Road-tested: Cassin's Rabbit Fur Scarf

I was shopping Bluefly.com today only to discover a very big discount deal to share with you. Cassin's rabbit fur scarves are now available for half-off, around $78. This luxurious little number comes in a handful of colors and is one of my all-time favorite accessories.

I have a deep purple scarf from a few years back and it has stood the test of time in terms of wearwithall and style. For those of you who are comfortable wearing fur (the fur is sheared off the rabbit, then dyed and then woven, by the way) this is a fabulous indulgence. I wear it for warmth under winter coats, as well as an accessory, say over a crew neck t-shirt for a little pop of color and texture.

P.S. For all you last-minute shoppers, this is a great gift to give!

Add This To My To-Buy List: Fendi's B Bag

What is there to say?
How fabulous is this bag?
So many beautiful choices, too!
I know there is going to be a huge waiting list so I better start working on this...

Get Inspired: Charm Rings

As featured in the new January InStyle, charm rings are following up last season's huge charm bracelet trend. Once again, we're oh-so-pleased to be one step ahead of the game. Check out our charm rings (at $19 they are a fraction of the price of the ones they featured in the magazine) as well as our charm necklaces for $56.

Flip Flops in the Winter: In or Not So Much?

Did anyone else do a double take when they read the Times this weekend? These are Abercrombie corporate employees on their lunch break. Are flip flops mandated at A&F as part of the winter employee uniform? So not cool; in fact completely unprofessional in my mind, no matter what the corporate culture happens to be. Thoughts?

Etiquette Tip #304: Send a card!

No longer satisfied wtih sending free e-cards, I'm always on the lookout for special cards that show I took an extra second to pick out a card specifically with the recipient in mind. I think it sends the right message, yes? I found this card from It Girls Cards to send to my yoga-fanatic friend who is feeling under the weather. There are a bunch of other cool cards from this company worth stocking up on to have on hand for such occasions. $3 each

Have you tried? Giella Custom Blend

Has anyone tried Giella custom blend products? I just read about them in the Times yesterday -- you can get custom blended lip gloss at Henri Bendel (and a few other places around the country, plus apparently online). It sounds pretty cool -- get the perfect color for your skin tone then choose to add shimmer and scent. If you've tried this, I'd love to get the scoop!

Logo Handbags: In or Not so Much?

Ladies, what is your opinon?

Are you carrying around a handbag with the designer logo all over it or do you carry something that doesn't announce the brand's name? I've got a super old Louis Vuitton bag that I want to start using again because it's the perfect shape and size for my essentials. I just hate the idea that it screams LV along with throngs of other folks carrying the same bag (not to mention the counterfeit bags out there!). It's as if we're helping advertise designers' brands. I didn't feel this way when I bought the bag years ago but now I dread using it! Thoughts?

Get Inspired: Super Long Necklaces

I've been noticing lots of celebs wearing the super long necklaces lately. Well, wouldn't you know, we've been wearing them this way since the summer?! Check out our Super Deluxe Length beaded necklaces -- they're 66 inches long so you can wear them as a single long strand a la Gwyneth or you can double them up (as shown) or even triple them up as a choker. Voila -- an incredibly versatile jewelry investment piece!

Stop 'N Shop exclusive discount: Take 30% off your entire Jennifer Grove jewelry order when you enter checkout code stopnshop30holiday. Offer valid through 12-20-2005. Enjoy!

Poll: What's your favorite shampoo?

I'm constantly changing shampoo and conditioner brands. This month I'm in love with my Kiehl's amino acid shampoo and leave-in conditioner. The shampoo has a nice creamy lather and both have coconut oil which helps boost the shine factor. What are your favorites?

In My Bag: Shearling Boots

Ok, ladies, I totally caved. I spent Sunday hobbling around the city in Gucci heels. By the time I made it to midtown to check out the tree, I could take it no longer. Thank goodness there happened to be a Banana Republic in Rockefeller Center. Normally this is the type of thing that would annoy me -- why would tourists come to NYC only and shop in a store they could go to in their malls back home?!?! In any case, I knew I could count on the Banana for a trendy pair of shearling boots. They didn't match my stovepipe black pants and pink cashmere coat all that well at the time, but I wore them with super-worn in denim yesterday and they looked fab. I got them in the traditional chamois color but they come in black as well. $148 well spent!

Road Tested: Cocoon Hair Salon in NYC

Sometimes all you need is the advice of a good friend with exceptional taste. I was planning on surprising my sister with a Christmas present of a gift certificate for highlights and hair cut at a fancy pants salon on the Upper East Side. It was on my list of things to do when I got an email from Bridgette Raes (style guru) mentioning something about her favorite stylist. So, instead of calling my old standby, I decided to try Cocoon. It, too, is on the UES, but Fabian takes only one client at a time so it is the ultimate luxury: a private sitting! He will lavish you with the personal attention you won't get anywhere else -- no need to get shuffled around from the receptionist to the shampoo girl to the color girl and finally to your stylist, only to then be turned over to someone else who will blow out your hair.

