LilSugar

Bringing Sexy Back: Thong Announcements

babysugar — Thu, 22 May 2008 06:00:29 PDT

If bringing sexy back resulted in a babe, perhaps you'd like to announce the news to your partner in a pair of these unconventional undies. The women at Smart Ass Thongs were thinking of you when they created their Yummy Mummy ($20) collection of thongs. According to their web site, the thongs are made of 90% nylon and 10% spandex, making them "perfect for tucking under growing bellies." Printed with "it's a boy" or "it's a girl" the thongs are certainly an unusual way to tell the results of your ultrasound.

Would you use underwear to unveil the information?

16 Lessons Learned From Strong Heroines

TresSugar — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 12:10:00 PDT

Today Katniss Everdeen makes her debut on the big screen as the movie adaptation of the first book in Suzanne Collins's post-apocalyptic fantasy trilogy, The Hunger Games, hits theaters. At only 16, Katniss is one cutthroat heroine, but not by choice. Her deadly archery skills are her greatest asset in saving her own life and the lives of her loved ones in the game arena and beyond. And she's not alone; Katniss joins the ranks of some of the most kick-ass female characters to grace the pages of comic books and shine on the silver screen.

Each of these strong women is more than just a pretty face. With supernatural strength and street smarts, these strong characters represent female empowerment and the ability for a woman to be in charge of her own fate. Whether you're like Wonder Woman flying solo or you've got a solid group behind you like Jem & The Holograms, each of these heroines with an action-packed history has given us lessons to incorporate in our everyday lives. Now get ready to show your own demons who's boss!

Is It OK to Be a Feminist Gold Digger?

The Good Men Project — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 04:00:41 PDT

We're happy to present this story from one of our favorite sites, The Good Men Project.

I’ve been watching Downton Abbey along with much of the rest of the country, obsessed with the World War 1 era story of class, heartbreak, and romance. The servants, of course, are a lot more interesting than the aristocrats. But in the end it’s all about whether or not Mary, the eldest daughter, will pick a suitably wealthy man. For a while she was matched off with a newspaper baron who was plenty wealthy, but in a new and flashy kind of way. Her destiny is with Matthew, who in a twist caused by the sinking of the Titanic, is the heir to her father’s fortune.

Polyamory: Nature or Choice?

Yeah, it's about the romance. But it’s also about the money. Her parents are trying to push, plod, and cover-up (a little indiscretion with a Turk that both took Mary’s virginity and the handsome young man’s life all in one bedtime romp) in order to get their daughter matched off properly. And save the family.

Watching all that courtship for money I had to reflect on 2012 and how many couples I know where a woman clearly married a much older man at least in part because of significant wealth. I can remember a time when that kind of thing was frowned upon but honestly I can’t remember anyone so much as mentioning it even in situations where it’s painfully obvious.

Am I totally out of my mind?

"1848 during the California gold rush era, the term Gold Digger is historical as well. Men during this era would go out digging for gold, and once they struck it big, they would go into the nearby bars and celebrate by spreading the wealth around. When they got to these bars, beautiful women all dolled up to perfection, dressed in skimpy little outfits, would line up around the bar area, looking ever so available and waiting for the men who stuck it big to roll in. The men dug for the gold, and the women lived off the men and helped them spend it, giving birth to the most popular term gold digger." –History of the Gold Digger

Obviously it should be added that prior to the concept of the gold digger there was the concept of a "dowry" in which a wife came with money to compensate a husband for taking on the burden of supporting his bride (an equally insane and sexist practice IMO).

It seems to me that at one time women’s liberation meant that there was a certain amount of equality of expectation in terms of economic support being provided by both spouses. And in that context, marrying for money was frowned upon as selling out. Better to go to graduate school, get a real job, and come to family responsibilities equally equipped to make a buck, write a book, or change a diaper.

Obviously many, many women work their asses off. In fact more women than men are in the work force according to Hanna Rosin of End of Men fame. And more women are in college too. Which makes the gold digger phenomenon even stranger to me.

It seems that if you are young and beautiful and smart as a woman, it is totally acceptable - in fact almost expected - that you marry a guy a generation older than you with a boat load of cash. In a weird way it’s become a sign of liberation to use your sexuality to command the highest bidder.

Of course in each one of these equations there is a flip side. The much older, rich guy looking to settle down with a woman the age of his daughter, if he has any.

I’m not passing judgement on either side, only noticing that when it comes to mating practices at the upper end of the socio-economic spectrum we really haven’t progressed much beyond Downton Abbey, as much as we’d like to pretend that we have.

More stories from The Good Men Project:

Group Therapy: I Demanded My BF Stop Seeing His Friend

Tres Community — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 03:05:00 PST

This question is from a Group Therapy post in our TrèsSugar Community. Add your advice in the comments!

