January 2009 Issue
In this months Issue:
What Colors Will Be Hot This Year?
Cleaning Formal Wear
Pressed4Time Money-Saving Tip
Pressed4Time Home Laundry Tip
What Colors Will Be Hot This Year?
The economy may be gloomy, but sunny days are ahead, at least when it comes to color preferences. Yellow is expected to be a top seller this year, according to the Pantone Color Institute and the Color Marketing Group. Yellow is seen as cheerful, warm and optimistic. CMG predicts it will be the standout accent color this year, bringing positive energy to many kinds of design, including home décor and clothing.
Other colors are also predicted to be popular. CMG, an international non-profit association of color design professionals, says purple is the years must have color, ranging from violet tones to redder, plumier purples and bluer-influenced fuchsias. Blue is the new green, says CMG, including watery blues, sky blues and a full range of blues that represent our commitment to green living.
Other predictions include an emphasis on exotic colors from China, Turkey and India, including orange, turquoise and teal, reds, and of course, yellow again. Mauve, too, an old favorite, will be a popular accent color and will act as a neutral to the more exotic tones.
Interestingly enough, CMG says white should now be considered a business color, in finishes like matte, gloss, textured or smooth whites. If youre thinking business, CMG says, think white; purity of thought, motive and result, which is what people are seeking from businesses these days.
Cleaning Formal Wear
Glitter, velvet trim, beautiful beads, fancy buttons, silk or other delicate fabrics&were talking about holiday attire! As the season winds down, you may find that you have some lovely outfits that are in need of cleaning!
We recommend that you bring us your holiday dresses, skirts and tops. After all, were the clothing care experts! Your outfit will get special treatment from us so that you can wear it again for the next special occasion. Be sure to let us know if you spilled anything on the garment, even if you cant see the stain.
Pressed4Time Money-Saving Tip
Editors Note: Last year, Pressed4Time provided monthly tips to help our environment. This year, with everyone doing some belt-tightening in all areas of our lives, we will provide techniques and advice for saving money.
Kids grow quickly, which means spending a great deal of money on clothes is often a waste. So while we often advise adults to look for quality manufacturing and materials, we suggest you look for items your kids will actually feel comfortable in and wear, since they might not even fit them for a whole season! We have some great ways to save money on childrens clothes:
*Take an inventory. Every season, its a good idea to go through your childs clothes, and remove any stained or outgrown articles. Save items in good shape to donate to friends, family or charity. Make a list of what items your child will need. If you have items in storage, keep them in large plastic sealed containers, labeled with the size and season.
*Consider buying used clothing. At first, this may seem strange, but often childrens clothes have only been worn a few times and are in very good condition. Visit thrift stores and try garage sales. If your child is under five, you can often plan ahead by buying items in larger sizes (youre estimating growth, of course, so dont go overboard or buy clothes too far in advance). Check elastic (sometimes it wears out) and examine items closely for stains.
*Accept and Ask for Hand-me Downs. If theyve got kids, theyve got hand-me-downs. Dont be afraid to ask. You might also try clothing exchanges with friends or neighbors.
*Keep track of sales and discounts. Large discount retailers often have the best prices on necessities like underwear and socks; check online and in the newspaper for special sales. Consider buying items out of season, taking into account how much your child may grow.
*Avoid trendy clothing as much as possible. Sure, its okay to buy an occasional Hannah Montana or High School Musical T-shirt or set of pajamas, but try to stay with classic styles that can be worn by younger family members or friends children.
*Involve older children in making a budget and helping make selections. Theyll get a more realistic view of what they can buy, and theyre more likely to wear clothes theyve helped pick out.
Pressed4Time Home Laundry Tip
Your clothes are in the washing machine, and you dont have much time to dry them. What can you do to speed up the process? We have two suggestions. When the washing cycle is completed, take out the lighter-weight garments and put them in the dryer. Then run the heavier items through spin cycle again. This will reduce the moisture of the heavy items, and allow the lighter garments to dry faster on their own. One further suggestion: if youre in a rush and only have a few items that need to be dried, try adding a thick, dry towel into the dryer with those garments. The towel will absorb some of the moisture and your items will finish more quickly.