Not only did Fabian share in my excitement to give my sister a pampering surprise, but he cleared some time in his calendar for her to get in to see him the very day I called. Let's just say my sister loves, loves, loves her new shiny locks and has found a safe haven to trust her tresses.
318 East 70th Street
Call: 212.879.5630

Has anyone tried...

...the Lancome Star Bronzer Glossy Lip Nectar in Or Rose? I read about it in a magazine but can't find it online or at the counter. It's a lip gloss that is supposed to smell like a beachy mix of vanilla and coconut. As I stare outside at the snow, surely this is a must-have purchase for me, yes?

Store Review: Love (Gap's accessory-only store)

A quick note about Love, the Gap's accessory-only store and the only one of its kind in the world. I was strolling along Fifth Ave yesterday after a family outing to the tree at Rockefeller Center when I decided to take a peek inside. What a cute and cozy concept! Very focused, very edited, very well-merchandised. I have to say, it was inspiring and I didn't feel like I was in the Gap with the rest of the masses. Very tight space but with only one other customer inside it felt like a very personal shopping experience. Featuring a very bright and cheery collection of on-spot accessories from comfy scarves with matching hats and coordinated ballet flats to braided leather bracelets and fur-trimmed handbags. Sort of like the best of their best, a top ten list of accessories, if you will. Best deal: the oh-so-chic leather gloves for $29.50. Go for the beige or hot pink.
Fifth Avenue at 54th Street

When you're done stocking up on gifts at Love, walk uptown a few more blocks to take in the holiday windows at Bergdorf's. Gorgeous!

Savings Alert: Express Jeans $20 off

Yes, I love all of the $150 designer denim hanging in my closet, but nothing beats a great fitting pair of jeans when the cash register rings in at $39! Express jeans are now $20 off. Most of their styles are originally $59 so consider this a special treat for working hard all week! My fave is the W31 boot cut in the dark wash -- my first pair was a gift from my friend Jen in Massachusetts (how lucky am I to have a friend who sends jeans as gifts?!?!?).

IMO, the denim wears in very nicely and washes well. The fit shrinks a little when you wash the jeans, then stretches back to fit perfectly.

Anyone else a fan of these jeans? Let me know what other styles and washes you have tried.

Add This to my To-Buy List: Silk Butterfly Tunic

Love this! Just flipped through my January issue of Elle and was feeling very spring-y despite the fact that we're supposed to get 6 inches of snow tomorrow morning. This Foley + Corrina silk tunic top with gold butterflies is on sale at shopbop.com for $176 (originally $352). It's from their Fall '05 collection but I think it totally works for resort and will float nicely into the spring season as well. Must, must, must get this when I'm done holiday shopping for everyone else!

Road Tested: Jergens Natural Glow

As someone who grew up spending her summers at the pool as a swim team coach and lifeguard, I had a beautiful tan that lasted well into the fall season. As someone who now spends the majority of her summer days inside an office working, I no longer have the luxury of basking in the sun. (I'm also not that interested in getting skin cancer, truth be told.)

Enter: Jergens Natural Glow. A friend told me about this miracle product when she heard (gasp!) I was using a tanning booth to get some color this summer since I wasn't hitting the beach as often as I had hoped. In the summer months I used the one designated for medium skin tones and I used it all over my body. How psyched was I to get insta-tan?!?! Now that it's December, I've switched to the lighter version, designed for fair skin tones, and use it just on my face.

It moisturizes as well as delivers a little bit of color which is all I need right now. The intensity reaches its peek after about one week of use if used daily. In my opinion, it leaves the faintest of faint odors (definitely not like the majority of self-tanners) for a few lingering seconds but then it disappears. A $6 drugstore purchase that you will incorporate into your daily routine for sure.

In My Bag: Cozy New Robe

It snowed overnight here on the East Coast, which prompted me to buy this new "sherpa" robe online this morning from the Gap. I've been looking for something cozy and warm (perfect for today!) and these just went on sale for $59.95 (originally $78). All I need is my hot cocoa and I'm set. FYI: spend over $100 at Gap.com and get free shipping, too.

Poll: What's your favorite mascara?

I can't seem to find the perfect black mascara. I have tried everything from Maybelline to Makeup Forever to Lancome's Definicils. I adore each of them for the first few uses and then my love for them dies.Help! What's your favorite?

Have you read this book?

Has anyone read Lipstick Jungle by Candace Bushnell? I'm considering getting it as a holiday gift for a friend of mine. Tap into your inner book reviewer and let everyone know if it's a worthy selection.

Oversized sunglasses: In or Not-So-Much?

I thought these glasses looked cool in black but upon closer examination (read: seeing how freaking huge they are on the model pictured) they may not be so hot. Opinions?