The Best Dresses for Pear-Shaped Women

A woman with a pear-shaped figure has narrow shoulders, a relatively small bust, tapered waist and comparatively large hips and thighs. If you have a pear-shaped figure, shop for a dress that accents your upper body and draws the eyes away from the hips and thighs to create an illusion of balance.

Neckline Highlights

A dress that highlights the neckline, such as a halter dress, will draw the eye to your slender neck and shoulders. The bottom part of the dress should skim over your hips and thighs, not cling to them.

Empire Waist

A dress with an empire waist and a fitted bodice draws the eye to the petite upper body of a pear-shaped woman. The skirt should flare only slightly or hang straight with little volume.

Strapless or Spaghetti Straps

Strapless dresses or spaghetti-strap dresses give the illusion of broader shoulders and thus balance out the body so your figure looks less bottom-heavy.

Embellished Tops

A dress with an embellished bodice and a plain skirt puts the emphasis above the waist and minimizes your fuller hips and thighs.

Snug Waistline

A dress that caresses your waist and flares out slightly at the hips creates the flattering look of an hourglass figure. Take care that the waist is not too tight.

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Tips for Travel Flight Savings

This is the season to travel. The holiday season is upon us and visions of family and friends dance happily in our heads. It’s a festive time of the year with planning parties, preparing for the family get together, and searching for those perfect gifts that will bring smiles and hugs our way. However, the family and friends we so long to embrace live in a land far, far away and the Christmas cash is limited.

So whether you are currently nodding your head, finding yourself in the same situation, or you simply want to get away from all the crazy, hustle bustle of the holiday rush and snuggle up in a cozy foreign oasis with your love, here are some things to do to find holiday travel savings.

Travel Agent

The most common method travel shoppers utilize is their local travel agent. This is an excellent choice if you are looking for a package that includes hotel accommodations, car rental services, area sightseeing information, etc. However, shop around for the best deals.

Travel agents use the same networks to put together their travel packages. This gives all travel agents access to the same prices. The difference is that travel agents charge varying fees, therefore it is prudent to shop around or even haggle with them to get reduced savings. Check around for those golden travel nuggets of savings.

Even if you are only searching for a flight to your desired destination, you want to shop around for the best deal providing agents. Do a bit of research yourself on some of the different air lines available in your area and then ask the agent a lot of questions. There is a great deal of competition between travel agents during the holidays so they will often take some cuts in commissions themselves if it means grabbing your holiday dollars.

Direct Contact

For those of you that are looking for a simple flight to your beloveds’ destination, contacting the source is often the best way to receive a miracle deal. In essence you are cutting out the middle man. This may take a bit more of your precious holiday time but the results could be well worth it. Again, shop around. Do your research and call around or surf the web. Go directly to the provider. When you find a decent deal, use that as leverage to see if the next air line will beat it. Or sometimes the smart thing to do is take a nice rate and see if you can get a better, more prestigious air line to match it.

Helpful Tips

No matter which way you decide to go, here are some tips for hooking that special deal.

  • Ask Questions – Don’t be shy. Ask the agent or provider a lot of questions. Often times there are numerous discounts available but they are not openly advertised. In this case curiosity keeps the cash.
  • Shop Early – Many airlines offer early bird specials or increase their rates the closer it gets to a scheduled holiday.
  • Be Flexible – Most airlines offer price slashing rates if you take an early or late flight. Also, great discounts are offered when a flight doesn’t have several passengers show up. Stand by is a wonderful way to save if you’re willing to sip a cup of cocoa while waiting.
  • Be Nice – This is a biggie during the season to be jolly or anytime. If you do your holiday shopping with a pleasant, patient attitude then you just might be the bee that finds the honey in holiday travel savings.
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Teeth With Braces: Foods to Avoid

When wearing braces, it’s very important to know what kinds of foods to avoid. Foods containing sugar should be minimized, and other kinds of food particles and bacteria can get stuck behind the braces and lead to tooth decay.

Sticky Food

Any foods that will pull or get stuck in your braces are best to be avoided; that includes all types of chewing gum, gummy candies, caramels, fruit roll-ups and licorice.

Hard and Crunchy Food

Popcorn is especially troublesome because the bits, pieces and hulls slip into tiny crevices. Avoid hard candy, nuts, chewing on ice, corn on the cob, pretzels, hard cookies (unless you soften them with milk first) and hard or chewy crusts of any kind. If a food is overly crunchy when you bite into it, be cautious.

Hard Food Exceptions

You can still enjoy apples or pears, but you need to cut them into small pieces or wedges first–taking a bite without doing this can cause too much stress on your braces. You can eat raw carrots, too, but shred or grate them first.

Considerations

Brush and floss your teeth often. If you have a sugary snack, brush as soon as possible.

Warning

If you do not avoid foods that are inappropriate, you will spend a lot of extra time at the orthodontist. Damaged braces can lead to a longer treatment process.

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