Many people today have developed a penchant for collecting antique accessories. It is truly exciting as your collection gets bigger. Being able to acquire unique and older pieces seems to be the icing on the cake. It’s like falling in love everytime a new piece is introduced into the collection.

It could be a daunting task. Finding a priceless antique is quite difficult. Here are some tips to help you gather those priceless accessories.

Many women fancy antique dolls. Most antique dolls still have intact bodies but worn out clothes. If you know how to sew, you could design your very own collection of original dresses. Sometimes, it will be necessary to replace eyes, wigs, shoes… and they can get very expensive.

If you are willing to spend, it would be good to look at the face paintings, the more intricate, the more priceless. You will be able to see if the face has been hurriedly painted, its artistry will determine its worth. If you want to save, buying rare dolls that are slightly-damaged will save you a lot of money. Most of the time, the damages are hardly noticeable.

Collecting and maintaining antique furniture is another thing. You have to maintain its beauty by applying constant touch-ups every now and then. Dry cotton cloth is best for dusting. Wipe off spills immediately to avoid stains with a dry cloth. Apply beeswax like Lakeone or Dugay along the grain with a small rag in even strokes. Allow to dry for around two hours then buff with a shoe brush. White spots are simply rewaxed to bring back the old shine.

Clocks are wonderful things to collect. It is important for a collector that each of his clocks be in tip-top shape. Here are some tips. Keep your clocks away from extreme temperatures. Don’t overwind to keep the key snuggly-fit and wind at the same time daily. Leveling pendulum clocks is important to assure a balanced swing.

When your clock stops working, it may have accumulated dust so keep it clean at all times. A horologist may help you in cleaning and oiling them every couple of years or so. The wood cases should be dusted and waxed regularly.

Collecting antiques will call for experience on your part. It is necessary for you to see as many collections as possible to ensure the authenticity as well as quality in the items you purchase. You could browse through books, the internet or get in touch with other collectors so you can view theirs. Collectors may also give you invaluable tips.

Pierre Cardin, a French fashion designer born on July 7, 1922 at San Biagio di Callalta, Italy. Pierre Cardin focused on innovative and experimental creations that clearly depicted arts, culture and politics in his designs. He also pioneered Space-age collection that constitutes technical and geometric designs ignoring the feminine figure. Pierre Cardin basically promoted a unisex collection of fashion clothes which were though innovative but was often limited to unrealistic fashions. Pierre Cardin used ultramodern designs and trends in his designer fashionable clothes. Cardin pursued his academics in architecture in Paris. Lately he started working for haute couture. Soon in 1950’s Japan emerged as a new market amongst other fashion markets of the world, due to his hardwork and dedication. In 1954 he inaugurated the “bubble dress”, which gained a lot of popularity in the fashion world. In the year 1970, this man of customs and culture hit the headlines by inaugurating ‘Escape Cardin’ at Cardin’s own place for promoting his designer and talented artistic collection like musicians, theatre ensembles etc. From 1981 he was working under the control of a popular restaurant Maxim’s de Paris where he initiated the complete range of secondary line products, with their trademark. He won a great deal of awards for the remarkable designs, he has always remained as the most appreciated decorated courtier. He searched for new markets and entered the automotive market in America for designing the interiors of station wagons, where his quality and innovative work was quite appreciated and he was loaded with work. He gave his designer views for thousands of cars and hence gained popularity. Later on, in 1994, he started with designer clothes after gaining knowledge in different types of design work. His customers were selected and specifically journalists who had a taste for his designs. He gains the success in having his fashion popularized as a complete art. Pierre Cardin has maintained his rising fame for more than 4 decades in the world of fashion. He was the first to modernize the men’s fashion style and to make fashion more common. Lateran after firming his feet in fashion industry he started operating in Japan, China and the USSR. Due to his futuristic outlook he will always remain the main player in fashion world with a vision of future. His fashion collection includes clothing, furniture, accessories and art and environment. His range includes fashionable men’s wear, formal shirts, casual shirts, ladies apparels, skirts, office wear, unisex jackets and accessories like shoes, eyewear, wallets, belts, pens etc.. this is admired by most of the fashionable people who have a value for branded collection. He has immensely satisfied the brand conscious people with his creative collection of innovative and geometric design. The avant-garde style and space-age designs were new to the fashion world. his designs were unique and highly recognized. Pierre Cardin has shared a fantastic good-will and his wide range of specific collection which triggered the new concept of fashion in the international market that is quite valued till date. He set a unique trend of fashionable clothes that became a widely accepted brand-Pierre Cardin!

