Category: Goodwill’s Mission

Movember: Styling on a Budget After Weight Loss


 

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By stylist and blogger, Annette K.

 

It’s Movember! So of course, I can’t pass up writing about health and fashion for men. Movember is an annual, month-long, November awareness campaign, usually involving the growing of mustaches by men, to raise awareness of male cancers and other health issues.

Last February, Ryan Huth, manager for the Goodwill Store and Donation Center in Allentown, PA, tipped the scale at 275 pounds. Shopping only in “big” sections, he recalls feeling “fed up and disgusted” with how he looked. He decided he “couldn’t continue like this anymore” and made a change.

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Today, eight months later, Ryan is 60 pounds lighter and committed to living a healthy lifestyle. He attributes his weight loss to portion control, reducing his carbohydrate intake, and eating salads for dinner.

“I feel great,” he says. “It’s pretty easy once you put your mind to it.”

Ryan has donated his “old” clothes to Goodwill, which is where I met him to shop for clothes and styles that show off his new, healthy physique. Check out his new looks.

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Ryan has become healthier in just a few months. He wants to lose another 40 pounds to to meet his goal, but he’s become a walking billboard for men’s health.

And one more thing, Ryan was the Goodwill Keystone Area’s Movember winner of the 2012 Best Overall Mustache. He’s clean shaven today and preparing to do battle growing a prize-winning mustache for this Movember.

Thanks to Ryan Huth, store manager of Goodwill Keystone Area’s Tilghman Square Store for sharing your story. Keep up the great work, Ryan!

For comments and blog suggestions, please contact Annette Kaiser at akaiser@yourgoodwill.org

Maternity Fashion….Gleaning Elegance from Princess Kate

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By stylist and blog writer, Annette K.

Kate Middleton’s classic style and beauty made her pregnancy seem effortless and natural. And now, her elegance and grace are synonymous with maternal fashion.

Gone are the baggy shirts, cover-all pants and over-sized sweatshirts. Today’s mom-to-be is polished, fit and confident. She wears streamlined cuts of traditional fabrics, like plaids and herringbone and completes the sleek look with leggings, camis and scarves.

Are you expecting? Don’t settle for drab colors and tired looks. Let your local Goodwill store deliver all the layers and accessories for your classic style. Endless possibilities await at Goodwill ….and you won’t need a royal budget.

 

Special thanks to model Jessica Klein-Goodwill Keystone Area employee, Fogelsville, PA. On October 15th Jessica gave birth to son Jase Steven. Both mother and baby are healthy and well. Congratulations!

For comments and blog suggestions, please contact Annette Kaiser at akaiser@yourgoodwill.org

Accessories and clothing are from the racks of Goodwill Keystone Area’s Fogelsville,PA store.

Photos taken from People Magazine:   Link to People Magazine article.

 

Wear Pink – A Sign of Solidarity

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By stylist and blog writer, Annette K.

Tonya Pink Blazer

This October, Goodwill Keystone Area employee Tonya Hollinger rocks her pink hair, pink glittery nails, pink jewelry and clothes to celebrate three years of recovering from breast cancer.

“Pink is the quintessential female color,” says Margaret Welch, director of the Color Association of the United States. And for breast cancer patients and survivors, pink is a happy place – a place of hope, healing, femininity and pride.

During National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, pink becomes a sign of solidarity for women and families fighting this terrible disease. Pink has become a sort of non-verbal signal sent out to breast cancer patients saying, “I support you, and I’ve got your back.”

Men wear pink ties, shirts or lapel pins. NFL players wear pink socks, wristbands, and shoes. Women dye their hair, paint their nails, and wear pink clothing and accessories.

It’s wearing pink with a purpose…it’s here, it’s now and it’s Goodwill!

This month, join Tonya and others in wearing pink to show your support and solidarity in the fight against breast cancer. Visit your local Goodwill store and find your pop of pink. Wear it with purpose and wear it with pride.

And one more thing, last year Tonya added a permanent accessory…a pink “Hope” tattoo.

