How many times have you found the perfect pair of pants fit wise only to be discouraged because you realize that they are way too long? Well that should never deter you from buying those pants and if you know how to hem a pair of pants, it won’t. Learning how to hem pants gives you a distinct advantage every time you go shopping for clothes because you never have to worry about the length of pants and can instead focus on the actual fit of the pants. The best part is it is not as hard as you might think.

Learning to hem opens up a whole new world of options for you when it comes to fashion. Here are the steps to hemming a pair of pants:

1. Remove existing hem: If there is an existing hem then you will want to remove the threads and then iron where the old hem was to remove the creases.
2. Mark the new hem: Try on the pants with a pair of shoes that you will likely be wearing with the pants and then use tailor’s chalk to mark where you will want the new hem to be. Do this evenly on each side and then pin the new hem in place.
3. Make hem creases: Once the new hem is pinned in place you will iron once again but this time to create a crease where the new hem will reside. After ironing, try on the pants again and be sure that you will be pleased with the fit because the next step requires cutting to take place and there is no turning back after that.
4. Trim the fat: Trim all the excess material away using scissors and stay as straight as possible to achieve an even cut. You will want to leave a hem allowance of about one to two inches for dress pants and one inch for a top stitched hem.
5. Define new creases: Now using a press cloth to avoid hurting the fabric, press the hem lines in good with your iron.
6. Sew the new hem: In this step you will want to try to mimic the original hem. If the fabric is really bulky you can use seem tape to help you with the material. Once you know where you will be sewing use a sewing machine or break out the thread and needle and go to town.
7. Press one more time: After sewing the hem into place give the hem one last pressing with the iron and you should be all set.

The entire process should take you about an hour but realize when you first set out to do this it may be just a bit longer than that. But once you get the process down you will never again have to put those cute pants back on the rack simply because they are too long. While there may be many reasons not to buy a pair of pants, the length being too long should never be one of them.

Perhaps nothing looks better than a nice leather jacket. This versatile garment can be worn year round and goes with almost any pair of pants or jeans. The great thing about leather jackets is that everyone looks great in them. Leather jackets can also be expensive so it is important to take proper care of your leather jacket if you wish to enjoy it for an extended period of time.

Leather is a fickle material so special care must be taken to ensure your leather jacket is always at its best. Here are some easy but important ways to care for your leather jacket:

•    Apply a protectant: The first thing you should do when you purchase a leather jacket is protect it using a colorless, odorless aerosol spray that will help repel water and stains. There a number of different brands available and which one you use is really a personal preference, but you should never leave your leather jacket untreated. The protectant should be reapplied every six months to ensure that your leather jacket will always stay looking its best.
•    Keep it dry: Just as with oil, leather does not mix well with water. If your leather jacket does happen to get wet do not dry it in the dryer or with a blow dryer as this is a recipe for disaster. Simply towel dry the jacket as best you can and then hang your leather jacket up and allow the rest of the moisture to air dry. Try to avoid water all together if you can. If the weather looks sketchy, don’t risk it, leave the jacket at home or at the very least make sure you bring an umbrella.
•    Pad it up: When you hang up your jacket you should do so on a heavy duty padded hanger. This will keep the jacket from getting those nasty looking hanger marks and will also allow the jacket to naturally remain wrinkle free.
•    Condition: At least one time per year you should have you leather jacket conditioned. You can either do this yourself or take the jacket to a professional and have it done for you. Conditioning the leather on a regular basis will keep the leather softer and help to avoid cracking in the leather. If you do this yourself be sure to take special care and pay extra attention to the elbows of the jacket as these areas are bent more frequently and more susceptible to cracking if not properly treated.
•    Avoid plastic: If you plan on storing your leather jacket for any period of time avoid doing so in a plastic cover like the ones you get from a dry cleaner. These types of bags do not allow the jacket to breath and that spells trouble for the leather. Instead use a fabric garment bag that is breathable. This will protect your jacket and also allow the leather to get some much needed air.

With proper care and regular maintenance your leather jacket will look as good as the day you bought it for many years to come.

Just when you thought you were the number one fan your favorite team up and changes its logo and entire uniform. This leaves you scrambling to the mall or department store to buy a new jersey and of course a new baseball cap sporting the new logo. Once at home you try on your new apparel and look into the mirror. While the jersey looks great, your new baseball cap is so poofy and stiff you look like an old time rail road conductor. With the season fast approaching you want to break in your new baseball cap and you don’t want to wait the weeks to months it can take to break in a baseball cap by simply wearing it everywhere you go.

