Tips | CustomizedGirl Blog

5 February 2009

The Ultimate Online Guide To Valentine’s Day Dating

Category: Valentines Day, CustomizedGirl, Tips, Features

Valentine’s Day is the one day of the year completely dedicated to romance and love and relationships. Now I know not all of us have our special someone to share that special day with. For those of us who don’t here is a list of the top 25 places online to find your Valentine. Yes, there is still plenty of time to find your Valentine in time for this Valentine’s Day.

Top 25 Dating Sites

Perfectmatch.com - Perfectmatch.com is one of the leading online dating and relationship services, and a great resource for adults seeking a successful, long-lasting match. It uses the Duet Total Compatibility System, which analyzes the “whole person”, looking at each person’s personality, values, and ideals. This site definitely stands out from the rest, and it’s free to sign up for your compatibility profile.
eHarmony.com - eHarmony is another familiar site which narrows the field of millions of candidates to a select group of singles who are compatible with you. Unlike some other sites, eHarmony lists your matches for you, based on 29 Dimensions of personality that are predictors of relationship success.
Match.com- Match.com is a trusted, quality dating site that has been around for quite some time with millions of success stories. The site features a plethora of singles with up to ten photos included in their profiles so that you can really get a good look at someone you’re interested in. Register for free and see what’s out there waiting for you!
Blacksingles.com - Blacksingles.com is a site dedicated specially for African American singles to find a life-long partner with similar traditions, values, and beliefs, or even just make a new friend. The site features email, chat rooms, instant messenger, message boards, and more.
AmericanSingles.com- AmericanSingles.com is a more broad online dating service, with millions of members with different professions, ages, and walks of life looking for someone to share a relationship with. AmericanSingles.com allows you to post your own profile with up to four photos for free, and if you want, you can upgrade your membership to receive instant messaging, email, and real-time chat.
JDate.com - JDate.com is the leading Jewish singles network on the web! The site calls its self “the modern alternative to traditional Jewish match-making” because it really is the ideal place for Jewish men and women to find friends, dates, and soul mates, all within the faith. Just look at the hundreds of success stories posted on the site!
DatingDirect.com - DatingDirect.com is one of the largest online dating services, with several million members. The site also holds regular member parties in various cities, to give their members the opportunity to have loads of fun while meeting new people in person rather than online. If you cannot attend the parties, you can always opt for the real-time chats, instant messaging, or email.
HoroscopeFree.com- If astrology is important to you when looking for a relationship, then HoroscopeFree.com is the online dating resource for you. Horoscopefree.com allows you to choose a partner based on the strength of their star sign. Along with dating, the site also provides information dealing with other astrological information such as horoscopes and lucky numbers.
EveryonesConnected.com - EveryonesConnected.com is unique because unlike most online dating services, this site requires that a friend verifies that you are who you say you are. The idea behind it is that then you can meet people who are friends of your friends, and who can be sure that you are real. The site also includes a feature that allows you to see what other people think of each other before you decide whether or not you would like to meet them.
DatingFaces.com - DatingFaces.com is a site with lots of personals to view, which include multiple pictures of the member. The site allows you to provide your own personal ads with pages and pages of photos and details about yourself so that your potential match can see and read all about you!
SimplyClicked.com - SimplyClicked.com is another free online dating service that is easy to use and effective. All you have to do is provide a username and start meeting and chatting with other singles in your area. As mentioned previously, this site is unique in that it is completely free-no up-grade charges, no catches.
VeggieDate.com - If you’re interested in meeting someone with the same vegetarian lifestyle as you, VeggieDate.com is worth a shot. VeggieDate is a perfect resource for vegetarian dating that allows you to meet members that range from macrobiotic diets and fish vegetarians, lacto vegetarians, ovo vegetarians, to vegan vegetarians. The free vegetarian personals allow you to meet veggie singles and share organic and healthy vegetarian lifestyles.
CyberDating.com - CyberDating.com is a free dating personals site for Canadian singles. It is a totally free source that includes a free singles chat, articles, testimonials, and links to other dating sites. Although the site is mostly dedicated to Canadian singles, it also allows you to post international profiles, for the best chance of finding a relationship.
ProfilePic.com - ProfilePic.com is a site that appears to be a mix of a community site and a dating site for teenagers. It is a simple design that allows you to view other members profile pictures, send messages, instant messages, post videos, and chat online with other teens just like you.
AnimalPeople.com - Must love dogs? AnimalPeople.com is a site dedicated to people who have the best pets in the world, but are missing the love of their lives. Animal People Personals allow you to connect to others just like you who are searching for other animal lovers to spend their time with.
MatchStudents.com - If Facebook isn’t for you and you’re a busy student without much time to go out and meet new people, MatchStudents.com is the place for you. This site hooks you up with other students and allows you to meet other students and form friendships or relationships. All you have to do is register, create a profile, and start meeting new friends.
Gay.com - Gay.com is a place where gay members are looking fro more than just a hook-up. The site claims to be the largest, biggest LGBT community online, so why not give it a shot? The site allows you to get basic email access, join group chats, see full-size photos, and see who’s viewed your profile, and much, much more. You can join for free, and searching profiles and pictures has never been easier.
Yahoo.com- Yahoo Personals is a huge online dating service that helps you focus your energy on single people in your area who might be compatible with you, and have your personal matches delivered right to your personal email. The site is also nice because it allows you to maintain control over your identity and contact information, and get a secure, anonymous mailbox for all of your flirting.
LavaLife.com - LavaLife.com is one of the largest online dating services with over 15 million members. The site gives you a choice of three categories, Dating, Intimate, and Relationship, which allows you to choose which level of relationship you are looking for. Among other features, the site also allows you to communicate with other singles via email, IM, webcam, Lavalife by phone, and Lavalife mobile.
SinglesNet.com- SinglesNet.com is an easy to navigate, and is free to sign up. The site is currently offering a free trial period to those who are interested. The free trial offer includes: email to featured members, receive and read email from other featured members, reply to emails, create your own personality profile, and use the proprietary matching system. It’s all free! What are you waiting for?
Chemistry.com - Chemistry.com is actually a sister site of Match.com, so it is also designed for people who are seeking meaningful, long-term relationships. Like its name suggests, the site is built on compatibility and chemistry, unlike most sites that just focus on compatibility. Chemistry.com gives you the tools to get face-to-face with the people you want to meet, and help you along your path to your perfect relationship.
EasyFlirt.com- EasyFlirt.com is a growing website with over 7 million members designed to help you have fun and meet new people! The site features fantastic features such as webcam chat, IM, email, and chat. This is a great and easy way to meet someone new in your area. Check it out!
SinglesCrowd.com- SinglesCrowd.com is a large, quality website to meet new people online. The site features a personalized and compatibility matching, a relationship analyst, and also their “Chatterbox” instant messaging. You can choose to meet people in your area, or across the world. SinglesCrowd.com makes it easy for you to meet and form a relationship with your perfect match.
Mingles.com- Mingles is a site dedicated to helping people meet a compatible match-free! You can use Mingles to make new friends, hang out, find a date, chat, discuss, whatever! The site allows you to post an unlimited amount of photos, blogging tools, video profiles, anti-spamming controls, and instant messaging.
FriendFinder.com- FriendFinder.com has a clear and easy registration process, and once you’ve joined, there are countless interesting profiles to look at, all including pictures. With a site this large and with so many features, it is hard not to find someone you’re interested in. So go ahead, give it a shot!

