What's in Store

After a whirlwind New York trip this week, I finally have some time to digest all I’ve seen. New York women sure know how to dress, but more importantly, they know how to accessorize. I’m a staunch believer that the right accessories and accoutrements can make any outfit, especially if they include a real statement piece like the large Nine West metallic bag Constance White featured on TV earlier this week, a pair of red patent leather platforms, or a bold and bright cinch belt.

My favorite accessories of the season are the Lucite jewelry we’re seeing everywhere in clear and vibrant colors. I actually just bought this long necklace with clear Lucite chunks from Ann Taylor while in New York. They sell another Lucite necklace and a pair of matching earrings too. So far, I’ve worn it with anything from dark solids to whites or subtle stripes.

Don’t settle for just clear pieces. Check out this set of two, thick Lucite bangles in a deep pink, from Shopping.com merchant, Newport-News, which will add fun to any outfit.

Celebrities of course were the first to sport the look…I LOVE these crystal bead earrings that Jennifer Aniston wore in March in Beverly Hills. They’re by Castaway Jewelry and are set in gold and can add a touch of sophistication to an otherwise low-key outfit.

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“Give a girl the right pair of shoes and she can conquer the world.”
Bette Midler, b. 1945

It seems like everyday someone else announces they’re running for president. (I’m not, just so you know.) With elections in the air, it’s hardly a coincidence that platforms are a hot issue for spring. Now that the political is personal style, it’s time to start developing your platform. So pick your battles and stand your ground in the shoe of the season.

Grassroots
If you’re new to the game you might want to start small. A low platform sandal is the perfect entry shoe. It’s shorter than a soapbox (and Barbara Boxer’s stepstool), but still indicates you’re up on current affairs.

Running Mate
A new trend in the shoe biz is for luxury brands to partner with sneaker brands to make comfy shoes. (Why the luxury brands can’t figure out comfy shoes on their own I don’t know- apparently it takes a committee to raise a shoe.) A great choice for a long day of campaigning, fielding questions and dodging paperwork.

Victory Party
Even if your office isn’t oval, getting to it requires diplomacy, strategy and perseverance. Successfully navigating traffic or public transportation, under-construction city streets and internal hierarchy is quite an accomplishment. So shake hands, kiss babies and stand tall in the latte line in a pair of sky high platform heels.

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DVD fans know that on every Tuesday, the newest DVD’s are released to retailers everywhere. Here are the top three full length films released to DVD today with reviews from members of the Epinions.com community.

Happy Feet

The animated film about the plight of an alienated dancing penguin named Mumble made nearly $200 million in US box office during it’s theatrical release. Star quality vocal work done by heavy Hollywood hitters like Robin Williams, Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, and Elijah Wood, helped the George Millar directed Happy Feet win an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. This DVD release also features two new animated shorts.

Epinions Reviews for Happy Feet

The Pursuit Of Happyness

Set in San Francisco, Will Smith plays Chris Gardner, a man who doesn’t allow a myriad of road blocks deter him from his goal of supporting his family. The story is based on the real life of Gardner and garnered Will Smith an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. It also features Smith’s son, Jaden Christopher Syre Smith. Audio commentary by director Gabriele Muccino is a bonus extra on the DVD release.

Epinions Reviews For The Pursuit Of Happyness

The Children Of Men

This loosely adapted film based on the PD James 1992 novel of the same name, The Children Of Men stars Clive Owen and Michael Caine. Set in the United Kingdom in 2027, Alfonso Cuarón’s film about a world where all the women are infertile, gained Academy Awards nominations based off of excellence in screenplay, cinematography, and film editing.

Epinions Reviews For The Children Of Men

If you are a movie buff and would like to add your two cents about a good or bad movie, join Epinions.com and start writing reviews!

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This morning, Constance White, eBay’s Style Director, appeared on television shows across the country.  The topic: spring fashion trends. 

