Shopping Tips Online

Helen Mirren and Meryl Streep are in the clutch here. Mirren was nominated for three, count them, three, Golden Globes – two for her roles as Queen Elizabeth (I and II) and one as Detective Superintendent Tennison on Prime Suspect. Streep’s nomination, best performance by an actress in a musical or comedy film, was for her performance in The Devil Wears Prada. Seen here on the red carpet prior to the awards ceremony, the two veteran actors are carrying cute metallic clutch bags.

Helen’s is silver, with crystals on the clasp – and here’s one from Zappos that’s very similar. It’s silver silk with the same style pleats, and it will hold a teeny cell phone, a lipstick and a dime to call your mother. Retail price is $198.95.

I found one similar to Meryl’s at Macy’s for $49.99. The shape is sleek but structured like hers and it has the little hidden chain shoulder strap for when you need or want it. I like the oyster color – it’s got the same feel as the gold, and it’s also very versatile.

These bags are classic styles, so you might try vintage retailers or online auctions to find the shape and color. You can’t go wrong with a little clutch, they’re always perfectly in style.

Meryl Streep, Helen Mirren, Golden Globes, Clutch Handbags

In a magic kingdom everyone has magic stuff. Teapots that dance. Dressers that talk. Clothes that fly around by themselves. Candlesticks that hand out relationship advice. You know, stuff like that. Now there’s another inanimate object imbued with magic powers. The iPhone.

Following a whirlwind of rumors and speculation (which were all true), Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone Tuesday at the Macworld Expo in San Francisco. The iPhone operates without traditional buttons – instead, a touchscreen allows you to navigate through the phone’s seeming zillions of functions. Jobs clearly LOVES this thing. Check it out:

Mr Jobs said the iPhone was a “revolutionary and magical product that is literally five years ahead of any other mobile phone”.

“It works like magic… It’s far more accurate than any touch display ever shipped. It ignores unintended touches. It’s super-smart.”

Go to Apple’s site for details – they have a very slick, thorough intro on it. The phone will retail for $500 - $600, and comes in 4 or 8 gig models.

Were I the magic kingdom type, this is the phone I would have to wave my magic wand for. It would look lovely with my glass slippers and my pumpkin carriage!

Can a personal protection device be the perfect accessory to complete your look?

Taser International has introduced a fahsionable, consumer-friendly stun gun, the Taser C2â„¢ Personal Protector. The first thing you notice is how un-weapon-ish it looks. To me, it looks like a slick cordless electric shaver. It’s small enough to slip into a jacket pocket or your handbag. And, it comes in colors. Pink, blue, silver or black, to reflect your personal style. Perhaps you want to match it to your cell phone?

All kidding aside, purchasing, let alone using, a stun gun is pretty serious stuff. Taser calls the C2 a “safe, effective and responsible” option for home self-defense. It has an effective range of to 0 to 15 feet and a 30 second cycle, presumably so you can get away after your attacker has been stunned. They also built in some safety features so it can be safely used by a consumer, not just a law enforcement officer. The stun guns used by police deliver 50,000 volts of electricity, but the literature I downloaded did not specify the volt delivery of the C2. The C2 will not operate until it is activated following a background check.

The subject of stun guns or other “non-lethal weapons” is very controversial. Stun guns have had a ton of bad press, and critics link these devices to dozens of deaths. However, Taser International and supporters say that stun guns actually help save lives by preventing the use of firearms.

No one ever imagined that cell phones would end up being “sexy.” They used to be very utilitarian. So were cameras, computers, personal music devices and other electronics. I look at the Taser C2 as falling in line with this trend. Whether or not you agree with it – now that’s another story.

Taser International, Stun Guns, Personal Protection, NLWs

Running across sales is always fun, but it’s also pretty rewarding to think ahead. By taking advantage of in-season sales and end-of-season clearances you can make the most of your money year-round. Here’s a list of sales that typically happen month-by-month.

