Covid-19 has changed everything from shelter-in, store closures and unfortunately those businesses who are locked up permanently.  Its not just the stores it includes the manufacturers and the raw goods material suppliers.  Taking this in account, that is why it is important to plan out well ahead what everyone is going to wear.  

Weddings in many cases are opting to buy instead of renting as the garments will be owned by those in the Wedding and can be used in the future.  Buying is preferrred instead of renting and this is the reason.  Owning is not much different than renting.

The next step is getting everyone in your Wedding Party to get measured early, not later! Time is of the essence to insure you get what you want.  You want to make sure everyone in your Bridal Party can be fit and the sizes are available.  This is part of the process.

Talk with your Wedding Party and make sure their weight isn’t going to change.  If there is a significant weight change and that is not communicated early, the different size garment may not be available.

If another garment has to be ordered that adds additional cost that could be avoided! It is important that your Wedding Party stays in contact and let you know if there are changes in weight which will affect the fit of the garment.

I was asked to comment on the effects of Covid-19 this holiday season by a national social media company.  I felt as a co-owner of a 3rd generation locally owned family business the topic was too important not to comment on this blog.  Shop local has been the definition of small business in America; local business is the local community.   Commerce generated stays local.  If you have your favorite local business, support it now! Because they may not be here tomorrow.  Most local businesses are in the fight of their lives to survive, once they are gone, they are gone forever.

 

If you feel this way, you’re not alone.  We get asked often, whats wrong and what do I need to? do?

Here are good tips to go by:

1. Know your actual shoe size that fits you.  Most people are miss fit.  Shoes that fit properly, are fit to the arch length of the foot and shoe.  The Foot is not positioned in front or back of the shoe arch, but dead center so the foot and shoe bend right at the break.  Heel to toe length doesn’t mean anything, because toes can be short or long.  If the arch doesn’t break at the proper place, your feet will be uncomfortable and over time can lead to feet issues.  

2. Your feet need to lay flat in the shoe footbed, not crunched in.  Over time you don’t want to develop corns or bunyans.

3. Foot Support.  You need good support for your heel, arch and ball of the foot.  If the shoes are not made with good support, over time planter fascia, under ball of the foot and planter fasciitis – heel pain, can occur; it is pain that makes walking very tough.

It is not the name of the Shoes that matters, but how shoes are made. You want a great cake, you have to use great ingredients.  It is no different in making shoes.  How can you tell the quality that goes into the make of the shoes? You can tell when you try shoes on.  Look to see how they are made.  You can tell right away if the shoe fits and support your feet. Are your feet comfortable? The shoes should almost feel like you are wearing a comfortable pair of slippers.  There should be no break-in period.  Shoes should feel great from the moment you try them on.

Treksta Shoes are great for Hiking, Running, Cross Training.  Nestfit is a trademark of Treksta.  All of their shoes and boots are made with a shoe block that is the shape of the human foot, not the standard woodblock that so many manufactures use.  It is how shoes are made that makes the difference!

What is different for Treksta, is getting shoes designed for a specific purpose: Cross Training, Running, Walking and Hiking.  A number shoes and boots feature Ice Lock, Super Sticky and Hypergrip so you don’t fall on wet or slick surfaces.  Gore-tex Waterproof is another feature, that keep your feet dry and comfortable. 

Marketing a brand of shoes doesn’t mean your buying quality.  For the health of your feet, be a good steward and compare.  It is not about a name, it is how the shoes are made and what goes into them that makes a difference.  There is a difference and Treksta is one lines you will want to explore. 

If you are going to be out in the Woods, Forest, Mountain Trails or Beach don’t take a chance getting bit by a tick or insect carried diseases.  It is not worth getting Lyme disease, West Nile, Zika, EEE an other diseases.  Protect yourself! InsectShield Apparel puts a barrier between you and insects.  InsectShield is bonded to the clothing and stays there. It does not transfer to your skin.  InsectShield is safe and it works!

InsectShield is available on Men’s and Women’s Hats, Neck Garters, Socks, Long-Sleeve Shirts and Tops, Pants and Outerwear.

The fabrics are high tech, easy care, quick dry, upf+ sun protection and durable.  InsectShield is effective for up to 70 washings.  These garments don’t need to be cleaned very often and you will last.  Protect yourself from getting bit.

