Tuesday, November 26, 2019

6 things you should never wear on an airplane

6 things you should never wear on an airplane6 things you should never wear on an airplanePlanning your super-cute airplane outfit to kick off your vacation on a fashionable note? Make koranvers to keep these no-nos in mind because there are certain things you never want to wear on an airplane.1. Super-tight SocksSave any extremely tight socks for outings on the ground. Clothing that cuts off your circulation can lead to blood clots in the air. A good way to tell if your socks are too tight for plane-wear is to see whether they leave marks on your legs. If yes, those are too tight (ow). The exception to this rule is compression socks, which are made to be extra tight to increase your circulation instead of preventing it.2. JumpsuitsOkay, friends, lets get real. Airplane bathrooms are tiny and to do your business while wearing a jumpsuit or romper, it all has to come off. Do yourself (and the rest of the bathroom line) a favor and stick to two-piece outfits.3. High heelsWere proponent s of wearing high heels to the airport for the sole reason that it saves room in your suitcase in cases of overflowing luggage. But when youre actually on the airplane, its time to switch back to some flats. Not only do your feet swell when youre in the air, but in the teeny-tiny case where there needs to be emergency action taken during your flight, you want to be steady and grounded.4. Skimpy outfitsWere less worried about you offending the grandma seated next to you than you freezing your scantily-clad butt off during your flight. It gets cold on airplanes, so even if youre heading to a warm-weather destination, make sure to bring light layers for the plane ride.5. ContactsTravel days are a great opportunity to wear your glasses. Your eyes will thank you. The pressure and dry air in the airplanes cabin dont make for a great contact-wearing experience. Plus, if youre going to nod in and out of naptime, you probably dont want your contacts in anyways. Give those peepers a break6. S trong perfumeBe kind to your air travel neighbors and dont wear strong scents on an airplane. Its a pressurized tube in the sky - theres really not a lot of air flow. So if youre rocking a generous spray of perfume, everyone will smell it. And besides sensitive noses, some people have fragrance allergies that could lead to breathing problems. Stick with plain ol deodorant for the flight, please.Thispostwas originally published onSwirled.comin the Thrive section, which covers valuable career and personal finance content for Millennials.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Here are the 10 best books that Ive read in 2018

Here are the 10 best books that Ive read in 2018Here are the 10 best books that Ive read in 2018How many books does a person read in a lifetime? I did the arithmetic one night over beers with a friend.close dialogAdvertisementclose dialog/* effects for .bx-campaign-1012257 *//* custom css .bx-campaign-1012257 */.bx-custom.bx-campaign-1012257.bx-type-agilityzone .bx-close z-index 2-ms-keyframes bx-anim-1012257-spin from -ms-transform rotate(0deg) to -ms-transform rotate(360deg) -moz-keyframes bx-anim-1012257-spin from -moz-transform rotate(0deg) to -moz-transform rotate(360deg) -webkit-keyframes bx-anim-1012257-spin from -webkit-transform rotate(0deg) to -webkit-transform rotate(360deg) keyframes bx-anim-1012257-spin from transform rotate(0deg) to transform rotate(360deg) bx-close-inside- 1012257 top 0 right 0 /* rendered styles .bx-campaign-1012257 */.bxc.bx-campaign-1012257.bx-active-step-1 .bx-creative *first-child padding 0width auto.bxc.bx-campaign-1012257.bx-active-step-1 .bx-creative background-color transparent.bxc.bx-campaign-1012257.bx-active-step-1 .bx-close stroke whitebackground-color blackborder-style solidborder-color whiteborder-width 1pxbox-shadow 0px 0px 0px 3px black.bxc.bx-campaign-1012257 .bx-group-1012257-3RBnJGC position absolutetop 50%left 50%transform translate(-50%, -50%)z-index -1.bxc.bx-campaign-1012257 .bx-element-1012257-wryzWV5 width 55px.bxc.bx-campaign-1012257 .bx-element-1012257-wryzWV5 *first-child animation-name bx-anim-1012257-spinanimation-duration 800msanimation-iteration-count infiniteanimation-timing-function linear.bxc.bx-campaign-1012257 .bx-group-1012257-lyDBLV9 width 900pxheight 550px.bxc.bx-campaign-1012257 .bx-group-1012257-me4p1bl padding 10px.bxc.bx-campaign-1012257 .bx-element-1012257-ZdLO37u width auto.bxc.bx -campaign-1012257 .bx-element-1012257-ZdLO37u *first-child padding 2px 4pxfont-size 10pxcolor rgb(255, 255, 255)text-transform uppercasebackground-color