According to Constance, the key items women should invest in are a trench coat, a metallic handbag, a pair of Lucite platform shoes, teardrop earrings and a versatile spring dress. 

According to Constance, this spring, the hot trends include:

A light color palette with several bright, bold colors

As dictated by the top designer lines, the color palette for spring is light and bright with some key pale neutrals like white, silver, gray, off-white and yellow. We’ll also see some knock-em-dead bold brights such as true purple, fuschia, orange and kelly green.

Metallic bags and clutch purses

Metallic bags in various styles will be everywhere, from high-end lines like Chloe, but also from more affordable, everyday brands like Nine West. Clutch purses are trendy this season, in styles that can easily go from day to evening.

Cropped jackets and trench coats

Every spring light coats are key, but this year we’ll see more fashionable takes on the traditional trench coat. Designers have created trenches in beautiful hues and also bold, nature-inspired prints such as leaves, flowers, insects and animals!

Platform shoes and flats

Affordable shoes abound this season with platforms in heels and wedges, and particularly in patent leather or with a Lucite heel. Dainty flats are also a hot look as they go well with most outfits and can be found in a ballerina style or a dressier, open-toed style in this spring’s colors, metallics or nature-inspired prints.

Drop earrings and hair combs

Feminine accessories set the stage for glamour with hair combs and brooches with bright flowers, jewels and other natural elements such as colorful insects.

Strapless tent and trapeze dresses

Dresses add a touch of sophistication to any outfit, whether for work, leisure or socializing. Mix and match accessories and shoes to take the same dress from work to play. Casual, yet elegant dresses in strapless or trapeze styles keep a feminine silhouette without hugging too much skin.

Tailored shorts

Shorts and pants will take on a very tailored and fitted look this season with dressy trouser shorts in a Bermuda length that can be worn to the office, to cropped cigarette-inspired pants for a classic put-together ensemble.

What’s going out of style?  Constance said peasant skirts, chandelier earrings, bangle bracelets and pointy shoes.

Stay tuned for our top product picks in each category.  In the meantime, feel free to share your favorites.

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Spring is officially here and with it comes bright colorful clothes (the best part), but also cleaning (the worst part).  Yesterday, on ABC’s Channel 7 in New York, I shared some Spring Cleaning tips along with my favorite time-saving household products.  If you want a clean home and are starved for time, you’ll love these products as much as I do. 

Multitask with the iRobot Roomba Bagless Robotic Vacuum 

Right now, Roomba is my favorite gadget (sorry iPod).  Most people don’t like vacuuming, but love having clean floors. Having a Roomba is like having Rosie from the Jetson’s vacuuming one room while I do something else, like the dishes.  Actually, we call ours a “he” for some reason and the first few times we used him, I just watched in amazement.  There are other models, including a Scooba version that mops.  What will they think of next?

Make Room with Vacuum Seal Storage Bags

Out with the old and in with the new!  Space is always an issue, especially for apartment dwellers.  These are great for storing your bulky winter jackets and comforters because in these bags, they can shrink to half their size.  You’d be surprised how much you can fit under your bed!

Delegate dirty work with an Automatic Self-Cleaning Cat-Litter Box 

Cleaning the litter box is such a dreaded task.  I have cats and have used a variety of automatic boxes over the years.  Pricey, yes, but worth it!  They’re especially great because by alleviating that chore, you have more time  focus on why you love fluffy in the first place. 

Freshen up with Febreze Scentstories Player

We all want our homes to smell fresh and clean — and this is a great product to help you do just that – just put in the reusable discs and as it plays, a quiet fan rotates through five scents, one every 30 minutes.  For anyone interested, you can also check out Epinions reviews on this product.   

Cut the clutter with a Magnetic Pocket Folder

If you’re like me, getting dinner on the table often includes a take-out menu.  Magnetic pockets are perfect for organizing them - just stick one on your fridge or file cabinet and dinner is a snap.   

