VintageGent’s Menswear Daily

Latest Ladies Clubwear for Hot Summer Nights

The last time I went to a bona fide nightclub, rather than another type of nightspot like a piano lounge or a blues club, it was forever ago. You could see everyone there from the folks who apparently just rolled out of bed, to those in satin shirts, and those who look like they were wearing their bathing suits. In just a couple years, what one wore to a dance club ended up being worn day to day on the streets. I stopped going because it was less about people watching and the music and more about people having the excuse to be unruly, and you didn’t care who saw you.

I guess I am in need of an update! The virtual racks of AMI Clubwear has what women are wearing to clubs nowadays. The look, for the most part is “fun summer dress” rather than the “underwear on the outside” look that was big in the 90s.  Of course, there are microshort dresses, but there are also fun items for the gal that is not comfortable showing a lot of skin, but still is looking for something fun and body conscious.   The shirt, at left, made me smile.  They have the “I Love My Hubby” and “I Love My Boyfriend” shirt in a variety of colors, all with a sparkly L-O-V-E.   It says, “Hey, I am confident, I am out to have fun watching the band, but don’t ask for my number.  Ask for my girlfriend’s.”  I personally think that it is very sweet.  No hurt feelings, and that must be one special dude!

They also have a babydoll trench coat to offer.  In fact, they have several styles.  What is a babydoll trench coat?  It features the great buttons and ties that a trench style coat has.  Only, it is a shorter length to better match outfits that may feature leggings, or a microshort skirt.  It is also a lot less bulky and fits on the back of your chair without everyone stepping all over it.  This hasn’t been scientifically tested, but I know from experience that in close quarters, people aren’t always kind to long coats.  Coat checks aren’tde rigueur like they used to be, except at special events for the most part.

Like many companies that have their finger on the pulse on what is hot now, AMI is in Twitter.  You can follow them @Amiclubwear, if you would like all the latest updates.  I checked them out, and they tweet about items as they add them as well as fashion trends.  They were recently featured in Seventeen for prom accessories, according to yesterday’s tweet.

Now, they just need to school the guys on the showing up to a club in hospital scrubs.  You may think that being a doctor, or nurse tells girls you have money, but who wants a gold digger?  More so, who comes near anyone who smells like anesthetic and bandages?  Go home, take a shower, and change.  Maybe AMI will come out with men’s clothing soon too.

You Should Write a Book! Really.

Many of you have shared your hobbies and intersts with me. I am amazed and thrilled about the knowledge of many of my readers. The compliment, “You should write a book!” might be something you hear often.  The writing part may be intriguing to you, but then there is that whole mess of getting the darn thing published, much less read. One of the options has always been self-publishing, and then you make about fifty cents a book, if that.  Most times, you end up losing money and have a basement full of books that you cannot sell.

I just came across a press release about an architect that was rejected by publishing houses, and then turned around and had more success than he would have had with a large publisher:

Self Publishing Author Earns Over $100,000 in Just Six Months with Outskirts Press
May 12th, 2009. Denver, CO and Irvine, CA – Outskirts Press, the fastest-growing full-service self publishing and book marketing company, today announced that one of its authors has earned over $100,000 in author royalties in six short months.

Gang Chen, the self published author of Planting Design Illustrated and LEED AP Exam Guide, will receive a first-quarter royalty check in the amount of $77,611.88 for books sold between January-March 2009. This follows a previous royalty check of $33,679.56 that Chen recently received from Outskirts Press for books sold between October-December 2008.

“Earning $111,000 in six months is an amazing accomplishment for any author, self-published or otherwise,” Outskirts Press CEO Brent Sampson commented. “Of course, publishing with Outskirts Press certainly helps. We extend heartfelt congratulations to Mr. Chen, and also want to thank him for graciously granting us permission to publicize his success.”

Gang Chen, an expert in the field of architecture, with a master’s degree from USC and over 20 years of professional experience, was among the top-five performing Outskirts Press authors in the 4th quarter of 2008 and then went on to double his royalties for the first quarter of 2009. When notified of his earnings, Chen responded, “I’m in the process of publishing my next book in the LEED Exam Guide series through Outskirts Press, along with a book on architecture, so I hope to break this record soon.”

After contacting hundreds of traditional publishers for his first book Planting Design Illustrated, Chen finally landed a deal with one major publisher, only to discover that he was dissatisfied with the substantial revisions they were suggesting. He promptly cancelled the traditional publishing contract and decided to publish the book himself. He compared various publishing options and chose Outskirts Press. “Their services do not end after the book is published,” Chen stated. “They continue to provide excellent marketing advice, as well.”

Outskirts Press understands that marketing is a huge part of an author’s success and, unlike most self-publishing firms, offer promotional advice and marketing services extending for years after publication. States CEO Brent Sampson, “Successful authors have the potential to separate themselves from the pack by publishing with a full-service, custom publishing company that provides support before, during, and after publication.” For a partial view of the marketing services that are available for Outskirts Press authors, visit http://outskirtspress.com/marketing.php .

There has been a book that has rattled around in my head for some time. In fact, pen is to paper and I have most of it finished. This is motivating me to finish it and get it out there. Not sure if anyone will latch on to it, but this story gives me some hope that if I decided to release it, it won’t be a long and grueling process. In fact, what gives me writer’s block the most is the fear of rejection. As long as I edit it well and am willing to pay the fee, I won’t be. Many people wonder why one has to pay a fee. Well, even setting up a book costs money. Plus, if you were to be represented by a large publishing house, you would probably have to spend even more money just to get yourself in line for a meeting with them. Lunches, a new suit, and other materials all add up very quickly.

I tossed my email address in to receive more information, and I am reading the downloads now. Have you tried Outskirts Press or any other self-publishing service? If so, let me know what you think!