You will want to wash your shoes, laces, and insoles separately as this will cut down on the drying time later. You can, however, wash your laces with your shoes in the washing machine, but doing so with your insoles will leave them water-logged for days. If your laces are real scuzzy, you may want to buy new ones, but you can always try cleaning them by scrubbing them with a soapy brush or putting them in the washing machine with your shoes. Then allow them to air dry completely before putting them on your shoes again.  Another way to clean your laces is to simply put or pin them inside a pillowcase, or tie their ends together, and throw them in the washer. This will keep them from getting stuck in the washer's drainage holes.  If the laces are white and the shoes are colored, to get the laces as bright as possible you could wash them separately in a normal wash along with other white laundry. Powdered detergent can get stuck in your shoes, so use liquid detergent. You can also add some vinegar to remove odors and some pine oil to disinfect them. If you add pine oil, the product should be at least 80% pine oil. Set your washing machine to the delicate setting, cold temperature, slow or no spin, and no tumble drying. Warm temperatures can warp your sneakers, and the fast spin or tumble dry setting can damage your shoes or washing machine. Once the washing machine has stopped, remove your shoes from the pillowcase and set them aside to air dry. Putting them in the dryer is not advisable, as the dryer can warp the soles of your shoes.  Stuffing your shoes with paper towels or newspapers will help them dry faster as well as maintain their shape.  Place your shoes (and laces and insoles) in a moderately lit place to dry. Do not put them somewhere hot (e.g. near a radiator) or in direct sunlight, as this may damage the shoes. It may take several hours or even a couple days for your shoes to dry completely, so plan ahead!  If you're in a rush and need to use the dryer, wrap your shoes in a towel and set the dryer to "delicate," checking periodically to make sure your shoes are not getting too warm.

Summary: Remove the laces and insoles. Clean your laces. Add liquid detergent. Set and run the washing machine. Remove and air-dry your shoes.


Even if you want to enjoy the muffins warm, wait for a few minutes before taking them out of the muffin pan. Waiting for a bit helps the muffins to solidify and come out of the pan more easily. Use a knife to go around each muffin and the pan, then place the muffins on a cooling rack. If you used muffin wrappers, just lift each muffin out of the pan by the wrapper and place them on the cooling rack. If you want to eat your muffins while they’re warm, take the muffins off the cooling rack and enjoy. If you prefer room temperature muffins that are slightly firmer, wait until they have completely cooled and enjoy. To prevent the muffins from getting stale, store them in Tupperware or another airtight container.

Summary: Wait for the muffins to cool. Place the muffin on a cooling rack. Serve the muffins. Store uneaten muffins in a closed container.


When you imagine your future career, you likely have some kind of idea as to what area of fashion you want to be in. Once you’ve got a basic idea, determine what kind of education is necessary. While many careers don’t technically require a degree, it is a rarity for people to make it big without the experience that comes with education.  Think outside the box. If you’d like to branch into fashion by becoming a hair stylist, you can skip a bachelor’s degree and go straight to a technical school. If editing a magazine sounds like something you’d like, you may want to consider working towards a degree in communications. If opening your own store sounds like your dream job, skip the design classes and trade them for a business degree.  If you’re unsure what kind of education is needed, hunt down job postings for your desired career. They will often list prerequisites and required education. Consider also reaching out to mentors within the field and ask what they recommend. Experienced people within the industry will have a better sense of what is appropriate and what to avoid. Fashion schools aren’t located on every city block. The quality ones will often come with a high price tag and be at larger cities. The name of the institution may be worth the extra cost. Less expensive schools may not offer the immediate prestige of a higher profile school. By considering the total cost of your education, you can weigh the pros and cons of attending a high profile school versus a community college. When analyzing the cost of education, ensure that you consider what exactly you are paying for. This includes, but is not limited to, tuition, student fees, books, material costs, and all living expenses such as rent and food. Before enrolling to get a fashion-related degree, determine if the institution is reputable or not. Ask yourself basic questions such as if the school is well-known and respected, and who has previously graduated from it. Also consider if the school is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design.  A good way to check out the respectability of a school is to look at who the alumni are. If you find many of your mentors have come from a certain institution, it is a sure sign that the school is respectable.  Picking a reputable school is as important as anything. Going to school may be considerably expensive and lengthy. Wasting your precious time and money on a degree from an awful institution will come back to haunt you. Always ensure that you have put in the groundwork to find an institution worth investing your time and money.

Summary: Know what is required. Consider the cost. Evaluate the school.


If you feel like you're in a rut or can't improve a certain skill, changing the way you practice can help you approach your weaknesses through a unique lens. Focus your practicing sessions on your specific weakness, and try a variety of different exercises to strengthen your abilities. If you're learning to write poetry, for example, you could practice annotating poetry for a few sessions instead of freewriting. Meeting other people who are learning a new task could help you find new ways of approaching a topic and strengthening weaknesses. Find a practice group or club at your school or community center, or ask others practicing the same skill if they know of any groups.  You could, for example, join a community basketball team if you're having trouble learning to dunk. If you can't find any groups in your area, you can always make your own instead. Sometimes, changing the way you evaluate your abilities can help you spot weaknesses and improve your strengths. You might focus on your accuracy or strength, for example, instead of speed or dexterity. Instead of measuring your painting abilities by how many pieces you make a day, for example, you could focus on how you're improving your shading techniques. If you're having a hard time improving, keep practicing and learning more about it every day. Focus on what you're doing well and, as you make progress in your weaknesses, celebrate your strengths to improve your motivation.  Even if the skill doesn't come naturally to you, you may be able to develop and strengthen the skill over time. Try not to beat yourself up about mistakes you make. Mistakes can help you learn more about your technique and avoid issues in the future.
Summary: Change your practicing habits if you feel stuck. Join a study or practice group. Evaluate your improvement by a new measurement. Don't give up if you struggle with a specific skill.