Fortunately there are some tricks to getting your cap to break in quickly and have the old conductor’s hat fitting like a swimming cap. Here are some tips to help you break in your baseball cap quickly:

•    Rubber band trick: When you first buy your new baseball cap the bill of the hat is usually stiff and straight. To fix this, stuff the inside of the baseball cap with a shirt or two and take a heavy duty rubber band and place it tightly around the bill of the cap. This will create a nice bend and after a few nights of this the bill should be formed just the way you like it.

•    Bend the bill: If the rubber band trick is not doing it for you or you don’t have the patience for it then you can always resort to the old bend the bill method. Simply bend the bill back and forth until the desired contour is achieved.

•    Scrunch and crunch: To loosen up the fibers of the cap you can take it and simple scrunch and crunch it up. Treat it like an old piece of paper and do this for 20 minutes at a time. The result will be a cap that will be less stiff and better formed to your head.

•    Water torture: This trick works for all baseball caps, but especially well on wool caps. Take your new cap and soak it completely in warm water. Make sure that the cap is wet all the way through. Now take the cap out and without ringing it dry, put it on your head and let it dry. As the cap dries it will shrink itself up and because it is sitting on your head it will take the shape of your head. You may have to repeat this process a few times and deal with the discomfort of a wet head, but this is the best way to get your cap to fit your head as though it was custom made for it.

After all of that you simply need to wear the cap around as much as possible. Now you can enjoy the upcoming season sporting your team’s new logo and you don’t have to worry about anybody thinking you are going to yell, ‘All aboard.’ All that is left is for to cheer loudly for your favorite team and enjoy the season.

Leather is one of the oldest materials used for clothing and shoes. It is just as popular and comfortable now as it was for the first people who ever used it. Leather offers so many advantages from strength to versatility to good looks and comfort. It also provides softness and stretch so that practically any leather can mold and adapt to a given shape, which is why leather shoes are so much more comfortable when they have been broken in. If you are looking to stretch out leather for maximum comfort there are a few things that you should know.

If you want to stretch leather shoes, there are professional sprays that can help you with the process. You simply need to spray the shoes with it and it will help the leather to adapt and stretch to the shape of your feet. You will need to wear the shoes however to get them stretched to the right shape. Alternatively you can buy shoe stretchers to put inside such shoes. This is a good investment if your feet are just slightly bigger than a certain size and you need to regularly stretch shoes. You can also stretch shoes by putting on heavy socks or even multiple pairs of heavy socks and wearing the leather shoes around your home until they stretch enough to be comfortable. Stuffing your shoes with any rigid item that pushes its limits will help to achieve the stretch you want too.

If you are looking to stretch bigger items like leather pants, shirts, skirts or boots, you will need to use water. While this goes completely against what we are usually told about caring for leather, you will need to completely submerge your leather item in warm water. While the item is in the water, knead the leather to make it as supple and workable as possible. Keep your item there for at least 10 minutes. When it comes out of the water you will need to put on your soaking wet leather and wear it around for a while. This gives the material the opportunity to stretch to your shape so that it fits you perfectly and hugs your every curve. In this way you can truly create a one-of-a-kind leather garment that is for you alone. Wear the leather for as long as you comfortably can in order to preserve the new shape you introduced to it.

The alternate method for stretching out leather is to go to a professional leather shop or in the case of shoes to a cobbler for professional stretching. Such people have the equipment necessary to achieve what you are looking for without the extra work on your part. However, you will have to pay for this service. It typically takes 24 hours or more.

Get your beautiful leather that doesn’t quite fit out of the back of the closet. With a little ingenuity and time you can stretch the items you haven’t worn in a while. Before you know it, you’ll be slipping into a sexy leather look that is just perfect for just about anything.

More times than not a person buys a pair of shoes based more on looks and neglects to think about the comfort. Even a pair of shoes that may have felt alright while on your feet at the shoe store can be brought home only to discover that they aren’t all that cozy and are certainly going to take some breaking in. Breaking a pair of shoes in means that you have to basically stretch the shoes to get them to fit and conform to your feet.

