There’s nothing like the simple pleasure of relaxing on the porch or patio after a long summer day. The balmy air, a cool drink and the gentle motion of a rocking chair is about as good as it gets. This handsome and comfortable double porch rocker is a great way for do-it-yourselfers to share those […]

Functional pants make new fashion statementBy Jackie WhiteKnight Ridder Newspapers In a strange ironic twist, the garment most in demand among fashion-conscious consumers is the cargo pant.But wait. Before your mind’s eye shifts to televised images of soldiers in camouflage military gear and pocket-packed pants puffed at the ankles, it’s not about that. Almost no […]

Women dread this moment all winter. It takes days or even weeks to work up the courage to brave the swimsuit store’s dressing room.There are ways around such torture. You can select a swimsuit without ever having to try it on in front of other people.Here are a few ways to navigate swim fashions and […]

In your grandmother’s (or great-grandmother’s) day, delicate crocheted bedspreads were common in any collection of household linens. Unfortunately, those hand-crocheted bedspreads were as time-consuming as they were lovely. As a result, today’s fast-paced homemakers think they simply don’t have the time to invest in such a large-scale project.If you think a lack of time is […]

You see them everywhere: big floral prints, backless shoes, rock chic metallics, low-cut pants and high-cropped skirts.But do you head out for work every day in peasant blouses, mules, silver belts and thigh-high girly-girl dresses? Unless you work for MTV, an art gallery or a hip creative department for an advertising agency, don’t even think […]

There’s nothing like a shot of optimism to get the shopping juices percolating.Though spring clothes typically begin to appear on the racks shortly after Christmas – their wispy fabrics and bright colors mocking us as we trudge through the snow in our lug-soled boots – it has been easier to ignore them this year.The long, […]

Back in the old, old days, women tended to buy “outfits.” They often were from a single designer or manufacturer, and the pieces often were preassembled like children’s Garanimals.But times have changed. And so has fashion. Now it’s about mixing prices and pieces, often in an unconventional way. Many women combine their wardrobes both from […]

If you’re a do-it-yourselfer, you probably know that the garage makes a great workshop. The only problem is that for some reason your spouse wants to park in the middle of your valuable shop space. Here’s a solution: a full-size, wall-mounted workbench that folds up into a neat, 13-inch-deep package. It even has space for […]

The strapless wedding gown, the three-tiered cake, the bouquet of luscious blooms.Priceless? Not nearly.The average cost of a wedding has grown 50 percent in the past decade, from $15,208 in 1990 to $22,360 in 2002, according to the Conde Nast Bridal Infobank. The study also found that 43 percent of couples said they spent more […]

It’s a Felix the Cat clock moment in fashion. A boomerang Formica, bouffant moment.It’s parasol daiquiris at the Copa. Smoke gets in your eyes. Loopy monograms on the band’s powder-blue tuxedo jackets. Floaty chiffon cocktail dresses, polka dot wedge shoes and glamour-puss sunglasses. Yep, it’s a fashionable ’50s moment – a spring moment that will […]