Now that you’re off and searching for your special someone. Let’s take a look at some of our dating tips. These will help you get off to the right start with your new found date. Follow These guidelines and there is no way you will get shut down for Valentine’s Day.

General Dating Tips

Be Prepared- If you really want to succeed in the dating world, then there are certain steps you should take. You need to decide who you are looking for, and you need to do your research and be ready to commit to dating. Half heartedness simply will not work. You should also prepare yourself for some let downs along the way, but overall dating should be fun and not be taken too seriously.
Get Your Act Together- Begin a regime of looking your best. Get health magazines, join a gym, get fit and start a diet. Get your hair trimmed or styled, and begin a process of good grooming or beauty treatment. Although that alone will not get you a date, you will gain way more confidence in yourself.
Shop, Shop- People appreciate appearance. Go shopping and treat yourself to some new clothes. You don’t have to change your appearance so much that you look like a totally different person, but maybe its time to throw away those tired jeans, old sweaters or cardigans and spruce yourself up.
Have Goals- In the dating game it helps to have a game plan. Have a good think about what your dating goals and timescales are. Do you see yourself married in 2 years? Are you just testing the waters? Keep these things in mind when you’re thinking about what you want out of your dates.
Confidence - It is always good to sort out your levels of confidence in advance. Do all of the things that boost your confidence; from avoiding friends, to attending the right kinds of social functions. Couples at dinner parties in suburbia are not where you want to be right now.
Aim Realistically- Choose those who you have a good chance of dating. Don’t aim too low, but aim realistically. Your dating is based on the whole package you offer, as well as just your personality. If you are looking for a runway model, or a Calvin Klein model, good for you but be prepared and be realistic about your chances.
Plan- Work out in advance where in your neighborhood you are likely to meet people and join clubs, societies, sports events, drama groups, anything where you are likely to meet potential partners. The kind of partners you are looking for. I know it’s a cliché but you will not meet people by staying indoors.
Date In Phases if Necessary- Take time off from dating occasionally if it’s not going well or causing dating fatigue. Dating is an on-going, often exhausting process, and so sometimes recharging the batteries and keeping the confidence and optimism high is an absolute must.
Enjoy It - Enjoy dating for what it is, dating. It’s meeting new people and socializing and mingling with new and interesting people who may or may not spark your interest. The fact is, most people are intriguing and have a lot to offer, and while you may not be out there looking for new friends, you may find one or two fantastic people along the way.
Availability Factor- Never, ever make yourself too available. People like a little mystery and enigma and the thrill of the chase when dating. The longer a person is made to chase and fall for you within reason, the more likely that love will blossom. Peak too early and you have little left to offer and emotions may have never had enough time to develop.

Okay, now it’s Valentine’s Day. You’ve done well. The Big Day is upon us. Take a look at these simple but smart ideas on how to turn your first Valentine’s Day together into one that will be remembered for years.