If you are like most people you will simply bite the bullet, buy a fresh package of Band Aids and just start wearing the shoes around. White this is certainly one way to go about it, there are things you can do to lessen the blisters and still have your new shoes fitting like an old standby pair of gym shoes.

Here are some tips to help you break in your shoes without breaking in your skin:

•    Take in a flick: First put on your new pair of shoes and then pop in your favorite DVD. Then sit back and relax. While you are enjoying the film, your feet will be effortlessly stretching the new pair of shoes and this will lead to a better fit.
•    Wear extra socks: Put on two or three pairs of socks for shoes that require just one pair and one or two pairs for shoes that require none and then squeeze into your new pair of shoes. Walk around the house in your shoes for about 15 to 20 minutes. The extra socks will increase the size of your foot and help to stretch the shoes faster and because the extras socks will build up a layer of extra padding, blisters will more than likely stay away.
•    Enlist a friend: Find one of your friends that has feet that are a size or so bigger than yours. Ask them to put on the shoes and walk around for about five minutes. The increased foot size will have your shoes broken in before you know it.
•    Flex your shoes: This tip works especially well for new sneakers. Take one shoe at a time and simple flex and stretch it with your hands. Repeat the process with the other shoe and do this for about 20 minutes. The more you flex and stretch the shoes, the easier it will be to get your feet to comfortably fit into them.
•    Stuff your shoes: Before you go to bed you can stuff your shoes full of socks. The goal here is to have the shoes so stuffed that the sides are bulging out. This will give the shoes a nice stretch all night long and they should fit you much better come morning time.

Just remember that breaking in a new pair of shoes will take a little time. Be patient and avoid buying a pair of shoes that you have to wear right away. With a little manipulation of your new pair of shoes, they will be as cozy as an old pair of slippers in no time.

You have just worn yet another hole into your favorite pair of jeans and you know it time for them to be retired. You rush off to the department store and grab the same brand and the same size you just had and go back home happy with your purchase. Once at home you put on the jeans and whoa! The jeans are so tight you feel like you need to grease yourself just to get into them. No you didn’t get the wrong size; you just have to break in the new jeans.

Breaking in new jeans is a process that takes just a bit of time. Following these simple tips will have your new pair of jeans fitting like your old favorites in no time:

•   Wash the jeans: Most jeans will say to wash them in cold water with like colors. Why? Hot water will actually soften up your jeans. Wash your new jeans in hot water and dry them, but not completely. While still damp, put the jeans on and walk around with them. This will help the jeans conform to your body.
•   Roll the jeans: Match up the pant legs of the jeans and start at the bottom to create a tight roll. The tighter you roll the jeans the better. As you unroll them be sure to pull at the denim as this will help to stretch the fibers and give you jeans a better overall fit.
•   Beat the jeans: Wash the jeans again in hot water. When you put them I the dryer throw on some sneakers and walk away. Make sure that the sneakers are not old and nasty. Besides clean sneakers, make sure the sneakers are safe to put in the dryer.  Having the sneakers in the dryer with the jeans will create a constant pounding on the jeans and that beating will loosen up the material so that the jeans will better fit you.
•    Wear the jeans: With every use the jeans will fit better and better. Constant wearing of the jeans will produce a comfortable fit faster. While they may not feel cozy at first over time the constant wearing of the jeans will have them hugging your legs and conforming to your shape.
•    Exercise the jeans: This sounds silly, but it works. Put the jeans on and do some jumping jacks. You can also do some deep squats or any other type of exercise where the material in the jeans will get a good stretch. The welcomed side effect here is some extra calories getting burned which can also help you fit into the jeans better.
•   Be patient: You may have to do these steps several times to accomplish your goal of breaking in the jeans. Even after you do though, keep in mind they will not fit like your old favorite pair for a while. Have a little patience and in time your new jeans will become just as cozy and form fitting as your old ones were and you will never think of the old ones again.

T-shirts are a great addition to practically any wardrobe. They work well in the most casual of situations, as well as with very dressy outfits. Having a wide variety of different color and style T-shirts in your wardrobe means true versatility. However, it is very important to be sure that the T-shirts you wear fit properly, because ill fitting ones simply make you appear careless.