January
Holiday clearance – stock up now with super-bargains
Winter clothes shoes, boots, and accessories – these are wear-now items at low low prices
White sales

February
Electronics
Dinnerware

March
Spring clothes and shoes
Luggage – plan for a spring or summer trip
Garden supplies

April
Dresses
Men’s suits

May
White sales
Home fix up

June
Summer clothes and shoes
Home fix up (more…)

BBC News reported today that the last installment in the Harry Potter series will be entitled “Harry Potter and the Deatlhy Hallows.” If you haven’t already, go to an online retailer like Amazon and sign up for an automatic email when the book becomes available. I would recommend getting on a waiting list – book 6, “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” sold a record-breaking 2 million copies on the first day of its release in the UK.

Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter 7, Deatlhy Hallows

USA Today reported that FedEx shipped a record 9.8 million packages on Monday – 10% more than last year. That’s 63% more than an average day.

Basically, the ship has sailed for regular, ground delivery – the cutoff was December 15th. You can ship up to December 22 with FedEx Overnight or SameDay. Check their site for specific services. FedEx lists last days to ship here.

If you still want to send your gifts “special delivery,” you’d better get them wrapped and ready!

Are you feeling the pressure yet? There are only 14 days until Christmas! The National Retail Federation did a poll of 76 online retailers regarding deadlines for shipping orders guaranteed to be received by Christmas day. Here’s the breakdown:

December 14 or earlier – 23%
December 15 - 17 – 32%
December 18 or 19 – 39%
December 20 or later – 6%

So, your best bet will be to get your orders placed within the next 7 days!

Online Ordering, Guaranteed Delivery by Christmas, National Retail Federation

My niece is a princess, which makes her one tough little customer, just like her Aunt Polly. So, when she says she wants an alarm clock for Christmas, she doesn’t mean just any old alarm clock. She means a PRINCESS alarm clock, and PINK.

After quite a bit of research online, I located THE Disney®Princess Clock Radio for Miss Thing, at Best Buy.

I clicked, I bought. There was plenty of time, so I specified regular ground shipping, which they say is 4-8 business days. I received an email confirmation of my order, which was placed at 8:45 a.m. on December 4th. The clock arrived on my desk before 10 a.m. on December 5th! With NO additional shipping charges!

I don’t know what makes me so special, except that I have a princess for a niece. All I know is that Best Buy won my online business, and I get the Best Aunt Ever award. All with one easy click!

Best Buy, Disney Princess, Shipping, Online Shopping

Tiffany & Co. announced today that they will partner with Luxottica Group to design, manufacture and distribute ophthalmic and sun eyewear under the Tiffany name. Luxottica has co-branded eyewear for Donna Karan, Prada, Versace and Polo Ralph Lauren among others. Set for release in ‘08, is will be the first time Tiffany has marketed luxury eyewear.

Tiffany & Co., Luxottica, eyewear, glasses, sunglasses

Since 1962, Havaianas (pronounced ah-vai-YAH-nas) have been the coolest flip flops going. They are made from a special rubber formula that makes them feel terrific on your feet. Now they can make you feel good in another way. Style West, the exclusive U.S. distributor of Havaianas Sandals will donate $1 for every pair purchased from this site to the Autism Research Institute. With styles for men, women and kids, I think these would make an awesome stocking stuffer! Not only that, you’d be helping the 1 in 166 kids who are affected by autism. Flip on over there and check them out!

Sandals, Charity, Autisim Research Institute, Havaianas

Finding the perfect gift for someone on your list can be a challenge. You have to get to know them pretty well, learn their interests and activities, and watch for subtle hints. Now we know exactly what to get Danny Devito for Christmas – Limoncello.

There are several brands of this lemon liqueur available, including Limoncello di Capri. Here’s the company’s official site. You can drink Limoncello straight or with ice, but it can also be used in mixed drinks like a “Quisi Night” which is made with equal parts Limoncello di Capri, espresso and cream and served with a grated lemon garnish. It is also used in baking and cooking, and can even be used as a topping for ice cream.

