Sunday, December 23, 2007

Katie Holmes and Suri Wrap Up Christmas Shopping

With only days until Christmas, Katie Holmes and her daughter Suri were spotted grabbing a few last-minute gifts at Maxfield’s and Fred Segal yesterday.

Clutching a stuffed-animal pony, Suri looked excited to be out and about amongst the holiday hustle and bustle. And the “Dawson’s Creek” actress looked like a seasoned pro when it came to plunking down the big bucks.

As a matter of fact, there are reports that Mrs. Tom Cruise spent $100,000 on gifts this holiday season. And an estimated $70,000 of that was on the “Valkyrie” actor alone.

Some of the items Santa will be bringing Tom are; a $30,000 rose-gold Cartier wristwatch, a black Giorgio Armani suit, Gucci snakeskin sneakers and a Prada ski coat.

Even Suri will be receiving an estimated $5,000 worth of baby clothes. And Holmes’ friends? They were treated to a $300 lunch at Nieman Marcus in Beverly Hills.
Sounds like we know who to make friends with in 2008!

Last Minute Shopping Tips

Christmas is almost here, and our shopping is ALMOST done. We are still trying to find adequate gifts for some family members - as the time to find the perfect gift has passed. Actually, we DID have the perfect gift in mind for one family member, but we weren't sold on it. We were told last night that actually, it WOULD HAVE been perfect - except now we can't have it shipped in time. Grr. So, with that, we will try to bring you some of our shopping tips.

*If you still need a random gift and you want to buy it online, some of the larger sites will still guarantee shipping. We've had good luck with LL Bean (gotta order by noon EST today, though), Overstock (same shipping requirement, though), and even QVC (though there is an additional charge). We have to say, we have some insiders at QVC and we know they bust their butts to give amazing customer service. And what can be had at QVC? Let's just say they have excellent prices on things for older generations - some of whom we KNOW read this site, hence the vagueness.

*Embrace shopping online with store pickup. This seems to be most prevalent at electronics stores, and grocery stores, for some reason. Since you're not likely to give a box of pasta for Christmas, places like Best Buy and Circuit City make the store experience a lot more pleasant.

*Also, e-gift certificates! Sephora offers e-gift certificates that are sent via email and redeemed online. We would just like to say we see absolutely nothing wrong with gift cards for presents, but if you buy one that HAS to be redeemed online, cough up an extra $5 to cover shipping when the recipient places their order. It just seems fair.

*When in doubt, a raincheck is semi-appropriate. This is appropriate with two catches - one, you HAVE to make good on it (we are still waiting for several presents from one particular family member), and two, it has to be worth the wait. If you are torn between giving someone a gift card for Barnes and Noble, or a really, really awesome handmade thing you saw on Etsy, give them the better gift. But make sure you explain the raincheck. Don't just be like, oh sorry, you have to wait!

*Make sure the person can use what you give them. We have been given Christmas ornaments every year for about 3 years, despite the giver knowing we do not, nor will we, have a Christmas tree. If you get someone the universal gift (aka an iTunes gift card), make sure they have iTunes. Or drink coffee, or eat packaged meats.

*If you do go out to the stores in person, remember: it's not worth getting mad about it We have to tell our Loved One all the time that it's not worth fussing over a parking spot, or someone taking a while at the register, or waiting for the restroom. Maybe we are just particularly low-key, but none of that junk is worth getting in a tizzy about. Chalk it up to experience.

Hopefully, we'll have something special to show you on Monday. Gotta get permission, but check back!

Above, Best of Bliss set, $45

Crying and Shopping Don't Always Mix

So, we suffered a loss this weekend when our 20 year old cat, Boomer, passed away. We had the misfortune of finding out as we were standing in the housewares section of our local Anthropolgie. We were shopping with our Lovely Friend who, bless his heart, just stood there and patted our shoulder as we tried really hard not to cry on the upholstery. It was not easy. And we tend to freak out a little bit when we get bad news, so instead of freaking out, we did the other thing we do best. We went shopping. Here's what we bought:

Above, the Going Green t-shirt from Forever 21. Our Loved One picked this out as he's really eco-friendly and all about promoting the environment. He'd use CFLs in every light if we let him (which we generally do). We like the fit and shape of this shirt. The quality is what you'd expect - you can see right through it, so layering is key. We plan to match it with a tank underneath and a v-neck sweater over top.

Going Green t-shirt, $13.80

So. Jeans. We hate shopping for jeans because few things make us feel worse about life. So combine a minor tragedy AND jean shopping? Crazy, right? Well. These jeans are $12.50, and that in itself makes them worth trying on. We actually really like the fit. They're skinny, slightly stretchy, and the waistband isn't scandalously low. The only problem? The quality control is completely lacking. We bought 2 pair of the exact same ones and there was about a 2" difference in them. So, try before you buy. But we really like them.

Lindsey Skinny Jean, $12.50

This weird looking wedge of pink stuff is actually face soap called Fresh Farmacy. It's supposed to calm red, blotchy, unhappy skin - which ours certainly was, with the crying and the cold and the snot. Really, we are not attractive when we cry. We haven't tried this soap just yet, but we're excited to.

Fresh Farmacy, $8.25 for 3.oz

This we have been using, and we really like it. We've always been moisturizer-deficient. Every one containing SPF has made us breakout, and all the others are just gross. We had one we loved, but then it got discontinued, and we've been on a search ever since. We noticed on the Lush.com messageboards that in the UK, Ultralight has a documented SPF of about 14. One customer wrote to Lush and asked if it was the same for the US version, and it is! We're not sure why it's not mentioned, but we know that SPF is key to not getting wrinkly or skin cancer, and we need all the protection we can get from the sun and wind and dirt. Apparently this is meant for dry skin, but we've not had any problems. So far, so good!

