Her pillowcase dresses clothe girls worldwide

The girls, glowing with smiles, wear bright dresses in all colors of the rainbow. Neatly tied ribbons serve as slim straps above the cool, soft cotton.These girls are in St. John, Haiti, Uganda, Romania and India. These dresses are made from pillowcases.Lisa Ward of Mooresville - together with family, friends, a passion to serve and Facebook as facilitator - has made and delivered more than 614 dresses to girls in five different countries.
Between 400 and 500 more dresses will be delivered to India, Uganda and Haiti later this year, said Ward, who is the N.C. representative for Dress a Girl Around the World.
Hope 4 Women International's Dress a Girl Around the World is a not-for-profit agency. Members sew pillowcase dresses for the agency to distribute. Teams and partners personally carry the dresses to their destinations. The organization has delivered about 46,717 dresses to 53 countries, including the U.S.
Ward's journey began in March 2011 after she read a news article posted on Facebook about a local church that, inspired by Dress a Girl, was delivering dresses to Haiti. Ward wanted to help after hearing how the dresses would benefit girls affected by the 2010 earthquake.She contacted Rachel Eggum Cinader, founder of Dress a Girl. Cinader invited her to be N.C. representative for the organization. Ward started sewing with her family's blessing.
On May 24, Ward posted to Facebook: "Please check out this website.I will be the N.C. state representative for this organization and help collect, teach and distribute dresses around the world with this organization. So exciting! Our goal at Hope 4 Women International is "to provide a dress for every girl around the world."
"Facebook friends came out of the woodwork," she said. The first 200 dresses she sewed were made from collections she received from Facebook friends and family. They were sent to a missionary in Haiti.The Wards' living room recently served as temporary storage for a community yard sale the family hosted to raise money for Ward herself to make trips to Uganda and India to deliver dresses and teach women to sew. The master bedroom is now sewing headquarters.
The sewing center is highly organized in a colorful assembly-line system. Piles of pillowcases and ribbon are neatly stacked and folded on the two tables that form an L-shape around Ward and her sewing machine. She has pre-matched each stack so it's ready to be sewn. Piles of finished dresses line the floor.

How Do You Choose A Causal Dress For You Beach Wedding?

 A wedding on the beach is probably on or the most popular options for couples nowadays. In fact, there can be lots of choice when outdoor wedding is considered. However, most couples will still go for the beach idea since it can be more informal. And there can be full of fun to have the ceremony on a beach. At the end of the day a wedding is meant to be fun. This is probably the reason for the increasing popularity of beach wedding. Without any surprise, the bridal dress for a beach wedding should be different from a church one. You can probably imagine that it will be less formal when compared with some traditional gown design. When you are shopping for your perfect and unique dress for your beach themed wedding, you can consider the following issues: No matter it is a beach wedding or a more traditional one, the bridal gown or bridal dress should be the focus of the wedding. As a result, you should pay extra attention when you are shopping. You should choose it with the greatest care. As a matter of fact it is not easy to make the decision on the dress.
Nowadays you have virtually unlimited number of choices when wedding gown is concerned. If you do not like the styles from your local bridal shop, you can always consider shopping online. You may even order an item from the other side of the world! Since the dress will certainly be less formal. You can indeed make the decision based on your personal style. It is not necessary for you to choose a white color one. If you have the courage, a tube top style can be perfect for a beach wedding. Of course you should also be practical when you are shopping for it. Besides your personal style, you should also make the decision based on your body shape, skin color, and most importantly your budget! However, no mater what your preference is, it is probably that the wedding dress will be a causal one, instead of a formal one. Besides, you should allow yourself plenty of time when shopping for the dress. You will take the time to find the most perfect one. You will also need to time to approach different bridal shops in order to find the best deal. The prices can be different for different shops even if they style of the dresses are similar.