If you are questioning whether or not a shirt is too small for you, the following guidelines should help you decide.
•    If a T-shirt feels too tight and you are uncomfortable in it, it is too small.
•    If your T-shirt leaves indentations on your skin from the seams, it does not fit properly.
•    It is too small if you raise your hands above your head and an expanse of belly or back is exposed.
•    If the shirt you are wearing rides up during normal movements, it is not big enough.
•    The shoulder seam where the sleeves are attached to the tee should not be on the shoulder. If they are, the shirt is definitely too small.
•    When every detail of your torso is tightly hugged by a T-shirt, it is too small.
•    If you struggle to get a T-shirt over your head, you definitely need a bigger size.
•    If your T-shirt doesn’t stay over your hips even though it is long enough to be able to, it is too small.
•    If the sleeves of the T-shirt are too tight on your arms, then the shirt is too small.
•    If your T-shirt emphasizes things about your body that you would rather not be emphasized, like love handles or a muffin top belly, then you can deem it too small.
•    If the hem of your T-shirt barely touches the waistband of your pants, it is also too small.

Fashion writers and other journalists are constantly writing articles about the style of certain celebrities. They like to analyze exactly what they are wearing and why it works so well. You’ll even find countless sources that provide information on where you can buy clothes to recreate the look of your favorite stars. However, often when we do try to get the same look, we are disappointed. It doesn’t look nearly as good on us as it does on the celebrities we watch. It’s not all about good looks. It is about working with your body type and choosing clothes that enhance your assets and downplay your negatives. Celebrities usually have stylists who help them do just that. The average person needs to do it on her own.

One of the most common issues that many regular people have is that they are not as tall as many of the celebrities and models who make clothes look so good. However, if you are vertically challenged and want to look taller, knowing how to use the right clothes to your advantage will help project the look you want. You can look taller with a little clothing magic.

To look taller in your clothes, you need to start with a solid line from head to toe. That means you should wear the same color or at least similar shades both on top and bottom. This will help you look slimmer and taller because the visual line of your body will not be cut by a contrasting color. The uninterrupted visual line is very important when striving to look taller.

Stripes are another very important tool to use in making yourself look taller. Choosing to wear vertical stripes will give the illusion that you are actually taller than you really are. Keep the stripes thin if you want to look taller and thinner. Wide stripes give you a look of added weight. Stay away from horizontal stripes. They make a drastic visual cut in your height. They also make you look heavier than you really are. Pin-striped pants are a great way to make your legs look tall and thin.

Add real height to your silhouette by wearing high heel shoes. This extra height will make you feel taller and encourage you to stand up straighter so you look taller than usual. Wear shoes that are the same color as your pants to keep that visual line going.
Avoid wearing patterns and belts. Make sure your clothing fits well and is not too tight. If it is too tight, it is distracting and disrupts the visual line of the body. Steer away from pants with cuffs also.

By using the tips provided here you will be well on your way to creating a visual illusion of height with your clothing. By working with what you have and camouflaging what you don’t have you can easily look as great as many of the celebrities out there without being a carbon copy of them.

Sizing is very important when it comes to looking good in your clothes. It not only gives a better impression when you are well dressed, it also makes you more comfortable and more confident in how you look. For a variety of reasons many people opt to wear T-shirts that are somewhat loose. They feel more at ease, less constricted and do not feel like they are showing off their body, flaws and all. However, it is very important to be able to tell if your T-shirt is actually too big, so you don’t look sloppy.

If the shoulder seams, where the shoulder meets the sleeve of the T-shirt, are falling lower than just slightly off the edge of the shoulder, than the T-shirt is too big. If you see the seam midway between the shoulder and the elbow you know that you definitely need to find one smaller. This is a common problem when women opt to wear men’s or even unisex T-shirts and is one of the best arguments for women wearing only T-shirts that are designed with their shape in mind.

If the T-shirt hangs very loosely, not even skimming the shape of the body and is long enough to be worn as a dress, you can definitely feel confident in saying that it is too big. Such T-shirts resemble small tents and are definitely not effective in covering up any perceived body flaws. They instead reinforce the impression that the person is not only overweight, but also sloppy. For those who are very thin, shirts that hang too loosely and too long also tend to make you look unkempt and even thinner than you actually are.

If you can lift a T-shirt by the shoulder seems and move it back and forth, so that each time you stop it shows a different part of your bra, shoulder, upper back or chest, you definitely have one that is too big. A T-shirt that fits properly should sit in only one place when you put it on and should not be adjustable. If it is, you need to go at least one size down, if not more.