rgb(0, 0, 0)background-color rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.34)First, we established that averages are useless. Some statistics say that people read 12 books per year on average. There are always a few people who read more than 100 books a year. So that number is inflated.Based on ur experiences, fruchtwein people we know only read a book thats popular. For example, this years book welches 12 Rules For Life by Jordan Peterson. Most people read books because everybody has read this bookAnd then they might pick up one or two other books in a year. They probably wont even finish them. But lets be optimistic about people and assume most folks read 5 books a year. Over a 50-year career, thats only 250 books.But lets say youre different. You realize that reading is the single most important thing for your personal development. And you set a goal to read 2 books a week. And over your career, you fail to achieve it. Its a lofty goal, after all.But you still manage to finish 80 books a year. Thats 4,000 books Whats the difference between 4,000 and 250? Well, a sh-tload of wisdom, my friend. And like you and I both know, when you apply wisdom, your life will be better. Whats the lesson here?Read as your life depends on it. Why? Because it does. Here are the best books Ive read this year.1. Incerto by Nassim Nicholas TalebTechnically, this is a series that consists of five books. Before this year, I had never read Taleb. Several of my friends are big fans of his work. And when his latest book in the series, Skin In The Game, came out this year, I felt compelled to read it.In his latest book, he writes about how most decision makers have notlagehing to lose when things go wrong. Having skin in the game will change everything. After all, its easy to make a decision or give advice when you have nothing to lose.I love his message and style . Taleb is someone who doesnt care what certain people think of him. And hes not afraid to make bold statements. Hes not only a good writer but the contents of his books are also excellent.After I read Skin In The Game, I decided to read all his books. That took me about a month and Im glad I did. If you havent read any of his books, check out which one appeals to you the most. You can read them in any order you want.2. Laws Of Human Nature by Robert GreeneI got into personal development because of The 48 Laws Of Power. And with his latest book, Robert Greene, shows that living a successful life is not only about power and status.How well we are at dealing with people is one of the most important predictors of career success. Since everything we do relies on others, we must get better at understanding others.And whats the best way to do that? By understanding yourself. And thats what Laws Of Human Nature helps you with. Great book for improving your self-knowledge.3. Stay Hungry by Sebastian ManiscalcoI love stand-up comedy, but I had never heard of Sebastian until recently. When I saw his Netflix comedy special and read about his story, he instantly became one of my favorite comedians.Hes not only funny, but hes also humble, down to earth, and a hard worker. For 20 years, hes been working at his craft. For the first 7 years, he also worked at the Four Seasons hotel. Now, hes selling out arenas.In Stay Hungry, he shares his life story in a funny way. So if you want to quit your career after only a year, please read Sebastians story.4. The Snowball by Alice SchroederEven though I think some parts of this book were a little bit of information overload, I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Buffetts life. Contrary to what you might think, this book is not only about investing.The Snowball goes deep on different topics like Buffetts relationships with the most important people in his life, the way he views the world, and how he conducts business. Every professional c an learn from his life story. And Alice Schroeder did a great job telling it.5. The Mastery Of Love by Don Miguel RuizThis book changed my perspective on love. As the relationship between my girlfriend and I became more serious this year, we both wanted to improve this area.Subconsciously, we often keep score in our relationships. We have an internal scoreboard for everything, from how often one called/texted the other, who says I love you more, or cares more about certain things than the other.In The Mastery Of Love, Ruiz writes a lot about unconditional love. He believes that love is a never-ending resource. So you dont need to keep score if you can always give. Plus, if you already have love, you dont need anything in return. My experience is that this strategy works best if you both change your perspective.When only one person in a relationship adopts this perspective, it might work for a while, but you often fall back to your old behavior. So if you decide to read it, ask your partner to do the same.6. 