Online Stock Broker - How To Find The Best

Online brokers have an important role to play when you open an online trading account. Each broker can offer different services and features. You must research all the online brokers to find the best broker to meet your needs.

What to look for in an online broker.

Brokerage rates – this is the rate at which you are charged for buying or selling through your online account. These rates are usually charged based on a sliding scale. The more units you purchase in a single transaction, the less the "cost per unit" you will pay. The exact sliding scale can vary and may sometimes be negotiable for larger purchases. Compare each broker and read the fine print within contracts. Pick the one that best meets your buying and selling style.

Account fees – Look for hidden fees in account contracts within the terms and conditions. I know of one broker who requires an extra $10 to transfer money out of an account "quickly" as against withdrawing money normally. Hardly a fair fee, I’d say. All fees should be listed in the terms and conditions listed in opening an account.

Phone access – Online services can go down during hours of service. Interruptions to broadband services, power outages and computer problems can stop you from accessing information you need at critical points. This is why you must have phone access to your online broker. Do not even consider using an online broker if they do not provide phone access. 

Access to your money – I prefer having instant access to my money even though it is held in a cash account by the broker. Most brokers will have a cash account facility that is linked to your trading account. My account is linked to a MasterCard account, which means I can access that money anytime through any ATM or make purchases as I would normally using a MasterCard. Don’t be misled into thinking you must only have a separate cash holding account with the online broker. There are lots of options open to you as a client and good online brokers will provide several options for your cash holding account.

Extra benefits – seek out those brokers that give you extra incentives to open an account with them. Some offer a limited free brokerage period. Others will offer free reports on the markets you are interested in. These bonus offers can help you getting you account established and setup a profitable trading account. 

10 Tips for Maintaining Your Custom Suits

Did you know that the popular belief that dry cleaning is healthy for your garments is just a myth? Caring for your custom suits is quite literally an art. One has to be extremely careful about how the garments are treated, how they are stored and how they are cleaned out. A bespoke suit is a luxury and must be cared for like one would care for their car; with love and a lot of attention.

10 Maintenance And Care Tips For Your Custom Suits

The maintenance of your custom suits is all about handling and storing them in the proper manner. There are several factors to consider and incorporate when taking care of your bespoke suit:

1.After every wear use a lint roller to remove any dirt, lint or hair it might have gathered.

2.Air your custom suits out before storing them away. This gets rid of any odor that might have gotten caught in the fabric.

3.If there are creases on your suit, hang the trousers and the jacket separately in the bathroom and take a hot shower. This will fill the bathroom with steam and get you nice and clean. Let the suit sit for thirty minutes than bring it out and wait for the creases to relax out.

4.Remove anything that might be there in the pockets so the fabric does not stress out and sag.

5.Do not store your custom suits in plastic or woolen bags as this allows the fabric to collect moisture and mildew.

6.Hang your custom suits on well padded heavy wooden hangers to maintain the shape of the shoulder pads.

7.Dry clean your bespoke suit only once; at the end of the season. Dry-cleaning too often does more harm than good to the fabric of your custom suits.

8.In case something spills on your custom suits, brush it off. Do not, under any circumstances, try to run it off. This will leave a permanent mark on fabrics such as linen and silk.

9.Any stains on the suit should be treated immediately and with a dependent and reliable stain remover.

10.Do not separate the jacket and the trouser of the suit. This will result in one wearing out faster than the other and you won't be able to team them up as a suit.

The care of customs suits is a delicate affair and must be handled with care. When you need to dry clean your suit, go to a reputed cleaner. With proper care, your suit's life will last much longer than you'd expect.

The Man-Bag

A lot of fashion attention has been given to the questionable accessory of the man purse, but the question remains. Should men carry a bag or not? Is it stylish and trendy or simply an outdated fad that is tacky and tasteless?

If you are a guy who truly needs to carry a lot of stuff, in other words, if a bag is necessary for toting your belongings, then by all means, there is certainly a fashion forward way to approach this subject. If, on the other hand, you prefer to be a minimalist in terms of personal necessities, an unnecessary bag can come across as ostentatious.

First thing’s first, size does matter. Although smaller man bags are not completely out of the question, few men can successfully pull off this accessory. In fact, small bags just come across as weak and feminine, so if you’re on the fence about different bag types, go with the one that is at least large enough to hold a laptop.

Other things to consider are the length and size of the straps. Aside from a solid briefcase and maybe a gym duffel, man bags are usually meant to be carried over the shoulder or across the body. Choose a bag with wide straps and thicker handles for the ultimate macho appearance.

When it comes to the color of your man bag, the most important suggestion is to avoid patterns. Very rarely does a pattern efficiently enhance a variety of different outfits. If you are shopping for a bag that is not only going to be functional but useful regardless of your wardrobe, stick with a solid color. Bold colors are an option if you like to stand out from the crowd, but be sure to go with a luxurious material that is both sleek and professional.

Accents and embellishments are perfectly fashion forward, but typically less is more. Another word to the wise, when going with metallic adornments, choose those that are more matte in finish and not necessarily shiny.

There is certainly a very stylish way to pull off the man bag accessory!