Ultralight, $18.95 for 1.5oz

We didn't exactly stop shopping there; we also purchased 6 latte bowls from Anthropologie, a long-sleeve men's shirt from Urban Outfitters that we wore all weekend, running shorts and leggings from American Apparel, and, er, approximately 8 shirts of the tee and tank variety from American Apparel. When we are upset, it shows in direct correlation to our wallet. We won't be shopping for a while. We would like to publicly thank Lovely Friend for thoroughly distracting us from reality for a few hours, though.

Vive le Boomer!

The Drugstore Challenge

Picture_9

Now, we know, and we totally hear this. Of course most of the things we use every day are well under this budget as well. Our whole philosophy here is that no one really needs to chat about things that are not super expensive, because they're, you know, not super expensive—risk is mitigated, and everyone probably has their favorites already. What we always found was that we really wanted to chat about things that were super expensive, just because we didn't want to fuck it up. We don't want anybody thinking we're trust funders. Trust us, and our landlord, who is remarkably patient about always getting out rent a month late. We're not.

So all that aside, our picks.

We swear we have bought this conditioner on every continent on earth. We will say though that we absolutely just go through it, and we're convinced that our Kiehl's works out to be cheaper and is also a better conditioner. Pantene conditioner (24 oz.), $7.19

We feel that sometimes a product will have a crap design, and then you're like, oh! Ugly, but cheap, and possibly effective! That is how we feel about this. Green Canyon Spa exfoliator, $7.69

For the extremely dry things, like heels or elbows or whathaveyou. The whole cow thing freaks us out a bit, but okay. Bag Balm, $6.89

Again: crap packaging. So: cheaper! And this is also—well, we'll just let them say it: "Organic Essential Oils Promote a Healthy Scalp & Strengthen and Protect Each Hair Strand. Made with Oshadhi Organic Essential Oils". Fair enough. Beauty Without Cruelty Shampoo with Rosemary Mint and Tea Tree Oil, $5.59

And finally: this is our go-to deodorant whenever we can't get our hands on our Nivea. Dove deodorant, $3.13

Now: everybody else! Your favorite, under $8, bathroom must-have?

Lauren Conrad for Linea Pelle

Lauren Conrad, of The Hills fame, has just launched a new collection of leather bags in collaboration with Linea Pelle. You'll find the complete collection for sale online here. There are three styles to choose from, each available in Black, Espresso Brown and Dark Olive. The zipper pull is a scripted letter 'L'. Cute or not? I'd love to hear your comments on this new range!

Items are available on pre-order to ship in December: Tote [$350], clutch [$145] and my favourite, the coin purse [$45].

his Week at Primark

Any of you taken a trip to Primark recently? I stopped by the Manchester branch yesterday where TK Maxx has been kicked out of the basement to make vast amounts more space for Womenswear. Womenswear now occupies the entire ground floor plus you'll still find underwear and sleepwear upstairs. Primark has followed Topshop (or vice-versa) in making Knitwear it's primary concern this season with both stores stocking extensive ranges.

This grey tie waist wrap sweater [£10 - expensive by Primark standards] was all out of most sizes, with ladies swarming round the rail fighting over the last few. It's just about the cosiest sweater i've tried on this year. The material seemed good and there's plenty of it - a longer length sweater cut generously, allowing you to layer underneath - would look cute with a fitted white or coloured tee. The blue cosy neck sweater [£6] doesn't look much on the hanger but exceeded expectations when I tried it on. I really liked the subtle puff detail on the shoulders and the neck is perfect.

Another popular option was this green cable cardigan which demanded lots of attention located on a wall display for everyone to see. I had to wait my turn to search out my size. The colour hasn't really come out on the photograph but it's really something!

If you want shoes then Primark has LOTS! Seriously, they've expanded their footwear range in a big way - one of the best places on the high street to buy flats (whatever colour you're after you'll find it here). Some black platform mary janes caught my eye but I still don't know how I feel about synthetic shoes, regardless of the amazing price tag [£12]. They were very comfy to try on and look a lot better in real life than they look in these photographs. Do any of you have any experience of wearing faux-leather shoes?

Sunday, December 9, 2007

Handbag of the Week: The Hayden

It's big, it's red, it's shiny...The limited edition 'Hayden' bag by Dooney & Bourke [$500 only white currently available online] - sign up for stock notifications. Check out People Magazine's interview with Hayden about her design debut in collaboration with D&B HERE.

What Dooney & Bourke say about this bag..."For Hayden Panettiere, currently starring in NBC’s hit show Heroes, it was an exciting opportunity. She began by describing to Peter Dooney just what she envisioned: a large leather shoulder bag with puffy pleats, a buckle closure and great style. The design team made some sketches, then Peter Dooney transformed her ideas into prototypes at Dooney & Bourke’s design studio in Florence, Italy. After several revisions and lots of input from Hayden, the limited edition Hayden Bag was born".

Now the big question - do you like it? And would you pay $500 for it? Let the controversy begin.

Kenneth Jay Lane Jewellery

Kenneth Jay Lane jewellery has proved a hit with young Hollywood and is now available in the UK. One of the best UK online stores, Misamu, has recently added KJL to it's brand list. The designs are very detailed and unique - sure to make a statement with any outfit. Be prepared for all your girlfriends oo-ing and ah-ing..."where did you get that from?!" Mischa Barton made the strawberry pendant a sell-out earlier this year. Hilary Duff has recently sported both the Elephant and Tiger enamel bracelets (see photo above), which are also selling out fast. What's great is that KJL is completely affordable (especially when you use the 20% discount code noted below) and whether you want cocktail rings, bracelets or necklaces they've got it.

*Runs to add the gold and jet cocktail ring to Christmas list!*