HINTS FROM HELOISE

Today’s Sound Off is about clothing designers who forget comfort and proper fit when designing for women:

DEAR HELOISE: I just bought a pair of jeans that don’t fit. Why? Because designers don’t seem to realize women have curves!

They forget that many of us do not want a plunging neckline on a dress to wear to church, PTA meetings, visits with future inlaws, etc. If you’re over 40, it’s hard at times to find clothing that doesn’t make a woman look dowdy or frumpy or as though we raided a teenager’s closet.

We need to bring back the little black dress that you could dress up or down. And, with the price of nice clothing going up and up, some basic pieces always come in handy. My neighbor found a basic black dress, plain and unadorned in good-quality fabric, and the price was $499. Inflation has made it difficult to buy dresses like that or any other wellmade garments.

Let’s face it — a dress for $499 is more than most women want to spend or can afford to spend.

Don’t designers know that women will spend more on a garment if it’s well-made and we’ll keep it for a number of years? And if it’s manufactured in the U.S., more people would invest in a nice garment to help boost the economy.

It’s food for thought for designers to consider.

— Helen H., Bainbridge, Ind.

SEND A GREAT HINT TO: Heloise

P.O. Box 795001

San Antonio, TX 78279-5001

Fax: 1-210-HELOISE

Email: Heloise@Heloise.com

SEATED EXERCISES

Sitting at a desk all day? Here are a few exercises you can do while seated:

• Raise together both legs until they’re level with your chair and hold for the count of five. Rest for the count of five and repeat. It gets easier over time. Do five of these in the a.m. and five in the p.m.

• Place both hands at the back of your head and twist your upper body to the left. Count to five, then twist to the right. Count to five again and repeat. Do 10 of those every day.

• While seated, bend over and touch your toes for the count of five. Then, sit up straight. Do 10 of these in the a.m. and 10 in the p.m.

• Lock your fingers together and reach for the ceiling. Hold for the count of five. Then, slowly rock to the left, then to the right, for the count of five.

• When sitting at your desk, tighten your stomach muscles by pulling them in, hold for the count of 10 and release. Repeat several times a day.

Do not hold your breath on any of these exercises. Always check with your doctor before starting any exercise program.

— Heloise

DEAR HELOISE: I am recovering from a heart attack and a stroke, so I need to take a large number of pills daily. I always hated them because they caused me to have a terrible taste in my mouth. My wife started to stick them in the freezer compartment of the refrigerator, and suddenly, those pills did not have an aftertaste any more.

However, do check with your doctor to make sure that the efficacy of the medicine won’t be affected by putting it in the freezer.

— Ralph N., Pueblo, Colo.