How to Have the Perfect Valentine’s Day Date

Never Forget This Day- Many people are guilty of forgetting things such as birthdays, holidays and in some occasions even anniversaries. The thing to remember is that if you forget Valentines, chances are your date/partner is going to think you have forgotten them. Remembering this day means a lot and says a lot about the way you feel about the love of your life.
Date Preparation- It kind of goes without saying for both men and women that the Valentine’s Day Date will require you to wear your more attractive attire depending on what you’re doing. If you’re going to a nice restaurant, it might even be a good idea to buy a new sweater (for guys), or dress (for ladies). Think about the colors your date likes to see you in, or if there’s a certain way they like to see your hair. Or if you’re doing something more active, make sure you are aware so that you are both dressed appropriately.
Be Punctual - It always helps the evening start off smoothly if both you and your date are on time. Ladies, try to be ready for your date when they pick you up, and gents’ pick your date up when you say you are going to. Nothing ruins an evening faster than keeping someone waiting because you couldn’t get it together on time.
The Gift - This year, try and make your gift special. Everyone does flowers and chocolate, which may be appropriate for your partner’s gift depending on what they would appreciate. But you could also make your Valentine’s gift more unusual and memorable by trying something different like a massage bar, tickets to a concert, sports event, play, a gift basket, or a fun activity for two.
Plan For an Experience- So you’ve picked out an amazing gift for your Valentine, but there’s more to success on this occasion than just an awesome gift. Plan for an experience as well and you’ll have created a double-whammy of romantic bliss that won’t be forgotten soon. You could take a stroll on the beach at sunset, cuddle up on the couch watching a romantic comedy, rent a hot-air balloon, or just go out to dinner.
Add an Element of Surprise- Of course your Valentine is going to know that you have something planned for Valentine’s Day, and that’s okay. You can always let them in on a portion of what’s going on so that they can make necessary arrangements such as hiring a babysitter, or wearing the right clothing. However, adding a little surprise here and there is sure to stimulate love and affection from your partner. Maybe you could call in to the local radio station and request “your” song, plan a romantic get-away and share the news over dinner, or even say I love you for the first time.
Focus on Your Valentine- Even though you may love Valentine’s Day, keep in mind that your date/partner may not, and by taking his or her preferences into account, you’ll be making the day special in its own way. So, if your date really isn’t into the holiday, don’t make them sit through a romantic dinner and then come back to a trail of rose petals and candles. Likewise, if he/she goes crazy over the occasion, a peck on the cheek and pizza delivery won’t cut it either. Instead, try thinking of some creative ways of making the day special, and you’ll create the perfect Valentine’s Day for both of you.

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1 December 2008

Starting a Killer Celebrity Blog: 50 Tips and Resources

Category: Blogging, Tips, Celebrities

So you want to be the next Perez Hilton, but have no idea where to start? Fear not. Thankfully, becoming a celebrity blogger isn’t really any different from becoming a regular blogger – all you need is the passion for your subject and the perseverance to post every day. There are plenty of free resources online to help you reach your goals quickly, so take in some of this advice and start breaking some celebrity news.

Getting Started

The first thing you’ll need to do is research how to actually set up a blog, as well as how to market yourself once it’s up and running. Check out these handy articles for a little direction.

eHow: eHow gives you a step-by-step resource outlining the basic strides you’ll need to take to get your blog off the ground. Beyond the obvious point that you’ll need to first create and name the blog, the article offers hints on how to attract readers.
Wisdump: Before you go thinking that you can steal whatever photos you want from Google Images, read this article from Wisdump, which will help you learn how to access the snazziest shots in a legal manner, as well as give you great tips for establishing your celebrity blog.
Acosmin: Acosmin writes an in-depth, two-part article about creating and starting your own celebrity blog. One of its main points is that, in this business, you can’t skimp on design.
Lonely Marketer: The Lonely Marketer gives helpful tips for anyone looking to become a first-time blogger. While not specific to celebrity bloggers, it’s still very helpful.
Courtney Tuttle: Courtney Tuttle writes an engaging essay on starting your own for-profit blog, but perhaps the best reason to visit this site is the more than 50 instructional videos she has posted on the topic – a gem of a resource.
Wikihow: Another strong primer, complete with a video tutorial on how to set up your blog.
Michael Hyatt: Michael Hyatt sets forth some basic knowledge about starting a blog, but one new piece of information covered is how to use an offline blog client to post entries even while you are away from your desk.
Blog Success Journal: The Blog Success Journal wants you to start a blog and make money. Learn how to generate profit through posting.
CarloCab : Carl Ocab gives you an easy checklist to follow for setting up a successful blog and reaping the rewards.
Top Business Review: Don’t learn as you go – get it all up top from the get-go. This thorough article gives 75 steps to follow for a fool-proof blog that will generate readership.

Choosing Your Style

Are you going to be the kind of blogger who rewards Paris Hilton’s shady fashion picks with praise and drool or the kind that’s going to slam her witlessness no matter what she’s wearing? In order to decide on the tone of your celebrity blog, you’ll have to research the competition. Only in knowing what’s out there will you know how to set yourself apart from the pack. Here’s a sample of several well-read and successful celebrity blogs.

Perez Hilton: If you are tying to get into the field of celebrity blogging, then you most certainly have heard of Perez Hilton. The self-styled pink blogger, Hilton’s tone ranges from snarky to adoring – bottom line is: if you want to be like Hilton, you can’t be afraid to pull out some punches now and then or to make friends with the stars you rag on most.
TMZ: These ruthless celebrity bloggers even have their own shock-journalism TV show detailing their guerilla methods of catching the stars on camera.
People: While maybe not technically considered a blog, People’s website is packed full of celebrity news updated to the minute. And it’s about as straightforward and balanced as a celebrity site can be – no rib pokes here.
Dlisted: Dlisted is a lively and fun celebrity blog that has been voted in the top 10 snarkiest celebrity blogs on the web. Perhaps that explains their motto: “Be afraid. Be very afraid.”
Celeb Crust: These bloggers choose to post almost solely about celeb mess-ups, embarrassing quotes, and overall blunders. If you’re going for a no-mercy style, check them out for inspiration.
Babyrazzi: If, like many people in today’s society, you are obsessed with celebrity pregnancies and offspring, you might consider specializing your blog toward the subject. When Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt can fetch $14 million for photos of their newborns, you know the world has gone astray. Babyrazzi is a blog focusing solely on celebs and their babies and a great site after which to model your own baby blog.
The Celebrity Blog: Don’t expect to find anything too juicy here, but do expect to find lots of celebrity photos and news about celeb appearances around town.
The Superficial: A sarcastic and lively read, The Superficial both bemoans the power of celebrity in today’s culture while simultaneously coveting it, somewhat reluctantly, at every turn. If you love celeb gossip, but don’t want people to think you really love celeb gossip, The Superficial’s style may be for you.
Couture Candy: Do you just pay attention to celebs because you want to see what they’re wearing? Couture Candy is a thorough blog with a fashion-loving author.
Celebrity Plastic Surgery: Everyone in Hollywood has had some work done, and this blogger wants to expose it all!