Pippa Middleton takes front row seat at London fashion week

London Fashion Week is in full swing, and so far, the shows have impressed, offering star-studded front rows, technological advances and even a near-royal visit. Check out some of the highlights from the week's biggest shows.Promising a starry front row at London Fashion Week, the Burberry Prorsum show on Monday did not disappoint. Sienna Miller, Kanye West and a current face of the brand, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, sat alongside Rachel Zoe, Gemma Arterton, tennis star Andy Murray, singer Paul Weller and photographer Mario Testino at Christopher Bailey's spring/summer 2012 show in Kensington Gardens.Formal Dresses Sydney – Finding The Best Shops. Tribal-inspired print dresses were paired with cropped trenches and raffia caps in a collection that put a handcrafted artisan twist on ladylike chic.
"Oh my God, that was insanity!" gushed Zoe to PEOPLE as she headed backstage. "[Bailey is] amazing. I mean, who else makes a coat like that?" she added, referring to the "reinvention" of the classic Burberry trench.Greeting his celebrity guests backstage, Bailey got a hug from photographer pal Testino, who told PEOPLE, "I thought it was a great show — sexy sexy sexy!" As no doubt did legions of fans who caught the show via Twitter, a first for the digital-friendly brand. "This collection is all about the most detailed hand-crafted pieces and fabric innovation, creating a beautiful physical experience that is communicated digitally in dynamic and diverse ways and I love balancing those two worlds," said Bailey.
Meanwhile, Temperley London (above, center) got the royal seal of approval on Monday night when Pippa Middleton showed up to support one of her favorite British designers. Wearing the "classic fan dress" from the label's current autumn/winter collection dressed down with black suede ankle boots, the rising fashion star certainly appeared to enjoy the show as she sat with a friend, pointing out her favorite pieces from the silver-screen inspired collection, shown in the British Museum's dramatic grand atrium. (Grace Kelly was cited as an inspiration by the designer, as was Michelle Pfeiffer's character in Scarface.)As for Pippa, she seemed to love the silky jumpsuits, kimono capes and floor-sweeping dresses adorned in beads and tassels, all of which were accessorized with über-glam head wraps. "It was really special, really amazing," she said, congratulating designer Alice Temperley's husband and CEO of the label, Lars von Benningsen, on her way out.

Formal Dresses Sydney – Finding The Best Shops

When we think of formal dresses, we are referring to dresses which are worn on special occasions or important events, for instance an awards ceremony or prom. Dresses may be in the form of long, flowing styles or figure hugging classic dresses. Formal dresses tend to be more special than the average dress, so we are more likely to spend a bit more on them. If you look for formal dresses Sydney, you will find plenty of suitable places to pick up an amazing outfit for your special occasion.
Sydney is renowned for having shopping centres which are described as 'world class.' There are many shopping centres, designer boutiques and department stores, which will provide options to suit your formal dress needs. One of such places is Pit Street Mall. Pit Street Mall is home to more than 600 stores, and is situated in the centre of Sydney. Formal Dresses Sydney are almost guaranteed to be found in this cosmopolitan area of the city.
Another area to look out for when searching for Formal Dresses Sydney is the Market Street. This area has Grace Brothers and David Jones, which have many department stores to suit your needs. Darling Harbour is another shopping area to look out for, with dresses in many different brands, both home grown and worldwide. There are also plenty of places to grab a bite to eat in this area, so you can enjoy a much needed rest when you are finished your retail therapy.
Fashion boutiques with many options for Formal Dresses Sydney can be found at The Broadway Shopping Centre. This area has over 120 stores, so you can find the best options for outfits, without travelling too far. The Queen Victoria Building is another option to look out for when shopping for your formal dress, as this building is home to an array of cosmopolitan stores, which will help you find the perfect outfit. The Central Business District is another well known place in Sydney, which has various shops to cater for all your formal dress needs.
This shopping area stores outfits from many top designers such as, Armani, Gucci and Hermes. There is something for everyone in this retail outlet, no matter what your budget and requirements are. Sydney is a wonderful place to go shopping for your formal dresses, while enjoying beautiful scenic views and amazing weather. No matter what your preference is, you will be sure to find a suitable place in Sydney.

