfit without compromising your usual style.

You have to wear clothes every day of the week. They should be fun!

Technorati Tags: mim pi, pettiskirt

People who don’t play airsoft may think that all airsoft games are the same. To some extent, this is true. Airsoft games all involve forming teams and competing against one another in a military-style shooting game. However, airsoft games can differ greatly depending on certain factors.

Some factors that may change the nature of the game include:

• Number of players. An airsoft game that has dozens of players is going to be a lot different from an airsoft game that has only half a dozen players.
• Types of airsoft guns. There are many different types of airsoft guns. (KWA guns are one popular choice.) Playing with different guns can change the experience of the game.
• Location. The size and location of the battlefield can make a big difference to the type of game that is played.
• The type of players. Some players like to play very formal and organized games. Other players just like to get out there and see what happens. These two styles are quite different from one another.

As with all sports or games, the basics may be the same but the experience of playing can be greatly affected by different factors. Outsiders may not realize that but it’s true.

Technorati Tags: airsoft guns, kwa guns