Social Media

Today you’re nobody in the blogging world unless you’re hooked in with the online social networking communities. Setting up profiles on all these high-traffic sites will help you build an audience in no time.

Facebook: A no-brainer here, if you want to be in touch with what’s going on in the world you’ve got to get a Facebook page. Befriend other celebrity bloggers and join all the celeb news groups you can find.
Twitter: The life of a blogger is ruled by your need to post, post, post. You’ve got to be on all the time, so creating a Twitter account to follow your competition, allies, and those you are covering will help you stay on top of the latest news second by second.
MySpace: While MySpace is almost a bit outdated, the sad truth is that so many celebrities still use it as a soapbox for their daily feelings and moods. So get a MySpace page and start asking for adds.
Linkedin: LinkedIn may seem too stodgy for a hip celebrity blogger like yourself, but unfortunately you must approach your passion like a profession. And making a diverse list of professional contacts will help you expand the reach of your blog more quickly.
Plurk: Plurk is a fun, new social networking site that recommends “interesting” people for users to check out, and offers users the chance to blog straight on their Plurk page. Called a “social journal for your life”, Plurk will let you easily market your blog to many members.
My Blog Log: My Blog Log lets you have a dialogue with the people who are following you and checking out your page.
Ning: A fast-growing social networking site, Ning actually lets you create your own social networking platform based around your area of interest, which your readers can join. Ning is a terrific and highly interactive way for you to connect with your readers.
Bebo: Bebo boasts a lot of members and plenty of new media applications that users can add to their page – a fun way for you to connect with your readers and build an audience.
Stickam : If you have a webcam and you know how to use it, Stickam is the place for you. It’s a social-networking community that allows users to connect with one another via live streaming video.
Xanga: Xanga connects bloggers with other bloggers, so get yours hooked into this incredible resource ASAP.

Being a Reporter

While some may argue that celebrity bloggers aren’t “real” journalists, you know that to be good at what you do you will need to know how to dig up dirt and write a compelling article. Here are some general journalism resources that will help you up your game.

How to Do Things: A step-by-step article on how to become a journalist, which focuses on how to get the right education and get your foot in the door.
New York Times: This article is a great demonstration of how millions of people are using their cell phones to get ahead in the journalism and blogging world.
The Guardian : The Guardian ran this story about the rise of citizen journalism. Take advantage of the trend and get your name out there by not only blogging, but submitting your news to citizen journalism websites.
Online Journalism Blog: This content-heavy blog will give you any and all information you could possibly ever need to know about being a journalist in the online community. This site is a serious resource you’ll want to bookmark for knowledge and inspiration.
Editorialiste : A blog that’s specifically dedicated to online journalism and blogging likens being a blogger to working in an online sweatshop. Get ready for some serious elbow grease.
MediaBistro: It costs about $50 a year, but a membership to MediaBistro will pay itself off in a day. You will want to read up on all the city blogs, as well as check out the “How to Pitch” section to see how you can best attract the attention of some major editors.
Project for Excellence in Journalism : The PEJ may be a bit serious for those of you simply wanting to write about celebrity infants and shoes, but for those wanting to take their craft a bit further, and perhaps mix in some real-world content, the PEJ is a great resource that can help you perfect your craft.
Newsvine: This article is titled “How to Be a Professional Journalist with No Prior Experience.” If this is you in a nutshell, start reading.
MSNBC : MSNBC has an entire section of its website dedicated to citizen journalists, so try submitting your content to generate a wider audience.
Online Journalism Review : The OJR says you can be a better journalist by “unlearning” traditional journalism rules and moving your business online.

General Tips and Resources

Tips for New Bloggers : This blog claims to be the dummies guide for all things blog-related. Read up for step by step instructions on making your blog the best.
RSS Specifications : To truly be successful, you will need to give your readers the opportunity to download your content straight to their RSS feed, so they can truly keep up with your genius posts. Figure out how you can make your blog compatible with this technology with this handy resource.
Seth Godin : Marketing guru Seth Godin has written a brilliant and helpful guide on his own blog about how you can attract people to your blog and build a strong audience.
SEO : Matt Cutts is going to help you get discovered by readers without even trying. SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is the trick for getting innocent web surfers to stumble upon your blog. Make sure that you’re the first person to pop up on a Google search with this article.
Generating Conversation: Since celebrity news is in and of itself rather sensational stuff, generating conversation will probably not be an issue for you. But nevertheless, it doesn’t hurt to read this article about how to make your blog as compelling as it can be.
Blendworx: This is a simple list of 51 tips all bloggers should follow in order to be successful.
Journalism Tips for Bloggers: Don’t just futz around with your bad grammar and badly structured blog posts. Be taken as seriously as a New York Times reporter by following these simple journalistic rules.
time Management: Blogging can be a stressful job with constant deadlines and the pressure to stay on top of the competition. These tools for time management will help remove some of the tension from your day-to-day.
Health Tips : Afraid your foray into blogging is going to turn you into a chubby computer-addict with bad skin? It could easily happen to anyone spending that much time behind their laptop. Here are a few health tips to keep you in tip-top shape.
Productivity : An article outlining tips to keep you uber-productive and on top of your game.

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23 September 2008

The Secrets of Online Customization: 101 Tips and resources

Category: Customization, Design, Tips, Features

Today with so many life-enhancing products on the market and the overflow of technological gadgets intended to make people’s lives easier, consumers are a little spoiled. Websites like Facebook, Myspace, and Blogger have given people the ability to set up their own little corners on the World Wide Web and the desire for personalization has definitely extended far into the marketplace as well. Today, many businesses are discovering that if they want to stay competitive they must narrow their focus to pleasing individuals, rather than groups. Read on about how mass customization and online customization is driving businesses today and then check out how some companies are making it work and driving big profits, as well.