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Tatoo Hope

 

Accessories and clothing were taken from the racks of the Goodwill stores in Bensalem, PA and Lancaster PA-Lincoln Hwy E. Thank you, managers and staff!

Special thanks to Tonya Hollinger for sharing her story with us.

For comments and blog suggestions, please contact Annette Kaiser at akaiser@yourgoodwill.org.

Link to the History of the Pink Ribbon.

Homecoming and Goodwill—Fit for a Queen!

By stylist and blog writer Annette K.

It’s homecoming season, a time when adults reconnect with old friends and share collective memories and when kids connect and begin creating their own.
Whether you’re a woman going to a high school or college reunion or a girl primping for the homecoming dance, Goodwill Keystone Area stores have everything you need to look and feel like a Queen.

Ladies – When deciding what to wear for your outdoor reunion, leave the lined windbreaker and mittens behind. Instead, create an image of sophistication by layering with blazers, scarves and sweater dresses. Paired with leather riding boots or booties your classic style will leave a lasting impression.

Girls – When choosing your dress for the homecoming dance, remember to consider fit first, then accessorize. Your dress should be a reflection of who you are and should move with you instead of vice versa. Accessorize with statement pieces like chunky bracelets, silver shoes, or a brilliant signature necklace to add that exclamation point to your look.

Whether dressing for a dance or a reunion, visit your Goodwill store where racks of endless possibilities await. Homecoming offers the girl a chance to look older, and the woman a chance to look younger. What Queen could pass that up?

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For comments or fashion blog suggestions, please email Annette Kaiser at akaiser@yourgoodwill.org.
Thanks to the staff at the Bethlehem Goodwill Store and to models Jodi and Jillian McSwegan.
 

Red Carpet—Color Trends for Everyone

And the big winner from this year’s Emmy Award Red Carpet Showcase is… You!

While you may not have gone to the Emmy’s in your limousine, you can immediately add elegance and style to your wardrobe from this year’s red carpet color palette.

The Pantone Color Institute – known as the international authority on color – identifies 4 colors that are universally flattering to everyone despite hair, skin or eye color or tone. These four colors–Mellow Rose, True Red, Indian Teal and Eggplant–appeared over and over again on Sunday’s 65th annual Emmy awards.universal-colors

Whether looking for formal, business or casual wear, these colors will flatter everyone. No more second guessing.
Universal colors-they are in, they’re hot and at Goodwill Keystone Area stores.

Emmy photos, www.hollywoodlife.com.
Thanks to models Ashley and Sarah- Parkland High School.
For comments or fashion blog suggestions, please email Annette Kaiser at akaiser@yourgoodwill.org.

Hippie Skirts and Sleeveless Bargains

A New Generation of Thrift Store Shoppers

My daughter has become a thrift store shopper like me. On two recent trips to Goodwill, she went back-to-school shopping and she was excited to find a number of outfits – black camis and ‘hippie’ skirts.  She has her own sense of style and found exactly what she was looking for. Of course she did, she was shopping at Goodwill.

Hippie Skirts at Goodwill
(Photo credit: Emily Bateman) Making a donated item your own hip, current style is what thrift shopping is all about.

She’s a college student looking to differentiate her style from the crowd. When I saw her trying on outfits, I knew she’d struck Goodwill gold.  When you are shopping for your style, you often find exactly what you are looking for at Goodwill. Better yet are the bargain prices.  The skirts and shirts were both just $3.50 a piece.

Save More with Goodwill Rewards Card

Sleeveless Tee and Hippie Skirt
A young thrifter finds a great skirt and cami at Goodwill for $7.

With a Goodwill Rewards Card, shoppers can save an additional 25% on daily specials, which in this case was $6. Total bill – just over $25 with tax. The money saved helped pay for lunch.

Goodwill Sales Funds Job Programs

It’s also good to know that her purchases and support of Goodwill  fund job training programs.  Sales of gently used donated items benefit people with disabilities.  Bargains fund opportunities.  It’s a win win.

