#Guide to Choosing the Right Proportional

[shriankenterprise]

A Comprehensive Guide to Choosing the Right Proportional Valve

Proportional valves are perfect when adjusting flow rates while maintaining a steady inlet pressure. A proportional solenoid valve controls flow based on the input signal, similar to how a dimmer switch adjusts light intensity, unlike an on/off switch.

A Comprehensive Guide to Choosing the Right Proportional Valve: Learn how to select the ideal proportional valve for your needs.

[befemininenow]

Are you a trans girl or non-conforming and would like to try out feminine clothing? You may want to check this out.

Say you found this dress online and you really love the overall style of it. Great! If you’re like me, you would say “F it! I’ll buy the dress and I’ll wear it how I like!” and move on with your life. That should the end of this guide, right? Except, there is one little problem: not everybody thinks this way. Those who look for the best matching outfits aren’t just searching to fit their style, color, or personality. It also has to do with their body type. If you’re in that situation, this guide may help you out.

Body shape

Believe it or not, there are many different types of body shape (up to 10). However, the most common tend to be the following (in no order):

Rectangle- Even distribution on shoulders, hips, and waistline

Pear/Triangle- Wide hips, well-defined waist, small shoulders

Hourglass- Near-exact hip and shoulder measurements, thinner waistline

Inverted Triangle- Broader shoulders, narrower hips, little waist definition

Apple/Round- Broad shoulders and big bust, thin legs and hips

Many transgender women have the inverted triangle body shape due to several factors such as genetics, bone structure, and age. However, your body shape may also change over time due to a rebalancing of hormones, body fat, and even lifestyle. While you can’t change your bone structure, you can change your body definition through exercises.

Body proportion

Here is something you may find useful if you’re looking to customize your look. Body proportions are unique to every individual and play a factor on clothing and to some extent, accessories such as jewelry. For instance, you may find the skirt you bought looks either too long or short. There are a few areas where to measure your body proportions such as wrist length or neck size. But the best way to improve your dress type is by following the “golden ratio rule” of dividing your body into three:

The way this is read is you’re either one-third top, two-thirds bottom, or you’re two-thirds top, one-third bottom. Once you get more knowledge, you can go upwards even eighths! But for now, the focus is on these two outcomes.

The two-thirds top, one-third bottom words well with long dresses:

while the one-third top, two-thirds bottom works well with more casual clothing:

Body measurements

Now that we got a few problems out of our way, it’s time to figure out what measurements you have. The best way to find out is by using a mirror and a soft measuring tape for body. Measure all the crucial parts of your body, which are the waist, hips, shoulders, and bust. This will determine the type of body you have and have a better idea on what length you will need to try out your clothing of choice.

Shoe size

One thing very important about an outfit is choosing footwear. Although you can use your old Converses with your flared jeans, you’re certainly not going to use them with a ruffled dress. You’re definitely going to want heels or flats! Unfortunately, women’s shoe size are not exactly the same as men. But don’t give up! Fortunately, there are women’s size conversion charts that help you choose what shoe size you need.

To find out your measurements on your own, grab at least two blank pieces of paper, a pencil or pen, and a measuring tape. Place your foot firmly forward and carefully trace around the outer area of your foot. Repeat this with your other foot. Once finished, grab your measuring tape and measure from your highest point to your lowest on both sheets. Measure the width as well. If both feet measure close to 10.5, your women’s size is a 12. However, due to a difference in manufacturing based on shoe brand, as well as shoe type like pumps, the average recommended size is at least 2 inches above your actual size. For those living in other countries that don’t use the US measuring size, I left a chart that shows all the possible measurements you may use to convert your shoe size into women’s size.

What to wear based on body type

Since not all clothing is made for everyone, it’s time to list what is considered the “ideal” clothing choices based on body type. Note that these are opinions from my source’s authors. IMO, the pictures below each suggestion are a better opinion. Your are free to choose your type of clothing.

Rounded or apple shapes fit best with monochrome colors and make the person look more “fit”.

Pear or triangle shapes look more balanced with decorative accessories on top while keeping the bottom more plain.

Rectangle shapes tend to have more volume with a waist belt while pleated pants give more volume on hips.

Hourglass shapes look best when wearing bodycon dresses and cardigans to emphasize volume in their waistline.

Inverted triangle shapes pull off the wide leg pants and fitted top combo the best.

For a much more comprehensive guide for each body type, I highly recommend reading The Concept Wardrobe’s guides. It gives more details on what to wear and how to choose the best combinations. Link is provided here: https://theconceptwardrobe.com/search?query=body+frame

Tips on what to wear

Now that you reached this point, I’m pretty sure you’re excited to try out what your heart desires. However, before you go out and buy that two-piece dress, I recommend researching and observing the type of clothing women wear today. Believe it or not, people will judge based on your way of dressing, from background to social status to age. A simple look like bodysuit and jeans may look perfect on you and blend you in with the girls, but something like a hot pink bodycon will make you stand out, and most likely not in a good way. So how would you choose something that blends you in with society, but also be comfortable at the same time? Here are some tips and pics:

Find clothing that “feels” feminine. In other words, buy clothing that “feminizes” your body, such as tops that make your shoulders look shorter, wrap dresses that make your waistline shorter, and skirts that make your hips look wider.

Find the best colors based on skin tone and hair color. For instance, try out warm colors such as orange if your skin tone is warm.

Dress sexy, but never go too revealing. Seriously, have some respect to yourself. But if you really want to go out wearing, for example, a two-piece outfit, wear one that looks stylish and flatters your body in a great way.

Use accessories that fit and blend well with your body. Large jewelry goes well with larger frame, small jewelry fits with smaller wrist, and so forth. Don’t forget the purse! It is absolutely necessary now that you’re wearing pocketless clothing. Choose one that fits your taste and needs.

Bras and undergarments are necessary to wear now. As you further into your transition, your breasts will start growing and it will become more difficult and uncomfortable going out braless. Start out with a brassiere, then move on to a fitted bra as they become bigger over time. As for down there, I would use boy briefs as they’re similar to boxers. Although HRT will cause it to shrink, it does not make it disappear. If you must hide it, use a gaff or a tuck, but do not use chastity belts (Seriously, stay away from that unless you’re really into that thing). 

Optional: use waist shapers or corsets to slim down waist. Hip enlargement pads will also give your narrow hips and butt much needed volume. Breast forms can also give you an idea how big you want them in the future.

Fashion sense

But the most important part of choosing clothing as a trans girl is to wear whatever suits your taste.

For instance, are you more into the traditional and simple feminine aesthetic? Cottagecore may be for you:

But what if you’re the rebellious type that prefers to defy tradition? Well, maybe the alt-girl fashion is for you:

Maybe you’re the type that changes clothing based on season. So if you’re a summer-season type of girl, you’re definitely going for an outfit like this:

How about if you’re into the gym? Clearly your goal is to be like this:

Are you into business casual? There’s also a pic for that:

(The girl in the pic is also transgender! Her name is Suzi Hunter, better known as The Sphere Hunter.)

But we also can’t forget cosplay, either!:

(Cosplayer is Eden the Doll, a trans woman cosplayer! Picture belongs to Geo Leon.)

You’re probably the party type who loves some action:

Casual wear can also be tasteful and attractive too:

There’s so much to pic, but each style says a lot about what type of woman you are.

Where to buy clothing

If you’re interested in finding the right clothes for you, check out places that are especially gender-inclusive. As I’m based in the US, clothing stores such as Target are a good start while higher-end chains such as Nordstrom and Macy’s may have a better variety to choose from. If you’re a thrifty shopper, your local outlets, discount stores, and thrift shops have a surprising amount of great clothing for affordable prices. Although online sites like Amazon, Shein, and Zara have affordable and appealing clothing, many of these brands also have ethical concerns that overshadow their reputation. Dubbed “fast fashion”, they are a source of scrutiny among fashion fans and I would personally avoid them if possible. If you really need something affordable and new, I highly recommend purchasing through discount and thrift stores.

If you’re in need of safe undergarments, check out Urbody. They have clothing suitable for trans people, non-binary, and other identities, varying from binders to tucked leggings. They are founded by trans and non-binary people and use ethical practices and living wages for their workers. If you’re interested in checking their site out, here is the link to their page (I am not sponsored by them): https://urbody.co/

Conclusion

The whole point of this guide is to help you pick the proper clothing and accessories as a newly-out girl. I made this guide since there doesn’t seem to be many that are detailed. Keep in mind I’m still learning about female clothing as I am still in the first stages of transition myself. If anyone would like to add more info that is missing or provide any corrections, please reblog and add more helpful tips as it would help trans girls, trans women, non-binary, and anyone else that desires to wear affirming clothing. Please refrain from using any hurtful language if you’re doing so. Thank you and hugs!

