SICKA THAN AVERAGE

Trend Alert: '80s-Style Bright Hues

Your future is bright — literally. If you're a budding fashionista, your closet will be getting a surge of color for the Spring/Summer season as you stock up on fluorescent sneakers, sunglasses, sandals, handbags, watches, jewelry and more.

The vivid yellows, deep fuchsias and saucy turquoises that prevailed throughout the 1980s are coming back with a vengeance, so pull off an M.I.A. and flirt with some retro, technicolor fashions.

Just check out some of these great options:

Sperry Top-Sider Authentic Original 2-Eye in Yellow Neon Patent and Blue Neon Patent, $80 each. Visit SperryTopSider.com

Badgley Mischka Active Eyewear by Sama "Boyd" Frames in Yellow, $495. Visit SamaEyewear.net for more information.

Lacoste "Observe 2 Hi" Sneakers, $110. Available at Lacoste stores. Visit Lacoste.com to find a retailer near you.

CC Skye "Carson" Cuff in Turquoise and Coral, $195 each. Visit CCSkye.com

 

 Daniblack "Rosie" in Infrablue Patent with natural stack with flowers heel, $185. Visit Daniblack.com
 

Freestyle Shark Mid Purple, Shark Cyan and Shark Mid White and Green, $55 each. Visit FreestyleUSA.com

Pour La Victoire Women's "Paige" Sandal in Green, $295. Visit Endless.com

Members Only Orange Clubette, Turquoise Baby, and Fuchsia Clubette Bags, $28 each. Visit MembersOnlyStyle.com

Ugg Australia "Hazel" Wedge in Lilac, $140. Visit UggAustralia.com

 
GUESS? Lorella Turquoise Satchel, $98. Available at Macy's, Bon Ton, Dillards and Guess? retail locations.

 

Nike Free Trainer 7.0.IV Women's Shoe in Varsity Purple, $85. Visit Store.Nike.com

Jewelmak 14KY Fluorite Drop Necklace, $150. Visit JewelMak.com

Echo Design "Angelica" Hobo, $88. Visit EchoDesign.com

Gotz Switzerland Mother-of-Pearl and Orange Stainless Steel Dial with Diamond Bezel Watch, $3,750. Visit GotzSwitzerland.com

 

Badgley Mischka Active Eyewear by Sama "Bradley" Frames in Red and Yellow, $270. Visit SamaEyewear.net for more information.

Rocket Dog "Foxy" Sandals, $30 each. Visit RocketDog.com

Rampage "Kitty" Large Clutch, $68. Visit Endless.com

Pink Dice Short Sleeve Blue Hoodie and Yellow Denim Miniskirt, Prices May Vary. Visit ILovePinkDice.com to find a retailer near you.

Nike Air Troupe Mid SWT Women's Training Shoe in Varsity Maize, $62.99. Visit Store.Nike.com

Adidas Anya Roll Duffle, $35. Visit Adidas.com

Get the Scoop: Kitson Jewelry's Ice Cream Cone Necklace

Even if you don't scream for ice cream, you'll be shrieking (euphorically, of course) over this Kitson ice cream necklace. After all, you don't need a vicious sweet tooth to appreciate some flavorful style.

This gold tone pendant features light pinkish white enamel and clear crystals and is hanging from a 20" chain with a 3" extender and a Kitson plate tag. Affordable and calorie-free, this is one tasty delight you definitely want to scoop up.

Kitson Ice Cream Necklace, $34. Visit LABuzzShop.com

Win A Year's Worth of Bond No. 9 Fragrances

Feeling lucky? Want to transfer your luck to a hard-working mother who could use a bit of pampering? Well, starting Sunday, May 3rd, you can sign one of your favorite mothers (be it your own mama, your sister, a close friend, or a co-worker) up for a chance to win a year's supply of Bond No. 9 fragrances (a new perfume bottle every month) as part of the luxury brand's Mother's Day Raffle.

To enter someone, all you have to do is walk into one of the Bond No. 9 boutiques in New York City (or visit the Bond No. 9 counter at Saks Fifth Avenue) and sign up — no purchase necessary.

A winner will be randomly selected on May 9th, and announced before the day's end, giving one lucky lady the perfect ending to her Mother's Day celebrations.

Bond No. 9 boutique locations include: 9 Bond Street, 680 Madison Avenue, 897 Madison Avenue, and 399 Bleecker Street. For more information, log on to BondNo9.com

A Perfect Match: OPI x Paige Denim "Bright Pair" Collection

Finding a perfect match is always a challenge — whether it pertains to affairs of the heart or to fashion-related scenarios. And when you do find two pieces that perfectly complement each other, you celebrate that small miracle. Judging from their newest collaboration, OPI and Paige Denim might just be soulmates.