12 Rules For Life by Jordan B. PetersonAs you can tell, I read books from all types of philosophies. The last book is spiritual, and 12 Rules For Life is very practical and hard-hitting.Like almost everyone who is interested in personal development, I read Jordan Petersons popular book this year. I share many of his beliefs. And like he says, theres nothing new about taking responsibility for your life.However, it is NEW to give people tough love - which is exactly what this book does. Read it - regardless of your views. It will make you a more stable and reliable person.7. Philosophy As a Way of Life by Pierre HadotHadot was one of the best historians of philosophy in recent history. Ive been reading philosophy since I was 16 and somehow believed that writing ABOUT philosophy is not the same thing.But Hadot proves that writing about philosophy is just as, or even better, as the real thing. I read Philosophy As a Way of Life this year and it made me under stand the concepts of Socrates, Plato, Stoicism, Epicureans, and Cynicism a lot better.What I learned is that philosophers are all searching for the same thing To satisfy their thirst for knowledge. Philosophy comes from the Greek word philosophia, which translates to love of wisdom. And if you love wisdom, youll love this book.8. Elon Musk by Ashlee VanceIm not a fan of Elon Musk. People in personal development are always surprised by that. I dont know why, but I cant idolize assholes - no matter how successful they are.However, my opinion on Musk did change after reading this book. He might be a weird guy, but he also has a crazy work ethic and ability to focus like no one else on this planet.Can you learn from outliers? Sure. But this book is mostly for entertainment. I personally know no one who wants to be like Musk. I sure as hell dont. But I can still learn from the man.9. The Complete Divan of Hafez by HafezMost people are familiar with the other Persian poet, Rumi. But Haf ez is the one whos more read in his native country. I used to be a lot into poetry but stopped reading it for many years until I received this book as a gift from my girlfriend.Sometimes I open the book and read a poem or three. Hafez is spiritual and sometimes I have no clue what hes talking about. But it makes you think. And thats a good feeling.10. Seeking Wisdom by Peter BevelinThis is probably the best summary Ive read on practical and scientific thinking. Bevelin is an excellent writer and he captures the wisdom from Charlie Munger in a perfect way.The book respects the reader and doesnt show off. Its a book that I already referred to several times after reading it. And together with the Jordan Peterson and Pierre Hadot books, I plan to re-read these books going forward.Just like the title of Bevelins book, to me, life is about seeking wisdom. Its the only pursuit that we can perform as long as our brain works. You can get physically impaired, lose your money, friends, status, but you can never lose your thirst for knowledge.In fact, writing this article made me thirsty. Its time to devour another book.This article first appeared on DariusForoux.com

Lose the frump factor, win the job

Lose the frump factor, win the jobLose the frump factor, win the jobThe right look can increase your confidence, show your personal style and make a lasting first impression.In a perfect world, we would all be judged on our inner beauty and the most qualified candidate would always get the gig. Unfortunately style, charisma, connections and the proverbial cool factor all play an influential role when considering job candidates. If you havent thought about your look since the 80s (or even within several years), chances are your go-to-interview look could use an update. You dont want to dress too young for your age, but who doesnt want to appear 10 years younger?Its true you spend hours revamping your resume, researching the company and practicing your selling points, but if your outward appearance does elend reflect your energy and enthusiasm about the position, chances are someone elses will. The right outfit can increase your confidence and make a lasting first impression.The word f ashion can be intimidating, but what you are really trying to do is update your personal style, not look like a runway model. If you like classic cuts and play-it-safe solids, then stick to what you are comfortable with just focus