Links to sources:

https://www.healthline.com/health/women-body-shapes#why-shape-fluctuates

https://www.thestylatude.com/post/the-most-common-body-shapes-for-women-and-how-to-find-out-yours

https://theconceptwardrobe.com/build-a-wardrobe/inverted-triangle-body-shape

https://www.thestylebouquet.com/2020/02/17/5-most-common-body-shapes-for-women/

https://dressedformyday.com/how-to-discover-your-body-proportions/

https://gabriellearruda.com/how-to-dress-better-female-body-shape/

https://m2fguide.com/how-to-pick-clothes-if-youre-transgender-or-crossdressing/

https://feminizationsecrets.com/mtf-clothing-tips/

https://www.instagram.com/p/CHBk9v0J_WO/

https://www.transgendermap.com/social/clothing-accessories/

https://apexfoot.com/shoe-sizing-chart/

https://www.glamourboutique.com/crossdresser-fashion/guide-male-female-shoe-sizes-33255#:~:text=Minimize%20the%20chance%20of%20having,11%20in%20a%20women's%20shoe

[elysiansparadise]

Thoughts on Jupiter in the first house?

Jupiter in the 1st house

These people have the quality of having a jovial spirit and a wise mind, making it likely that when they are young they will seem older due to their level of maturity and wisdom but this without ever losing the charismatic touch in their character. Contrary to what is usually said, they can choose the side of introversion and need a lot of time alone; they are very introspective people who seek to understand themselves deeply. They seek to contribute positive things to the world and people can see them as teachers, guides, reliable, experienced and/or knowledgeable people. They are people with spiritual interests, they have a healthy level of confidence, with a deep inner world, their main interest may be self-knowledge, the development of their spirituality or feeding their inner world with data that leads them to become the person that they aspire to be. These natives, even if they are not aware, can easily spread positivity and joy to others, being able to put a smile on the faces of those they love the most. They have a lot of positive karma and can have many lucky moments throughout their lives compared to the average.

They have the brightest, biggest and most expressive smiles, they usually have very attractive bodies, toned legs or whose shape is attractive. It is common for them to be tall and have well-proportioned faces. They attract a lot of attention because they have the right level of mysticism and mysteries as well as a fun, curious and polite personality. They can seek and achieve in the process inspiring and motivating people. They tend to leave positive lessons in each person they meet and are usually memorable for these or other qualities. Generous, friendly and observant, they will never fear what seems different from them and will stand out for having an attitude that is open to understanding people and situations with which they do not usually deal. This placement gives them leadership skills, being people who not only boss around, but can unite a group of people and work with them for the common good. These natives are dreamers and deeply enjoy wandering between their future plans and visualizing themselves in scenarios that they would like to live.

Throughout life, they will stand out for their intellect and interest in social, spiritual and cultural topics. The majority tend to feel enchanted or attracted to various cultures, they may even have one in particular with which they feel a specific inclination. They can be people who, either because of their own issues or because of the environment in which they grew up, place very high expectations on themselves, want to achieve many things and become the person they want to be. Many times unrealistic or perfection expectations can be placed on them. From a very young age they form their own criteria and decide to live their lives based on the morals and criteria that they themselves develop. They are not influenceable people and they never limit themselves to just accepting the information or the first impression they have of something or someone. They are always open to inform themselves and learn more.

[writing-for-marvel]

Day 19: Sex Toys

Mob!Bucky's Kinktober Honeymoon

Mob!Bucky Barnes × Wife!Reader

Summary: Bucky controls your vibrator while you’re out for dinner.

Warnings: strictly 18+, smut, use of a vibrator, reader wearing a butt plug, public orgasm, implied anal sex

Word count: 1.6k

A/N: dividers by me, please do not use. Banners by @vase-of-lilies

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Bucky has loved surprising you with gifts throughout your honeymoon, even though he has already given you the best gift of all when he married you.

First, it was a completely new closet of designer clothes, already tailored to your measurements - you’re still unsure how he managed to get your exact proportions without you knowing.

Then it had been a cabinet full of jewellery fit for a queen. All your favourite gemstones, those that brought out the colour of your eyes and complimented your complexion, in necklaces, bracelets, rings - every type of jewellery you can imagine, even a tiara.

This morning, you woke up to a conspicuously small box beside you in bed. James Barnes never did anything on a small scale, and although you kept reminding him he didn’t need to bestow you with lavish gifts (as if this extravagant honeymoon around Europe isn’t already enough of a wedding present), Bucky has a weakness when it comes to spoiling you.

“Open it darling.” His voice has a fluctuation of amusement to it, which only makes you all the more eager to find out what’s inside.

With your curiosity piqued, you carefully untie the ribbon holding the box shut. As you open the lid, you're met with a playful smile from Bucky. Inside the box, there's a white and gold envelope and two small white drawstring bags.

You pull out the envelope first, noticing the intricate pattern embossed on the paper. You carefully open the seal and pull out a handwritten card that reads, ‘To my beloved wife, at the halfway point of our honeymoon. You're a goddess and deserve to be worshipped every second for the rest of our lives. Here is a small token of my devotion. Forever yours, James’.

Your eyes become blurry with happy tears as you pull open the other two items within the box. In one bag is a pink egg vibrator. In the other, a classic teardrop shaped butt plug with a dazzling sapphire at its base.

You feel your cheeks flush with heat as you stare at the sex toys glistening in the light of the rising sun. Bucky knows exactly how to spoil you in every way imaginable, especially in the bedroom. You bite your lip and cast a glance at your husband, who's watching you with amusement dancing in his perfect blue eyes.

"What did you have in mind for these?" You ask innocently, trying to mask the excitement in your voice.

Bucky chuckles and steps closer to you on the bed, his fingers deftly untying your silk robe to reveal your naked body. You shiver as his warm hands trail down your curves, and he bites his lip. He leans in to press his lips against your ear, the scruff of his beard tickling your sensitive skin.

"I was thinking we could try them out tonight. Have a little fun at dinner." His husky voice sends shivers down your spine and a wetness flooding your core. You nod eagerly, loving how your body responds to his tantalising touch and the anticipation of what the evening will bring.

It takes a little bit of practice to learn how to walk in tall heels with an egg vibrator sitting pretty between your legs, even when it isn’t switched on, and the butt plug in your ass.

It does help that Bucky's hand rests on your lower back as he guides you into the extravagant restaurant, but with each step his hand dips lower and by the time the smartly dressed waiter has shown you where your private booth is, Bucky is practically squeezing your ass.

The booth is large enough to fit eight people around, but Bucky chooses to sit right beside you, shoulders touching and hand intertwined with yours. He places a gentle kiss to the back of your hand as you look over the menu, unsure what half of the options even are.

You adore how affectionate he is, there's nothing better than seeing the one person you love more than life itself show that they reciprocate that feeling, but this time you know he’s just buttering you up. Biding his time until he decides to unexpectedly turn the vibrator on.

That thought wanders to the back of your mind as Bucky and you enjoy the privacy of your table. The restaurant clearly is used to catering to high profile clientele as you can barely hear nor see any other patrons even though the place has been fully booked for months.

As Bucky makes you laugh, and orders you a bottle of your favourite wine, you almost completely forget about the two toys confidentially nestled within you, that is, until it becomes time for you to order meals.

“I’ll have the-” A shock, like that of being mildly electrocuted, sparks through your body, originating between your legs. You love your husband, but he is an absolute menace for subtly switching on your vibrator with his phone at this very moment.

You squeeze your thighs together and shift your hips in your seat at the new sensation, the egg vibrator coming to life at a dangerously addictive speed.

You don’t trust your voice not to betray you if you attempt to speak your order, so instead you point at the item on the menu you’re after. The waiter reads it back to you, but you simply nod without even paying attention to the words he spoke, you’re too caught up in how the toy continually stimulates your sensitive nerve endings, lighting your insides on fire.

You feel like you’re keeping a closely guarded secret as Bucky stares deeply into your eyes with affection, both of you knowing precisely what is happening beneath the surface as the rest of the world continues none the wiser with their life around you.

“I hate you.” You grumble once the waiter walks away, toes curling in your best stilettos and you shift your hips again, futilely trying to escape the building pleasure which is originating from deep within you.

“I love you too.” His tone is teasing, because he knows with absolute certainty there is no chance of you feeling anything but pure love for him in this lifetime or the next.

You’re drowning in his closeness, the enveloping scent of his expensive aftershave downright intoxicating and his breath on ear as he speaks lowly adds fuel to an already blazing inferno. When Bucky starts drawing slow shapes on your exposed thigh, his touch leaving goosebumps and tingles in its wake, you curse under your breath - it’s one thing to have the vibrator pulsing between your legs, but Bucky’s touch is something else.

“Doing okay baby?” He asks almost tauntingly in response to a moan falling from your lips and your hips rocking underneath the table. You’re on a fast track to heaven as the toy repeatedly massages every sensitive spot inside you, and with the limited space under the table, you’re forced to sit and take the onslaught.