Have you ever found the absolute perfect T-shirt but there was just one little thing wrong with it?  Often we come across shirts we absolutely love but they are in the wrong color, wrong size, wrong style, too short, too long, too tight or too loose. In fact there are endless things that could make a T-shirt almost perfect but not quite. If you happen across one of those almost perfect T-shirts that are simply too long, relax because it is the absolute easiest thing to fix. In no time, you can have the perfect T-shirt. Just follow these simple instructions on how to shorten a T-shirt.

1.    Pre-wash and dry the T-shirt. Alterations are never accurate unless the item has been laundered first. Even if the tag states that the T-shirt is pre-shrunk, you still need to wash and dry it at home to be sure that it has indeed reached its actual, final consumer size.
2.    After trying on the T-shirt and measuring carefully, cut the hem of the T-shirt to approximately 1 inch – 1 ½ inches longer than the desired ideal length.
3.    Use a serger machine to protect the cut ends of the shirt with an overlock stitch so they do not unravel or roll up.
4.    Fold the remaining end of the T-shirt to the desired size in order to create the new hem and then pin it, to hold it in place.
5.    Iron the seam to be sure it lays flat and to keep it in place when you actually start sewing.
6.    With care, line the T-shirt up on a sewing machine and simply sew the hem in place. You may also do so by hand, but machine stitchery is best.

Shortening an off-the-rack T-shirt to make it the perfect fit for you is not the only option you have. Of course you could buy it as is and belt it to wear as a dress or use it to sleep in, although these are not the ideal solutions either. If you happen to find an almost perfect T-shirt, there is another alternative to the somewhat timely process of shortening it. You can simply custom order a T-shirt like it that is indeed exactly what you want. Make a note of what it is that makes the T-shirt you have found so perfect, apart from its length, and then order it exactly as you want it.

T-shirts come in all different sizes and styles. From the tiniest to the largest, T-shirts can be found to fit everyone. The difference in styles means that no matter what your taste you will be able to find something in a T-shirt that appeals to you. However if you are in the market for T-shirts, you should know that neck sizes for T-shirts often run very differently than they do for other clothing.

Typically T-shirts have a one-size fits all neck for each size offered. In reality such neck sizes really do fit most people. The stretchiness of the knit collar on a T-shirt allows for enough elasticity when needed. Therefore, actual neck sizes are pretty unimportant.  This is totally unlike button down shirts where sizing is based on the neck size of the wearer for men’s shirts. Shirt sizes reflect the diameter in inches of a man’s neck. Because they are designed to be worn with the buttons closed at the neck and typically are made from material that doesn’t stretch, such shirts need specific neck sizes because one size fits all definitely would not work.

Differing necklines make T-shirts as easy choice for women. They can choose to show décolletage or not, depending on the neckline they choose. They get to pick from V-necks, scoop necks, boat necklines, traditional crew necks, keyhole necklines, princess necklines and square necklines. It certainly makes the variety to choose from impressive. They don’t need to worry about neck size at all.

Men are not quite this lucky when it comes to neckline choices in T-shirts. They only have V-necks as an acceptable alternative to the crewneck. Luckily this is a smart looking option that even looks much trendier than a crewneck shirt. As an added bonus, it also makes a great option for guys with larger than average necks.

Unlike many Hollywood celebs, Jessica Alba has perfected an ability to look fashionable while still being super-casual. She can pull off simple jeans and blouses stylishly by day, then morph into a glamorous starlet by night. Her style is rarely flashy, instead tending toward quiet sophistication and subtle colors.

Jessica Alba is a great example of how anyone can dress with class, regardless of your budget. Here are a few ideas to help you imitate her gorgeous yet laidback style.

Body. Keep your body toned and fit with a regular exercise regimen. It is the foundation of great fashion! Jessica is known for having a great butt, an area of the body which you can enhance with lots of squats and lunges.

Active wear. Jessica is frequently seen running around town in very casual clothing that complements her busy life as a wife and mom. Active pieces such as velour tracksuits and yoga pants help her stay comfortable and cute at the same time. Tracksuits designed by Juicy Couture are among her favorites, such as this Dog Crest Velour hoodie and pants set featuring a pink, silver and gold crest.