Articles & Literature

BizReport : A 2008 article detailing how customized products are the “it” thing. Consumers, according to this study, are sick of “cookie cutter” solutions. Allowing your customers to customize the product you are selling to their interests could increase the value by 18 percent.
USA Today: A 2007 USA Today article about how fashion designers and online retailers are increasingly offering consumers more customizable products. According to this article, 72 percent of consumers will buy a product that they are allowed to personally design.
About.com : Interested in starting your own online custom shoe business? Check out this article, which addresses where to physically house your business, as well as how to promote your product.
Shapeways : This is an article about a great online, 3D design software released by Shapeways, which allows both merchants and consumers to create 3D models of their own products. Consider employing similar software on your website or else create customizable products to sell.
Failure of Customization : This 2002 article talks about why the online customization business will ultimately fail. While its hypothesis hasn’t been proven yet, it argues that customized products aren’t better than mass-produced products.
Online-Offline: A helpful article about how online customization businesses can strengthen themselves by developing offline business partners.
Sketchee : An article about how many shoe companies are allowing customers to design their own shoes online.
Online Custom Jewelry Designs : Looking to design your own jewelry and get a deal at the same time? This article discusses how many jewelry merchants are offering customers the ability to design jewelry online while simultaneously comparing prices.
New York Times : Another terrific article about how customized fashion is becoming the wave of the future.
Mass Customization : This excellent book by Joseph Pine discusses how customized products are dominating the business world and how offering customization to customers gives a business a definite advantage.
Wikipedia: An article defining the term ìMass Customizationî and tracing its roots in the business world.
Harvard Business Review: This academic article from the Harvard Business Review outlines the four tenants of the online customization business and how businesses can incorporate them into their models easily, while offering low prices to consumers and reaping a profit.
Making Mass Customization Work : A companion piece to Pineís earlier Harvard Business Review article, this journal reveals the secrets that make mass customization work.
Markets of One : Another great resource for budding entrepreneurs, this book discusses the new trend of making products upon demand from a single customer.
Mass Customization Blog: A super-handy and uber-detailed blog dedicated to the mass customization industry. Look for wordy entries and lots of links from this blogger.
Cincom : Register with Cincom and get a library of business articles right at your fingertips, several of which discuss how different manufacturers can make mass customization work for them.
International Institute on Mass Customization and Personalization : The online customization business has become so big that there is even an entire professional institute for both academics and professionals looking to compare notes on the industry. They’ve even begun holding an annual conference where customization-philes can meet in person.
Business Week: An article reflecting on why consumers are so obsessed with making their own things.
Made for One: This site is a terrific round-up resource that devotes itself to collecting trade articles on mass customization and posting them in one easy-to-find spot.
Foodservice Magazine : So you can design your own Keds online, but can you create your own lasagna? This article talks about how mass customization may be targeting the food industry next.
Pure Insight : A webinar about how mass customization is creating more customer value. The teachers have studied more than 250 mass customization businesses and touch upon how each have been able to prosper.
Design Intelligence : What sort of effect will the mass customization boom have on purveyors and creators of high design? Find out by reading this great article by Design Intelligence.
ZD Net: A strong article which discusses the correlation between widgets and product customization. While this article refers mostly to online software customization, it would still be helpful to brick-and-mortar customization businesses looking to expand their presence on the web.
Hotel Online: An article about how mass customization has revolutionized thinking among leaders of the hospitality industry.
Your Brain on MC : This is a funny blog entry on Treehugger which shows what happens when a person, using a customization site, turns his brain scan into a lamp.
Dialogic : A series of webinars on how you can compete in a world of personalized objects.
E-Commerce : Another informational article that traces mass customization back to its roots.
Street Directory : Find out how mass customization in the Information Age is overtaking the model of mass production that was once the cornerstone of manufacturing.
Build to Order: Another book, this one is by Dr. David Anderson and it claims to be the “ultimate” management strategy for on-demand manufacturing.
Design4Manufactuability : Handy article on why producing un-customizable products is outdated.
Scion : Want to swap out that ìcommonî nameplate on your vehicle for one a little more true to yourself? Check out this article about Scion’s newest feature personalized crests or logos for the back and front of your car.
Martin Konrad: Artist Martin Konrad examines how mass customization corresponds with industrial design and points out that individuals are influencing design these days much more than actual designers.
Eporia : An article about how one online custom printer achieved a more functional website by partnering with the company Eporia.

Products

Check out these online businesses who offer customers the ability to customize the products they purchase!Clothes

Customized Girl : This cute site lets you customize T-shirts and other clothing items for women, men and kids, though it has a specific focus on women’s clothes. The site has a wide variety of styles and trends one of the biggest on the web and has an easy-to-use site. You can even upload your own images to be printed on your merchandise. And expect nothing but the best-quality products this company sells garments from reputable manufacturers like American Apparel and Bella.
Bridal Party Tees : A site full of customizable products for the bride and bridesmaids this is a must-see for all of you preparing for a wedding or bachelorette party. Are you a soon-to-be Mrs. Smith? Why not tell the world with a cute tank top or tote bag? Get your bridesmaids in on the action or create a shirt for your hubby in just a few instants.
Zazzle: Want to start your own T-shirt business? Have an idea for a skateboard design? Check out Zazzle.com, a site that lets you design everything from clothes to shoes to business cards you can even turn your photos into customizable posters on this thorough site.
Custom Ink: Custom Ink is a company that puts your words on its products. Whether you’re a clothing designer or simply want to order some corporate T-shirts for your employees, Custom Ink can help you.
Blue Cotton : Forget Photoshop, Blue Cotton lets you custom design T-shirts on the spot using itís online Design Studio. You can even elect to have your tops be it cotton T-shirt or cotton sweatshirt custom embroidered.
Coco Myles : Forget fashion school! Coco Myles has a way for all you budding Donna Karan’s to create the dress you’ve always dreamed of with its online design studio. Pick your fabric, select your cut and color, and even add different accents.
Lands End : Custom design your own affordable Oxford button downs and khaki pants using Lands Endís Custom Clothing website, which made big waves when it debuted four years ago.