“I’m doing fi-fuck!” You bite your lip but your outburst is rather loud, however, it’s not your fault for while you’re trying to compose yourself in this public setting, Bucky has increased the speed of the vibrator exponentially.

Your panties are completely soaked through now, and though you try to squeeze your thighs together in some feeble attempt to find some semblance of relief. The band in your lower stomach feels like it’s pulled so tight, ready to snap at any second. The tension hanging thick in the air at your table, but Bucky seems to be enjoying your little display for him.

He hooks his index finger under your chin and directs your eyes to his. A smile tugs at the corners of his mouth as you continue to squirm, slowly leaning closer until you’re mere millimetres from his lips. And as usual, he says the words that are the beginning of your undoing.

“My good girl always cums for me. Are you going to be good today?”

You frantically nod, wishing for nothing more than to be his best girl, his perfect wife. When his soft, supple lips press against yours, your chest blooms with honour and happiness at pleasing him as the wildfire blazes beneath your legs.

Bucky thrusts two fingers inside your mouth as you reach the peak of your high. Moaning around his digits muffles the sound somewhat, but you’re not concerned about anyone hearing at this moment, not when Bucky looks so incredibly proud of you. As your body spasms, Bucky coos and praises you, talking you through your orgasm as the toy continues to furiously pulsate within you, prolonging your shaking orgasm.

You barely have time to come down from your intense high once Bucky turns the vibrator off, and have time to breathe when your dinner is served. Somehow in the chaos of ordering, the waiter managed to get your order correct.

“Make sure you eat all your food, for what I have planned tonight, you’re going to need all your energy and strength.” He says surprisingly nonchalantly considering you were only mere seconds away from your waiter catching you mid orgasm.

You just smile, knowing that somehow with Bucky everything always works out for the best.

“Mmmm yeah, I bet your dick is gonna feel so good in my ass later.” You seductively whisper in his ear before digging into your food, taking pleasure in the longing glance he throws you, seemingly completely uninterested now in the delicious food in front of him.

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Mob!Bucky’s Kinktober Honeymoon Taglist: @tilltheendofthelinepal13 @kandis-mom @buggy14 @opheliastark @auntiegigi @alovecraft @cinnxbunny @zincxxx @cultofcarter @rose-alyssa @kaitlin013106 @wandas-gurlfri3nd @beautifulrare4leafclover @queenyamimarrero @littlerya @noobzandboobzandhooz @wanda2themax @lonelywolfheart @Kbananaclip14 @depressed-gays-of-marvel @ur--mommy @jollyfirebattrash @lauratang @casa-boiardi @raging-panda @nicoline1998enilocin @melsunshine @stinkerbelle007 @mememe7147 @happycat547 @matchat3a @Sirmeowertheruthless7 @Inlovewithficnalmen @katiemarsblog @irienanicole @buckyisveryhot @littleravengirl @whyamireadingthis @vase-of-lilies @Mrsrogers77 @saltyshluts @Wwhitewolff @buckysdogtagss @mylastnamesyuh @alexandria-fandom @andth3ywereroommates @avalongreene-09 @sargentbarnxes @keira324 @cherryschaos @missusbarnes-rogers @cherriesnwinee @Ellieangelbee @Shirayukiuzukaze @goldylions @elacinnamoon @buckysdollx @mrsmischief209 @capsbestgirl77 @its-just-smut-haha @ironmansson29 @Slutforderekhale @otome-loves-what @jacesswifey @winterslove1917 @black-mistress-of-evil @buckyscumwhore @purple-vegan

[hexhomos]

Sorry, I'm asking here because asks aren't on your doomreed account, but do you have any fic recs for them ? You and vinnies art have intrigued me 😭 they both seem like such wet cats in different ways, and I love that

help i didnt know asks were off fixed that now thank you... I have two fics i keep in my back pocket as like, exemplary distillations of their whole thing (one in college vs one of their usual superhero stuff,) these are;

Supersymmetry and Night Blooms

Rly good examples of their usual shenanigans, the second one is directly based on a canon comic issue that *feels* like fanfic by a prolific yaoi author, the first is set in a modern-time re-imagining of the fantastic four where they meet in a supergenius internship thinktank for gifted youngsters. There's other fics that are good but i think they might be super confusing without canon context! which leads me to my second point. After you read these fics...

A lot, and i mean A LOT of official doomreed stuff feels straight up like fanfic. Either because its so beautifully woven or insane in concept (doctor doom points a gun at the real life Jack Kirby and Stan Lee to get himself written back into reed's life in his 3rd ever classic appearance, in the 60's, THAT'S the bodyswap issue)

or because the literal authors themselves come out to say 'they're soulmates' or 'they're in love' and Im talking abt this:

(^joseph culp, the first ever doom actor from 1994)

(^fantastic four (2019))

I've got even more stuff under the cut!! AND recs!!! CLICK! v v v

(^jonathan hickman, author of arguably the best FF saga & Secret Wars (2015)!!!)

(^Cantwell, author of the Doctor Doom comic!!)

These are excerpts from the canon fantastic four book, DOOMGATE:

There's even an RPG INSTRUCTION MODULE based on the idea of an earth where Reed & Victor partner up in college, Reed dies a tragic death (via their lab experiments) and Victor assumes such a traumatized widow role in his honor that he grows up to be a golden hero and protector of earth LOL (still a bit nuts):

This is not even to touch on the breadth of all their comic issues and little moments together. Victor canonically delivers Reed's second child and he chooses her name! Shes treated like his child too and calls him uncle doom!!

...Victor even asks Reed out on candlelit dinner dates for a yearly Latverian holiday!

In fact, that's the great starter doom/reed issue i keep recommending: read [ My Dinner With Doom right here. ]

If you enjoy that, check out my [ broader post guide for doomreed reading. ]

Still on the fence? try out these single comic issues:

Doctor Doom:

*Fantastic Four (1961) annual 2 (Classic origin of Doom issue) *Some call it MAGIC (the introduction of Doom's struggle w/ the devil for his mother's soul)

Doomreed:

*Marvel Two-in-One (2017) annual 1 *Marvel Two-in-One (2017) #11 (2nd fic i linked is based on this!!!!!!!!!) *'Duel Intentions' short story *Doom 2099 (2019) *Fantastic Four #700 special *Shame Itself (noncanon satire mini)

Anyway I've had a lot of fun reading these series generally and their big, year-spanning arcs are incredible. People hype up Secret Wars for a reason, Hickman's fantastic four builds up a really compelling doom/reed epic of cosmic divorce proportions. And its about love! And Forgiveness!

[iztea]

Iztea I need your help💔💔 I'm genuinely trying to find my art style but I'm not very good at art in the first place, I'm a beginner and I just don't feel motivated to draw anymore because I'm not good at it,, can you pls link your tutorials so I can try to follow them the best I can..😓 I genuinely love your art and your a huge inspiration but I can't draw for shit. A lot of the tutorials on YouTube don't actually help me as much as they do for other people so I'm lowkey putting my faith in you to try and help me lmao, I just can't get the proportions of anything right, like I can't draw a body or head,, and when I trace things it just feels like cheating in art like ugghhjjnn,, can you help me😓☹️

If you struggle with proportions, then drawing over the reference photo (which you should totally have, btw) to get a feel for the distance between things is a great starting point. I also think you should have simplified anatomy references, as well as references from other artists. Basically, everything I mentioned here i don't want to repeat the same points

Tracing is not "cheating" if you're using it to learn. It can be very distasteful if it's used for finished art, where it is obviously meant to replace actual skill, or if it's traced from another artist. If you're using it to study and as a stepping stone to improve your skills, then it's totally fine and even encouraged (it's like doing assisted pull-ups at the gym). But you gotta to play it smart—tracing the actual outline without engaging in critical thought leads to ugly, mediocre, commercialized art that we don't want because we're cool based and always striving to improve ourselves

Okay anyways "But how exactly do I trace references in a smart way, iztea?" Well, like I said, you can lower the opacity of your reference photo and draw over it. Use the general shapes and volume of the body as your guide until you learn to draw without them. Don't follow the outline exactly—exaggerate or stylize the limbs to your liking. For example, I like drawing small wrists and long, slim necks because I think it looks more appealing. So whenever I'm using a reference, I (subconsciously most of the time) slim these body parts down, elongate the fingers, and so on. If you're still not sure what your style is, that's fine too. Use this exercise to find out what your hand naturally leans into

I'm not the cleanest sketcher, and it's been a while since I've done this sort of approach, so excuse the messiness but I wanted to show an example of how I'd tackle this technique. If you look closely, you'll see that I didn't exactly draw over the body parts, especially in the neck and arm area. I exaggerated the posture by adding more gestures—I made the shoulders rounder, the skull bigger, and the arms and neck longer and slimmer. I didn't focus on details like the face or fingers because that's not the point