It is unprecedented with the enormity of Covid-19 and what is has done to everyday life.  No one knew how to plan or what to do as this Tsunami unfolded. It has effected every walk of life in this country and for many it continues.

It has been a total reshuffling of the deck on Jobs and the shut down of the economy.  For many in retail the doors have been closing at an alarming rate, bankruptcies, restaurants and bars closed…a total disruption as life as we know it.

When the time does come for post Corvid-19 and life returns to a new normal and it will, many of the favorite places that we went to eat, shop, brick and mortar or online, may be gone for ever.

Until we reach that point, life will go on.  Best advise is…Plan Ahead!  There are and will continue to be an alarming of business closures and bankruptcies at a rising rate.

If something is coming up…Job Interview, Wedding? They’re shortages occurring worldwide. Covid-19 has affected manufacturing of raw and finished goods.  Shipping is taking much longer and causing massive delays.  Most companies have adopted a Covid-19 Policy, so do understand how different things are than they were 100+ days ago.  Everything is turned on its ear.

Plan for longer wait times for what you may need.  When going into stores it will be common finding shelves completely empty.  Demand has diminished supply.  That supply will take much longer to fullfill, that is if that supplier is still in business.

Plan now…start sooner than later.  If you need help for getting ready for a Job Interview, Wedding…we helped many be ready for that Job Interview or Wedding Day.  We were here daily, when most were closed.

We have and will maintain high Corvid-19 Standards – well after Corvid-19 is in the rear view mirror.  Masks are worn, Social Distancing is observed, we work mostly by appointment and there are only few people in the store at any given time.  After client meetings, everything is wiped down, sanitized and clothing steamed as needed.

If you need help, we are available by Zoom, Facetime and In Store Appointments and many delivery options including curbside.  Our online store is available and so are special orders, made to measure.  We have been helping our clients for over 100 years, we are the same family owned business.  Professional, Lifestyle, Travel Clothing and Weddings are our specialties.

During the Pandemic the use of Video has been a wonderful source of staying connected. Now, more than ever with so many working at home, its use will be extensive as the economy ramps up and social distancing will be here for some time to come.

Video conferencing company meetings, clients, presentations and job interviews, etc., presents issues working from home. When not in front of camera, dress could be sweats, work out gear or jams. What happens when you are on a video meeting and your dress is professional on top and sweats on the bottom and you are called upon and have to stand up, how embarrassing will that be? Questions you need to ask, are you ready for what’s ahead?

Are you ready for last minute meetings on live video? Presenting in front of a group? Stand-up presentations? First time meetings with a new client? Company? Job Interview?

Its not just dress, its your grooming and how to project your professional image. First time impressions happen in the first 10 or 15 seconds. It can make or break you. You cannot look like you just rolled out of bed.

When working from home, you have to plan for the unexpected. Your wardrobe should be ready for anything. If you need help with wardrobe planning, that is our expertise at Bel Air Fashions. We have been doing this for a very long time and it works.

Studies have shown how dress affects psychology of how we feel about ourselves and personal work performance. When we get dressed, we feel more professional and have a better attitude of what we are doing and how it affects productivity. Whether dress is a Suit or not, clothing should never be a barrier in our work, perception or competency. The bottom line is never leave the opportunity to have someone tell you to improve your dress and appearance.

Call for a no obligation appointment and let us help you plan accordingly. Phone/Text 402-493-5160 to schedule a in store appointment or for a Zoom individual consultation. It makes a difference, let us help you. Wardrobe Planning is a very powerful tool as it has helped others get hired and move ahead in their career. Wardrobe ready on a moments notice.

There are certain areas Apps are great for and others not so much.  Apps are only as good as they are programmed.  Apps don’t think and cannot make a decision.  When it comes to measuring Apps they will never replace Perkins measuring devices used for Made to Measure Clothing. It takes years of experience, training and a good eye to recognize what measurements are telling the individual measuring. When measurements for example are revealing the neck may be forward and shoulders are rounded, pitched forward this is all noted when blue penciling a pattern.  Measuring apps are programmed for general measurements and patterns, not for unique fittings.

