Screamer of the Week: "Artistic" Jacket from Coldwater Creek

Coldwater Creek has its ups and downs. Some of their outfits are downright frightening, while some are tasteful but shout, "Woman of a certain age." Other times they have cool stuff, which is why I prefer the store to the catalog (I have a hot pink suede jacket from there that is truly rock star).

Today is Wednesday, Screamer of the Week day, which means it's not one of those times. For just about a hundred bucks you too can look like a bad painting in your local pizza place if you buy this printed paradise jacket. It's a linen blend that claims to be machine washable, which I can't even imagine-- the print is bad enough but it's going to look even worse if it flakes off in the wash. Forget it-- I can go to Russillo's and buy a painting like this off the wall for under $30, and have money left over for a pizza party.

Note on the contest from last week's Screamer: the origin of the phrase "Screamer of the Week" can also be found by googling. One more hint: think radio.

Charlie K's Ideas For Mother's Day Gift Certificates

My cousin Gina is doing the impossible this week-- meeting her future mother-in-law for the very first time and volunteering to entertain her while her son is at work. This wouldn't be a problem except for the fact that the mother-in-law doesn't speak a word of English, and Gina doesn't speak a word of German!

Her dilemma makes my mom dilemma-- what to get my mother, my MIL and my SIL for Mother's Day-- look like cake. Especially now that I've seen one of my favorite writers on Associated Content, Charlie K, has published a guide to the top ten gift certificate ideas for Mother's Day. Here are her thoughtful and creative suggestions:

Fewer names conjure up the feelings of warmth, love, and humility than that of "Mother." She is often inspirational, always educational, and for many years the center of her child's life. She has the power to mold a strong, independent, and courageous human being simply by being a role model herself.

While many believe that Mother's Day is nothing more than something dreamed up by the greeting card companies and florists to make money, nothing could be further from the truth. The day remains as strong now as it was in the beginning for one reason and one reason only. It is a day well deserved!

Because that is true, most of us want to make certain that the gift we choose to give mother on her special day is every bit as unique, loving, and selfless as the many gifts she has bestowed over the years. Sometimes that can be a difficult task to complete. However, here are my top ten certificate ideas that most mothers are sure to enjoy:

Top Ten Gift Certificate Ideas for Mother's Day by Charlie K

Deal of the Week: MD Skincare over 50% off at Soft Surroundings Outlet

One of my favorite ways to scoop up bargains is to find great products that go on deep discount in because they're not a good fit for the merchant. MD Skincare is one of the best lines around for active ingredients and noticeable results, but it's sold at a number of beauty and skincare stores and website: Sephora, Beauty.com, Dermstore, etc. I'm not sure why Soft Surroundings, which is mostly a clothes and bedding e-tailer, decided to carry it too, but apparently it's not selling too well there because people think of other places to buy it first. So now MD Skincare is on the Soft Surroundings Outlet website, which is great news for you and me.

These sunscreen pads and towelettes are marked down to $14.99 from $30.00 and $17.99 from $38.00 respectively-- I can't think of any better items to carry around in my purse over the summer for those "whoops, lunching outside took so long I'm not in the shade from the umbrella anymore" moments. Both of them are SPF 30 and contain vitamin C to help with existing discoloration. They each contain 60 units, which is more than generous-- buy both and you can use one a day over the summer and not run out! And don't forget to check out the Soft Surroundings Outlet for other great beauty buys; they've also got DuWop, Cargo, Hamadi and Dermadoctor on deep discount right now, among others.

CSP Ecume de The $30 off at Luckyscent!

I am one of those annoying people that isn't happy with something unless it's perceived as rare and exotic, which explains why I live half an hour outside of New York City and yet I order most of my fragrances and beauty products from stores in L.A., even when many of them are available at my local mall (the world class Mall at Short Hills).

Part of this is the continued influence of the late, great alt.fashion, which taught us the whole world was our playground (one of my favorite parts of participating was the international swaps for products that weren't locally accessible), and another part is my own personal quirk of needing to be seen as unique. At any rate, this habit has led me to some great stores, like Beautyhabit and Luckyscent (I'm not so crazy about the trend of smushing words together like that, but that's the residual influence of my mother the English teacher). CSP is definitely available at Short Hills, but how much more fun is it to get a package in the mail from L.A., especially one that includes free samples? Besides, Luckyscent has this fragrance that sounds perfect for spring and summer on sale now at $80, marked down from $110:

Ecume de The has notes of bergamot, lemon leaf, hibiscus, lotus, orange pekoe tea, mate, and tea wood. Just reading the description reminds me of a couple of my happiest summers, when I worked at a day camp in the country (wisely choosing an office position there because it was air-conditioned, but I had any number of reasons to go outside and walk around the beautiful grounds several times a day). There was a local deli that had a delicious custom blend of iced tea that I drank every day, and this fragrance transports me back to that time and place like Proust and his madeleines. I can't think of anything I'd rather wear for summer, and the sale price makes it all the more attractive.