The next important step after creating your guidelines is to redraw the lines from scratch on a separate layer, but this time without the reference. Set the reference aside and focus on copying your own guidelines. Afterward, compare the two drawings to check if your proportions are accurate. If they're off, take note of any recurring mistakes and correct them. For example, I have a tendency to draw the mouth too far down on the face, so it's something I am always aware of whenever I'm drawing. Other times, I draw the eyebrows too high from the eyes and so on. Another important thing to point out is that not all references are created equal—there are such things as bad or poor references. If the body’s silhouette looks like a blob or the limbs are heavily foreshortened, you'll find it much harder to draw so for practice, I recommend choosing poses that are fluid, clear, and expressive, with good lighting and features you can exaggerate. This will make it easier to understand the form and you'll have more fun in general I've provided a little comparison below. I'm not saying the 2nd pose is terrible and impossible to draw, it's obviously not, you can draw anything you want howeveerrr if you're just starting out, painting the 2nd one can be much more challenging due to it not being very clear in shape, value range, pose, gesture etc. So what I'm trying to say is to choose your poses wisely too

I don't remember doing any tutorials outside that hair one unless you consider my rambling sessions tutorials (i don't) but you can also scroll through the #ask iztea: art talk hashtag for whatever art-related question I might have answered I'm too lazy to link everything so YOU put the work and stalk my page

anyways yeah idk this is how i'd start.... so to summarize:

pull up references, from both real-life people, simplified anatomy sheets, and artists you like

draw over your reference photo and treat it as your training wheels

close the og reference, and use the newly traced, much more simplified outline as your new reference, and now draw the pose again, but "freehand" this time

compare the traced and the freehand version, take notice of your proportions and try to correct them

choose good, readable, easy to draw refs

never give up never what

[genderqueerdykes]

I’m a short, plus size trans guy. I have a pretty hard time with masc clothing due to it not fitting right or at least not how I wish it did. Fem clothes usually fit how I want them to so I stick with them, plus skirts are fun and surprisingly help with the bottom dysphoria cause there’s no indent of where my dick should be like pants do, so I have 2 questions.

1: is it ok for me as a trans guy to still be upset when misgendered while wearing feminine clothing?

2: any advice on how to find masc clothes that fit properly on a fat and short guy?

hello there, thanks for taking the time to ask this! sorry for the delayed reply, but i hope you've been doing well in the mean time!

it is absolutely okay for you to be upset for being misgendered regardless of what clothing you're wearing; cisgender people get misgendered while wearing their preferred clothing, as well, many butch women get misgendered and called men when they are very much women who prefer to dress, act and look masculine. cisgender men often get misgendered if they choose to wear feminine clothing, or even men's clothing that's too "fruity". if cisgender people can get upset over this, you can too.

i feel like it's 200% impossible to know what a stranger's gender is just by looking at them and that as a society we would truly progress if we stopped assuming the genders of strangers by how they dress and avoid using gendered terms until that person reveals that information, if they so choose.

as for where to find clothing that would fit well, this one can be a bit tricky. i am tall and fat, i'm about 5' 8" and 280 lbs, so i unfortunately haven't much experience in the height department on that end, but i can tell you that wearing men's pants can be a bit tricky if you have wide hips. i have 48" hips and it can make wearing men's pants uncomfortable. if you haven't already, measure your hips (at their fullest point) and your inseam, which is the length from the crotch of your pants to the bottom of the pantleg. men's pants are sized by these two measurements, with the hip width being the first number and the inseam length being the second. my example for myself is that i wear 48x32 men's pants whenever i do buy them.

here's a guide on measuring your inseam:

here's a guide on men's clothing sizes (in both inches and centimeters) and how to measure yourself for different garments:

i will say that in the past i've thrifted most of my clothing. i'd like to be able to get to a place where i can buy myself some new clothes but up until this point most of my clothes have been thrifted. i will say if you live in a smaller area finding good clothing in plus sizes is a nightmare and you have my condolences. however i can suggest looking into men's fashion and seeing what styles you like to get an idea of what kinds of clothes you're looking for. before transitioning into buying clothes from the men's section you can always look to see if there are similar cuts of clothing (like cargo pants, for example) that are sold in the women's section for the sake of finding clothes that fit your proportions a little better at least until it's easier to figure out what size men's clothes fit you

most shirts and tops shouldn't be too much of an issue as they're made to be pretty loose fitting and don't conform to one's figure- if sleeves are too long they can be hemmed or rolled up, tails of shirts can be tucked into pants, etc. be very careful with button-up style shirts, these fit me so weird due to being intersex and i find that a lot of bigger people in general don't fit into them super well. they're not made for our proportions they just size up the shirts made for thin people and don't take into consideration how our bellies, chests and shoulders look.

button up shirts (when buttoned up, lol) can also make one's chest more prominent and create stress on the buttons that draw the eyes to the chest- i never button up these types of shirts and instead wear them open. this is a very masculine look, especially with a men's t-shirt underneath. this was my go-to in my early days of transition.

as for specific stores to look at, this will vary wildly depending on where you are in the world. i would recommend being highly cautious of buying mens' clothing from places online like Amazon, Temu, Wish, etc. that have a lot of China-based sellers, because often times you will see a 2XL+ garment and buy it thinking it will fit only to realize that that is Chinese sizing and therefore much smaller. shopping online for clothes while fat can be very hard, so i urge you to shop in person when possible

anyone have more concrete suggestions for this guy? i'm totally blanking on good suggestions of where to look for clothes.

good luck out there, stay safe, and take care of yourself. i hope you're able to find more clothing that helps you feel like yourself! thanks for stopping by

[amiableness]

Peek of Threads pt 2!

i've been gone for ages so i thought it might be nice to show you guys a bit of part 2 for threads! love you all! 💌

The initial week of classes slipped by with surprising ease. Transitioning back into the rhythm of school life after an extended absence proved challenging, yet the thought that this was your final year served as a guiding light through the adjustment period.

Sirius had been notably absent since the night he abruptly departed from the common room. Whenever your paths crossed, he shot you a steely, inscrutable gaze before swiftly veering in another direction. It was a departure from his usual demeanor. Typically, he relished in pestering you, delighting in the opportunity to provoke a reaction.

"What's going on with him?" Lily inquires, clutching her books against her chest, her gaze following Sirius quizzically as he slips into the Potions classroom behind the rest of the boys.

"I'm not sure." You reply to Lily, opting for honesty, though you choose not to disclose your recent encounter with him in the common room. Somehow, you sense that she might blow it out of proportion, and it wasn't worth the fuss.

As you step into the classroom, you resist the urge to scan the room for Sirius. Instead, you swiftly locate the first available seats and pull Lily along with you. A sigh escapes your lips, prompting Lily to glance at you with a furrowed brow. Your off-kilter mood doesn't go unnoticed; she sensed it when she looked at you this morning.

She goes to open her mouth to question you about your state, but Professor Slughorn interrupts.

"Good morning, class! I trust everyone's prepared to discover their partners for today." Professor Slughorn greeted, a mischievous twinkle in his eye as he caught the annoyed sighs drifting through the room. He couldn't help but chuckle inwardly; he had indeed mentioned last class that they would all be assigned partners, but it appeared that a few students had conveniently forgotten.

Your attention wavered as Slughorn continued to announce the pairs, your thoughts consumed by the enigma of Sirius's recent behavior. It grated on your nerves, his uncharacteristic silence leaving you bewildered. Sirius Black, of all people, never one to shy away from confrontation, now seemed to be actively avoiding you. The realization gnawed at your insides, fueling a growing frustration. What had gotten under his skin so much?

"Lily Evans and Sirius Black," Slughorn announced, the words slicing through the air with finality. James emitted a groan before Slughorn could even finish speaking. Your gaze darted to James, registering his reaction, before instinctively shifting to Sirius, who sat beside him. His eyes were already fixed on you.

“Y/n Y/l/n and Felix Scalding.” As your name is called, you reluctantly tear your gaze away from Sirius, only to find yourself meeting the gaze of a grinning Felix. A ripple of amusement passes between you and Lily, who nudges you with a knowing look. Felix had harbored an unyielding determination to win a date with you for as long as you could remember.

As Professor Slughorn concludes his announcements, he instructs everyone to find their assigned partners and take their seats. The classroom erupts with the scraping of chairs against the stone floor and a low murmur of conversation.

"I'd suggest switching partners, but I already know your answer would be no." Lily quips with a smile as she gathers her belongings. You simply shrug in response, acknowledging the truth in her statement.

"Perhaps not this time." You retort before making your way to the front of the classroom, leaving Lily chuckling behind you.

You’re halfway to Felix when Sirius stands in front of you, blocking your path, “You’re going to ask for a new partner, right?”

