by Robin on March 9, 2010
Spring is a great time to shop for all-season trench coats, because not only are they perfect for the season, you’re also likely to find a good selection and in colors other than the traditional khaki (not that I have anything against khaki, as I’ve said before).
Even better is that you’ll find a good selection of bargain-priced trenches, so it’s an item you can add to your wardrobe without spending too much.
Here are just a few you can find right now:
Forever 21 has a three-quarter sleeve khaki trench that gives the wardrobe standby a fresh look, and it’s just $32.80.
Old Navy has a traditional mid-length trench for $49.50, and you can get it in off-white and New Zealand (think: kelly green) in addition to black and khaki.
Newport News has a fully lined and nicely tailored trench for $69.00–a little more expensive, but the extra detaling is nice.
Target has a whole slew of trench coats in a range of styles, most $39.95 or less, like this one by Mossimo. And when the Libert of London designs hit the racks this weekend, you’ll have a couple of floral options to add to the lineup.
And finally, if you want the real deal–quality, traditional styling–you can pick up a classic trench from London Fog for $89.99 A little pricier, but you’re paying for the name, as well as the quality. Even London Fog is keeping in stride with the times, though–you’ll find a range of colors in addition to good old khaki.
by Robin on March 4, 2010
In tough economic times, most of us don’t even have any “charity dollars,” at least not in a big-dollar kind of way. But even if money’s tight, you can still donate small amounts to your favorite charities–every little bit really does help–and often receive a logo product of some kind in return.
You already know you can shop online with many charities and online stores like GreaterGood.com, whose profits go to fund a variety of charities, but don’t overlook the freebies that you can get just for donating small amounts to certain charities.
The environment is one of my pet issues, so that’s what I’ll highlight here, but just about every large-scale charitable group will offer anything from reusable grocery bags to greeting cards to t-shirts as a thank you for a nominal donation from $10 to $25.
For a $25 donation to the World Wildlife Fund, you can choose from an assortment of thank-you gifts, including a t-shirt, a pair of metal logo water bottles or a couple of reusable shopping bags. You’ll also get (as is the case with most organizations) a subscription to their bi-monthly magazine, so
you can keep up with the work they’re doing.
A $15 donation to the Sierra Club will get you a free canvas rucksack modeled after the one carried by Sierra Club founder John Muir, and will also get you the usual membership benefits, including a subscription to the outstanding Sierra magazine.
You can also, of course, opt out of receiving the free gifts to maximize your donation, and that’s a feel-good freebie in itself.
Most of the gifts offered in exchange for a small donation are utilitarian–stuff you’ll almost definitely find a way to use, and it gets their logo out there. Wearing your charitable (if logo-ized) heart on your sleeve, if you will.
There are an almost infinite number of charitable organizations out there, many of which offer gifts with a donation. What are your favorites? Where do you spend your charitable dollars? I’ve only listed a couple here, so use the comments section below to add your favorite charity to the list!
by Robin on March 3, 2010
Love these for what they are: inexpensive sport watches with wildly fun designs. Omega and Movado, they are not, but what they are is irresistable. 
Vaguely reminiscent of Swatch watches, by Toronto-based May 28th, are bright, fun, and practical–the cases are water-resistant, and the stretchy cloth bands make them perfect for the beach or gym–or anywhere casual, for that matter (and credit to The Cut for picking up on such a great deal).
SupermarketHQ.com carries the limited-edition designs for just $39 each, with free shipping (a sure way to win my online shopping heart). And what a great online store that is, by the way–loads of unique, fun and inexpensive accessories, decor and gift items to explore.
These watches are a fun, inexpensive way to get you psyched up for spring–not that you aren’t already psyched up for spring, especially if you live in part of the country currently buried under snow. Tick-tock–the limited-edition designs sell out quickly!
by Robin on March 2, 2010
If you read this blog regularly, you’ve probably noticed that I have a special fondness for socially and environmentally conscious companies, and always encourage you to spend your precious shopping dollars with such companies.
Imagine my delight, then, when mega-store H&M announced just over a week ago that they’d be carrying an organic skincare line. Luckymag has a sneak peek at the product packaging (which I’ve reposted here).
Here’s what H&M has to say about it:
H&M is proud to announce its first ever range of skincare with certified organic ingredients. Debuting in stores at the beginning of March, the range of everyday essentials includes shower gel, body scrub, body lotion, hand cream and lip balm, all of which are based on natural and organic ingredients and are certified by Ecocert. The products are available in the fragrance combinations of raspberry and melon or lavender and mint, and are accompanied by make-up and toilet bags made from organic cotton.
Nature gives us the best ingredients, which is why it makes so much sense to work with organic and natural ingredients in this new range of everyday essentials from H&M. Shower gel contains the juice of organic apples, while organic apple juice and apricot seeds are key ingredients in the body scrub. Organic apple juice and oils from sunflower seeds make up an essential part of the body lotion, while the hand cream has organic apple juice and oils from organic almond seeds. The lip-balm has the key organic ingredients of jojoba and beeswax, and all of the products are scented with natural perfumes derived from essential oils, sold in recyclable packaging. All the products are available at H&M’s affordable prices, while also meeting the requirements of Ecocert. Ecocert is Europe’s biggest certification body for organic and natural cosmetics.
The introduction of skincare products with certified organic ingredients comes at a time when sustainability is even more central to H&M’s work, with a commitment to increase the use of organic cotton by 50% each year until 2013, while projects like H&M’s Garden Collection for Spring 2010 show how organic and sustainable materials can take their place at the very heart of fashion.
The prices will range from $4.95 to $7.95 on products, and you should see them start to appear on shelves here in the U.S. any day now. They haven’t reached quite the level of social responsibility that The Body Shop has, but this is a welcome start (and those prices are fantastic).