Grabbed by Their Lapels

New York designers have been harping on youth and playing Led Zeppelin, one of the funnier contradictions of Fashion Week. But rock ’n’ roll doesn’t make fashion relevant any more than putting bobby socks with stilettos does, although Oscar de la Renta did both. He had all the elements he needed in his clothes: in the airy skirts in marigold and emerald silk taffeta that opened his show on Tuesday; in gauzy bowed blouses that appeared with a silk knit suit; in a sweet, below-the-knee dress in white cotton voile and Battenberg lace. Lightness always gets the lead out.
Fashion Week always has a distorting effect on people’s perceptions, designers included. At first, the game seemed to be sports-influenced clothes.A day in the life of a bus driver: On the road again. Then the action suddenly shifted to easy summer dresses, with run-amok prints and colors. On Tuesday, when Olivier Theyskens, the creative director of Theory, sent out linen and tweed jackets with jeans that could sit on your waist while riding your hips, everybody sat up and said, “Gee, that looks great.”
This news was hardly hidden, though. Like the youthfulness of Mr. de la Renta’s ball skirts, it was right under our noses. The fact is, three dominant themes have emerged for spring, each of them reinvigorated: the sports garment (be it biker shorts or Michael Kors suede Bermudas or a floaty parachute skirt); the soft, below-the-knee dress (whether it’s a lean wisp of silk or a blousy Rodarte number), and a jacket. Mr. de la Renta showed a number of relaxed suits, but the blazer looks its newest over a dress or with pants or slim shorts.
The clearest, though by no means brainiest, articulation of the look was Mr. Theyskens’s lanky blazers and cardigans with skinny jeans that borrowed on the hip-hop style of letting your britches sink below your bottom. I remember seeing a similar technique of creating a high waistband with a hip belt and low back pockets in the 1990s from a designer raised in Detroit. Mr. Theyskens’s versions worked in their own right, along with the femmy tops and minidresses he showed both with hooker heels and combat boots. He also tossed in some neon metallic jeans, perhaps anticipating competitors who might have a similar style in the pipeline.

Cheap Formal Dresses: Your Best Sources for Cheap Formal Wear

Findings cheap formal dresses are not as hard as years past; however, when buying cheap dresses there are a number of factors that needs to be considered because without looking into these factors, you will live to regret your purchase. Before you look on prices, you need to think style and occasion and always think chic before you think cheap.
When thinking about style and occasion you need to look at classical versus contemporary.Cheap Formal D Do you want your cheap formal dresses to represent something your mother would enjoy or do you want it to reflect more your style, considering that you are not a classical kind of girl. While thinking about style, you need to also think color because not every color can be worn for every occasion. For example, if you are going to a wedding, you would not wear white, unless you really hate the bride and wanted to spite her.
Why Buy Cheap Formal Dresses Online?Who Said Cheap Prom Dresses Can't Make Dreams Come True?
After you have settled on style, color, and occasion, you need to consider if online or offline is your best option. If you buy your dress in a store, you have more of an hands on experience in the choosing of the outfit but you also need to think about the amount of walking that you will need to put in to get a really nice cheap formal dress. While buying online doesn't give you that hands on feeling, you get a wider variety of cheap dresses right at your finger tips and these cheap dresses are at times much better than the cheap ones you would get in the stores.
When you choose to buy your cheap formal dresses online you will get a much bet discount choice than if you were to buy them in a regular store. If you are thinking of buying a formal dress but because of financial reasons you need to go the cheap route, here are some tips to consider to get, not only a cheap dress but to also get one that you will love and last.Decide what it is that you want in a dress from early, so that you will have sufficient time to choose the right dress and also learn your size to the T, so that the dress will fit perfectly.Although some people might frown at this suggestion, when you are going the cheap route always think of buying a dress from last season or stick to dresses that are not trendy because trendy clothes always cost more.
When buying cheap formal dresses you do not need to compromise on style and quality, to get fashionable dresses that you will love at an affordable cost.