"No, thankfully, I'm not stuck with you." You snap back, a hint of irritation in your tone. Sirius narrows his eyes at your retort. Suddenly, someone bumps into you, causing you to stumble and inadvertently collide with Sirius. His quick reflexes kick in, his hands instinctively reaching out to steady you by your hips. The unexpected touch sends a jolt of electricity coursing through you, leaving you both momentarily off balance as you stagger back.

"The guy is bloody obsessed with you, princess." Sirius spats out, his voice tinged with frustration as he glared down at you.

You met his gaze evenly, unflinching. "I'd hardly call having a crush being an obsession." You retort, your tone laced with defiance.

"He's gonna spend the entire time flirting with you." Sirius snaps, his eyes darkening as he locks onto yours. The intensity in his gaze mirrors the agitation you witnessed from him during that tense encounter in the common room the other night.

"I can handle that. Can you?" The words escaped your lips before you could fully process them, surprising both Sirius and yourself with their sudden sharpness. You waste no time, brushing past Sirius without a second glance as you make your way toward Felix.

[beesmygod]

"A GHOST STORY" IS A WEBCOMIC I MAKE THAT I WILL BE RE-POSTING, GRADUALLY.

the top row is from 2013-ish. the bottom row is the re-draw from 2018-ish.

i need to choose a time of day to remember to do this. anyway, even by 2018 i was still struggling with character consistency. it's evident that my formal education in art was limited to a painting/drawing program in my state college. it was not very helpful for what i was trying to accomplish, which was cartooning. the program i was in was centered more around gallery ready art and creating individual pieces rather than narrative work. it didn't suit my passions and i did it just to get the degree and go. i feel like i've taught myself most of what i know with a lot of kind guiding hands pointing me in the right directions over the years. it has been a slow but rewarding process. its hard lately to see it this way, but part of that might just be the state of everything lately.

things have definitely improved between the two but i feel like only recently am i getting a better hang on things that are come more easily to other art-minded people: lighting, framing, body proportions, etc (this list could go on forever).

the redraw took literal years to make so the back half of the re-draw is much better than the first leg. but that's the price of re-drawing! of course you're going to improve during it! if you didn't it would be concerning!

---

♥ read the comic: A Ghost Story ♥ support the comic for as little as $1 a month on Patreon ♥ pay what you want for the re-draw of the first chapter on itch.io

you can block the tag "#AGS repost" to keep this off your dash

[spankedquail]

hi… so i’d really like some advice actually…

i’ve been seeing this Dom for almost a year now and actively been dating and exclusive for about five months (not my first D/s relationship). for the most part things have been really good or at least they were at first, he’s a bit older than i am (he’s 36 and i’m 22 - although perhaps that’s the first red flag?) and he’s more experienced than i am.

anyway, a couple of weeks ago we got into an argument (i’m not sure that’s the best word to describe it, disagreement perhaps?) because i didn’t understand why i had gotten into trouble for something we’ve agreed is not part of our dynamic (i decided to go out and get my nails done - i work two jobs and study full time but im not struggling financially and i just saw it as a nice treat for myself after acing my last exams). when he saw them he was really pissed off and said i didn’t ask permission to go and get them done (which is true, i didn’t) but when i asked why that was a problem he said i need to be smarter about how i spend money - but the thing is i’m not interested in talking about controlling my finances and i’m not interested in having that be part of any dynamic until i’m married, when we started out i made that clear and he agreed and when i reminded him that that’s not part of the scope of our dynamic he punished me for being disrespectful…

i have come to really care for and perhaps love this man, but i am worried that if i stay in this relationship i’ll be choosing a path that i can already see is perhaps not the best for me… am i being overly dramatic and blowing things out of proportion?

In any D/s relationship, mutual consent and clearly defined boundaries are foundational. You were clear from the beginning that financial control was not something you were comfortable including in your dynamic.If he agreed to those terms but is now enforcing rules that weren't agreed upon, this is a breach of trust and a violation of consent.

In a healthy D/s relationship, boundaries need to be respected consistently. When you brought up your concerns, his response was to punish you for being "disrespectful." This reaction is troubling because it suggests he’s unwilling to have open communication or acknowledge previously agreed boundaries. It seems like he’s shifting the dynamic without your consent, which is unfair and potentially manipulative.

A Dom's role is to care for and protect their sub, not just control them. If he's punishing you for something that wasn't within the scope of your agreed dynamic, it's worth asking yourself: Is this about caring for you, or is it about exerting power? If he's concerned about your finances, a healthier way to express that would have been through a calm, respectful conversation—not something super reactive and emotional. His reaction indicates that he may be prioritizing control over communication and mutual respect.

You already sense that this might not be the best path for you, which is important to acknowledge. Your gut feeling is an essential guide in these situations. If you're already feeling uncomfortable and second-guessing your dynamic with him, it’s a sign that something is off. Relationships (especially D/s ones) should feel safe, respectful, and aligned with your values.

You're not being overly dramatic. You're being thoughtful and careful about your well-being, which is exactly what you should be doing. If your Dom is not willing to respect the agreements you’ve made, or if he punishes you for questioning those boundaries, that's a significant issue. It may be a sign that he is not the right partner for you, especially if what you want is a dynamic grounded in respect, communication, and mutual consent.

[eachuisge-cc]

How to make regular TS4 clothing compatible with digitigrade legs: PART 2

This section covers long pants, as well as skintight and cuffed pants or other types of clothing that might require some texture/UV editing. For basic info on getting started and converting shorts/other above the knee clothing, see Part 1.

Mesh Editing For Long Loose Pants

These are arguably simpler than shorts in that there are fewer steps involved, but they can be more work intensive and may take some practice if you haven't done much blender modelling.

As with the shorts you'll want to be in orthographic side view (Numpad 3) switch the viewport shading to solid, and turn on x-ray view (alt+Z), but unlike the shorts those things are actually necessary here instead of just helpful. Once you've got the legs imported you won't actually need to touch them again, they're there as a visual guide.

select ALL segments of the pants mesh. go into edit mode and you should have a setup looking like this:

You now need to turn on proportional editing, which is the little concentric circle thing next to the little magnet thing on the lower toolbar

Choose Smooth, and make sure "connected only" is UNCHECKED. This will enable you to edit the whole thing a) without messing up the topology and b) without getting cracks in the mesh between segments. if you need to edit one vertex at a time, just scroll to decrease the radius of the tool and it will feel like working without it, the only difference being that you won't get cracks. Honestly this is a good thing to do any time you're working with sims 4 meshes due to the way they're constructed.

At this point honestly you just kinda. eyeball it. follow your heart. smush it around until you like the way it looks, then switch the viewport shading back to material to make sure it's not distorting the texture too badly. Instead of trying to explain how, I've just recorded my usual way of doing it and you can either copy that or do something else entirely that works better for you. The important thing is that at the end, the pants should follow a more or less natural-looking fall around the shape of the leg (one of the mesh seams frequently lands right over the hocks, which I choose to just let happen because I like the defined edge and feel like it makes a nice silhouette and fits TS4's cartoony vibe, but if you don't like that it's something to watch out for) and there shouldn't be any leg bits poking through. Once you're happy with the shape, go back to object mode and delete the imported digitigrade mesh, and you're done.

If you're having trouble lining the bottoms up with the feet, you can import some hooves or paws for reference and delete them with the legs at the end. This process will work for anything long enough that it ends below the ankle seam, and loose enough that the extra bend won't badly distort the texture or mesh.

Then just do the same with the other LODs and you're done with the mesh editing portion, and can refer to part one for additional steps. For capris and cropped pants you can often just combine this method with the shorts method, which brings us to...

So You Edited The Mesh And It Broke The Texture

There are certain styles that I prefer to shorten so they end at the hocks, like the second and fourth items in my werewolf edits, (the one between them, by contrast, was done with the long loose pants method above):

I don't really have any hard and fast rules for when to do this vs not but I usually base my judgement on "will leaving them long distort the mesh/texture awkwardly" and "if a werewolf transformed while wearing these pants, would they fall over the hocks, or be pushed up by them" (because the hocks are anatomically ankles, and digitigrade animals are basically standing on tip-toes with an elongated foot).

Anyway, sometimes you'll be able to do this just fine and move on with your life, but sometimes this happens:

I'm going to explain how to fix this as well as I can, but it's a process that's a bit less straightforward than the mesh editing and it involves some eyeballing and trial and error, so I'm sorry in advance. I'll edit this for clarity as needed, just drop me a message if you're stuck on something in the meantime.

In blender, go over to your UV panel, set it to display the outfit texture rather than the body (generally this will be DiffuseMap) and switch on UV Sync Selection. If you compare the UV panel with the model, you'll be able to see what you need to do to correct things. Here you can see that when I moved the pants mesh up the leg to fit with the hocks, it ended up higher than the placement of the UV, causing the texture to bleed over onto the leg.

