Spandex - Wonder Fabric or Worst Nightmare?

Spandex leads a strange existence being ostracized yet is so commonly worn, often without the knowledge of the wearer. Back in the 80's and early 90's spandex was all the rage. Manufacturers were making every conceivable item they could from spandex and those items flew off the shelves.







Bella Ladies Camisole Shelf-Bra Tank Top
5% Spandex









So what happened to the miracle known as spandex? As usual fads die out and fade away however spandex has enjoyed life as being perfect for blends ever since. There are still a few items that are made out of primarily spandex such as bike shorts, lingerie and some compression items but they day of all spandex anything are long gone.






Under Armour Men's Endurance Short
16% Spandex











Today you still find spandex in many items such as shirts and jeans adding some stretch and making the fabric it's added to lighter and more comfortable. Manufacturers often state they try to stay under a 30% blend but you will typically see around a 12% to 15% blend in compression items and 5% for stretch garments. This just goes to show that a little spandex goes a long way.







5.11 Tactical Muscle Mapping Shirt
5% spandex








The next time your shopping and see an item that interests you don't just put it back because you see spandex on the tag. With the new uses and blends for this material you may be passing up the most comfortable shirt you ever wore.

Don't Risk Your Future on a T Shirt - Nail That Interview

Hi Doug. I need to talk to you. Business has been slow and we to make some cut backs in order to save money. I'm sorry but we're going to lay you off. I need you to clean out your desk and leave the building.

Unfortunately this is a conversation taking place all over the country and according to the bureau of labor statistics the current unemployment is at 9.4%. That means there are a lot of people looking for a job. If your one of them it is important that you don't blow your interview by showing up looking completely inappropriate.

There are three levels of dress that you should be prepared for in going to an interview. They include casual, business casual and professional. You need to know the correct style of dress before you go to your interview. You can ask what the dress code is when they call to set up your interview or call the company receptionist and ask them what the dress code is.

Casual dress is simple. You can wear jeans and a shirt. Make sure your clothes are clean and free of smells with no holes. I would suggest that you wear a nicer pair of shoes and not the tennis shoes you have had for almost a year. Make sure your hair is neat and groomed. Under no circumstances should you ever wear a T shirt instead wear a solid color polo or button up shirt. The types of jobs you would dress casual for would be fast food establishments or other similar jobs.

Business casual is what most people should wear to an interview. For men this would usually include a collared shirt, possibly a sport jacket, slacks, black socks and a matching belt and shoes. For women it would be a good quality blouse with a blazer, slacks or a skirt, nylons if wearing a skirt and leather closed toe shoes. Also and appropriate dress can be considered to fit in this category. You should wear business casual for any jobs from retail to management positions.

Professional dress is one of the most dangerous areas of dress since a slight miscalculation could cost you any chance of advancing past the first interview. When you dress professional people expect you to be on top of the game and will not let little mistakes slide as if you had dressed in one of the other two categories. For men you are going to wear a suit and tie with a white or solid color tie. Also shoes and belts must be black or brown and your shoes must be well polished. Pressed slacks and dark socks are also a must and ensure your hair and nails are well groomed. Keep any tattoos covered and wear only a wedding ring and a watch for jewelry. For women a business suit or dress with a suit jacket are acceptable. Shoes should be closed toe pumps. Limit jewelry to small pair of stud earrings, wedding band, watch and maybe a necklace/pendant that compliments the outfit. For both sexes the preferred color is black, gray or navy. Professional dress should be worn for executive, banking, and professional types of positions.

Cotton, Polyester or Both?

We have all been to the store looking for new shirts and come across the three big fabrics. Ever wonder wonder what the difference between cotton, polyester or a mix of the two mean? Take a few seconds and read on to become an expert for your next shopping trip.

Cotton
Cotton is what can called a tried and true fabric. There are several age ranges for how long it has been around but it seems that cotton was first used for fabric around 5000 bc. Cotton has some excellent properties that has made it so popular.

• Soft on the skin
• Breathes well
• Releases perspiration quickly
• Some variations can hold up to 27 times it's weight of water

The biggest drawback of cotton is that it tends to wrinkle easily but with some finishes even that can be minimized

Polyester
Compared to cotton polyester is a young contender since the first patent was in 1941 but has played a major role in clothing for many years. Polyester has been an ugly duckling since the late 1960's because of the negative public image of the double knit fabric. Polyester has some excellent benefits that include:

• Strong
• Resists stretching and shrinking
• Quick drying
• Wrinkle and mildew resistant
• abrasion resistant
• easily washed

Polyester is less comfortable to wear than cotton and because it doesn't absorb water as well it don't breath as well either.

Poly/Cotton
What happens if you take two items that have advantages to one another and mix them? If done correctly you get the best of both worlds. That's what they have done with Poly/Cotton material. With these two blended you get most of the advantages of both cotton and polyester the biggest differences are:

• Don't dry as fast as polyester but faster than cotton
• May hold more stains than polyester
• Holds less water than cotton

There are several different blends out there and they will be tagged something like 65/35 which means 65% polyester and 35% cotton. There are many other blends like 50/50 or 70/30 but just remember that the first number is polyester and the second one is cotton. The more of one material it has means that the more of its benefits it takes on. So if you want something soft that don't wrinkle then a 65/35 or 70/30 might be right for you but if your looking for a shirt that will release perspiration quickly but is strong and mildew resistant then you would want to try a 50/50 blend.

The next factor that can make a huge difference in a shirt is the weave such as microfiber which is also polyester but we will cover those in a later article.