Shoes

Reebok: Believe it or not, you can work as a designer for Reebok. You won’t get paid in fact, you’ll be charged but youíll get a kick out of designing your own Reebok sneakers. Pick a style, choose your best colors, and then go wild adding your own flair.
NikeiD: Like Reebok, Nike offers consumers the option of designing their own shoes. The freedom here is mostly limited to color choices, but Nikeís interactive design studio will let you design a shoe right before your eyes.
Puma Mongolian BBQ : Playing off the popular style of eating in ancient Mongolia, Puma has created the Mongolian Shoe BBQ, allowing consumers to mish-mash together different styles and colors to create their ideal shoe. The site offers a “menu” of seasonal choices and is fun and easy to use.
Vans: Similar to Puma, Reebok and Nike, Vans has an online portal that allows customers to design their own slingback sneakers or old-school shoes.
Timberland : Timbaland the rapper probably had a heart attack when he heard that Timberland, the boot manufacturer so loved in the hip hop community, announced it was allowing customers to design their own heavy-duty boots. You can start from scratch or just add to a template shoe.

Jewelry & Crystal

Crystal Images: Who knew you could personalize even crystal vases? This is actually very popular idea among corporations looking for alternatives to trophies for golf tournaments. Also, customizing a vase is an excellent option for a wedding gift.
Engraving Creations : Customize glass, crystal, marble and much more through Engraving Creations website which customizes through engraving. The company even makes individually-specified Christmas ornaments.
You Design We Create : This company makes everyone into an instant jewelry designer. Harry Winston beware now people can get what they really want. Choose from several pre-made custom designs or call the company to discuss what you have in mind.
Diamond Designs : Diamond Designs will create the piece of jewelry you’re dreaming of by looking at your sketch and going from there. They can even guarantee a turnaround in just a few days.
Personalized Boutique : If you lusted after Carrie Bradshawís “Carrie” necklace in Sex in the City, then you’ll definitely want to check out Personalized Boutique, which makes similar gold necklaces in every name for the bargain price of $175. You can also get your childrenís names on a ring or a locket.
Jewels for Me: Design your own jewelry on this site that allows you to select the stones and gems that suit your fancy. Start by picking a style you like then finish by filling it with beautiful jewels.
A Diamond is Forever : Design your own engagement ring using this online tool.

Accessories

Custom Silicone Bracelets : Now you can be just as popular as Lance Armstrong by creating silicone bracelets for your business or cause. Pick your color, upload your catchphrase, and spread the word via wrists everywhere.
Crazy Custom Caps : Some people live in baseball caps, and those people need variety. Never fear sites like Crazy Custom Caps allow customers to design their own hats in just three easy steps.
Bari J. : Bari J. handbags has some of the coolest prints and templates from which to choose when creating your dream bag online. Vintage is the name of the game on this site.
Freddy & Ma: Give all your friends a jealous streak by designing your own handbags, pillows, and dishes on this hipper-than-thou site.
BPurses : Such a fun site for women who are obsessed with purses. BPurses lets you easily design your own handbags at an affordable price.
Paula Julia Designs : Another online merchant that allows clients to design their own purses online. This company is somewhat cheaper than BPurses, but tends to have less in the way of selection.

Toys

Toybuilders : Have a great idea for a board game, but donít feel like breaking out the construction paper and glue? Check out Toybuilders.com, which makes custom plush toys, board games, and wood toys.
Build-a-Bear: Everyoneís heard of Build-a-Bear, the popular store and online website that lets customers design their own stuffed bear. Popular among children, a gift certificate to Build-a-Bear is the perfect Christmas gift for the wee ones in your family. The good news is you can build the bear online, without needing to go to the store.
Custom Game Company: Custom Game Company creates board games and other physical games for companies, organizations, and communities.
Doll Wizard : Make your own dolls on this customizable site.

Household

California Faucets : Wow you can even design your own water faucets for your home through California Faucetsí online portal. This is online customization at it’s finest!
Bemz : Customize your Ikea sofas by ordering from one of the many upholstery designs on Bemz.com. Since your choices are limited at Ikea, Bemz offers Ikea sofa owners a chance at a more creative and personalized living room.
Custom Furniture Design : The guys over at Custom Furniture Design don’t need much just hand them your napkin scribblings of that armoire you designed and they’ll get it built in no time. This company has been working with architects and designers for many years on custom designs.
Smart Furniture : Design on Demand is the name Smart Furniture has given to its custom design section on its website. You can either edit template designs or start from scratch using their online design tool.

Miscellaneous

Shapeways : Remember the Treehugger blog about the brain lamp? Well, that innovative host of electricity was created with Shapewaysí 3-D modeling system that allows customers to create totally from scratch their own product designs. Check out their You Tube video on how it works.
Cafe Press: Cafe Press is perhaps the most popular customized good site and itís a great resource for small businesses who want to be able to sell products on-demand. Design your clothes and other products and set up an online store. Through Cafe Press you can order certain items on-demand, preventing the need to commit significant overhead to products that may or may not sell.
Branders: An apt name for a company that allows many companies to sell and promote their brand through products. They claim to be the largest online seller of promotional products and even offer a turnaround on some products as quick as five days.
Redesign Me: This innovative website has partnered with several manufacturers who offer monetary rewards to designers who can improve upon existing products or help them create new ones. Truly a fun and interactive marketplace for the creative among us.
Stem Cell : Need some customized cells or plasma samples? Who doesnít, really? Well, look no further. Stem Cell is here to help you out with its host of customized genetic products.
Design Your Own Card : Business cards will be bland no more! Now with this easy website you can design your own business card easily and quickly.

