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Shopping Their Way to the Top: Teens and the Future of the Fashion Industry

(ARA) - In 2003 Americans bought $311 billion worth of clothing and shoes according to the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA). This number indicates the profitability of just one of the many fields within the fashion world -- fashion design.

Over 15,000 people in the United States are employed as fashion designers, according to the 2004-2005 Occupational Outlook Handbook. However, careers in the industry are not limited to the more prevalent aspects of the field such as fashion design. There are a wide variety of career opportunities within the fashion world that can lead to success -- from accessory designer to fashion buyer to visual merchandiser.

Within this highly lucrative and ever-changing industry there is always a need for fresh new ideas. Many designers look to one of their largest consumer markets, teenagers, to shape what the new fashion fads will be.

Some teens are interested not only in purchasing the latest in fashion but creating them as well. Designers as young as 16 years old have had success catapulting their way to the top of the fashion industry with new and innovative clothing lines.

Young people have begun to look toward a future in the fashion industry starting at an early age by taking fashion courses in high school according to Bruce Dempsey, assistant vice president of academic affairs for The Art Institutes.

"Fashion design and marketing classes in high schools have become career incubators, giving students the opportunity to hone in on what they're most interested in, whether it's fashion design or fashion marketing, apparel construction or textiles," said Dempsey. "From there they can grow that interest at design school, and turn their passion and hard work into a successful and rewarding career."

A degree is a prerequisite for many fields within the fashion industry and to assist teens hoping for a future career in fashion, The Art Institutes www.artinstitutes.edu/teenfashion06 and ELLEgirl magazine www.ellegirl.com have created the Teen Fashion Innovators Search, a collaboration between the two organizations to encourage young design talent.

Scholarships will be awarded on local and national levels. One national winner in Fashion Design and one winner in Fashion Marketing and Merchandising will be selected to receive full tuition scholarships to study at The Art Institute school of their choice from 16 locations offering fashion programs across North America.

In addition to winning full scholarships, the grand prize-winning students will attend the February 2006 New York Fashion Week fashion shows with ELLEgirl editors, as well as be featured in the magazine.

According to Christina Kelly, editor in chief of ELLEgirl, "At ELLEgirl, we recognize that great design has to start somewhere, and for many young men and women, that passion is nurtured right in high school."

Entries must be submitted by November 11, 2005. Local competitions will be held in November at Art Institute locations in the United States and Canada where winners will proceed to the national competition. A panel of fashion professionals will judge student submissions and national winners will be determined by January 13, 2006.

Entries must include an entry form, high school transcript with a minimum GPA of 2.0, short essay, finished design, product or plan and either a process book of the design or written description of the fashion marketing product or plan. Full details on the competition and entry requirements are available at www.artinstitutes.edu/teenfashion06.

At each of the 16 participating Art Institute locations across North America, high school seniors can attend events to learn more about the Teen Fashion Innovators Search and how to enter. To find out about upcoming events at an Art Institute near you, visit www.artinstitutes.edu/teenfashion06.

The Art Institutes system of 31 education institutions located throughout North America provides an important source for design, media arts, fashion and culinary professionals. The Art Institutes system of schools has provided career-oriented education programs for more than 40 years.

ELLEgirl, the international style bible for girls who "dare to be different," is published by Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S., Inc.

Copyright © 2005, ARA Content

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Get Your Deck and House Ready for Winter - and Spring

Home Improvement

(ARA) - As the temperatures cool down, you may be thinking your list of outdoor chores is coming to an end - no more mowing the lawn, no more weeding the flower beds. You may also be tempted to leave the refinishing of your deck or the repainting of your home until next spring, too.

After all, the deck is going to be covered by snow all winter and the house can always be repainted in the spring. But taking care of these jobs now has benefits beyond just crossing them off of your to-do list.

For homeowners in areas of the country that have harsh winter weather, refinishing the deck this fall will help protect it from the winter elements like sleet, snow and ice. For those who live in milder climates, refinishing the deck now means you'll still get to enjoy the fruits of your labor into the cooler months - and get a jump on spring chores.

In addition, having your deck and your house in the best condition going into the rough winter months means that you'll minimize any damage that could be caused by harsh weather conditions. To get the maximum benefits out of your efforts, take the time to make any necessary repairs to your deck or siding before you start painting.

This could include patching any imperfections in your siding and sanding away peeling paint. On the deck, replace warped boards and nail down loose ones. A good cleaning ensures that the surface is ready for stain or paint.

Once you're ready to paint, make sure you have the right tools for the job. It will make the task quicker and easier, and provide more professional looking results. Paint brushes and rollers have their place as useful tools, but for making quick work of painting a house or finishing a deck, nothing beats a power sprayer. The beauty of outdoor painting is that a paint sprayer can be used to get the job done in a few easy strokes.