My bf has a really close female friend who he used to have feelings for until he met me. I didn't mind that and I thought she was a cool girl to become friends with. I was excited that I made a new friend quickly and I feel a connection with. As I got to know her more, I realized she's not who she makes herself out to be. At one point, she tried to pull me away from my bf when we hungout in a big group when my bf and I were in the courting stage. I thought maybe she just wanted to have some girl time with me, but my bf knew better. She was using me to socialize with other people because she didn't want to be alone knowing that my bf at the time was trying to get to know me. And the second time she made this smart-ass comment about how my bf loves hanging out with her more than anyone else. At that point, I knew that she had deceived me. She was not going to be my new friend.

So all that plus the fact that my bf realized she was never exactly a good friend to him i.e. using him for money constantly made me dislike her even more. And he knows all these things about her, he continues to invite her to places (other people are invited too). And obviously, she is two-faced and I cannot stand it. It really bothers me especially since I have had a few two-faced friendships before and it really hurts. He says he wants to distance himself on his own terms, slowly.

I told him that he cannot invite her to any more places and he didn't like it that I forced him to but he agreed he wouldn't anymore. I have never issued an ultimatum or demanded something like this from a relationship. And I know ultimatums backfire. I just want to tell my boyfriend, wake up and smell the coffee. So now, I'm thinking, is he going to resent me because I forced him to do this? He said no one has ever forced him to do something like this before. So was it a good idea? I kinda feel like I want to take it back but I know this is something that needs to be done now especially know what my bf and I know now.

Have a dilemma of your own? Post it anonymously to Group Therapy for advice, and check out what else is happening in the TrèsSugar Community.

12 Nifty Ways to Help You Save on Weddings

SavvySugar — Fri, 20 May 2011 14:25:38 PDT

We had a ball at the SavvySugar and The Broke-Ass Bride Twitter party yesterday, chatting to savvy brides and experts about ways to save on weddings. To get up to date on tips, be sure to follow @SavvySugar on Twitter. Here are some of the great tips gathered from our fun chat:

Save on venue. BrokeAssBride suggests to save on rental fees by hosting the ceremony and reception in the same place, marry on an off day or during the off season, and get the best value from package deals. smanukonda recommends to avoid hotels because from "what I've heard they make you pay a booking fee and a rental fee."
Entertain out-of-town wedding guests on the cheap. BrokeAssBride suggests to plan a day-after picnic at a local park, make sangria with Two Buck Chuck, serve simple food, and play lawn games.
Save on place settings. Buy your place settings at Ikea to save on rental costs, then give them to charity after the wedding, which is what powersmeg is doing for her wedding. Alternatively, instead of "renting or buying new place settings, try piecing together items from flea markets for a more rustic and vintage look," BrokeAssBride says.
Get help from family and friends to save. Follow holalaurena's example and tap into your inner circle to save. Her husband's relatives had a vineyard and hosted their wedding for free.
Save on shoes with these brands. Savvy CreditKarma bought shoes from Payless. She said since the shoes were covered by her dress, the appearance of her shoes didn't really matter to her. BrokeAssBride recommends to check out outlet malls, but keep comfort as a priority - she bought her shoes for $14.99 from Nine West.

Read after the jump for more great wedding saving tips.

How to Cross the Marathon Finish Line With a Smile on Your Face

Susi May — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 14:46:28 PDT

Trainer Paul Vincent has helped many actresses prepare to kick ass on the big screen at his Santa Monica gym, Training Adventures, but he's also into fitness for life. A seasoned Ironman triathlete, Paul has also paced more than a few starlets in their inaugural marathons. And these gals have been smiling as they glided across the finish line - a noble goal for any first timer.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves - let's start at the beginning. Paul recommends being comfortable running 15 miles weekly before embarking on your marathon training. Not wanting to deter any running enthusiast, he adds that starting with a base mileage of zero means "you will need a little bit longer to build up that first phase" of whatever program you choose to follow. Be smart and don't jump into high-mileage weeks quickly!

Regardless of your training schedule, enjoying the experience is the most important thing you can do for a successful finish. "This may sound silly but for first timers, it is easy to get lost in counting miles, researching routes, preparing training day snacks, and everything else that goes into training," says Paul. "Sometimes you need to sit back to really understand what you have taken on and how incredible that is." He adds that the training is part of the journey, so enjoy the solitude of your long runs and the order training to tackle such a long distance can bring to your life.

Learn Paul's three main tips and advice on injury prevention when you keep on reading.