Fashion is Never Finished at Goodwill

Style is How You Define It

One thing great about style is that trends ebb and flow, so what was once cool, may go out of style, but it tends to come back in style sometime in the future, reinvented, considered new. Fashion is never finished.

Goodwill Outfits for Less
Corinne found her style at the Goodwill Runway Show.

This is why thrift stores like Goodwill are so fantastic to frequent.  New donations come in every day, meaning many new chances for new styles. 

Why We Do What We Do

With the proceeds from these donations, people who need job training can receive it, people with disabilities can receive care and socialization they need and older, lower-income people who seek opportunities can find jobs that suit them. Goodwill is a nonprofit organization. We invest 84% of what we take in to help people with disabilities and other barriers to independence.

Some Like the Thrill of the Hunt

We organize our clothes by color, so if you know what colors suit you, which are your favorites, you can start there.  Like most stores, shirts and pants are racked together, but unlike most stores, they are all the same price.  Jeans are $6. Pants are $4. Shirts are $3.50. Tee-shirts are $1.50. And so on. With our new Rewards Card, you can save even more on select items.

You might even find that thrifting makes you a fashion trendsetter. Sometimes just choosing to wear clothes you love is all you need to be fashionable.

President’s Speech on Mental Illness – a Goodwill Priority

On Monday, President Barack Obama gave a moving speech about the importance of families and individuals seeking assistance when encountering symptoms of mental illness. Obama said, “Too many Americans who struggle with mental health illnesses are still suffering in silence rather than seeking help.”

And We at Goodwill Agree.

To provide support, Goodwill offers places that help people with mental health struggles. The Clubhouse of Lehigh County and now the new Drop-In Center of Lehigh County, located within the Clubhouse, are facilities that offer support to people coping with mental illness. Both are located in Allentown and serve Lehigh County residents.

These programs provide a safe and friendly environment where people who have experiernced mental health problems can gather and focus on recovery, education and employment. The Drop-In Center is more informal and offers socialization activities, while empowering participants to set goals, improve their life and become leaders.  Each facility also works to break down the stigma of mental illness. For more information about the Clubhouse or the Drop-In Center, go here: https://www.yourgoodwill.org/grow/supportive-services

President Discusses Physical Aspects and Stigma of Mental Illness

In his speech, Obama said, “The brain’s a body part too. We just know less about it. There should be no shame in discussing or seeking help for treatable illnesses that affect too many people that we love. We’ve got to get rid of that embarrassment. We’ve got to get rid of that stigma.”

Obama’s continued “We need to see that men and women who would never hesitate to go see a doctor if they had a broken arm or came down with the flu, that they have the same attitude when it comes to their mental health. We see it in veterans who come home from the battlefield with the invisible wounds of war, but who feel that somehow seeking treatment is a sign of weakness, when in fact it is a sign of strength.”

Obama cited a statistic in his speech: This year, one in five people will suffer symptoms due to a mental illness. To see a video of  President Obama’s speech, click on this link. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57587333/obama-time-to-bring-mental-illness-out-of-the-shadows/.

Did You Know?

Many famous people have suffered from mental illness over the years, including: President Abraham Lincoln and Prime Minister Winston Churchill; Robert Downey Jr. Robin Williams and Jim Carrey; Vivian Leigh, Patty Duke and Carrie Fisher; Ludwig von Beethoven, Kristen Hersh, and Peter Gabriel; Vincent Van Gogh, J.K. Rowling and Tim Burton; Terry Bradshaw, Daryl Strawberry and Jimmy Piersall; and Kitty Dukakis, Thomas Eagleton and Mary Todd Lincoln, to name a few. All have struggled with mental illness and went on to do great work and live great lives.

Van-Gogh Self-Portrait
When Van Gogh was at Arles being treated for his mental illness, he was often well and in remission from symptoms of  his bipolar disorder. While there, he created more than 140 masterpieces in 13 months.

To see videos and read some of the stories of these politicians, actors, composers, musicians, artists, writers, directors, athletes and more, go here: http://www.mentalhealthadvocacyinc.org/role-models.