This Saturday, May 2nd, Paige Denim will unveil the newest hues of its popular Skyline Ankle Peg and Mariposa Short styles. Each of the new hues perfectly matches one of the six new nail enamel colors in OPI Nail Lacquer's Brights collection. In fact, OPI's artistic director, Suzi Weiss-Fischman, masterminded each of the Paige Denim hues.

The classic rise, five-pocket Mariposa style will be available in pink, lavender and red hues, while the Skyline Ankle Peg, a classic rise skinny jean, will be offered up in blue, orange and brown shades.

The limited-edition Bright Pair collection will be available excusively on May 2nd at Ron Herman (8100 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles CA). From 2 pm to 4 pm, customers can shop the collection, meet OPI's Artistic Directorm Suzi Weiss-Fischman and Paige Denim founder/designer Paige Adams-Geller, enjoy complimentary manicures from OP, and even snag a free bottle of nail polish with their purchase.

Reel Style: Anya Hindmarch "Movie Money" Loose Pocket

With the Tribeca Film Festival in full effect (it ends May 3rd, so make sure to log onto TribecaFilm.com and read up on remaining movie screenings) and so many major films opening this summer (among them May's Star Trek and June's Transformers 2), Anya Hindmarch is appealing to the interests and needs of film fanatics.

This metallic blue, calf leather Loose Pocket, with its dainty scalloped edges and zippered closure, bears the words "Movie Money" along the front. Measuring 19.5 x 12.5 x 4 cm, this sleek number will keep moviegoers organized, offering them a secure place in which to place ticket stubs, ID cards and cash to spend at the box office or concession stand.

Even if critics slaughter this summer's blockbusters with vicious reviews, your Movie Money purse will always get two enthusiastic thumbs up.


Anya Hindmarch "Movie Money" Loose Pocket, $145. Available at the Anya Hindmarch boutique in New York City's Soho neighborhood (115 Greene Street; 212.343.8147) and online at AnyaHindmarch.com

Study Up: Public Library's New E-Boutique

As you admire Public Library's extensive archive of graphic tees, you'll hope you could check these designs in and out as you would do with books from a library. And while you can't just have some card stamped and proceed to borrow and return T-shirts at your liking, it's all for the best because, once you slip into one of these, you won't ever want to give it back.

Already a hit with celebrities like Beyoncé, Jessica Alba, and Hayden Panettiere, Public Library's tees feature bold, vintage-looking graphics that reference everything from '80s music to philanthropic efforts like the Samburu Project (which helps to bring water to Samburu, Kenya), and beloved fictional characters like Barbie, Snoopy, and Hello Kitty.

One of my absolute favorites is the "African Rain" design pictured above, which features a monochromatic floral backdrop, with a profile of an African woman at the forefront, with whimsical, oversize raindrops falling around her head.The woman's stacked necklaces provide the only bursts of color, immediately drawing the eye towards them. As you might have guessed from the raindrop motif, part of the proceeds from the sale of this tee benefit the Samburu Project.

Now, fans of the line no longer have to trek to niche boutiques to get their hands on some goodies. With the launch of their new e-commerce site, PublicLibraryBrand.com, all these masterpieces are just a mouse click away.

Creative types will appreciate the "Design Your Own Knit Top" feature, which allows them to customize their purchases by selecting their desired graphic, color scheme and silhouette.

Prices range from $23-$46. Visit PublicLibraryBrand.com

Home Is Where The Scent Is: New Joya for Barneys Collection

Scented plug-ins and home fragrance sprays have come a long way, but these products still lack the sophistication and the range in scents that we find in upscale reed diffusers. And, while plug-ins are limited to a contained space, reed diffusers have a much vaster reach. When you dip the reed sticks into a vessel filled with scented oil and flip them upside down, exposing the moist ends, the oil evaporates and the fragrance is wicked into the air. The result is a continuous and subtle aromatic dispensation.

New York-city based candle and home fragrance company Joya always manages to offer luxurious, titillating fragrances encased in sculptural and artistic designs. After the success of its Perfume in Porcelain and Spring Snow collections, Joya has unveiled a new limited-edition line of fragrance diffusers. Designed by Joya founder Frederick Bouchardy, the collection reinvents medical and amber boudoir bottles from the early 20th century and ink pots from 19th century England, utilizing these vintage containers as new and chic diffuser vessels. These redesigned vessels are paired with French apothecary-inspired perfume oils.

Two options are available — one for men and one for women. The feminine fragrance, "Petitgrain Sur Fleurs," contains notes of orange blossom, orange peel, jasmine and sweet almond oil. Each fragrance diffuser set also includes 10 natural reed sticks, a funnel, and a handwritten card describing the history of the "found" vintage vessel. These are all then packaged in a wooden shadowbox with a sliding glass lid.

The new Joya fragrance diffusers were unveiled over the weekend, and they're selling out quickly, with only a few dozen left. So act quickly if you want your home to have that delicious scent of a woman.

Joya "Petitgrain Sur Fleurs" Fragrance Diffuser Set, $195. Available at Barneys New York (660 Madison Avenue, New York NY). Visit Barneys.com or JoyaStudio.com for more information.