Erase mistakes with the Magic Eraser 

These really make cleaning up easier, saving manicures everywhere!  I use them to get the scuff marks off of our hallways walls and floors. 

Take advantage of these time-saving gadgets, and you’ll have more time to enjoy spring.

I’m always interested in other cool household products and gadgets.  Contact me or post a comment if you’d like to share any of your finds. 

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After I filled out my March Madness tournament bracket for our office pool a few weeks ago (OK fine, my boyfriend actually filled it out for me after much cajoling) I (he) put down University of Florida to go all the way. As I’m a non-member of the basketball intelligentsia, I was quite amazed by my his ability to pick the teams and his probable foresight to pick Florida as the champs. Then I found out they’re the defending national champs, so it’s not such a surprising pick. By the way…I will never fully understand how men’s brains are hot-wired to retain obscure sports facts and statistics, like who pitched the shut-out at Dodger Stadium in 198X or the night that so-and-so hit his 100th RBI. But, I digress…

Nevertheless, what I care about is whether I get a couple of Andrew Jacksons out of this tournament when all is said and done (minus the BF’s 12% commission). What I did know was that the Gator’s colors are blue and orange, much like Shopping.com. What synergy! Must be an omen… ;)

I figured I should support my “team” throughout the tournament and show some company pride at the same time by sporting blue and orange garb, so I peeked at the different ways I could quickly outfit my life.

As you may have gathered, I’m a self-admitted fair-weather basketball fan (I love football and baseball though) so I don’t want to spend too much $$ on my new Gators gear. Luckily, I found a sassy baby tee that all the ladies will love, for around $30.  One item that the ladies are also into this month according to Shopping.com’s search logs are sterling silver Gators toe rings. And yes, I was surprised to find that college mascot toe rings existed.

I don’t have a dog (yet), but I really loved the idea of someone else wearing the paraphernalia for me, and it would still count as MY team spirit. I wonder if my mom’s cat could swing this.

Since my house feels like an igloo (even in March/April), I wear slippers around all the time. Hence my delight when I came across these orange and blue Florida basketball shoe slippers. They’re fully licensed by the NCAA too in case you have standards to uphold.

And just like that, in just a few clicks, I am suddenly a card-carrying Florida fan. Looks like other people have the same idea…after peeking at our database of popular search terms on our site, searches for “Florida Gators” is outpacing “Butler Bulldogs,” the team the Gators take on tonight, by an obscene 5,000 percent. Another omen!

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“And you must tend to the garden of your closet.”
Me, paraphrasing Voltaire, 1694 - 1778

Nature is a fan of super-sizing things. Dinner plate sized dahlias, peonies the size of small dogs, frisbee sized clematis. And of course, the largest flower of all, the Rafflesia arnoldii (Corpse Flower) has a 3 foot diameter and weighs almost 15 pounds! While none of these may be in your garden, they can be in your wardrobe. Oversized floral prints are in full bloom this season. If a bud garden is more your style, use silk or rhinestone flower brooches to spruce up your lapels, skirts or handbags. 

Coat

Brighten up your outfit with a cheerful coat. You can wear it over jeans, chinos or work pants for instant panache. A mid-thigh length works with skirts as well.  

Shirt 

Put a little spring in your suit with a floral print top. Keep it conservative with pearls or add artisan jewelry for more texture. Wear it with jeans or solid colored skirts on the weekend.

Skirt

Don’t be afraid to introduce more color. A coral or turquoise top looks fresh and cool with a brown and white skirt. Red or yellow paired with a black and white print is crisp and modern.

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Welcome to the “What’s In Store” blog brought to you by Shopping.com. If you love shopping, but are strapped for time, then you’re at the right place.

At Shopping.com, we live and breathe shopping. Our team of trend spotters and expert guest contributors will regularly provide you with interesting insights and great deals on the hottest new products – from the geekiest gadgets and funkiest fashions, to the quirky entertaining novelties you just gotta have.

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