Plus Size String Bikinis - How to Shop For Them and How to Save Money in the Process

Plus size string bikinis and swimwear are available in so many colors, styles, and sizes these days, that shopping is simplified, especially when you shop online and take advantage of all the discounted prices.

Whether you wear an extra large, 1x, 2x, or larger, you can easily purchase bikinis that flatter your voluptuous body. While Hollywood fashion designers might try to trick you into thinking that thin is in, when you talk to various groups of men, you will quickly learn that many men prefer women who are not just skin and bones.

One of the best choices for a plus size bikini wearer is the string bikini. It's a derivative of the full brief bikini, but it rests high on the thighs and gives the plus size woman full coverage of her tummy. Even if a woman has large thighs, a string bikini complements the leg. In some circles, this type of bikini bottom in called a Tanga. Think of it as a bikini that gives you more back support.

When shopping for string bikinis, the plus size woman should look for solid colors rather than prints, florals, or stripes. Although bright yellows, oranges, and reds tend to attract attention to the bikini wearer, if you walk tall, and hold your head back, you will have the same flare that skinny runway models have. It's all in the perception and a reflection of how confident you feel while wearing your string bikini.

Of importance, is that as a plus size woman, you should choose a bikini bottom that is not a thong; rather, select a Lycra or stretch fabric that is ample for your body size, but that does not totally skimp on the coverage. The strings that tie high on your thighs will draw the eye upward.

Definitely, after you've purchased your body-flattering bikini, try to resist covering your body with a pareo or a large swimsuit wrap. To enhance your body style, choose a spa-type beach robe in a very light color and fabric that doesn't tie with a sash around your waist.

In addition, most Internet-based swimwear sites have a sizing chart with recommended bathing suit styles and colors to choose from. Look at the selections with the photos of women who have body styles similar to yours before making your buying decisions. Most online swimwear sites make it easy to see the colors, styles, and sizes that suit your body type.

Further, many online bikini swimwear sites have a section especially for those women who wish to choose a figure shaper bikini-bust minimizer, tummy appearance reducer, slimmer looking hips, and so forth. Check out all the categories online before making your selections. It's easier to shop online to get what you want, than it is to spend hours at the mall and coming home disappointed with the limited selection at the stores.

Plus Size String Bikinis - How to Shop For Them and How to Save Money in the Process

String Lights

Plus Size String Bikinis - How to Shop For Them and How to Save Money in the Process

Plus Size String Bikinis - How to Shop For Them and How to Save Money in the Process
Plus Size String Bikinis - How to Shop For Them and How to Save Money in the Process

String Lights

Clip-On Christmas Tree Candle Holders - An Old Favorite Makes a Comeback

Christmas tree candles? Clip-On Christmas tree candle holders? Ask most shoppers if they have ever seen real candles on a Christmas tree, and you are likely to draw a blank.

But whether it's furniture, home furnishings or Christmas decorating, Vintage is hot and getting hotter. The fact that traditional Christmas candles and old-fashioned clip on candle holders are making a comeback underscores the popularity of vintage and antique themes in Christmas decorating.

Christmas Candles and Candle Clips were a standard every Christmas season before houses were wired and electric Christmas lights came on to the market. Generations of children grew up with Christmas candles on their tree every year. Ask a great-grandparent or older neighbor about their memories of candle-powered Christmases past and they're likely to tell you how beautiful and unforgettable the experience was. After all, a tree bathed in natural candle light is an impressive, mesmerizing sight.

Compared to today's LED Christmas lights, vintage and antique Christmas candles couldn't be more low-tech. The antique candles used in the old days were about 1/2 in. in diameter and 4 in. long. To hang them on the tree, you used an adjustable clip-on candle holder, also calls a candle clip. The base of the clip grips the candle and holds it upright.

The pendulum Christmas tree candle holder was another way of hanging your candles on the tree. It grips the candle and has a stem which loops over the tree limb. A decorative weight at the bottom of the stem balances the pendulum and keeps the candle straight.

There are several great features that make clip on Christmas candle holders and pendulum candle holders an appealing alternative to other kinds of Christmas lights:

They're low-tech. As mentioned, there's nothing simpler than candlepower. The candle clips and pendulum candle holders are straightforward and easy to use. They're adjustable and perfectly functional. They're reusable. Pack up your clip-on candle holders and pendulum Christmas candle holders when you take down your tree at the end of the season. They're 100% reusable and should give you years of service. They're energy-efficient. Christmas tree candles burn on air, not electricity or batteries. They won't consume a single watt, so they're even greener than LED Christmas lights. They're vintage. Christmas candles have enormous appeal as a vintage or antique decorating element. They work as part of a Victorian Christmas, Country Christmas, or primitive Christmas design theme. You can also use them with a "dressed-up," formal look or with a German Christmas theme. They're absolutely beautiful. The quality of natural candlelight is so much richer and warmer than LED Christmas lights or incandescent Christmas string lights. Gather around your tree in a darkened room and light the candles one-by-one. You'll immediately notice the non-mechanical, natural flicker and radiant glow your candles cast into the room. They're a way to connect to Christmas traditions from years past. When you gather around to light the Christmas candles on your tree, think about your grandparents and other forbears, here or in the Old Country. They experienced the same delight at the sight of their Christmas tree that you are experiencing now. You are breathing new life into a wonderful old tradition.

Maybe you are thinking about taking your Christmas tree off the grid and switching to natural candlelight this year. You may opt for Christmas Tree Candles because of the tradition, because you like the look or for any one of several other reasons. But remember: Safety has to be your top priority. If you use the candles carelessly, you could cause a fire. Be sure to take your time, position the candles carefully and use common sense. And only use the candles when you are in the room. Never leave the tree unattended.

Since Christmas Candles faded into obsolescence around the time of World War I when electric lights came onto the market, it's not easy to locate them. It's next to impossible to find them at a hardware store, candle shop or even a specialty shop. However, they are still being made in Germany. Find a reliable web dealer in the U.S. who imports Christmas Tree Candles and genuine German-made Candle Holders. If you live in the U.K., Australia, Canada, New Zealand or elsewhere, pick a U.S. web shop with experience selling to your country.

Vintage Christmas candlepower is not for everybody. But as more consumers look for ways to simplify Christmas and focus on the essentials, it's an appealing low-tech alternative. The experience of your Christmas tree awash in natural candle light will stay with you long after the holidays are over.

Copyright © 2010 Kurt Donner. Use of this text in full, without changes and with attribution and original links is permitted.

Clip-On Christmas Tree Candle Holders - An Old Favorite Makes a Comeback

String Lights

Clip-On Christmas Tree Candle Holders - An Old Favorite Makes a Comeback

Clip-On Christmas Tree Candle Holders - An Old Favorite Makes a Comeback
Clip-On Christmas Tree Candle Holders - An Old Favorite Makes a Comeback

String Lights