May 2008 Issue
In this months Issue:
What Not to Wear in the Office
Oh, Those Odors!
Home Laundry Tip
Cloth or Disposable Diaper: What's More "Green"?
What Not to Wear in the Office
If you're a woman, it may be obvious not to wear micro-mini skirts, revealing, low-cut blouses or too much jewelry, but are there similar rules for men?
Actually, yes. When it comes to fashion, it's all about projecting an image. And in an office environment, how you dress is extremely important in terms of creating positive perceptions and impressions. Here are some fashion tips to consider:
One of the most obvious fashion errors is wearing a shirt that's too casual and shows too much. It's best to keep your shirt buttoned so no chest hair is exposed. When in doubt, button up. We recommend long sleeves (yes, even in summer) because it looks more professional and polished. If you do wear a tie, please make sure it's long enough-it should reach your belt line. Avoid novelty ties with smiley faces, cute animals or the like, unless you work with children.
Even in the most casual of offices, wearing shorts is usually frowned upon. Casual Fridays is no excuse&shorts for guys in the office are just not the way to go. If you're really hot, try linen pants.
Do items need to match? Yes! Wear socks that match your pants, and a belt that matches your shoes.
You may love them at the beach or on the weekends, but leave your flip-flops at home-they're just not professional. If you're looking for comfort, try loafers (always with socks!) Please please please...never wear socks and sandals and avoid sneakers at work. Make sure your shoes are shined and in good shape.
Message T-shirts. Without a doubt, these should only be worn in your free time, not when you're at work or dealing with clients or co-workers. You don't want to offend anyone! If you can wear short-sleeved shirts to work, stick to collared, non-button down shirts in solids or stripes. (Never wear a short- sleeved button-down shirt with a tie, please!) Cargo or wrinkled pants. We know they're comfortable and you can carry a lot in the pockets. But they really are too casual for an office environment. Instead, try pressed, not wrinkled khakis, corduroys or dark slacks. Besides, if you need to carry items, consider a briefcase or trendy messenger bag! (Please, no backpacks in the office!)
Baseball cap. We don't care how much you support your local team, club or school&baseball caps, even turned backwards, are just not okay in an office environment.
Clothes that are too tight or too loose. Need we say more? Wearing clothes that don't fit, either because they're so loose they look sloppy or so tight they look uncomfortable, is not a good way to make an impression. If you need help, many stores have personnel who can give you good advice about flattering colors and styles.
Oh, Those Odors!
Whether it's smoke, sweat or a present from your favorite baby, odors in clothing can be difficult to remove. There's actually a natural, inexpensive item that you probably own already that can help. It's baking soda!
To remove the smell of vomit or baby spit up, rub baking soda directly on the item. If you've got clothes with smelly oil, gas or other similar types of odors, seal them in a bag with some baking soda for about a day. Or you can try making a paste of baking soda and water and then soaking the item. This works well for smoke odors or sweat.
Two other ideas that can you try to eliminate odors from cltohes: Add about a cupful of white vinegar in your washing machine during the rinse cycle. This should work well at getting rid of many odors. Another great idea that may seem old-fashioned but most certainly will work: try hanging the clothes outside after washing. It's true...fresh air can really work wonders!
Home Laundry Tip
Most people know the basics about keeping your dryer working well. It's a good idea to clean the lint filter after every dryer load: too much lint can mean your clothes wont dry as efficiently and eventually, can actually cause a fire.
But did you know it's a good idea to empty the dryer hose once a year, too? It's simple: just remove the hose from the machine and, using an old towel, clean it out. Then replace the hose onto the machine.
Washing machines need to be cleaned, too. Every few months, it's a good idea to turn the machine on to "hot" and fill it with water. Then add one cup of white vinegar and let it continue for the cycle. You should also check hoses once a year. Look for any telltale cracks and bubbles and replace hoses if necessary.
Cloth or Disposable Diaper: What's More "Green"?
How many diapers does a baby go through before they are toilet trained? Some estimates say it's as high as 8,000. Whether it's disposable diapers (more than 90% of babies in the United States) or cloth, diapers have a huge impact on our planet.
There's been a lot of debate over that impact: those in favor of cloth diapers point to the millions of tons of waste caused by diapers, not to mention the plastic and trees needed to manufacture these diapers. While there are now biodegradable diapers being marketed, experts in waste management say that most things fail to biodegrade - even natural materials - in the environment of a landfill because of the lack of oxygen and water. And while theoretically it would be best to flush solid waste in a toilet before disposing of a disposable diaper, most parents don't do this, so untreated fecal matter ends up in landfills, too. Diapers made up 3.4 million tons of waste, or 2.1 percent of U.S. garbage, in landfills in 1998 -- the last year this information was collected, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
On the other hand, washing diapers, whether at home or using a laundry service, does also consume energy and affects the environment in terms of impact on sewer systems and water pollution.
The bottom line is that there are downsides to both types of diapers. So what's a "green minded" person to do? First, it's pretty clear that using cloth diapers is probably a better choice in terms of the environment, but the reality is that it's not as convenient as disposable diapers. Some parents try using a mix of cloth and disposables, but it looks like there will continue to be debate over this issue.