8 inch heels at more than 50% off from Starlets and Harlots

There's something a little disconcerting about Gmail, which is how they use Adsense to "target" ads to you based on keywords in your private e-mail. Stevie and I had an exchange yesterday about the Screamer of the Week that featured the word "hooker" several times. Now, to my astonishment, today the ad space around my Gmail screen features a store called Starlets and Harlots. (Follow the link because harlots is spelled wrong in the actual URL.)

The Google bot at least deduced that I was purposely writing about catalogs or sites where you could buy hooker-wear, so it could have been worse-- they could have served up ads for escort services, I suppose. Anyway, I thought I was the queen of high heels (I have a pair of 5 inch platforms I wear all the time) but this site has stuff I've never seen before: a large selection of 8 inch heels. The photo above shows one of them, but they go on for pages and pages, and all of them are more than 50% off. (They seem to be marketing them to strippers and drag queens but I just had to write about this because I've never seen anything like it; I promise to go back to writing about cute things tomorrow!)

I'm a little afraid to post this and see what this post does to the ads around my blog, but here goes nothing! Seriously, though, this site also has a good collection of rockabilly clothes, punk rock wear, and Bettie Page tee shirts, so don't write it off just because there are a few scary items on there.

Screamer of the Week: Short City Romper from Metrostyle

Somehow I started receiving the Metrostyle catalog recently-- I think it had something to do with placing an order from Boston Proper, otherwise known as the catalog for women who favor low-cut tops. I flipped through it distractedly while waiting to pick my daughter up from the bus, and found most of the items to be cute and cheap-- an H&M for the catalog set, if you will. However, there was one piece that really stood out, and not in a good way.

This "Short City Romper" is truly a one of a kind piece. Where else can you find a bustier-bodiced unitard in black eyelet lace, no less? For a mere $59.99 you too can look like you made a combination hooker/workout outfit out of curtains from a Goth baby's nursery. The ad copy in the catalog trumpets that it has a removable waist tie for two different looks! (Exclamation point theirs, not mine.)

"Screamer of the Week" will be a new regular feature at Ten Pretty Girls, so in honor of the first post in this category (which is going to be a hard one to top!), here's a contest to get us started: the first one who can tell me what the origin of the phrase "Screamer Of The Week" is will win a $25 e-gift certificate to Sephora.com. Here are a couple of hints: (a) the phrase was originally meant in a positive way and (b) the place where it came from can be found on my Facebook profile. Place your answers in the comment section and be sure to include your e-mail address.

Lugano Candelabra-- 80% off from Red Envelope

This stylish candelabra from Red Envelope is hidden in the clearance section, but at $19.99 marked down from $98.00, it's worth digging for! This piece is unique in that it's actually made up of four separate candlesticks. You can display them together as a centerpiece or separate them and use them individually around a room, making this clever item two gifts in one. It's a chic modernist piece that will make a great impression on the recipient and look like you spent a lot more for it than you did.

Alexia Admor Dress 65% off from Bluefly.com

This robin's egg blue sheer stretch floral lace tank dress from Alexia Admor is perfect for all those spring events-- bridal showers, graduation parties, weddings, etc. Available from Bluefly.com in sizes XS through L at 65% off ($61.99 marked down from $105.00), this dress manages to be simultaneously sweet and sexy. It's also fully lined and hand-washable, making it a lot easier to wear and care for than it looks. Bluefly has it in rose as well, and also carries a number of her other dress designs. At these prices you can stock up and follow my mother's rule-- never be photographed in the same dress twice-- even if your schedule rivals Agyness Deyn's.

Deal of the Week: Botkier Stevie Satchel, $405 at JC Madison

This Botkier Stevie satchel in glazed taupe is a roomy but lady-like all-purpose bag. Available from JC Madison, it's marked down to $405 from an original price of $675. The color is perfect for spring, summer or fall, it's got gorgeous gold tone hardware and it's designed with all the storage pockets you need to keep organized. If you buy one designer bag this year that you really expect to work, this should be it. Oh, and it bears the name of one of my very best friends!