Design Principles

If you are going to start your own online customized product business or start creating your own products for purchase, youíll want to read up on how to be a good designer. With all the artistic and creative minds in the product business today, competition is stiff.

Marvin Bartel : This professor gives a nice, easy-to-read and simple discourse on important things to consider when designing, such as line weight, color, and placement.
Fashion.net: Want to be a fashion designer? Check out this helpful article with tips on good design schools and an inside glimpse into the business side.
Amazon List: While there are plenty of free resources online, Amazon has put together this thorough list of different books that speak to designing and creativity.
50 Ways to Be a Better Designer : A great list from Computer Arts that aims to help designers of all backgrounds get better at their craft.
Furniture Design : You’ll be able to find lots of design plans and furniture patterns online, but it might also help to get some inspiration from the furniture designers in this list who have helped set many trends.
Graphic Design Principles: A simple site that goes over the principles of good graphic design.
Product Design & Development : This industry website aims to improve product design across the board. A great resource for anyone with an idea on how to make something better.
Beautiful and Original Designs : Check out this fabulous article about innovative product designs for both inspiration and information.
Best Product Design 2007 : This article from Business Week will help you wrap your head around what has worked in the past and why.
Best Product Design 2006 : Business Week’s 2006 article on the same subject.
Product Design Forums: An excellent forum and chat board for all designers to connect and share.

Software

While many customization sites have their own design tools built in, those of you who really want to start from scratch are going to need some software to get your ideas onto the computer.

Photoshop: If you want to make a design using a pre-existing image, then check out Photoshop from Adobe. Manipulate images as much as you want and then save it down to a .jpeg file for easy uploading to most websites.
Photoshop Tutorials : Tripped up on Photoshop? No need to worry. This website has lots of useful information to get you over the hump.
Illustrator: True artists will want to get their hands on a copy of Adobe Illustrator, which allows people to draw freehand on the computer, as well as create wild patterns and shapes.
Adobe InDesign: Not the most flexible design software, InDesign is mostly a page-layout tool. But if you’re working on creating your own business cards or stationary it will be very intuitive to use.
Punch Software : Punch Software is perfect for the creative person aiming to design their own furniture or home product. Get the result you want without needing an ounce of sketching know-how.
Cute Draw : This software lets you easily create 3D shapes, as well as logos.
3Ds Max : You may have to go to architecture school to master this software, but once you do you won’t be sorry, as it allows you to make 3D renderings of practically anything. And just kidding on the whole architecture school thing there are plenty of tutorials to help you navigate the system.

Magazines

A quick list of design magazines that will help you get inspiration. Good luck!

HOW Design : Find blogs and in-depth articles in this hailed magazine.
PRINT Magazine : The leading magazine for graphic arts.
I.D. Magazine : The International Design Magazine is the international bible on design, which will keep you abreast of every design competition on the horizon.
Core 77 : For product designers, Core 77 is a wealth of information on industrial design.
Dezeen : Dezeen bills itself as the most influential architecture and design magazine out there.
Wallpaper : A popular and best-selling fashion and design magazine.
Curve : An Australian design magazine that is available online.
New Design : A British design magazine focusing on product and industrial design in Europe.
Communication Arts : Focuses on the best design used in the communication industry.
Ready Made : A great design magazine that tells readers how to make hip products all on their own a true subscriber to the customization theory.

1 Comment

20 August 2008

The Secret to Starting a Successful Fashion Blog

Category: Tips, Fashion, Features

You live for your Prada pea coat, foam at the mouth at the sight of a Birkin bag, and practically keep a spare mattress in the shoe department at Saks. Fashion is your obsession, your hobby and your life. So why shouldnít you have your own fashion blog? Heck, one day you could even get paid to write about the things you love to obsess over. Here are a few tips on how to get on the road to being a star fashion blogger.