A day in the life of a bus driver: On the road again

Here and elsewhere in Burlington County, when the school bells ring, the school buses roll.
On Tuesday, at the dawn of a new academic year, the familiar yellow vehicles could be seen lumbering along local streets picking up and discharging their passengers. Some first-day-of-school scenes were predictable and familiar to Bea Fraser, who has driven for the district for five years. “Sometimes for a new kindergartner, parents and grandparents are waiting with them at the bus stop with their cameras,’’ Fraser said.
Then there are the family dogs that bark their goodbyes, and the older children, all confidence on the outside, who pray silently that their carefully chosen outfits meet with their friends’ cheap formal dresses. Another kindergartner might burst into tears at the sight of the bus and decide that going to school is a bad idea, but whatever the uncertainties, when Fraser is behind the wheel, the children can count on a warm smile and often a big hug. She celebrates with those who are happy and sympathizes with those who are not. Her advice to an anxious parent: “Just turn around and walk away.’’
“She is like a second mother to them. She calls them ‘my kids,’ “ said Alana Lum, district transportation coordinator and a former driver herself. Like many drivers, Fraser sees the same children every year, watching them grow and mature. In this way, she offers more continuity than the teachers, who change every September. The driver of Bus No. 6, which serves the district’s Hillside and Hartford schools, Fraser knows that she is the link between Mom and Dad and the new world her passengers are entering.
Even before they meet their new teachers, the children will say “good morning” to Mrs. Bea, as they call her. “How you greet them is how their day will go,’’ said the Cinnaminson resident, who drove a bus for the Moorestown schools for six years before coming to Mount Laurel, where she is one of 60 drivers, about half of them women. Her day begins early when the alarm rings at 4:30. She dresses carefully and quickly, having put out her clothes on a hangar the night before. Because the children often comment on her outfits, Fraser chooses them with care, even her jewelry, which complements what she is wearing.

Who Said Cheap Prom Dresses Can't Make Dreams Come True?

The prom is probably the first significant event in a young person's life whereby it marks the end of one's years in school. Perhaps showing up with the right date is the status symbol as influence from the entertainment industry coupled with peer pressure expects no less than the cheerleader walking in, arm in arm, with the sports hero. Unless one is blessed with a gold card, most of the young ladies home in on cheap prom dresses as though a heat-seeking missile.
If one is able to maintain some degree of practicality whilst choosing a dress, it is naturally logical to buy one to suit other occasions. Albeit no one wants to be caught recycling a dress, some wise choosing is called for. In addition to a dress, the prom night entails other expenses such as matching shoes and purse, hair-do, make-up, nails and such. In time, these necessities tally to a fair sum. Look out for sale periods and stock up when the prices are at their best.How Long-Term Travel Turned Me Into A Minimalist? This avoids the element of waiting until the eleventh hour as it gives rise to rash purchases. Some compromise is ultimately called for to produce an overall result of elegance and good taste without wiping out one's savings.
The internet is generally the ideal marketplace to source for cheap prom dresses. Whether they are new or worn once, the selection is vast and bound to suit even the finickiest consumer. Alternatively, some cities promote a local exchange program whereby peoples from all quarters come together for a giant swap meet of sorts. Dress exchanges have become popular as everyone is always looking for new attire without hefty price tags. Community projects which enlist the participation of boutiques and dress retailers secure donations of dresses whereby underprivileged students are presented with the opportunity to show up at their prom night in beautiful clothes.
Chris is the writer of this article, you can visit us for more information on Cheap Prom Dresses and Cheap Formal Dresses.Visit to read more detail.