Take note of where the UV needs to end and where you'll need to move it to; find a visual landmark on the texture if you can (if it helps, make a copy of the texture and draw markers on it to give yourself a reference point), because you'll need to hide the leg part so that you can edit the pants UV without distorting it.

With the leg hidden, select the bottom row of vertices on the pants UV, and hit G>Y to move it only on the vertical axis. Mess with the proportional editing range until it looks right to you, for best results I've found it's good to set it so all the vertices below the knee are affected, but no higher than that.

This is what it should roughly look like once adjusted, it's better to shoot for a little above where it needs to be than a little below. At this stage it will look like you just made it worse but don't worry, we're fixing the textures next. Hide the legs again, select all, and export the altered UV.

Go back to the package and export the texture for every swatch as well as the normal map (as a png), then open up your 2D editing software of choice and import them all into one layered file so you can edit them all at once. import the UV on top of them (might help to lower the UV's transparency to see what you're doing better).

At this point you can see pretty clearly how much the texture needs to be adjusted (and if it's not clear, I suggest exporting an unedited version of the clothing mesh and looking at the UV in blender, and using that as your guide) In this case, that lower detached bit is what the cuff needs to line up with, the strip at the bottom lines up with that very bottom row and makes up the underside of the cuff, and everything else is very light on detail so I can more or less focus entirely on getting the cuff right and the rest will look fine. As with adjusting the UV, select to just the bottom of the knee for best results, and frequently all you need to do is hit transform and move the bottom edge up. There may be some textures you need to mess with more if they're particularly detailed or have lacing/patterns/cuffs in an inconvenient area or something, but a lot of the time you can get away with just lightly squishing everything below the knee. Once you get a feel for the process you can also plan ahead while editing the mesh itself to minimize distortion (in this case, I made sure not to change the size of the cuffs while moving things around because those were the only detailed part).

Now export one of the swatches, test it in S4S or blender, make further adjustments if they're needed until it looks right. Make sure you hide the UV layer when you export, and make sure to import the mesh with the updated UV if you're testing it in S4S (I say this because I regularly forget and end up having to re-do steps).

To adjust the different LODs, you can just import one of the new textures to the UV editor in blender and use it as a guide, so you don't have to do the same eyeballing process four times.

Sometimes you'll also need to adjust the shadow map. to do this, just export it from the package, load it into your painting software, and just scoot the lower shadow up until it's sitting right, again using the new UV as a guide.

At this point you should have a finished set of digitigrade pants!

From here refer to part one for further directions if you need them.

[a-tenno-called-prin]

I see from your about that you're a gyre main, any tips on fashion for her cause mine kinda sucks lol

Of course, my dear friend! Brace yourself--

Welcome to Prin's Gyre Fashion Guide!

To start, I'll share my usual look, plus a couple of seasonal ones.

There are a few personal rules I stick to when fashioning her, which I'll explain below. Let's start with her default palette.

You'll notice that I use the Automaton helmet exclusively. This is to balance out her off silhouette (body shape). Her default helmet is nice, but comes off as too small when put in proportion with her skirt.

Now, to colors! We're going to go in reverse (Accents first), because I always start with a color I'm sure of, and I'm always sure of her metallic accents!

For Accents, I will usually use a soft metallic (gold, silver, copper etc) color, as high saturated colors can often be a bit much. Of course, this depends on the look you're going for.

Moving on to Tertiary (also seen above), I enjoy showing off that beautiful texture with a bold, saturated color. Darker colors also work here if you don't want to bring attention to that area.

For her Secondary, you can either go with a dark or bright, saturated color. I want this particular look to stand out, so I'm going to go with the brighter purple.

Her Primary color shows the details in her 'face', so I'll often use a color that is easy on the eyes. In my experience, using darker colors tends to make her face and details unreadable.

I will usually use only minimal Armor, if any at all. Gyre's arms are bulky and legs are often hidden, and there isn't much point to using armor unless you have a particular look you're going for!

For Ephemeras, I will avoid anything that covers her frame's design. She is already highly detailed, and busy Ephemeras can often add visual noise. This takes away from the look as a whole!

Gyre has a big, bulky skirt that will snag just about any Syandana (including her signature..) that falls below her waist. You'll want to choose something that isn't going to get caught, and I try to find ones with circular themes to fit the rest of her design.

For the final touch, I'll add Mag's Heirloom Signa. This is completely optional as not everyone has it, but I just like how it plays with her helmet.

And there you have it!! One fresh Gyre fashion, fresh out of the oven!

Of course, the main thing is experimenting what works for you, but I hope that I could at least point you in the right direction.

Happy Fashionframing, Tenno!

[iwilliamjohnson]

How to Choose the Perfect Leather Skirt for Your Body Type?

Leather skirts have become an iconic fashion staple, effortlessly blending sophistication, edge, and versatility. Whether you're dressing up for a night out or aiming for a chic daytime look, a well-chosen leather skirt can elevate your entire outfit. However, the key to pulling off this timeless piece lies in choosing the right leather skirt for your body type. Selecting the wrong style can make your outfit feel awkward, while the perfect fit can accentuate your best features and boost your confidence.

This guide will help you navigate the various types of women’s leather skirts, understand which styles complement different body shapes, and offer tips to make sure your leather skirt fits like a dream. Here’s how to choose the perfect leather skirt for your body type.

Understanding Your Body Type

Before diving into the various styles of leather skirts, it's essential to identify your body shape. Different body types include:

Hourglass: Defined waist, with bust and hips of approximately equal width.

Pear: Hips are wider than the bust and shoulders.

Apple: A fuller midsection with a less defined waist.

Rectangle: Similar width in bust, waist, and hips, with little natural curves.

Inverted Triangle: Broad shoulders with narrower hips.

Once you’ve identified your body shape, you can narrow down the skirt styles that will enhance your natural proportions.

Choosing the Right Leather Skirt for Hourglass Body Types

Women with an hourglass figure generally have a defined waist and balanced proportions between their bust and hips. The goal here is to accentuate the waist while maintaining balance between the top and bottom halves of the body.

Best Leather Skirt Styles for Hourglass Figures:

High-waisted skirts: These skirts draw attention to your waist, emphasizing your curves.

Pencil skirts: The fitted nature of a pencil skirt can beautifully follow the natural contour of your hips and thighs, giving you a sleek and refined look.

A-line skirts: While fitted at the waist, A-line skirts flare out slightly towards the bottom, maintaining a balance between your hips and waist.

What to Avoid:

Boxy skirts: These skirts can hide your curves and make your figure look less defined.

Styling Tips:

Pair your leather skirt with a fitted top or a belt to further emphasize your waist. A cropped jacket or blouse will also complement the natural hourglass shape.

Choosing the Right Leather Skirt for Pear Body Types

For pear-shaped women, the hips are generally wider than the shoulders and bust. The goal when choosing a leather skirt is to balance the hips while drawing attention to the waist.

Best Leather Skirt Styles for Pear Figures:

A-line skirts: These skirts are flattering for pear shapes because they are snug at the waist and gently flare out over the hips, offering a balanced silhouette.

Flared skirts: Skirts that flare from the waist down help create harmony between the upper and lower body by minimizing the emphasis on the hips.

Midi skirts: Midi-length skirts help elongate the body and make the lower half appear slimmer.

What to Avoid:

Tight-fitting skirts around the hips: These skirts can exaggerate the width of your hips and create an unbalanced look.

Styling Tips:

Opt for lighter tops or tops with details, such as ruffles or statement sleeves, to draw attention upwards. Balance the look with a fitted leather skirt that doesn't cling too tightly to your hips.

Choosing the Right Leather Skirt for Apple Body Types

Women with apple body shapes tend to carry more weight around their midsection, with less emphasis on the waistline. The goal here is to create definition at the waist and highlight the legs or bust.

Best Leather Skirt Styles for Apple Figures:

High-waisted A-line skirts: These can help to create the illusion of a waist by cinching at the narrowest point of your torso.

Wrap skirts: The diagonal lines of a wrap skirt can make your waist appear smaller and give the illusion of curves.

Skirts with a slight flare: A skirt that flares out subtly from the waist will shift attention away from the midsection.

What to Avoid:

Tight, body-hugging skirts: These may draw unwanted attention to the midsection and make you feel uncomfortable.

Low-rise skirts: These can make your midsection appear larger and create an unbalanced silhouette.

Styling Tips:

Choose tops with V-necks or scoop necklines to elongate your torso. Structured jackets and blouses with defined shoulders can also add balance to your shape.

Choosing the Right Leather Skirt for Rectangle Body Types

Rectangular body types have similar measurements across the bust, waist, and hips, with little natural curves. The goal is to create the illusion of curves and definition at the waist.

Best Leather Skirt Styles for Rectangle Figures:

Pencil skirts: These skirts help to add some curves by hugging your hips and thighs.

