Despite endless hours - and dollars - spent on their hair, every woman has had a bad hair day or two. Having great hair plays a key role in a woman's self-confidence and self-esteem. Yet according to the American Academy of Dermatology, 30 million women -one in four - experience thinning or hair loss at some stage of their lives, most commonly during menopause or post-pregnancy. The causes can range from stress to poor nutrition to ... [full story]

There might be more truth than you think to the term "million-dollar smile." Research has found evidence of a possible connection between your appearance and how much is in your paycheck. In a study released by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, researchers found that good-looking people tend to earn 5 percent more an hour than their less attractive cohorts. Other studies suggest that a smile is a major factor in the overall impression a person ... [full story]

An emerging design trend is putting a new face on heirloom jewelry. While lockets were the tradition of past generations, today's mothers and grandmothers are adding three-dimensional charms of their loved ones to their jewelry collections. Through modern computer technology, designer Joel Ragan, based in St. Louis, transforms photos into custom pendants that capture the distinct characteristics of a child's face in 3-D. He calls them "Baby Faces." Clients call them heirlooms. "When my charm arrived ... [full story]

Do you ever wonder how fashion trends make it from the runway to real life? Before clothes arrive on store shelves, every article must go through hundreds of steps and travel thousands of miles. This requires well-coordinated logistics for a fast-paced industry that's already on to the next trend. "Shipping is the thread that ties our business together," says designer Tomer Gendler. His eponymous menswear label has a loyal following including many stylists and their ... [full story]

Dentist. The very word evokes memories of noisy drills and aching jaw muscles - and pain. It's hard enough to force yourself to go for just routine maintenance, but for cosmetic dentistry? Even people who want to improve the look of their teeth and enhance their smiles hesitate when faced with the prospect of applying veneers. Traditional veneers usually involve the drilling or grinding of sensitive tooth structure, often requiring an anesthetic and painkillers after ... [full story]

When you step into a room, you get one free moment. In that moment colleagues and clients are making assumptions of who and what you are all about. If your visual integrity does not reflect your capabilities, it may take many further meetings to undo that first impression. Call it impression management, style or good grooming, the business professional knows the power of a positive image. Savvy business style requires more than an expensive suit! ... [full story]

When you get an invitation to a summer wedding, the heat is on. The burning question? What am I going to wear? (No, not "do I really have to go to this?" Of course you do!) "You put away what you really think and dress to repress. Er, respect," says Kimberly Bonnell, author of "What to Wear: A Style Handbook" (St. Martin's Griffin; $12.95), and an online style pro. After all, most couples getting married ... [full story]

Don't let the heat and humidity dampen your summer wardrobe. Just add a warm splash of red to freshen up this season's wardrobe and you'll be ahead of this fall's fashion scene that touts red as one of its hottest colors, too. Here are a few ways to wear red now and into fall: GO FOR ACCENTS: Got a black or white dress that you're wearing now, but doesn't quite have that punch you need? ... [full story]

Losing a dress size doesn't necessarily make you any smaller. Instead, it's a nasty trick the clothing industry is playing, an effort to hide from women of the world how big they really are. It's called vanity sizing - aka "the devil" to all female shoppers - where clothiers cut fabric large but label the finished product a size, or sizes, smaller than it ought to be. Voila, women have lost weight without shedding pounds ... [full story]

Are you one of the millions of American women who dislike their feet - feet that are dry, cracked and hidden from view? If you've tried countless creams, medications or pumice stones with little or no relief, or can't afford weekly spa pedicure treatments, don't fret. Relief for your time-worn, cracked tootsies is in sight, right in the comfort of your home. Dr. Jeffrey Best, a Norwalk, Conn., podiatrist, said that 25 percent of his patients complain ... [full story]

It's October and time to think pink. Start shopping for holiday gifts now and support breast cancer research by buying fashion merchandise that's in the pink. You can take a shower for the cure, tell time for the cure, get curls for the cure or hide from the rain for a cure. Just look for the pink ribbon at a store near you.   SPECIAL EFFORT - You can support breast cancer research in October by buying ... [full story]

What's the best thing we can do to give our wardrobes a shot of style, even as we get older and older? Think about the A word, says Christine Schwab, fashion expert and author of the new "Grown-up Girl's Guide To Style" (October 2006, Harper Collins, $34.95). "As we pare down our clothing trends," says Schwab, a regular contributor to "Live with Regis and Kelly," "accessories take over as our single most important fashion element. ... [full story]

When those gray days of fall and winter approach, it's hard not to wrap ourselves up in that neutral color and blend into the background of stormy clouds and darkening horizons. But gray doesn't have to be dull and dreary, according to Leatrice Eiseman, color expert and director of the Pantone Color Institute. It can be very dependable. "It's like a very solid color in this age of anxiety," says the color consultant, "and if you ... [full story]