Hints, Tips & Tricks

This is the Hints, Tips, and Tricks section. You can use it to find out anything you need for hygiene and fashion. We're going to keep the shopping simple, on a wal-mart kind of price level. We know you don't want to spend your money on products, because you want to by anime and gaming supplies. We're here to help.

Mind your P's and Q's
by Ryan Evans
Hello there boys and girls it's me, Mr. Manners.  Today we are going to discuss the most basic building block  on your road to better manners, the use of "please" and "thank you".  What do you need to know?  Simple.  There is NEVER a wrong time to use them.  I have seen to many times someone ask for something and just expect to get it.  Lets take for example you are at dinner with a group of friends.  The salt shaker is across the table from you.  You would very much like to put some salt on those fries, but how do you ask?  You could whisper to the person next to you, but that would cut you off from the rest of the table.  You could just reach across and get it yourself, but that will be for another article.  Finally, you could say, "please pass me the salt."  When handed to you, you are also again faced with some options.  You could just smile, but that would not be enough and people may think you are kind of strange.  You could say nothing, but that is what we are trying to avoid here, are we not?  Finally, you could say "thank you", along with a quick smile.  That would show people you were polite and receptive.  Everyone at the table will take notice.  Use this same setup for everything in life.  Let me repeat, there is never a wrong time to use "please" and "thank you".  You will be surprised what a difference it makes!  Be sure to check back next week, when we will build on what we just learned and go in to table manners.

 

Hello, Hair
Washing your hair is among the most basic of tasks in your daily hygiene routine. This goes hand in hand with taking a shower. If you don't take a shower, you should. Shampoo is important, different people have different types of hair. Pantene, and my favorite, Garnier Fructis, are both great shampoos. Examine your hair: Dandruff? Try Garnier Fructis Dandruff Control, it has 1% Prylifthezone Zinc. Use it for a few days and be flake free. Unless you have long hair, like, 7 inches or more, you probably don't need conditioner. If your hair is brittle and dry, condition every couple of days.

TIGI makes great hair products, they have a really good line called BED HEAD. Its a little on the pricey side, but they're worth it. If you can't afford TIGI, try Pantene Pro-V's or Garnier Fructis' line of products. Try creams, and lotions over traditional hairspray's and gels. They last longer and are much easier on yoru hair because they don't contain alcohol. Garnier Fructis also has a really great hair mask, follow the directions, and your hair will be well on its way to looking great, and healthy.

Too much product in your hair? Here's a quickfix: Try Pantene Pro-V's clarifying shampoo, its good stuff.

Even if you have long hair (which style-wise isn't recommended past that kind of 70's shag re-done look, which is very in right now, and will be for a while) you need to have your hair cut at least once, MINIMUM, every six weeks, if your hair grows fast, then once a month would be good. If not for a style change, then get a haircut for a style upkeep. Good hair has shape, simply letting your hair grow out leaves your hair with absolutely no shape, it looks unkempt, because it is. Don't go to a barber, go to a stylist, or a salon. They have more schooling and will keep you up to date with styles much more than a barber would be able to. For styles, ask your stylist for ideas, they know a lot, your stylist is your friend. One advantage to having your hair grown out is that the stylists can do almost anything with it. Whereas people with short hair often have to grow it out to achieve certain styles.

Moving Downward to your face
If you wash your face, and if you don't, you should, don't use bar soap, lotion soap, or body wash. Use a facial soap like self foaming Clean & Clear. If you notice blackheads, Clean and Clear also has a blackhead scrub that works very well. Shave with a multi bladed razor. Most prefer a mach3 or mach3 turbo. I've heard from several that the Shick Quatro hurts like hell. Use a conditioner to soften the beard, a shave gel, and afterward, an good aftershave, it stings, but it prevents irritation. When you shave take your time, DO NOT RUSH and never, ever, ever, whatever you do, shave against the grain. Owwww, can you say cuts and razor burn? Facial Hair Styles: Sideburns and goatees are out, they usually are more for in the fall and winter, for spring and summer, go with short or no sideburns, and clean shaven. If you're going for that "didn't get to shave look" make sure to shave from your jaw line down. Rugged may be sexy, but not if its nasty too. Watch on TV, almost every who has that, is clean shaven from the jawl ine down.

Body Hair
Keep it trimmed, use an electric razor, with a guard and just go. That hair being shorter is much more attractive, and looks like you put some thought into your appearance. Also, timmed hair can make things look "bigger" plus, when someone's down there, you don't want to blind and choke them to death. If there's back hair, get rid of it. That is never sexy.