Wishlist: Vintage Claude Montana Leather Jacket

Around these parts I used to be known as "that girl with the red leather jacket." Said red leather jacket was a store brand from Lord and Taylor and cost $300, which was a lot to me at the time and is again, considering the current economy, but it was worth it because whenever I had nothing to wear I could just throw it on over anything, put on a pair of gold hoops and look put together instantly. I literally cried when it got so worn out I had to put it to sleep, but this will happen if you wear something virtually every day through three seasons of three years.

I admit it, I don't have $1,250 to spend on clothes for the year right now, never mind on one leather jacket, but a girl can dream, can't she? If I did I'd be the proud owner of this vintage Claude Montana leather jacket from Katy Kane Vintage and Couture Clothing. If that little department store number did so much for me, imagine what life would be like in this figure-flattering and attention-getting one of a kind designer piece? I'd feel like Emma Peel...I can't imagine anything better for catching criminals or breaking hearts.

Katy Kane Vintage is a sponsor of the upcoming Manhattan Vintage Clothing Show on April 25th and 26th at the Metropolitan Pavilion. You can bet I'll be buying a lot of scratch-off lottery tickets between now and then in the hopes of walking away with this one.

Coral Beach Collection from Latasia Jewelry: $67

Here's a gorgeous set from Latasia that looks a lot more expensive than it is; for a mere $67 you can get the 2 inch dangling earrings plus the 15 inch necklace (which also comes with a 3 inch extender so you can wear it with different necklines, or you can buy them separately for $18 and $49 respectively. This set features pink coral beads on gold mesh. It's intended for evening and would look perfect with a strapless gown, but I think it goes equally well with a casual summer dress for that glamorous model sipping a latte at a beachside cafe in Mykonos look. All Latasia jewelry is 100% nickel-free, which means it is hypoallergenic and won't irritate sensitive skin, a big deal to me when a lot of earrings irritate me or turn my skin black. For more information on the Coral Beach Collection and other Latasia jewelry, contact Kaye Smith at klsjax@comcast.net or 904-223-5906.

Black And White Graffiti Bag Handmade From Etsy

Here's a breezy and fun handmade bag on Etsy that will stand out from the crowd while standing up to wear and tear. It's small enough to be comfortable but big enough to carry around your necessities, made of the finest Italian fabric, is fully lined for durability, and closes with a magnetic snap for convenience. This arm candy is a bargain at $59 and fits in perfectly for the trend of black and white for spring.

Movie Star Sunglasses For Less Than $6

My family suffers under the influence of a bizarre curse: we make trips to South Beach or Boca Raton once or twice every year, and every time we go, one of us either loses or breaks a pair of sunglasses or regular glasses, ensuring that we spend one day of our vacation visiting our favorite local optician. I'm not kidding one bit about this; we're on a first name basis now, and we've Dmitri so much business he no longer charges us for the shipping back to New Jersey. Last year I didn't even make it to Florida with my sunglasses; I lost a pair of white-framed Chanels that I LOVED in the fitting room of Bloomingdales at home the night before the trip.

This year I'm getting smart! Here's a pair of movie star style sunglasses from Forever 21 with full UVA/UVB protection that cost $5.80 a pair! At this price I can pack four of them and break the curse, or at least not worry about it anymore. Sorry, Dmitri!

Deal Of The Week: Wendy Glez Plam Cami-- 66% off!

Here's a deal of the week straight from my neighborhood-- the fabulous Bella Dawn boutique has a cute Wendy Glez Plam Cami marked down to $23.00 from an original price of $78.00! (Not exactly 66% off but close enough; my talent is finding bargains, not math!) This soft silk cami has a flattering empire waist and adjustable straps so you don't have to fiddle with your top all day. Not to mention that it happens to go perfectly with the Iris bangle I posted the other day. Wendy Glez is a line of lingerie designed to be worn as outerwear as well, and has been seen on Kate Hudson, Ali Landry and Michelle Kwan, among others. Supplies are limited so act quickly on this one! Don't forget to check out their other great bargains as well.

Girlfriend Shopping Trip To Unique Vintage (A Blog Carnival)

Now that it's springtime there's nothing I'd like more than a shopping trip with a bunch of girlfriends, but what can you do when some of the people you like to shop most with live on the opposite coast? Shop online, of course! My friend Stevie of www.la-story.com came up with the ingenious idea of a blog carnival where a bunch of us could visit outstanding online shopping sites together and post our favorites...all the fun of a girlfriend shopping trip without the fluorescent lights and "does this make my butt look big?" Our first stop is Unique Vintage, a site that mixes true vintage with vintage-inspired clothing for the ultimate selection of glamorous retro dresses in a wide range of styles, sizes and prices.