on finding a modern cut and a flawless fit. Have a penchant for flair? Try wearing interesting shapes and statement accessories.Below are my simple rules to ensure that whatever your personal style, your professional look is modern and memorable (in the good way)Women and Men1) Clothes have an expiration date. Secretary blouses, pleated pants, mid-calf anything - if these items listed are in your work wardrobe rotation, chances are they werent a recent purchase. Unless it is a custom-made Armani suit, several years wear and tear alone are reason enough to lay clothes to rest. Take this chance to rid your professional wardrobe of anything mora than five years old, except for a couple investment pieces that were made to last you a lifetime. This will ensure that you are rid of dated shapes and any fabrics that might not appear fresh.2) Fit is a factor. If it is too tight or too big you will not only feel uncomfortable but look it as well. Common problem areas are snug jacket arms that pull across the back, blouses that ripple across the chest, and pants that are too tight in the middle or sag in the seat. Rid your closet of those pieces you hope to fit back into one day and those baggier pieces that you have been meaning to take to the tailor. When shopping for redistribution policyment items, it is normal for most women to fall in between sizes. Rule of thumb Size up and find an impeccable tailor to fit it to your body.Women1) Choose shapes that flatter your body. This tip seems obvious, but unfortunately we have been programmed to reach for certain silhouettes when it comes to dressing for a formal interview - pencil skirt and button down, check. The truth is these two cuts dont look great on most women. Pencil skirts are unforgivi ng if you have even the slightest of hips, and button-downs are notorious for bulging open in all the wrong places. Instead, if you are curvy, opt for A-line skirts and dresses that provide a slimming effect on the lower body and scoop-necked shells that lay smooth under jackets. If you are petite, try a fitted sheath that falls just above the knee. It will highlight your feminine figure while elongating your legs.2) Hose are a thing of the past.Yes, you can start celebrating Hosiery, at least any that is visible, is no longer a requirement for women in the workplace. They should be avoided altogether, except for women who want to smooth their legs. In that case, they should be very sheer and match your natural skin color. (No tan, please) On the other hand, opaque tights are acceptable and encouraged during the winter months, when boots are the only suitable shoe option. They also look chic when worn with patent leather pumps. But unless you want to look like Rainbow Brite, stick t o black tights, even when wearing neutral colors.3) Shoes and bags are your style outlet. It is a myth that an interview requires a basic black shoe and masculine briefcase. In fact, when keeping your clothes simple and chic, your shoes and bag are a great way to add sophistication and style. Have fun with oxford-inspired booties patent-leather pumps peep-toed Mary Janes and tastefully colored totes and animal-skin satchels (faux if you prefer) The only rules are no white shoes and no strappy sandals, ever.4) Wear a dress.While a skirt or pantsuit is always appropriate, so is a great dress and jacket. From simple sheaths to A-line styles, a dress is the most flattering silhouette a woman can wear. Stick to solid wovens, tweeds and delicate pinstripes. If you are more fashion-forward, try a cocoon shape, 60s shift or a 50s-style dress with a fuller skirt and wide belt. Bonus A dress takes the guesswork out of the what-blouse-to-wear dilemma.5) Wear navy, black and gray - together. N avy, black and gray should be the three staple colors of your professional wardrobe, with a few brightly colored accent pieces. These colors look great with everything and even better when worn together. Try a black tweed suit with a navy silk blouse for a sophisticated look. Wear a black fitted blazer with a navy shift dress and black patent belt for a fashion statement. Try a charcoal-gray chiffon dress with a navy cropped jacket if you prefer ultra-feminine pieces.6) Add some flair.The right belt or earring can make your otherwise boring and predictable outfit impressive and memorable. Wear a wide belt in patent leather or a skinny gold belt to accentuate your waist. Try delicate gold hoops instead of stuffy pearls to modernize your basic jewelry. Wear a necklace in gray beads or any soft color to highlight your neckline and create an air of sophistication.7) Experiment with fabrics. Rayon