Set Up Your Blog : Obviously, one of the first things you will want to do is actually set up your blog, even if youíre not actively populating it with content yet. But when youíre bursting with inspiration and ready to write, you wonít want to wait. Use an easy template-driven host, like Blogger or Wordpress. You are going to want your blog to represent your style and communicate that you are a savvy fashionista. So, make sure you use trendy colors, well-selected photos, and a smart design. While you can certainly find pre-designed templates and wallpapers on the internet or through your blog host site, you may even want to enlist the help of a graphic designer to help create an individual look that will set you apart from the others. As a fashionable person, you know firsthand that first impressions count.
Join IFB: The Independent Fashion Bloggers organization is like a trade association for trendy-minded people like yourself. Ever hear the expression ìstronger in numbersî? Well, the IFB aims to be a resource and forum for non-corporate fashion bloggers trying to navigate the ins and outs of fashion blogging. The site was started by a blogger who began writing about fashion for fun, but found the process of going professional overwhelming and confusing. If you want your blog to turn a profit some day, IFB is a source youíll want to have in your proverbial notebook.
Practice!: But before you try to make your new blog your bread and butter, get some practice writing for other blogs for money. It may sound sleazy at first, but getting compensated experience for blogging will help you better negotiate your own blog business down the road. You may not be able to find solely fashion gigs, but put yourself out there ñ apply for jobs that you feel are within your capabilities, learn from the experience and polish your writing chops in the process.
Check Out the Competition : To truly make your blog stand out from the rest, youíre going to need to know whatís out there. Invest some time reading other fashion blogs, see whatís been done already and also whatís lacking in the world of fashion blogging. By spying on the competition, youíll discover how to make your blog unique and you might also generate some content ideas. For example, if youíre thinking about incorporating critique into your blog posts, then reading up on what people are praising and poo-pooing in the fashion world can give you a little ammunition for a strong editorial voice.
Read Up: Aside from other fashion blogs, you will want to be very knowledgeable, if not expert, at what the major fashion magazines are covering and saying about the latest collections. While the fashion journalism industry is certainly changing rapidly and all print publications are creating stronger online presences, Vogue editor still trumps budding fashion blogger for seating assignments at New York Fashion Week. Maybe that will change one day. Maybe youíll be the person to do it. But for now staying on top of the mags is pretty important. If you can afford subscriptions, great; if not, spending an afternoon flipping through the pages of Glamour at your local library should do the trick. Oh, and donít forget the tabloids ñ since celebrities are the new supermodels youíll want to know whoís wearing who in Tinsel town.
Keep Up with Designers : Another form of research youíll need to do is check in on the websites of major, and budding, designers. This is where youíll be able to investigate all pieces of present and past collections, as well as stay abreast of any news designers are putting forth in the world about runway shows, television appearances, and new collections. Staying on top of budding designers is just as important as staying on top of entrenched designers. Just because Versace is Versace doesnít mean they canít put out a horrible product from season to season. Noting when up-and-comers are outshining the old guard will be important when developing your content. Plus, viewing the websites of top designers is a great way to get inspiration for the design of your own website.
Take a Class: If youíre an expert on fashion, but maybe donít have a ton of writing experience to speak of, taking a writing course can be a great way to get your feet wet and get some good advice on how to write well. Whether or not itís a blog writing course specifically doesnít really matter. Practice writing in any form and it will be helpful to you in the future. It will not only help you expand your vocabulary, but it will improve your sense of cadence. It could help your social life, as well as your blog business. Youíll get counseling from veteran professors and meet fellow budding writers, too.
Go to Fashion Week : If you can swing it, actually attending some runway shows at Fashion Week in New York or going to other less-frenzied fashion shows will help you get some experience reporting on fashion from the trenches, allow you to make some great contacts, and give you a lot of credibility with your readers. Letís face it ñ not everyone can make it to Fashion Week and most of those who can go donít have a platform to write about it. Making the effort to attend trade events will show that you are serious about your craft and set you apart from your competition.
Get Published : Another way to boost your profile is to get yourself published in print publications or on other fashion websites. Being able to bill yourself as a published, freelance fashion writer will help you attract readers and help you boost the circulation and number of hits on your blog. Certainly, getting published in the media isnít the most important thing you can do for your blog, but it canít hurt. And if your ultimate goal is to become a professional fashion writer, then it will help you further build a portfolio for future jobs.
Go Shopping : Maybe the easiest thing you can do to help generate content and commentary for your blog is hit the mall! Whatís on the racks at Nordstroms? How do the knock-off fashions at retailers like Forever 21 stack up against the uber-popular and affordable garments at Banana Republic? Where can you get the cheapest replica of that Michael Kors bag? The first thing to remember about your readers is that most will likely not be in Paris Hiltonís tax bracket. To write about fashion well, you will need to include everyday, affordable designs in the conversation. Take your camera phone to document particularly exciting finds and add some graphics to your text.
Test Your Theories: If youíre the kind of girl that likes to spend hours in front of the mirror throwing together random pieces of clothing and creating new styles, youíll need to know if what youíre creating looks good to others before announcing on your blog that youíre the next Rachel Zoe. While creating new looks is a great way to generate content and credibility for your blog, youíll want to test your theories before publication. So wear that orange jumper with the bright green stilettos out to the opening at the art gallery or to the trendy bar in town and see how people react. If you get a lot of compliments, youíll know youíve created a winner.
Get Innovative : Donít worry about whether or not you have the most coveted closet or not. We canít all afford the latest and greatest items, but you can get creative with whatís within your budget. Perhaps that 10-year-old T-shirt could be put to better use than just lolling around in your throw-out bin? One thing to consider is possibly featuring a standing column on your blog where you write about ways the average girl can look like Mischa Barton by just using the stuff she already owns. Your readers will love you for dispensing advice they can really use.
Consult an Expert : Aside from magazines and fashion blogs, believe it or not, stylists and designers alike have written books in which they have glorified their personal theories on how to be a style master. While staying on top of the trends is extremely important, gaining knowledge about the underlying principles that truly guide fashion will let you take things to a whole other level. Thereís a reason some style icons, like Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly, are considered timeless. The same ideas of beauty that they applied to their look in the 1950s and 1960s still ring true today.
Get an ìItî Item : While you certainly donít need to have a closet full of Marc Jacobs, owning one ìitî item, like the coveted Birkin Bag or a pair of gladiator sandals, is really a must for a serious fashionista. Always having one ìitî item in your sights can also be a fun element for your blog ñ use a thermometer or some sort of visual measurement system on your blog to show your readers how close you are to reaching your savings goal for whatever item is next on your list. When you come home from the Prada boutique with your accessory in hand, your readers can rejoice with you. It also sends a message that there are some things that are lifelong and worth the extra effort and dollar to own. Not everything in a personís wardrobe should be considered disposable with the seasons.
Be Seen: One of the most important things you can do for your blog, aside from populate it with excellent content, is market it. No one will read it if no one knows it exists. So get out there and network with your peers ñ be seen at important mixers, fashion shows, club openings, and other such happenings where fashion-forward people hang out. Boosting your contact list will help you spread the word about the work you are doing and get you well on your way to the blogging hall of fame!