3 Kids and Us

Revealed: The 10 Most Inspirational Celebrity Fashion Icons

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All over the world, women look for inspirations from celebrities in terms of their style. UK fashion retailer Bonmarche has completed a study to determine which women were particularly inspirational for those in their target demographic, being women aged over 45. They found that, consistently, Helen Mirren, Jennifer Anniston, Meryl Streep, and Joanna Lumley ranked in the top 4 across all age groups and geographical locations.

It is a universally accepted fact that woman always want to look their best. Often, women develop their personal sense of style by looking towards celebrity women for inspiration. UK fashion retailer Bonmarche has completed a study across women from all over the United Kingdom, aged 45 and over, to determine which women were their greatest inspirations. The full results of their study were:

  1. That 19.2% of women were inspired by Helen Mirren.
  2. That 16.3% of women were inspired by Jennifer Anniston
  3. That 14.5% of women were inspired by Meryl Streep.
  4. That 13.5% of women were inspired by Joanna Lumley.
  5. That 10.3% of women were inspired by Nicole Kidman.
  6. That 10% of women were inspired by Elle McPherson.
  7. That 8.1% of women were inspired by Julie Walters.
  8. That 5.9% of women were inspired by Jane McDonald.
  9. That 5.4% of women were inspired by Salma Hayek.
  10. That 4.8% of women were inspired by Ruth Langsford.

Breaking these numbers down into different age groups, they found that women between 45 and 54 followed them exactly. 19.2% of women cited Helen Mirren in first place, 16.3% picked Jennifer Aniston, 14.5% picked Meryl Streep, and 13.5% picked Joanna Lumley. When asked why, women said Helen Mirren’s sophisticated style was what they wanted to emulate, whereas it was Jennifer Aniston’s golden tan, lustrous hair, and healthy living habits.

Looking at the 55 to 64 age group, there were some changes. Mainly, Helen Mirren was cited as favorite by 20% of women, a slight rise. Jennifer Anniston held on to her second place position, but only 15.5% of women mentioned her. Meryl Streep and Joanna Lumley stayed in third and fourth place respectively.

A real change was noted in the over 65 age category. Here, 28.4% of women cited Helen Mirren as their favorite, and Jennifer Anniston made a dramatic drop to fourth place. However, the exception was seen in woman in Scotland, where the over 65s placed Jennifer Anniston in first place, with a whopping 27.8%.

According to Bonmarche’s online marketing manager: “As women grow older, their tastes and influences change, but one thing remains constant: a desire to look great”.

Bonmarche has been very impressed with the results of their study. For them, it shows that, once women reach the age of 45, they are quite consistent in terms of which women they feel look good. While there are some fluctuations in the top 4, the same four women are mentioned again and again. This information is invaluable for them as it helps them to drive their own stock. By monitoring the clothing of these icons, they can ensure that they have relevant items in store.

What they found particularly interesting, however, was that it was not just the clothes that made the woman. Women consistently mentioned their celebrity inspiration’s hair, skin, and healthy living habits. This would suggest that, for the modern woman, lifestyle is as important as fashion. This is something that Bonmarche feels should be celebrated, as it also demonstrates that women want to live long, healthy lives and not just look good from the outside, but from the inside as well.

Bathroom Remodeling Tips

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The bathroom is somewhere that we spend a great deal of our time and although you may not realize it, the quality of your bathroom can have a profound effect on your day. We don’t just use our bathrooms for cleansing ourselves and when nature calls, it is also the sanctuary which we can go to, lock the door and be alone with our thoughts for a while. For these reasons it is important that when it comes to remodeling your bathroom, you do so with a great deal of thought and careful planning. If you are preparing to remodel your bathroom, here are some tips which may be able to help you out.

Subtle Themes

The best bathrooms are those which use subtle designs, colors and patterns to make the place stand out. Filling your bathroom with a variety of colors will only serve to make the bathroom feel chaotic, remember that this is a room which should be relaxing. In order to keep it simple and effective, why not consider a plain white, slate or black bathroom, and then add hints of color and design throughout.

Go Big on The Bathtub

A bathtub can really add to the overall impact of your bathroom and you should view it as a center point as well as something that is functional. For this reason it is important that you aren’t afraid to spend the necessary money on a tub that will not only look amazing in your bathroom but also can provide you with ultimate relaxation and comfort after a long day. There is a wide range of baths to choose from such as clawfoot bathtubs and freestanding bathtubs, depending on what you have space for and which you think suits you best.

Functionality

Whilst opting for a pretty bathroom is not such a bad thing, you must also make sure that the bathroom which you are designing is practical too. If you have kids then you are going to need a bathroom which is flexible and has plenty of storage space. If it is just yourself or you and a partner then perhaps you may want to focus on a bathroom which can give you maximum comfort and relaxation space.

Make sure that you put the time in to designing your bathroom, it is an important room in the house and one which you probably spend more time in than you would’ve thought.

The Long Haul: 5 Tips for Honoring Loyal, Long-Time Employees

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You can’t put a price tag on the value that long-time employees provide to your business. They’ve been with you through it all: the good, the bad and the ugly. You’ve celebrated birthdays together, hit countless deadlines and maybe even relied on each other to make it through networking events.