Much of the marketing media promotes measuring apps as being more accurate than a tailor, not exactly. May be fine for a general size pattern assuming everyone is a perfect size and assumes no changes. Every body has its own unique characteristics and that is where old fashion measuring and a trained eye make the difference. Skill sets will never be replaced by a APP.  A garment can be only as good as the measurements taken. It requires a lot of information, for example when making a made to measure suit, it can take around 300 or more operations over the course of weeks to make a great garment; not in 24 hours. When something is represented as custom, cheap price and replaces a tailor, think again you get what you pay for.  If you want a garment to last and feel and look great each time is it worn, it all starts who is measuring, where and how it is made and what fabrics, linings, etc.  If you want a great cake, it takes great ingredients, there is no substitute and that is why there is a difference with made to measure.

When the impossible looks inevitable that is when the American Spirit is at its best. America in times of peril has always dug down and dug deep and with the incredible might and resolve of this wonderful country, America has always come through.

No doubt the same is true today. While the Coronavirus has virtually brought daily life to a standstill, it too will pass. For the short term, it will rearrange our daily lives but as a nation we will come out on the other side much stronger and better for it.

As a century plus company and in the 47 years my brother and I have been in business, we have been through many, many ups and downs in the economy and this environment we are in, will eventually will pass.

Daily life will be disrupted and changes for the interim. Life still goes on! In light of what is going on Bel Air Fashions will remain open. We will be doing the following:

For anyone who cannot make it to the store, we will be making appointments by phone, email and text to arrange Facetime Video Calls. If you are getting ready for a Job Interview, adding to your Wardrobe, Wedding, etc., this will help you get questions answered and help you get ready for what is ahead.

2. Our on line Store will be reflecting the instore experience that so many of you have
become accustomed to. The online store will mirror the same quality, value and
longevity. We understand how important Social Distancing is and that is why we
have our online store as a option.

3. If there is something you want that is not online, please contact us and we will do
our best to accomodate your request.

4. Made to Measure Clothing has always been our specialty. This is for both men and
women. Later this year we will be introducing a new line of men’s made to measure
that is outstanding quality, fabrics and will be our opening price point. Stay tuned.
This is a very special line we will be announcing.

5. Any order called in or special order, we will have available for curbside delivery or
have delivered by UPS or Mail.

We are all in this together. Nobody planned or wanted the Coronavirus Pandemic. It will pass. Better days are ahead!

I want to share my personal experience.  Last night we had about 3″ of heavy wet slushy snow that came down as big snow flakes.  Grassy surfaces were covered – the Driveway had a combination of watery slush snow, the temperature was hovering in the low 30’s.  It was slick.  I came out this morning to shovel the driveway in a waterproof shoe that by most would be considered a winter shoe.  The driveway was a combination of snow and slush and I almost slipped a few times and decided it was not worth the risk of falling.

I went inside and put on my Treksta gore-tex waterproof shoes with ice lock that I use for exercise and  walking outdoors.  The shoes were phenomenal! I had a solid grip to the driveway and there was no slipping.  Feet were warm and dry.  Treksta is unique with nest fit technology that is not only comfortable but made in the shape of the human foot.  Ice Lock is everything you want in a shoe to keep you stable on a wet or icy surface.  If you seek shoes with Ice Lock technology, remember Treksta and Samuel Hubbard.  Both shoe lines are outstanding for Ice Lock; available for both Men and Women.

Switch has it all and for good reason.  The Sunglasses are as active as you are.  Each Switch Glass Kit comes with a second set of Lenses.  What is so special are the magnetic lenses and frames that allow a quick change.  Lenses pop out, place lenses back into magnetic slots and  are securely in place.  This is the Switch Magnetic Interchange Technology.

Switch Sunglass Technology are so good they are now used by NASA.  If you are like many who love to be outdoors and have the ability to switch out your lenses, then Switch is for you.  The Switch Kit comes with a set of Polarized and a pair of Low-Light Rose Amber  Lenses, Micro-Fiber Wipe and Pod.

The other feature that is available on most of the Switch Frames is the ability to fill your custom Rx Sun prescription and Speciatly Lenses.  This is what sets Switch apart.  Outstanding styling, fit and glasses as active as you are and all while protecting your Eyes.  See Bel Air Fashions for more details.