The shoes you wear on your wedding day will affect not only your overall look – but your comfort level as well – so choose wedding shoes with care.

Here are four steps to finding the right wedding shoes.

1) Choose Your Shoe Fabric

While most bridal shoes are made from cloth (usually white satin or silk that can be dyed to match their gowns), there isn’t any rule that says brides have to wear cloth shoes. You can also wear leather, as long as it fits with the look of your gown.

2) Choose Your Color

White wedding shoes are the most common, as brides traditionally wear shoes to match their gowns, which are usually some shade of white. Some brides, however, opt to be a bit more original with their footwear, choosing a metallic shade that matches an accessory or embellishment. Some brides even don blue kicks as their “something blue.”

Don’t obsess about finding an exact match to the color of your gown. Again, you should seek to complement, not perfectly match your getup. Combining slightly different shades of whites or neutrals is not only perfectly acceptable – it also makes for a richer, more compelling look.

3) Get Comfortable Shoes

As you walk down the aisle, those 4 inch stiletto heels may look adorable. But 5 hours and 10 dances later, cute may morph into acute pain with every step. Avoid the blisters with some chicken soup for your sole:



Forego “Something New” – Don’t leave it up to your soles to be your “something new.” If you are not used to wearing 3 inch heels, or you’ve never dared bare your toes in strappy sandals, your wedding day is not the best arena to try out these styles.

Go Designer – If comfort is important to you, consider investing in a high end brand. Although you’ll pay for the high quality fabric and fine craftsmanship, you’ll enjoy better a better fit and greater comfort.

Add Pads – Shoe pads can help prevent slipping and chafing so that you can keep dancing all night. In fact – here’s a little secret – shoe pads can actually make your feet look better by preventing your toes from hanging over the edge of the shoe. You can find a collection of shoe pads made especially for bridal shoes and heels at My Glass Slipper.

Break ‘Em In – A few weeks before the wedding, start wearing your wedding shoes inside for an hour or two at a time. This will break in the fabric, and help you get used to wearing them.

Go Goody Two Shoes- If you find a shoe that pleases the eye, but kills the feet, bring two pairs of shoes. Wear those killer heels for the ceremony and photos, and change into the comfortable pair for dancing and mingling.



4) Choose Your Wedding Shoes Style

Seek to complement these four aspects, and your kicks will be a perfect shoe-in:



The Season – Traditional fashion rules dictate closed toe shoes are appropriate for winter months. However, this rule has relaxed somewhat, especially in warmer climates.

The Formality of Your Wedding Day – A closed toe pump provides most classic and formal look; added embellishments also make a shoe more formal. On the other hand, low sandals, ballet slippers and even jewel studded flip flops complement a more casual event.

Your Dress – Bridal shoes can be adorned with a number of embellishments, such as crystal, rhinestone, bows, beading, and embroidery, so choose ornamentation that complements those on your gown or other accessories. Also consider your hemline; a decorated hemline calls for a simpler shoe style, while embellished shoes can dress up a plain hemline.

Your Venue – If your ceremony or reception takes place on a lawn, beach, or other soft surface, avoid stiletto heels, as they tend to sink into soft ground and sand. Instead look for a wide heel or flat.



Other Style Tips for Wedding Shoes



Avoid any hosiery with open-toed shoes – as the line across the toe should never show.

Remember that higher heels will make your legs look more toned (keeping your calves flexed), and they’ll also ensure better posture.

Make sure you’ve found your shoes before your first fitting, as you’ll need to try them on with the gown so it can be adjusted to the proper length



This complete guide to wedding accessories has even more advice on bridal shoes, veils, gloves, and headpieces.