Stella of Well Above Average has gone first and picked a retro satin print blouse that would look equally gorgeous in the Hamptons or Miami as it does in L.A. Sandra of Debutante Clothing and Tami of fête à fête will also be posting, and I can't wait to see what they and Stevie pick out. As for me, I went nuts over this 1930's style bias-cut silk satin gown. It totally fits in with the 30's vibe from New York Fashion Week Spring 2008, is a dress that will allow your beauty to shine rather than calling attention to itself, is supremely flattering due to the bias-cut, and features seriously high-end material and construction. Wear this and you can glide across the floor with a martini (a real one, not flavored) like Myrna Loy as Nora Charles without worrying that you'll see three other people in the same dress. The gown is on sale right now for $350 for prom/wedding season but a comparable gown in a department store could easily cost upwards of $1,000.

Smitten Fragrance from A Beautiful Life

A Beautiful Life is an outpost of urban chic in New Hope, Pennsylvania. New Hope is fun to walk and browse, but it's got much more of a hippy vibe, except for this one little store where they carry Bond No. 9, Mario Badescu and T. Leclerc, among other fashionista favorites. They also have one amazing bargain product under their own label: Smitten Huile de Parfum by A Beautiful Life.

If you can't make it to New Hope, Smitten pure perfume oil is available on the website www.abeautifullife.com for $38.00 for a 5 ml bottle. That may not sound like a lot, but perfume oil is much more concentrated compared to alcohol-based fragrances, meaning it should last through the summer. Smitten has top notes of tangerine and white pepper, heart notes of creamy white florals, and base notes of wood and patchouli. I can't think of a better fragrance to wear in the soft summer breeze.

Iris Handpainted Bangles From Lord and Taylor

Lord and Taylor is one of my favorite fashion secrets: a lot of hip people won't shop there, thinking it's a grandmother-type store, but it excels in certain areas, especially costume jewelry. This Iris Blue Dot and Rose Motif Bangle retails for $85, which may sound pricey but is understandable when you hear it's a hand-painted work of art imported from Israel. It fits in perfectly with the ladylike flowery vibe this spring. Check out www.lordandtaylor.com for other styles, including the garden white motif bangle and the raised butterfly motif bangle.

Unique Hostess Gifts Under $15: Flowering Tea

Here's a truly unique hostess gift for under $15, courtesy of www.violet.com: flowering jasmine tea. Regular jasmine tea is light and refreshing, perfect for the spring palette, but these buds bloom when added to boiling water, making a morning cup of tea a true event. Spend the same amount as an ordinary bottle of wine or supermarket bouquet of flowers and impress your hostess with your taste and savoir vivre!

Jordi Labanda Products 40% Off At Unicahome.com

Jordi Labanda is a genius fashion illustrator based in Barcelona, Spain, who may be best known for his notebook cover designs for Miquelrius. Target currently has a series of them themed as fashion magazine covers that are a steal at $9.00-- they're so cute I bought every single one of them up.

His illustrations are instantly recognizable for their carefree insouciance. Besides stationery, they also grace such products as handbags, makeup cases and mouse pads, and right now www.unicahome.com is running a 40% off sale on all Jordi Labanda products. A small vertical zip bag in the Capri print (pictured above), excellent for carrying a passport and other travel necessities, costs less than $30, including shipping and handling. This print is also available as a backpack or pencil case, but act quickly, as quantities are very limited. I wish he'd make full-sized luggage; it would be the cutest thing ever and impossible to miss on the baggage carousel!

Deal Of The Week: Materia Prima Stacked Heel Slides, 75% off!

Foot Candy Shoes (www.footcandyshoes.com) is one of my favorite places to scope out bargain designer shoes online. Their sale prices are unbeatable, as witnessed by this deal in the "Bargain Basement: $50.00" section:

These Materia Prima stacked heel slides originally cost $200 and are marked down to $50. It couldn't get any cuter for springtime, they come in an equally hot denim blue version, and best of all, they're still available in whole and half sizes from 6 through 11, though I don't expect they will be for long. Foot Candy Shoes has 8 other styles of shoe marked down to $50, including one that originally retailed for $355. I think I just solved my what-shoes-to-wear-to-my-sister's-bridal-shower problem!

Ugly Betty Returns April 24th!