New To The Scene: HARO

                           

      Haro is a designer brand based in Los Angeles, CA. who focuses in affordable designer prêt-à-porter.
With a renowned reputation for quality and craftsmanship, Haro designs, manufactures and distributes highly desirable products, including  ready-to-wear, small leather goods and accessories. Haro's purpose is to offer their customers fashion and quality at the best price. Haro produces low quantities of each piece in a collection and is involved and oversees production of each piece. Designer Haro is committed to ensuring that all aspects of his business are run responsibly and with integrity. 
Haro was founded in 2008, by designer Salvador Haro. Born an artist he first monetized his artistic ability at age 14 when he started tattooing friends and school mates and started a iron-on t-shirt business. Graduating High School at 16 he began working his first job, other than as a child working with his father, who did manual labor. At 17 he left his first job for a more promising position at a department store, he was always looking for any opportunity to learn more about the clothing industry.  Leaving his house without notice, after family issues he went out on his own. During 2008 and the financial crisis, he lost his job,his vehicle and his home. In mid 2008 he returned home to his family, but with a mindset of not depending on jobs. Growing up with his father who was self-employed and being very creative, he decided to give fashion another try starting a small clothing line, which sold in a few boutiques and skate shops. Within months he made profit, but he was not very convinced, by late 2008 looking at his own wardrobe, his idea became clear, designer fashion. He started making custom orders and leather bracelets, now Haro is a full fashion house, focusing on men and women's ready-to-wear and accessories.   HARO

Mans Laundry Day

                                            Laundry day is coming; and you have to face the mountain of cloth you piled up.
However, we have some good news and some advice.  A recent study showed you don’t need to wash them as much as you think. Australian researchers found that jeans worn for three months without a wash didn’t even smell bad.
Washing your jeans
You should not wait 3 months to wash your jeans; but, Washing jeans is simple, you only need to  wash them every 4 to 5 wearings in cool water, inside out to prevent fading. Hot water can affect the dye in fabrics bleaching colors, and turning them inside out will protect the dyes from the roughness of a cycle.
Undershirts
Undershirts can be washed after 2-3 uses. Cotton fibers don’t build up odor all that fast, so the same undershirt can be worn a few times before a wash. But since the underarms are the most highly odorous part of the body, the shirt needs to be washed after a few uses in order to prevent odors from building up.
Wash at the Right Water Temperature
You can’t just throw any  pile in hot water and expect tailored perfection. In fact, we suggest hot water for items that are 100 percent cotton or undergarments. Why? Hot water helps take care of bacteria on that clothing. It’s more of a disinfectant. Turn the temp down for outer garments—cold water will help them last longer, and save you cash on the electric bill.
Don’t Separate by Color—Do This Instead
The light and dark, two load laundry myth, should be broken!. White, 100 percent cotton items can always go together, and it’s actually OK to mix T-shirts of different colors as long as they’re all cotton. Just know that if you have a knit navy shirt and jeans that look the same color, they shouldn’t be washed together. Jeans can snag nice knit shirts making them look worn.
The Tag
Rule of thumb: “If it doesn’t say machine washable, believe it. And if you’re not willing to hand wash, take it to cleaner,” . Suit coats, dress pants, silk, and woolen items should never see the inside of a washing machine. These items are made with fabrics that can be damaged by the swishing of a cycle.
Get Rid of Wrinkles—Without an Iron
Wrinkles are caused by over drying. Remove clothes from the dryer when they are just slightly dry, and hang them to dry fully. Shirt wrinkled as you’re running out the door? Hang it in the bathroom and turn the water on hot for a few minutes. Steam from shower helps loosens and relaxes fibers, getting rid of wrinkles
                                                                                                                                       

re-Balance Your Emotions

  

At times when I seem to lose my emotional balance, and things momentarily get out of control, I look for simple ways to give me a little boost. I look for simple tasks that are not uncomfortable or that will take up much time. The point is to give you a easy time during stressful, unbalanced times. These are some of the tasks I found to work for me. 

1.  First, I look around, just remember you start with nothing, and everything you see, you created. Sometimes we loose our feeling of self-worth when something goes wrong. Just remember you did it before and you can do it again.
2. Remember your last (or greatest) success and think about it for sixty seconds. Taking in your success as often as possible will help you reach another and another. Quite simply, it reminds you that if you've done it before, you can do it again.
3. Look at any diploma,trophy, or certificate of achievement that you have earned. And if it isn't framed and on the wall, frame it . These are reminders of your accomplishments, and taking in your success is important to maintaining your self-esteem.
4. Wash your hands and face and brush your teeth. It cools and cleans the parts of your body that you use most frequently, which is relaxing, and gives you that "fresh start" feeling.
5.  Shoes take a day or two to release any moisture they have absorbed, so Put on clean socks and some shoes that you haven't worn in a few days. This is a very easy way to put a little pep back into your step.
6.  Wash your car, inside and out. Hey, when our wheels are shiny, we feel better. If you don't think this applies to you, just remember how you felt the last time you got a ride in someones very dirty car. 
7.  Organize your closet and get rid of anything that no longer fits. Old clothes may come back into style, but you really don't want them on hangers for the next 10 years. Throwing out the old makes room for the new. For some, the feeling they get from putting on a new outfit fills them with pride.

Like i mentioned earlier non of these should be time consuming or hard tasks. Try any of these or all when you feel you are not performing 100%, I use these tools on the regular basis and I very happy.

Corduroy For Fall

                                                     There is no doubt; these past few months have been very hot here in LA. We were sporting tanks, cargo shorts and SPF 100. Now its Fall and time to put away your basketball gear. This October we give the green light to corduroy, -pants which have not been so popular in the past. This season they are back in style and we leave you here; our top picks of corduroy for this Fall.

 First off, these 5-pocket, corduroy pants with gently tapered legs and a regular waist from H&M for around $25 bucks.

These bottle green Slim Straight Leg Corduroy Pants

 from Gant by Michael Bastin; should keep you warm through any wind.
These are $188.

Third A pair of corduroy pants featuring a five-pocket construction. Buttoned fly and waist with belt loops. Darted inseam. Partial lining. Woven. Lightweight. These go for $24.