The Paint Crew by Wagner is the first piston pump sprayer that allows homeowners to paint like the pros on the budget of a do-it-yourselfer. It is specifically designed to spray most architectural coatings and offers the same quality spray pattern as high-priced contractor units. The sprayer comes complete with high pressure hose and metal spray gun providing a great looking finish in a fraction of the time it takes to use a brush or roller.

The Paint Crew is crafted for the homeowner to be portable for easy movement around the job site and clean-up. The simple operation and advanced technology will provide years of trouble-free operation.

While you'll enjoy the fresh, refurbished look of your home and deck now, you'll really appreciate it in the spring when you can step outside and start enjoying your deck as soon as the weather permits. You can sit on your deck and sip your favorite beverage while you watch your neighbors tackle the outdoor tasks they put off this fall. For more information on the products mentioned here, visit www.wagnerspraytech.com. You can also find Wagner products at home improvement stores nationwide.

Courtesy of ARA Content

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Wireless "World Phones" Now Enable You to Chat While Abroad

Travel & Recreation

(ARA) - For years, despite carrying a cell phone with them, Americans traveling abroad have been incommunicado. That's because when wireless technologies were being created, the United States used systems that were incompatible with those in the rest of the world, which opted for a single standard called GSM ("Global System for Mobiles").

Well good news. Times are changing. Now some wireless providers offer international service, all for the cost of a roaming charge.

"Companies such as Cingular Wireless offer customers international service on their own phones not only in Europe, but also in Asia, Africa, and South America -- almost the entire globe, even in Iraq and Afghanistan," says Mike Bennett, consumer and government affairs executive director of Cingular Wireless.

Today, more than a billion people use GSM phones, making it the dominant mobile phone system worldwide with about 70 percent of the market. "Fortunately, GSM phones are now widely available in the United States, and Cingular Wireless is the largest provider of GSM services in the nation," he adds.

If you have a GSM phone, activating international roaming service is as simple as contacting your provider. Your GSM phone (or Blackberry) assumes the characteristics of the wireless network in each country visited. So if someone is traveling in Italy the phone will work like a local Italian wireless device. Under Cingular's plan, customers roaming internationally are charged at the per-minute voice roaming rate without additional long distance charges.

Bennett says it is important to remember that just because a person has a GSM phone, there is no guarantee it will work abroad. "Travelers must remember to ask their carrier for a 'World Phone' that operates on the four major frequencies used by GSM carriers around the globe," he says.

Before GSM phones were available stateside, travelers from the United States had few options other than renting GSM phones while in Europe, which is expensive and inconvenient. "If your local carrier does not offer international service, you can always buy a cheap GSM world phone then buy pre-paid minutes, while out of the country," he explains.

Typically, this is cheaper than a week's rental of a GSM phone. At the end of your trip you can keep the phone for next time, recycle it or sell it.

To learn more about cell phone services online "Ask the Wireless Guru" at www.thewirelessguru.com.

Courtesy of ARA Content

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New Initiative Seeks to Improve Diabetes Care

Personal Wellness

(ARA) - The number of diabetes cases diagnosed in this country each year is increasing at an alarming rate. An estimated 18.2 million Americans now suffer from some form of the disease. That's 6.3 percent of the population. If left untreated, diabetes can lead to blindness, heart and blood vessel disease, stroke, kidney failure, amputations, nerve damage and even death.

You may be at risk for diabetes if you are over 45, are overweight (have a body mass index greater than 25), have borderline high blood sugar levels, or have high blood pressure, inactive lifestyle or a family history of diabetes.

But many people don't know that they can prevent the disease until it's too late. A combination of healthy eating and a modest, consistent increase in physical activity can actually delay and perhaps even prevent development of Type II diabetes.

"When people hear the word 'diabetes,' they usually don't realize the ramifications that come with it; the very serious complications," says Vincenza Snow, MD, of the American College of Physicians (ACP). Her organization recently teamed up with the American College of Physicians Foundation to launch a major initiative aimed at improving diabetes care in the United States.

"The goal of ACP's new three-year effort is to raise awareness and teach the best practices in diabetes care," said Snow. The first step, which is already underway, is to create and disseminate educational tools and information for physicians and other members of the health care team.

"Patients are a key part of the team," says Snow. "The new project will develop self-management tools to help patients become working partners with their health care providers in their diabetes care."

Doctors, nurses and others in the health care field will receive access to software that will help them keep track of symptoms and blood sugar levels of their patients with diabetes.

Novo Nordisk, a health care company and world leader in diabetes care, gave ACP and the ACP Foundation an unrestricted educational grant for the three-year effort.

Diabetes is a condition in which either the body cannot produce insulin or cannot effectively use the insulin produced. Type 1 diabetes is a condition in which a person's immune system attacks the pancreas and destroys the cells that make insulin. Type 2 diabetes, a condition in which the body fails to properly use insulin, is the more common form of the disease. Symptoms of the disease are frequent urination, excessive thirst, extreme hunger, unusual weight loss, increased fatigue, irritability and blurry vision.

For more information on diabetes, go to www.doctorsforadults.com.

Courtesy of ARA Content

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