Miscellaneous
Keep finger and toe nails clipped. Brush your teeth twice a day minimum, clean teeth are good, gross teeth and bad breath are nasty. Don't  be that person. Take care of your eyebrows, have them waxed, or pluck or shave them. Just get rid of the uni-brow. Don't over-do it. Men with itty bitty eyebrows look strange. Just don't leave that collective eyebrow.

Deodorant and Scents
Deodorant/anti-perspirant is your friend. Get a stick for under arms, or a cream solid or gel. I prefer Degree Ironman Cream Solid, it can get you through about anything body odor, and wetness free.Very good as well is AXE. AXE spray can be good for those "other places" that are smelly. Some people don't like to wear cologne, and that's fine, as long as you smell good by yourself, or with your deodorant. Cologne is good, its your friend, don't over-do it though. Spray in front of you and walk through the mist cloud once or twice. You can spray one spray on the inside of your wrist and then rub the wrists together. Cologne smell stays in clothing, so best not to spray your clothes, washing loses some of the scent and sometimes leaves wierd ones. Also, if you change scents, it can stay in your clothes. I can't really say what cologne is best, as everyone has completely different opinions and body chemistrys. Cologne works with your body chemistry to make you smell good. The colognes I use (individually of course, never every layer cologne) are Burberry London, Perry Ellis Portfolio, Gap Blue, Gucci Envy, Gucci Rush, Crave Calvin Klein, and Kenneth Cole New York. These are just a few of the bazillions of fragrances available. Try Dillard's or Famous Barr. At Famous, you don't have to talk to the fragrance lady, not that she's bad, she can help. But if you just want to  browse, Famous would be a good bet.

Fashion
We'll start from the ground and work our way up.

Shoes- almost any kind of shoe is fine, even cowboy boots, have fun with shoes and when they get old and ratty, throw them away, don't wear them, how trashy!

Pants- Whatever your personal style, try to remember one thing. Stay away from black pants, unless you're dressing for something formal, then a black trouser or suit pant would be appropriate. Also, stay away from anything with a design on it. Simple and fitting is a much cleaner look. Don't wear your pants too big, get them in your size, and wear them up in the right place around your waist. As far as belts go, this simple rule applies, Brown belts with brown shoes, black belts with black shoes, for canvas shoes, you can buy canvas belts too at places like GAP, and that would look all right. Personally, I'd stick with a black leather belt. Unless the canvas shoes are some ungodly color. Black should work ok, because most canvas shoes have that little rim of black around the white sole.

Shirts- Patterns are good, repeating patterns that is. Color is good. Don't over do it. If a shirt is a bright color, it should be a solid, or have minimal design on it. Nothing too bright and multicolored, or with flames, or those Anime shirts that I know you all love so well, my brother used to wear them all the time too. He's grown out of those shirts but still loves anime, you can too. Anime shirts are BAD BAD BAD. Something that's that loud really draws the attention away from your face. That's bad, its you we want to see, not your loud shirt, not your loud pants, not your scary hair. You. This is a good rule to remember in every fashion and hair decision you make. Patterns and colors: good. Don't buy clothes from Wal-mart, they have absolutely no shape. Many places like Hot Topic and Gadzooks sell shapeless shirts as well. Stick to stores like this for things like graphic t's and the like, don't buy pants, button downs, or other apparel there, accessories are great though. Watch out, T-shirts can be very good, you just have to know how to do them the right way. First of all, if you've got the body, don't wear some loose ass shirt, show it off. If you don't, then you should still wear a shirt that fits, if it goes very far past your waist, that wouldn't be good. Try going to a secondhand or vintage store and find a corduroy or pinstriped suit coat, put that graphic tee pac man shirt under it, tuck it in at the button, leave the rest un-tucked. Wear denim with this look, brown belt and shoes would be best, but black could work, put that coat on and you've got a killer urban look that will have all the other gamers wondering where you got such style while maintaining your personality. You can thank us later.

Jeans are good, they're your friend, own light cowboy-y ones that taper, also own dark cat whiskered (that's what those tiny stripies are called) Black jeans are usually not good. White jeans, are coming back. Mostly as a summer look, wear them only with flip-flops, and maybe a button-down or just a vintage/graphic t. Try not to always make the t's be black though, if available, get white, and even more, if available, get some color. Don't forget to wear a belt, greatness is always in the details!

Hats- hats can be okay, they're interesting, make sure they don't cover your face.

For more fashion advice, or if you have fashion questions, or any other questions, email gaaag@earthlink.net We're here to help.