4 Wallet-Friendly Tips For Gifting the Bride and Groom

Emily Co — Tue, 17 May 2011 10:21:16 PDT

You're happy for the two lovebirds, but the gifts on their wedding registry are way out of your budget. Drop the old tradition of resorting to the cheapest gift on the registry when you're strapped for cash! instead, take a more modern, savvy approach and pick a personalized gift that'll portray your thoughtfulness and give your wallet a breather. Dana LaRue, from The Broke-Ass Bride blog gives us some tips on the smart way to give below.

If you need more ideas on how to save on your wedding, join @BrokeAssBride and @SavvySugar Twitter chat this Thursday at 5 p.m. PST. The hashtag is #svychat. See you there!

Check Out Coupon Codes: Never hit "purchase" on an online order without checking RetailMeNot.com for a coupon or promo code. You can score percentages off, free shipping and more by doing some stealthy searching around the web, which adds up to big savings!
Go With the Gift of Experience: Sometimes experience is the best gift of all. Rather than a novelty gift or trinket that will just sit on a shelf, show your gratitude by taking your giftee out on an adventure that suits their interests. A fancy gourmet dinner out (or cooked at home with love) will satisfy your foodie friends, a hike and picnic out in nature will tickle your hippie-buddy's heart, massages at the spa for your luxury-loving sister, or tickets to a concert or play could be just the thing for your cultured crew. Personalizing the gifts for each recipient is a very special touch that will not be soon forgotten.

Read on for more tips.

6 Ways to Save on Bachelorette Parties

Emily Co — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 11:38:05 PDT

A bachelorette party is a time for debauchery, but that doesn't mean your wallet has to go along for the ride too! Whether you're throwing this party for your best friend, cousin, or sister, there are plenty of ways to be savvy and still throw a fun party. Dana LaRue of The Broke-Ass Bride blog gives some tips on smart ways to save on bachelorette parties.

How Yoga Became One OnSugar Blogger's Saving Grace

OnSugar — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 00:09:33 PDT

OnSugar blogger - and yoga instructor - Yoga Off the Mat shared the following post, which was written by one of his students. It's an inspirational story about the life-changing effects of yoga.

I used to be a snob when it came to yoga. I figured that if you weren't sweating, struggling and in pain, then it wasn't a workout. The way I grew up, exercise meant running until you threw up. It's the Canadian way. I always thought that if I tried yoga, it would have to be incorporated into my schedule as a last resort. I would do everything else first, work out at the gym as much as possible, and if there was time at the end of the week I would maybe try and kinda sorta attempt to go to a yoga class. Maybe. Wow. What a smart plan.

I think it was fate that led me to become hooked on yoga. About a year ago everything in my world seemed to go south. The details don't really matter at this point, but basically my love life blew up in my face, I left my management company, my visa work permit was denied . . . twice, I got audited . . . twice, my Dad and I got in a relationship-ending fight, and I had no upcoming singing work. At all. Zero. Zip. Also, my roommate kindly let me know that he didn't want me living in my apartment anymore. Awesome. When it rains, it pours right? All this crap took a big toll on a lot of things in my life, but mostly on my confidence. It just vanished. Disappeared and I didn't really know where it went, or more importantly, how to find it again.

Happy Women’s Health Week! Do These 7 Things Today

LearnVest — Wed, 11 May 2011 00:15:11 PDT

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

Money is only as good as what it can get you: security, independence, freedom. The point of LearnVest isn’t to talk about your money to the exclusion of all else-it’s about using money as a tool to live the life you want.

Yesterday began National Women’s Health Week, and there’s no better investment than in your health. After all, the best investment portfolio ever won’t be fulfilling if you’re not healthy enough to reap its benefits.

(Of course, we do still want you to have a kick-ass investment portfolio. Click here for how to pull it off.)

So, in honor of National Women’s Health Week, we bring you the top 7 things you can do for your health that will save you in the long run:

1. Have The Right Kind Of Health Insurance

First, any kind of health insurance is better than no kind. Going without insurance means you’re totally responsible for all costs if disaster strikes. If, heaven forbid, you got into an accident or needed surgery, you could easily face thousands upon thousands of dollars in debt. Once you’re covered, evaluate your options: If, for example, you’re relatively young and healthy, you may choose a plan with lower regular payments but a high deductible. If you need regular doctor visits and prescriptions, you’ll want a policy that covers all of your needs. For a rundown of the various types of insurance and what’s right for you, click here.

2. Go In For Regular Checkups

Don’t miss crucial checkups each year, since the cost of preventative medicine is way less than the price tag to actually treat your woes (not to mention that it will save you lots of grief). For a rundown of which doctors you should see and how often, check this out. If you’re over age 40, remember to get regular mammograms-they save lives.

Read on for more great health tips.