A bottle of liqueur makes a great hostess gift. I would pop a bottle in a cute gift bag along with a couple of fresh lemons and perhaps a zester. If Danny’s on your list, don’t bother with all that – just bring the shot glasses.

Danny Devito, Limoncello, Drunk on the View, Gift Ideas, Liqueur

When I am skiing, I am concerned about a few things – getting off the lift without causing a pileup and not killing myself on the moguls. At those moments, fashion is the furthest thing from my mind. However, it’s not far from my mind before we leave for the ski trip. Like most people, I spend a little time putting together my ski “outfit.” That usually consists of trying to look like I know what I am doing, while looking fetching in the ski lodge, where I am when The Bob decides to goes to ski the blacks.

Designers know we care about our look on the slopes (and in the lodge), so three high-profile companies are outfitting the pros, and us amateurs, with some new ski wear that blends function and fashion.

Prada has outfitted the pros at St. Moritz, Switzerland in what appears to be a pretty conservative look – basic blue with a red chest stripe. Leather and faux fur detailing give it a lift. They will roll out the consumer version of this in 07-08. The word on the slopes is that their moon boots with an all-sheepskin lining are the hot accessory to jump for.

In Aspen/Snowmass, the ski pros wear
RLX Ralph Lauren. (more…)

If you’ve been dreaming about that big, extravagent item, but just don’t have the bank, check this out. American Express® is making wishes come true at theholidaywishlist.com. Cardmembers click on the “I Want It” button and stand a chance to get unbelievable once-in-a-lifetime prices on big ticket items like this – a Porsche Cayman Coupe for $5,000! Regular retail on this sweet baby is nearly $50,000!

Other items in this WishList include a cruise package to Tahiti for $2,500, Callaway FT-3 Fusion drivers for $175, and Sharp Aquosâ„¢ tvs for $900.

Here’s the official news release. American Express says they are able to offer these crazy-low prices on items because of their strong relationships with top merchants.

So, make a wish and click!

UPDATE 11/29 Here is the link to a page that describes how this whole thing works . On the mywishlist.com homepage you can find out what items are coming up by day, and the quantity that are on sale at that price. If you click “I want it” and there is inventory remaining, you have 6 minutes to complete your transaction.

The Porsche is coming up on Monday, December 4th, and there are 3 of them. This looks to be the most deeply discounted item, but there are LOTS of other cool things for a great deal. Let me know how this works if you try it and actually purchase something.

Good luck!

, 000 Porsche, American Express, WishList

Madonna appeared on Home Shopping Network (HSN) to promote her children’s book, sales of which have apparently tanked.

In any case, a whopping 5% of the proceeds of sales of her kids’ books on HSN will go to Madonna’s favorite charity: the Raising Malawi Foundation. If you are interested in Madonna’s inspiration, thoughts on motherhood, or her home life, check out the video clips on HSN.

The 48 year old mega star says she never would have thought about writing a children’s book until she had children. Makes you wonder what inspired her more famous title: Sex. Don’t answer that.

Madonna, Children’s Book, HSN, Raising Malawi Foundation, Madonna Sex Book

Today the National Retail Federation released the results of their Black Friday Survey, and I wasn’t surprised about many of the results. Except one.

“Men were more likely to wait in line than women, as 17.3 percent of men said they got to their first store by 4 a.m., compared to just 8.0 percent of women who arrived by that time.”

The official release went on. “Retailers learned this weekend that men are willing to get out of bed for a good deal,� said Phil Rist, Vice President of Strategy for BIGresearch. “While women seemed to take a more casual approach to Black Friday shopping, men went out on the hunt and then went back home to bed.�

In my family, NO men shopped on Black Friday, unless you count the gas station. How about yours?

Black Friday, Shopping, National Retail Federation