Jeans. Jessica is a fan of True Religion jeans, and has sported the label on and off the red carpet. She prefers a bootcut style with a dark wash, or with slight distressing at the thigh area. True Religion Sammy jeans and True Religion Joey jeans are both favorites.

Modest styles. Rather than baring every inch of skin possible, Jessica Alba is known for leaving something to the imagination. Her gown choices often tend toward the long and elegant, with a minimal amount of reveal. She seems to understand that often less skin is more sexy than a lot! Instead, Jess goes for fitted styles that accentuate her lovely hourglass figure.

Hair. Long, beautiful waves are a signature Jessica Alba look. You can try this with a curling iron. Simply wrap three to four inches of the hair around the barrel of the iron, then gently separate with your fingers. Set with a light spritz of finishing spray, but not too much because the look should always be natural. Jessica also prefers subtle golden highlights, which are best achieved by a professional colorist.

Accessories. Jessica is often seen wearing different styles of hats and caps, which serve to shield her from both California rays and the glare of the paparazzi. For the same reasons, sunglasses are another of her most common accessories. She always has a great bag with her, such as the Botkier Stirrup bag or a Yves Saint Laurent Muse bag. Gucci and Coach also count her among their fans.

Jewelry. Jessica prefers simple jewelry, and never overdoes it by piling on too much. In public she is usually seen in small earrings and a long dangly necklace, or hoop earrings with a simple chain necklace.

Makeup. Like the rest of her style, Jessica’s makeup is kept subtle and natural. She accentuates her eyes with neutral browns, and adds a clear gloss to lips for daytime wear. On the red carpet, she will go for a deeper lip shade while keeping her other makeup natural.

Seth Rogen is a casual dresser who has perfected the geek-chic look with a variety of casual and dress looks that have an unhurried, comfortable look. To get his look for casual dressing probably won’t require buying a lot of new clothes. Most people have the basic pieces of Seth Rogen’s look in their wardrobe already. It’s just a matter of putting them together the right way to create the look that Seth Rogen has made famous.

Shirts

When you start your Seth Rogen look, start with the layered t-shirt and over shirt look. The t-shirt should be either a light or dark color like dark blue, deep red or purple. The over shirt should be a button-up shirt with a geek-chic pattern on it. One of the ones that he wears most often is a shirt with gray or blue vertical stripes on a white background.

Leave one top button on the over shirt undone so that the very top if your t-shirt shows over the striped shirt. Keep both the t-shirt and the over shirt untucked, even if the t-shirt is longer than the over shirt. This is a real Seth Rogen look that gives the outfit a very casual, unplanned appearance.

Jeans

If you want a real Seth Rogen look, wear your most comfortable pair of jeans. You don’t have to buy a designer pair of jeans to get his look. Any brand of jeans will do. Just make sure that the pair you choose will fit loosely. Seth Rogen’s jeans always have a high waist, and they always fit loosely. If your jeans are faded, this will be an even better Seth Rogen look. Many of his jeans are faded and have some frayed edges. While he doesn’t wear jeans that are torn up or stained, he does wear jeans that look very lived in.

Suits

Though he is mostly known for his casual look, he also wears suits when the occasion calls for it. The suits he wears follow in his geek-chic pattern, borrowing from retro styles and out-of-fashion colors. This look relies on the vintage style that is gaining in popularity with young Hollywood men.

Instead of a modern suit with narrow lapels and a dark blue or gray color, choose a dark brown color that borrows its styling from the suits of the 70s. The lapels should be wide, just like suits from the 70s, and it should be loose fitting.

You may be able to find a vintage suit that has all of this styling. Look for one that is about one size larger than you would normally wear in order to get the loose-fitting look that Seth Rogen wears. Wear dark brown or black leather shoes with your suit.

When you choose your tie, the 70s are also the guiding style. Choose wide vintage or vintage-style ties that have diagonal stripes. Look for ties that have brown and gold or brown and green stripes in order to get an authentic Seth Rogen look.

Recently someone asked, “How much will a bra stretch?” Well, the answer is rather tricky. Some bras are designed for specific purposes, like sports bras and nursing bras. They are intended for situations where you really need support in order to be comfortable yet the fabric must also be flexible (imagine playing basketball in a bustierre). Sports bras feature wider straps, broader cups and stronger construction to minimize bouncing. If you’re shopping for a sports bra, you want to find one that will support your girls but not be too hot or irritating to the skin.