and polyester are not executive-worthy textiles. Fill your closet with lightweight tweeds, linen blends, silks blends and even boucle. Texture in a suit or dress can add a personal touch and keeps your look seasonal. In the winter opt for a tweed jacket over a black wool sheath, black opaque tights and patent-leather sling-backs. In the summer, a linen pencil skirt, crisp white blouse and neutral pointed-toe pumps look elegant and fresh.8) Purchase a versatile go-to. There is no need to purchase a whole wardrobe just to update your look. The key is working with a couple investment pieces to create a versatile, modern look. Invest in a black sheath that flatters your body type, a navy A-line skirt and a black tailored jacket with slimming bracelet sleeves. The black sheath will work with the jacket, alone with a statement belt, or with a crisp button-down or soft blouse layered underneath. The navy skirt can be paired with a printed blouse and jacket, crisp white shirt or a camisole and belted cardigan. Shop for solid basics in flattering silhouettes and make them work for you. In other words - wear them all the timeMen1) Pleated pants add bulge.If you think your pleated-front pants are slimming your spare tire, you are unfortunately mistaken. The excess fabric is only adding bulk to your midsection and causing you to look heavier than you are. Opt for a flat-front suit pant, and voila ten pounds thinner.2) Put your best shirt forward. Your dress shirt is not a place to get creative. Save your style statement for a sharp-looking tie and a sophisticated watch. Avoid white contrast-collar shirts gingham prints fussy cufflinks and, most importantly, short sleeves. Dress shirts in solids or small stripes in white, blue, ecru and gray are the most versatile investments.3) Wear a power tie.This term is not limited to solid red. Look for ties in blues, yellows, black and mauve, as they are the most versatile. Dont be afraid of a small design or wide stripe just make sure it is easy on the eyes and not political.4) Give them a try - slim-fit suits.Slim fit is a word that has been misconstrued. All that a slim-fit style suit refers to is streamlined tailoring. They cut the bulky (sometimes saggy) fabric out of the upper leg and the middle of a coat, and the lapels tend to be narrower. This causes the suit pants to hang more nicely through the leg, and you avoid a boxy-cut coat. Slim-fit suits are not just for the younger crowd, either all the major suiting retailers are designing slim styles.5) Love your tailor. And listen to his advice. He has seen more than his fair share of suits in his day, so take heed. Fit is the most important factor when it comes to a suit. An expensive suit that doesnt fit might as well be from the Goodwill bin. The same goes for a less expensive suit if exquisitely tailored, no one will be the wiser. Confused about pant cuffs? The modern rule is a two-inch cuff or no cuff at all.6) Your shoes, belt and briefcase matter.These key accessories should not be the oldest things in your closet. For an updated brief case, opt for an over-the-shoulder messenger-style in a rich leather. Wingtips are the go-to shoes if you want to look sharp for a more relaxed look, try a penny loafer. Wear a belt with detail, whether in classic black skin or with a structured buckle. Your shoes, belt and briefcase dont all have to be cut from the same leather choose leathers that complement each other but have a slight variation in colors to avoid looking too matchy-matchy.7) You look better in navy.It is natural to lean toward investing in a black suit, but navy is proven to be a more universally flattering color. A dark-blue suit in a solid or delicate pinstripe is less harsh on most skin tones. Hate navy? Your second-best choice is charcoal.8) Two-button coats slim you. Trade your classic three-button for a leaner-looking two-button suit coat. They make you look slimmer through the stomach compared to the three-button style, which can cause rumples and rolls when buttoned.9) Wear complementary colors. Your sui t, dress shirt and tie must all be in a palette of colors that work with each other. A navy suit worn with a gray shirt and yellow tie is not complementary. Some palettes to refer to when choosing your interview attiregray, steel blue, mauve and whiteblack, red, yellow, white and powder bluenavy, French blue, lavender and ecru10) Pay attention to details. Avoid argyle socks and political tie clips. Tie clips should be solid metal with small design details, while socks are best in blue or black solids. Pocket squares in classic white are also a nice touch for a formal look.