Twice As Fun: Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Shadow Creme and Eye Pencils

You don't have to fancy yourself a double agent to marvel at Estee Lauder's new Double Wear Stay-in-Place Shadow Cremes and Double Wear Stay-in-Place Eye Pencils.

What makes these products so very special? Well, let's start with the Double Wear Stay-in-Place Eye Pencils. Have you ever applied eyeliner and then caught a peek in the mirror a few hours later, only to realize the eyeliner had smudged onto your brow bone or streaked under your eyes, leaving you looking like a reject from Hole (Courtney Love's group)? With Estee Lauder's Double Wear Stay-in-Place Eye Pencils, you won't have to be concerned with smudging or streaking because, as the name implies, the color will stay in place until you're ready to whip out the makeup remover and call it a day. And, as we've come to expect from Estee Lauder products, the quality is simply superb. The eye pencils glide right onto your lids, without the least bit of abrasion. The colors, meanwhile, are rich and luscious. The Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Eye Pencils are available in Onyx, Black Plum, Bronze, Coffee, Graphite, Forest and Midnight Blue.

The Double Wear Stay-in-Place Shadow Cremes, meanwhile, are as yummy as little honey pots. With cream eyeshadows being all the rage these days, Estee Lauder ups the ante with its Stay-in-Place Shadow Cremes, which infuse your lids with a burst of shimmering color. The texture of these makes the application process a breeze — they're creamy enough to smooth over the lids but rich enough (not to mention quick-drying!), allowing these to stay in place without any streaking or messiness. The Shadow Cremes are available in a range of colors: Antique Gold, Blue Velvet, Pink Blush, Precious Jade, Ivory Lace, Vintage Violet, Lilac Petals, as well as three new limited edition hues (Golden Apricot, Sea Mist and Silver Leaf). I wholeheartedly recommend the Golden Apricot hue — it's a golden peach color with plenty of shimmer, making it perfect for glistening summer days.

See? You don't need Double Mint gum to double your pleasure and your fun!

Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Shadow Creme, $17.50. Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Eye Pencil, $19. Visit EsteeLauder.com

Hand It To Zo Skin Health's Oraser Anti-Aging Hand Care Kit

You may be the type to dig in and get your hands dirty, but we're strictly speaking in metaphors here — you wouldn't be caught dead with crud underneath those neatly polished nails! But having beautiful hands is about more than jazzy nail enamel hues or moisturized cuticles. Once the years start creeping up on you, you'll probably notice sun spots tarnishing the skin around those lovely hands, veins starting to bulge like overstuffed bellies, and wrinkles creating deep creases around your knuckles. And what's the use of all these anti-aging face creams if your hands will ultimately reveal your true age?

Well, fortunately, dermatologist Dr. Zein Obagi is attempting to erase the signs of aging along your hands with Zo Skin Health's Oraser Anti-Aging Hand Care Program. The regimen is comprised of three products: the Oraser Microder Hand Renewal, which polishes off dead skin with sugar crystals and salicylic acid, diminishes the appearance of fine lines with retinol, and moisturizes skin with shea and mango butter; the Oraser Daily Hand Repair SPF 20, which protects the skin from UV damage, locks in moisture, nourishes the skin with anti-oxidants and amino acids, and lightens existing spots with vitamin C and a patented brightening complex said to block the enzyme that triggers the synthesis of melanin; and the Oraser Overnight Hand Recovery, a super-charged treatment that packs retinol, vitamins C and E, coenzyme-10, shea butter and avocado oil to moisturize through the night, restore elasticity to sagging skin, and brighten your overall skin tone.

So what's the verdict on the results? Well, after trying the three-part program for a two-week period, you will probably notice a slight improvement in the amount of discoloration along your hands, as well as smoother skin (the Microderm Hand Renewal product is particularly efficient). That being said, I will forewarn that, if you suffer from seriously dry hands, you'll need a stronger hand moisturizer than the Oraser Daily Hand Repair SPF 20. 

Still, you'll appreciate the hands-on approach to battling age-revealing hands.

ZO Skin Health Oraser Anti-Aging Hand Care Program, $90. Available at select Nordstrom stores, the STUDIO at Fred Segal and at Nordstrom.com and ZoSkinHealth.com

Treasure Trove Clothing

Earth Day may have elapsed but that doesn't mean you should abandon your newly found environmental consciousness — if anything, you should be even more committed to greening your lifestyle. Trove Clothing is the perfect way to reinvent yourself as an avidly eco-friendly fashionista.

The Toronto-based clothing line uses 100% organic cotton and dishes out casual, funky designs such as this pink, zip-up hoodie, which has the words "Protect" emblazoned along the length of the right sleeve and features rounded edge along the waistline.

Trove "Protect" hooded sweatshirt. Available at Scoop NYC and Shop Planet Blue. Visit ShopPlanetBlue.com