For everyday wear that doesn’t include exercise or excess movement, there are a huge range of choices in bras. The factor that determines how much a bra will stretch is the material it is made of. Cotton has long been the staple for bra materials because it is so comfortable. Your first bra was probably made of cotton. Cotton allows the skin to breathe, and it also allows for a lot of stretch and support at the beginning. However, after a short time cotton starts to lose its elasticity, which means the bra will not provide you enough support. Another downside to the cotton bra is that the material is thin, so you risk looking pokey from the front. Cotton also fades much quicker than other materials.

Rayon is another popular bra material, especially in lower-end bras. Rayon has a silky feel to it and comes in lots of pretty patterns that look great on the rack. The downside of rayon is that it stretches and doesn’t regain its shape, and it’s also prone to wrinkles. Not a good choice for those looking for a seamless shape under their clothing.

Another popular bra material is lace, although a much different version than is used to make Aunt Martha’s curtains. Lace bras are usually made of polyester and spandex, or a similar blend which allows for some stretch. Polyester lace can provide quite a lot of support, depending on the heaviness of the fabric. The heavier the fabric, the more the support; the lighter the fabric, the more stretch it will have. If you’re a bigger-breasted woman, you should always choose support over stretch.

Another popular bra style is the molded cup, typically made from foam or fiberfill material. Molded bra cups are made on a heat press that imitates the breast shape. Molded cups look great under thin fabrics because they’re seamless and smooth, but they do not allow for stretch. If your breasts are too big for a molded bra, they will start to spill over the top and sides, ruining the smooth line you’re going for.

The most important consideration for choosing a bra is fit. It’s estimated that nearly eight out of every 10 women are wearing the wrong bra size, which can lead to discomfort during wear, neck and shoulder pain, chaffing and a host of related problems. A professional bra fitting is highly recommended to help you determine the right size. A professional can also give you further guidance on the best fabrics to choose for your needs.

Tight t-shirts go in and out of fashion, along with other t-shirt fit and style fashions. Right now, tight t-shirts are definitely in fashion. Celebrities as well as people of all walks of life are wearing tight t-shirts to show off their figures and to stay in style. Below are a few options to make your t-shirts tighter.

1. Shrink Your Shirt

If you have a t-shirt that just isn’t fitting as tightly as you want it to, there are several options to make it fit more tightly or to make it look as if it does. One of the easiest things about making a t-shirt fit tighter is that most t-shirts are made form cotton. Even if they are not 100 percent cotton, they will generally be composed mainly of cotton. Because cotton will naturally shrink under certain conditions, an entire t-shirt can be made smaller, and therefore tighter.

The main ingredient in getting a t-shirt to shrink is heat. The easiest way to get enough heat to shrink a t-shirt is to wash it in hot water. Another way is to put it into the dryer for half an hour or more on high heat. Either method will shrink a t-shirt to make it fit more tightly. If you don’t have a washer or dryer, simply place the shirt in a sink full of hot water.

2. Side Knot (1980′s) Your T-Shirt

If the t-shirt has been shrunk but you still want it tighter, there are other options to make it look tighter without changing the actual size of the t-shirt. A side knot is a fun way to make a t-shirt tighter around the torso. To make a side knot, twist one corner of the shirt into a tight roll and then tie that roll into a simple knot. This will hold your t-shirt tightly around your abdomen for as long as you keep the knot tied. As a bonus, this is also a retro look that was popular in the 80s and is gaining popularity now as a throwback to the 80s look.

3. Cut / Sew Modifications to Your T-Shirt

Another way to make a t-shirt fit tighter is to actually change some of the dimensions of the t-shirt. If you have any sewing skills, you can turn it inside out and to sew a line of stitches ahead of the existing seams to make the t-shirt smaller. This also allows you to make any part of the shirt tighter that you wish. You can tighten just the torso while leaving the sleeves as they are, you can tighten just the sleeves to change the look of the shirt or you can make any other spot changes that will customize the fit of your t-shirt.

4. Layer Your T-Shirts & Clothing

If you have a t-shirt that fits too loosely and you want to change that look without changing the size of the t-shirt, you can wear another shirt under it to make it look like it is fitting tighter. This can quickly make your shirt look a little dressier instead of loose and casual. A thin camisole, crew-neck shirt or sleeveless t-shirt can make your shirt appear less loose quickly and easily.