Pink Flamingos Forever

and also flatter your face. Ruffles, flounces, and other embellishments will draw the eye upward. Likewise, if you are full-busted, avoid this extra volume. A halter-top is flattering for the full-busted woman. This style gives support, while the side fabric offers coverage. Ruching is a woman’s best fashion secret. This gathering-technique visually creates a slimming silhouette. Diagonal lines and belted suits can define your waist and be very slimming.

As I’ve said many times, the eye will always go to the spot where fabric meets skin because our eyes naturally go to exposed skin. This spot is a focal point. For this reason, take care that your suit covers any place you don’t want emphasized. Floaty overlays, attached swim skirts, and swim dresses are all attractive and feminine. These design features cover, conceal, and camouflage in modestly sexy ways.

When purchasing a swimsuit, quality is important. Check the fabric label for a high content of lycra. This fabric blend will mold to your body offering a better fit. Lined suits will hold their shape and offer the most protection from becoming see-through when wet.

To know how a suit is going to look and react to your body, you must try it on and move about. Sit down, wiggle, wriggle, bend over, and move your arms as if you were swimming. This is the only way to know how the suit will move when you do.

A simple trick to looking your best when trying on swimsuits is to wear the right undergarments. It’s impossible to get an accurate assessment of how you look when your undies are hanging below the bottom of the suit. Bring a pair of sandals to wear while trying on the suit. It’s also hard to visualize walking along the beach if you are wearing a pair of dark colored boots.

Lastly, put on a bright shade of lipstick. Lipstick will brighten your face and give you a boost of confidence. Remember, nobody is perfect. Find the best swimsuit for you and splash!

By Gigi Steel

June 23 is National PINK Day! So what better time to learn about the molded-plastic bird that has graced countless yards for over 60 years? In 1957, Artist Don Featherstone designed the yard ornament for Union Products. These elegant, long-legged birds added a festive, tropical, and whimsical ambiance to suburban yards. The popularity of plastic pink flamingos rose when they were seen in films and television shows. The pink-feathered birds became the subject of pranks when they were removed from one yard and placed in another. They have been used as fund-raisers where hundreds of pink flamingos appear in your front yard and you must pay the charity to have them picked up. The plastic pink flamingo is now an American icon. In 2006, Union Products closed, but fortunately for all pink flamingo lovers, the molds and copyrights were sold so that the iconic bird production could continue. Approximately 1,000 plastic pink flamingos are produced each day.

The question is: why the pink flamingo? In the 1950s, the color pink was all the rage. There were pink appliances in kitchens, living rooms were decorated with a pink color scheme, bathrooms had pink sinks and tubs, and women wore pink as a way to reclaim their femininity after the War ended. Pink was the it color. Even today, the color pink continues to make a statement, attract attention, and opinion like no other color. I don’t think any other bird would have caused the commotion or have had the lasting effect on our culture than the pretty, pink flamingo. If you are looking to add a little kitsch to your life or front yard, look no further than our pink-feathered friend.

Arden 4 Long Shoals Rd. 828-333-4366 Woodfin 50 N. Merrimon Ave. 828-210-9544

Fletcher 3445 Hendersonville Rd. 828-376-3711