I've spent my clothing allowance for the month already (on a pair of 19.99 jeans from Target that look and feel great but are going in the garbage because they still smell like burnt rubber even though I've washed them twice), so I'm in search of a free fashion fix, like something fashionable to watch on TV. The good news is, Ugly Betty is returning with a new episode on April 24th! The bad news is, I can't even remember where the story line left off.

If you're like me and you've lost the thread of the plot during the writer's strike, here's a reminder: in the last episode, which aired back in January, Amanda tracked down Gene Simmons, her biological father; Betty was assigned to write an article about a guy who wrote a book on how to pick up women by insulting them; and Daniel hooked up with the gorgeous Renee, and then was shocked to find out she was Wilhelmina's younger sister; Christina was employed as a surrogate mother by Wilhelmina in order to get the money for an experimental operation for her husband; and Claire Meade had just decided to start her own magazine.

The new episode of Ugly Betty is called Twenty Four Candles, and there are two more fresh episodes planned for this season, both of which will air in May. One of these episodes will include guest stars Christian Siriano and Nina Garcia, according to www.tvguide.com.

10 Ways To Become A Fashion Flare

Today we feature a guest post by an up-and-coming blogger, my favorite 9 year old, Ana Lightstone:

10 Ways To Become A Fashion Flare

Everyone loves to have great style. But have you ever thought that you would become a trend-setter? Here are 10 tips to lead you to success in the fashion world.

1. Any pair of jeans are fashionable and comfy. But if you buy designer jeans you could leave anyone speechless! Be creative and Bedazzle an old pair for fun!

2. A mineral-based cosmetic product is so awesome! It makes you happy and healthy-looking because minerals are good for your skin.

3. A wrap dress with a pair of sheer pantyhose can make you very stylish! Wrap dresses in pastel colors like lavender, spring green, petal pink and robin's egg blue are really nice in the spring.

4. The new Nars spring collection, Shanghai Lily, is the most dramatic new spring makeup. It looks good on almost all skin tones.

5. Any hoop earrings are wonderful.

6. Any jewelry with your birthstone will look very stylish.

7. Try to find a color that looks great on you. Then try to find a style of clothing that you like and looks good on you.

8. Accessorize wild size! Find a spacious purse or a pair of sterling silver stud earrings at the mall.

9. Ross Simons' watches are very beautiful and stylish.

10. Be creative and have fun!

Beauty GWP Time at Nordstrom!

Neiman Marcus may have started the trend for bi-annual beauty GWPs with designer totes filled with high end deluxe beauty product samples, but Nordstrom does it best! Right now www.nordstrom.com is giving away a pink and white tote filled with the following with any $100 beauty or fragrance purchase:

Bare Escentuals® RareMinerals™ Facial Cleanser (0.05 oz.)

Bliss The Youth as We Know It Moisturizer (0.1 oz.)

Clarins Advanced Extra-Firming Eye Contour Serum (0.1 oz.)

DKNY Delicious Night Eau de Parfum Spray (0.05 oz.)

Donna Karan Cashmere Mist Body Lotion (0.2 oz.)

Erno Laszlo TranspHuse Topical sample

GoSMILE AM/PM Whitening Protection Toothpastes samples

Juicy Couture Royal Body Crème (0.25 oz.)

Kinerase® Cream with SPF 30 (0.1 oz.)

Lancôme Rénergie Double Performance Anti-Wrinkle and Firming Treatment (0.5 oz.)

Lancôme Rénergie Night—Night Treatment (0.5 oz.)

L'Occitane Shea Hand Cream (0.3 oz.)

Missoni Acqua Eau de Toilette Spray (0.07 oz.)

Narciso Rodriguez For Him eau de toilette spray (0.04 oz.)

Origins Modern Friction™ Nature's Gentle Dermabrasion (0.17 oz.)

philosophy hope in a jar eye & lip cream (0.25 oz.)

Prescriptives Lash Envy Volumizing Mascara (0.08 oz.)

Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer Light (0.5 oz.)

This is about as generous of a beauty GWP as you can get anywhere, it's filled with stuff you'll actually use, and if you spend the $100 on foundation, lip gloss and blush, you'll have a fully packed travel beauty kit ready to go for Spring Break! The offer is good online only, while supplies last. I think I'm going to follow my own advice and buy a Nars Lip Gloss/Lip Stain Lip Duo, Nars The Multiple Stick, and Nars Oil Free Foundation. Then I can pack my beauty bag and head to...well, I'm not going anywhere this Spring Break, so I guess I'll head to the Nordstrom cafe to sip a latte and pretend I'm at the News Cafe in South Beach!