Peplum skirts: A peplum design adds volume at the hips, creating the illusion of a curvier shape.

Wrap skirts: The asymmetric lines of a wrap skirt can add visual interest and create the appearance of curves.

What to Avoid:

Straight skirts: These can make your body look boxy and won’t add much shape.

Loose, shapeless skirts: These skirts may hide your figure and prevent the appearance of curves.

Styling Tips:

Go for tops that are more fitted at the waist or feature ruching. Adding a belt to define the waist can make a big difference. Tops with ruffles or volume can help create a curvier silhouette.

Choosing the Right Leather Skirt for Inverted Triangle Body Types

Inverted triangle body types have broader shoulders and narrower hips. The goal is to balance out the wider upper body by adding volume to the hips and creating a more proportionate figure.

Best Leather Skirt Styles for Inverted Triangle Figures:

A-line skirts: These skirts create a balanced silhouette by adding volume to the hips.

Skirts with pleats or details: Any added details, like pleats or pockets, can help enhance your lower body and make your hips appear wider.

Flared skirts: Flared skirts can balance out the proportions between your broader shoulders and narrower hips.

What to Avoid:

Tight skirts: These will only emphasize the imbalance between your upper and lower body.

Styling Tips:

Keep your top simple and avoid shoulder-padded jackets or anything that adds more volume to your shoulders. Opt for flowy or layered skirts that help balance out your figure.

General Tips for Finding the Perfect Fit

1. Pay Attention to Length

The length of your leather skirt can dramatically affect the overall look. Shorter skirts tend to have a more casual or edgy vibe, while midi or knee-length skirts are more elegant and sophisticated. Longer skirts can create a sleek, elongated silhouette, making them ideal for formal occasions.

2. Consider the Leather Material

Not all leather skirts are made from the same type of leather. Genuine leather is more expensive but offers a luxurious feel and lasting durability. Faux leather is a more affordable alternative, but it may not breathe as well. Consider your budget, comfort level, and personal preference when selecting the material.

3. Fit Over Size

Always prioritize fit over size. The perfect leather skirt should be snug but comfortable, allowing you to move freely without it being too tight or too loose. When in doubt, go for a slightly looser fit that can be tailored to your exact measurements.

4. Balance Your Outfit

If you're wearing a tight leather skirt, opt for a looser top to avoid overwhelming your figure. On the other hand, if your skirt is flowy or A-line, a more fitted top can create balance in your overall look.

5. Choose the Right Footwear

The right shoes can make or break your outfit. Ankle boots, high heels, and even sneakers can work well with leather skirts, depending on the occasion and the look you’re going for. Taller women might want to opt for flats or ankle boots, while shorter women can elongate their legs with heels.

Conclusion

Choosing the perfect leather skirt for your body type doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By understanding your body shape and selecting the right style, you can find a leather skirt that accentuates your best features and makes you feel confident. Whether you’re drawn to a classic pencil skirt, an A-line shape, or a flared style, the key is to balance your proportions, highlight your strengths, and ensure a comfortable, flattering fit.

[mortalityplays]

"There is an art to the business of making sandwiches which it is given to few ever to find the time to explore in depth. It is a simple task, but the opportunities for satisfaction are many and profound: choosing the right bread, for instance. The Sandwich Maker had spent many months in daily consultation and experiment with Grarp the Baker and eventually they had created a loaf of exactly the consistency that was dense enough to slice thinly and neatly, while still being light, moist and having the best of that fine nutty flavor which best enhanced the savor of roast Perfectly Normal Beast flesh.

There was also the geometry of the slice to be refined: the precise relationships between the width and height of the slice and also its thickness which would give the proper sense of bulk and weight to the finished sandwich -- here again, lightness was a virtue, but so too were firmness, generosity and that promise of succulence and savor that is the hallmark of a truly intense sandwich experience.

The proper tools, of course, were crucial, and many were the days that the Sandwich Maker, when not engaged with the Baker at his oven, would spend with Strinder the Tool Maker, weighing and balancing knives, taking them to the forge and back again. Suppleness, strength, keenness of edge, length and balance were all enthusiastically debated, theories put forward, tested, refined, and many was the evening when the Sandwich Maker and the Tool Maker could be seen silhouetted against the light of the setting sun and the Tool Maker's forge making slow sweeping movements through the air, trying one knife after another, comparing the weight of this one with the balance of another, the suppleness of a third and the handle binding of a fourth.

Three knives altogether were required. First, there was the knife for the slicing of the bread: a firm, authoritative blade, which imposed a clear and defining will on a loaf. Then there was the butter-spreading knife, which was a whippy little number but still with a firm backbone to it. Early versions had been a little too whippy, but now the combination of flexibility with a core of strength was exactly right to achieve the maximum smoothness and grace of spread.

The chief among the knives, of course, was the carving knife. This was the knife that would not merely impose its will on the medium through which it moved, as did the bread knife. It must work with it, be guided by the grain of the meat, to achieve slices of the most exquisite consistency and translucency, that would slide away in filmy folds from the main hunk of meat. The Sandwich Maker would then flip each sheet with a smooth flick of the wrist onto the beautifully proportioned lower bread slice, trim it with four deft strokes and then at last perform the magic that the children of the village so longed to gather round and watch with rapt attention and wonder. With just four more dexterous flips of the knife he would assemble the trimmings into a perfectly fitting jigsaw of pieces on top of the primary slice. For every sandwich the size and shape of the trimmings were different, but the Sandwich Maker would always effortlessly and without hesitation assemble them into a pattern which fitted perfectly. A second layer of meat and a second layer of trimmings, and the main act of creation would now be accomplished."

Douglas Adams, Mostly Harmless

[devoqdesign]

Responsive vs. Adaptive: Choosing the Right Design Approach for Web and Mobile

In today's digital landscape, creating a seamless user experience across various devices is crucial for the success of any website or application. With the proliferation of smartphones, tablets, and desktops of varying sizes, designers and developers face the challenge of ensuring their content looks great and functions well on all screens. Two popular approaches have emerged to tackle this challenge: responsive design and adaptive design. In this blog post, we'll explore both methods, their pros and cons, and help you decide which one might be the best fit for your project.

Understanding Responsive Design

Responsive design is an approach that aims to create a fluid and flexible layout that automatically adjusts to fit the screen size of the device it's being viewed on. This method uses CSS media queries to modify the design and layout based on the viewport width, allowing the content to "respond" to the user's device.

Key Features of Responsive Design:

Fluid Grids: The layout is based on proportional percentages rather than fixed pixel values.

Flexible Images: Images scale within their containing elements to prevent them from displaying outside their parent container.

CSS Media Queries: These allow different styles to be applied based on the device's characteristics, primarily screen width.

Advantages of Responsive Design:

One Design for All Devices: Developers only need to create and maintain a single version of the website.

Future-Proof: As new devices with different screen sizes emerge, responsive designs can often accommodate them without major changes.

Cost-Effective: Generally less expensive to implement and maintain compared to creating separate designs for each device type.

SEO-Friendly: Google recommends responsive design, which can potentially improve search engine rankings.

Disadvantages of Responsive Design:

Performance Challenges: The same content is loaded for all devices, which can lead to slower load times on mobile devices.

Complex Implementation: Creating a truly responsive design that works well across all devices can be challenging and time-consuming.

Limited Control: Designers have less control over how the layout appears on specific devices.

Understanding Adaptive Design

Adaptive design, also known as adaptive layout, takes a different approach. Instead of creating a fluid design that changes continuously with the screen size, adaptive design detects the device type and loads a pre-set layout designed specifically for that device's screen size.

Key Features of Adaptive Design:

Multiple Fixed Layouts: Typically, designers create layouts for common screen sizes (e.g., 320px, 480px, 760px, 960px, 1200px, and 1600px).

Server-Side Components: Often involves server-side detection of the user's device to serve the appropriate layout.

Device-Specific Optimizations: Each layout can be tailored to the specific capabilities and constraints of target devices.

Advantages of Adaptive Design:

Optimized Performance: Each device receives only the resources and code necessary for its specific layout, potentially improving load times.

Greater Control: Designers have more precise control over how the site looks on specific devices.

Tailored User Experience: The design can be customized to take advantage of device-specific features or accommodate limitations.

Disadvantages of Adaptive Design:

Higher Development Costs: Creating and maintaining multiple layouts for different devices can be more time-consuming and expensive.

Less Flexible: May require updates when new devices with different screen sizes become popular.

Potential for Redundant Code: If not managed carefully, adaptive designs can lead to duplicate code across different layouts.

Choosing the Right Approach

Deciding between responsive and adaptive design depends on various factors specific to your project. Here are some considerations to help guide your choice:

When to Choose Responsive Design:

New Projects: For new websites or applications, responsive design is often the go-to choice due to its flexibility and future-proofing.