How can you honor these loyal team members and show them that you truly appreciate the years of work they’ve put in helping you sustain and grow your business? Handing them a card on their “jobiversary” seems a little understated. After all, as Glassdoor points out, these employees have proven their loyalty, flexibility and understanding of your company over time.

Here are five tips for expressing your appreciation for your valued veteran employees. 

Give Earnest Thanks

There’s no substitute for looking someone in the eye and sincerely telling them that you appreciate them. However, you can make your point even more powerful if you bring up specific examples.

Before you pull an employee into your office to thank them (perhaps on a work anniversary or another milestone), collect positive feedback from their colleagues. Think about situations where they’ve proven to be an irreplaceable part of the team. This way, when you deliver your high praise, you’ll be demonstrating to them that you notice their strengths and contributions.

Don’t forget to mention a few traits or actions outside of daily job requirements, too. Does this employee take the time to bake treats and bring them in for the team? Does he or she step up to mentor new employees and interns without anyone asking? Have they organized an important event (like a luncheon, gala or party) on top of their everyday duties? Point it out. 

Make Your Appreciation Heard

In addition to taking the time to say thanks one-on-one, you can get the whole office involved. While you would never want to embarrass or patronize any employees, you still want to let them know that you’re not alone in appreciating them—the whole team does, too.

Thoughtful group activities like a collaborative card, desk decorating or a special blog post on your company website can help long-term employees feel outwardly proud about their contributions. 

Let’s Do Lunch

Everybody loves lunch. Let your employee of honor pick the place occasionally. It’s the perfect setting for a mix of friendly chit chat and discussing the company in earnest. Not only will you get to know the person better as an individual, but you may even pick up some valuable pointers on how you can keep improving your company’s culture and workflow, according to Spark Hire. And of course, pick up the tab at the end of the meal.

A Well-Deserved Bonus

Feeling valued is about a combination of words and actions. While you can never buy your way to having a supportive company culture, you can put your money where your mouth is and offer bonuses to stellar, long-term employees.

This monetary reward can be in the form of an incremental raise, a one-time bonus or a non-cash gift, and should be separate from their typical yearly raise. In fact, one of the greatest ways to appreciate your employees is to make sure their benefits package is competitive to start with. There’s no one-time gift that can replace benefits like health insurance, workers compensation, paid time off and more. 

Offer Privileges

If your company isn’t quite in the position to offer financial rewards, there are still many ways you can thank your steadfast employees. After all, they’ve stood by you for years!

Here are a few employee perks that won’t bust your budget:

– Flexible hours

– Extra days off

– Longer lunches

– Health and wellness enrichment

– Healthy food and snacks

– Team volunteer outings

As important as it is to honor loyal employees with special displays, one of the best things you can do for them is foster a positive company culture year-round complete with benefits, privileges and honest feedback.

Things To Avoid To Keep Your Teeth White

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There is something about a shiny white smile that just seems healthy, but our teeth take a lot of punishment over the years with the food that we eat, and the liquids that we drink. There are some foods which can help maintain healthy white teeth but there are also a lot of things that you should not overindulge in if you want to keep your teeth looking beautiful and white.

Tomato Sauce

If you like ketchup on your burgers, then the sauce does a lot of damage to your teeth. If you want to avoid dull looking teeth, then you should consider not adding this sweet tomato sauce to your food.

Sweet Drinks

Sweet drinks including carbonated drinks are not only bad for the waistline, but also for our teeth. These drinks often have a high sugar content which is already bad enough for the teeth, but the acidity of the drinks is also not good if you want your teeth to remain sparkling white. If you have undergone teeth whitening in Sydney, or anywhere else, but just cannot resist your sweet and sugary drinks, then drink them through a straw so that the liquid goes past your teeth.

White Wine

Drinking white wine can also stain our teeth, so if you enjoy a glass of wine on occasion but want to keep that winning smile, try switching to another tipple. Avoid drinking spirits with soft drinks and fruit juices, as the acidity and sugar are just as bad for your teeth.

Coffee And Tea

Our daily dose of caffeine is something that a lot of us think we cannot do without, but if you want to avoid staining and discolouration of your teeth, it is something that is best avoided. Our cups of coffee and tea, and even fruit tea, can have a significant impact on the colour of our teeth and abstain from drinking them and using advanced whitening toothpaste for a month could show you some remarkable changes in the colour of your teeth.

Smoking

Smoking is also something which stains not only the fingers and smells bad but also can stain your teeth. If you want to keep your teeth white, then you should give up the habit which will also have many added benefits to your health, and also your wallet.

Indian Takeaways

The heavy spices that are used in Indian cooking smell and taste amazing, however, they do also stain your teeth. To keep them looking pristine and white, next time you are thinking of a takeaway choose something that will not discolour your pearly whites.

Soy Sauce & Balsamic Vinegar

Anything acidic will be bad for your teeth, and these are two things that will change your smile from dazzling white, to dull and dirty.

All Kinds Of Berries

As much as they are tasty, the berries that we eat also can stain our teeth, as well as our hands and face when we eat them.

You do not have to avoid any of these foods entirely to keep your teeth shiny and white, but you should make sure that you only consume them in moderation. Clean your teeth thoroughly after eating or drinking, and you can help to keep your smile beautifully white for many years to come.