Content-Heavy Sites: Blogs, news sites, and other content-focused platforms often benefit from the simplicity of responsive design.

Limited Budget: If resources are constrained, responsive design can be more cost-effective in the long run.

SEO Priority: If search engine optimization is a primary concern, responsive design aligns well with Google's recommendations.

When to Choose Adaptive Design:

Existing Sites: When retrofitting an existing desktop site for mobile, adaptive design can sometimes be easier to implement.

Performance-Critical Applications: For sites where speed is crucial, adaptive design's ability to serve optimized content for each device can be beneficial.

Complex Functionality: If your site has features that require significantly different interfaces on mobile vs. desktop, adaptive design offers more control.

E-commerce Platforms: Online stores might benefit from adaptive design's ability to tailor the shopping experience to different devices.

Hybrid Approaches

It's worth noting that the choice between responsive and adaptive design isn't always binary. Some projects benefit from a hybrid approach that combines elements of both:

RESS (Responsive Design + Server Side Components): This approach uses responsive design as a base but incorporates server-side components to optimize certain elements for specific devices.

Adaptive Content: Some sites use a responsive layout but adapt the content served based on the device, combining the flexibility of responsive design with the performance benefits of adaptive content delivery.

Conclusion

Both responsive and adaptive design have their place in modern web development. Responsive design offers simplicity and flexibility, making it a great choice for many projects, especially those starting from scratch. Adaptive design, while potentially more complex to implement, can provide performance benefits and a more tailored user experience for specific devices.

Ultimately, the best approach depends on your project's specific needs, target audience, and resources. Consider factors such as your content, desired user experience, development resources, and maintenance capabilities when making your decision. In some cases, a hybrid approach that leverages the strengths of both methods might be the optimal solution.

Devoq Design is a premier UI/UX design agency with a strong presence in both Kolkata and Asansol. As a leading UI/UX design agency in Kolkata, Devoq Design specializes in crafting visually engaging and user-centric digital experiences tailored to the specific needs of local businesses. Similarly, as a top UI/UX design agency in Asansol, Devoq Design excels in delivering innovative design solutions that enhance user interaction and satisfaction. With a team of skilled designers dedicated to excellence, Devoq Design ensures that each project is customized to meet the unique requirements of their diverse clientele, driving growth and success in both cities.

[digitaldetoxworld]

Email Marketing for Beginners All You Need to Know Guide

Email Marketing for Beginner remains one of the simplest and fee-efficient gear for groups to interact with their audience, sell services or products, and power conversions. In this comprehensive manual, we can discover what email advertising and marketing is, its benefits, how it works, varieties of email campaigns, high-quality practices, and how groups can leverage it to enhance their advertising and marketing strategy.

What is Email Marketing?

Email advertising refers to the usage of emails to talk with ability customers, current customers, or subscribers to promote products, offerings, or brands. It can also be used to build and nurture relationships, proportion precious content material, announce promotions, and drive user engagement. Through targeted e-mail campaigns, organizations can reach a wide target market or focus on specific client segments based totally on their conduct and options.

Email advertising is an immediate shape of communication along with your target market, and it permits you to tailor your messages primarily based on patron hobbies, making it exceptionally personalized. It is a digital marketing tool that has stood the test of time because of its capacity to deliver high ROI (Return on Investment) whilst performing right.

Why is Email Marketing Important?

Direct Communication: Email allows agencies to send messages directly to their target audience’s inbox, making it a private and direct form of verbal exchange. This personal connection is essential for building emblem loyalty and fostering dating with clients.

High ROI: According to the Data & Marketing Association (DMA), email advertising gives one of the maximum returns on investment as compared to different advertising channels. Studies advocate that groups can earn $38 for each $1 spent on e-mail advertising.

Segmentation and Personalization: Email advertising lets in you to segment your audience primarily based on diverse standards along with age, area, beyond purchases, or engagement with preceding emails. This segmentation permits for distinctly centered and personalized messages, which could increase open rates and conversions.

Measurable Results: With e-mail advertising equipment, you may song the effectiveness of your campaigns in real-time. Metrics like open costs, click-thru charges (CTR), soar costs, and conversions provide entrepreneurs the insights they want to optimize their future campaigns.

Automation: With automation, businesses can timetable emails to be sent at particular times or in reaction to precise moves (e.g., cart abandonment emails, welcome emails, birthday emails). This saves time and ensures that no possibility is overlooked.

How Email Marketing Works

Email advertising works by sending messages to people or corporations of people who have consented to acquire communications from an enterprise. It starts with building and growing an e-mail list, observed by crafting relevant and compelling content, and sooner or later, sending those emails through an e-mail service issuer (ESP) or marketing automation device.

Here’s a breakdown of the e-mail advertising and marketing system:

Building an Email List: The foundation of any hit email advertising and marketing marketing campaign is a notable email list. Building this list includes gathering e-mail addresses thru choose-in paperwork, landing pages, or gated content material. It is crucial that businesses only e-mail the ones who have explicitly consented to get hold of communications.

Crafting the Message: Email content needs to be engaging, relevant, and precious to the recipients. This consists of writing compelling difficulty traces, growing nicely designed templates, and delivering content that resonates with the target audience. Visual factors like images, videos, and CTAs (call-to-motion buttons) need to supplement the message.

Segmentation: Not all subscribers are identical, so segmentation lets in groups to tailor messages to particular corporations. Common segmentation techniques consist of:

Demographic segmentation (age, gender, location)

Behavioral segmentation (purchase records, e-mail engagement)

Lifecycle degree (new subscribers, unswerving clients)

Sending the Email: Once the listing is segmented and the message is prepared, the e-mail is despatched via an ESP (together with Mailchimp, SendGrid, or Constant Contact). Timing is crucial, as sending emails at the right moment can boost open charges and engagement.

Analyzing Results: After sending out the marketing campaign, groups want to research key performance metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of the campaign. These include:

Click-through price (CTR): The percent of recipients who click on a link in the e-mail.

Conversion rate: The percent of recipients who take the favored action (e.g., make a purchase, join up for a webinar).

Types of Email Marketing Campaigns

Email advertising campaigns can vary broadly depending at the purpose of the marketing campaign and the degree of the purchaser's journey. Here are some commonplace varieties of e-mail advertising and marketing campaigns:

Welcome Emails are the first emails sent to new subscribers or customers. They usually thank the recipient for signing up, introduce the brand, and may include a unique offer or incentive to encourage a primary buy.

Newsletter Emails: A regular (typically weekly or month-to-month) e-mail despatched to subscribers to proportion updates, news, and relevant content material. Newsletters assist groups stay pinnacle-of-thoughts and keep clients engaged with valuable records.

Promotional Emails: These emails are designed to tell recipients about income, special gives, discounts, or new merchandise. Promotional emails aim to pressure instantaneous conversions, consisting of purchases or signal-ups.

Transactional Emails: Sent after a particular action has been finished, which includes a purchase, order confirmation, or password reset request. Transactional emails are essential for preserving an easy consumer experience.

Behavioral Emails: These are triggered based on specific moves or behaviors. For example, cart abandonment emails are sent whilst a customer provides gadgets to their cart but no longer entire the purchase. These emails remind customers about their pending purchases and often include incentives to encourage conversion.

Re-engagement Emails: Sent to subscribers or clients who have become inactive or stopped enticing together with your emails. Re-engagement emails normally provide incentives to resume interest, like discounts or unique content material.

Best Practices for Email Marketing

To ensure email advertising is successful, businesses need to observe a few first-class practices:

Get Permission: Always ensure that you have permission from your subscribers before sending advertising emails. This can be accomplished thru a decide-in system, including a signal-up form or a lead magnet.

Personalize Your Emails: Personalization is going past the usage of a recipient's call inside the issue line. It includes delivering content applicable to the recipient’s pursuits and behaviors. Personalized emails can notably improve open and conversion costs.

Craft Compelling Subject Lines: The problem line is the first factor recipients see and performs a great function in whether they open your e-mail. It must be concise, enticing, and bring the cost of the email content material.

Segment Your Audience: Segmenting your audience permits you to tailor your emails to precise agencies. This guarantees that your emails are relevant and increases the chance of engagement and conversions.

Optimize for Mobile: A big part of email opens happens on cellular devices, so ensure your emails are cell-pleasant. Use responsive electronic mail designs that adjust to exceptional screen sizes and ensure your CTA buttons are smooth to click on on smaller displays.

Test and Optimize: Constantly check distinctive elements of your emails, including issue traces, snapshots, CTAs, and ship times. A/B testing allows you to find out what resonates well with your target market and continually improve your campaigns.

Comply with Regulations: Email entrepreneurs must observe records protection and privacy rules inclusive of the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) and CAN-SPAM Act. Ensure that your emails encompass a choice for recipients to unsubscribe and that you take care of consumer information responsibly.