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The tiki torches were lit, the Champagne was flowing, and the cocktail-hour entertainment was covered in head-to-toe paint. For its 17th annual summer benefit, the Watermill Center threw an alfresco party with an Italian title, Paradiso, and a Fellini-esque mood. It started with a transporting climb up saw grass-lined steps, past costumed “snow monkeys” handing out samples of a scent that perfumer Loc Dong had created for the occasion. Beyond the wide courtyard, guests including Calvin Klein, Marisa Berenson, and Amanda Hearst toured installations of silver-painted performers and a violinist perched up in a tree. “It’s like walking into a temple, after getting out of your car and away from your GPS,” Elise Øverland noted.
In line with that Paradiso theme, more than a few guests wore angel’s wings. But apparently, nature didn’t get the memo—it was hot as you-know-what. “We started to get bitten by mosquitoes, so it was a quick walk through the woods,” Klein reported. Later, Sharon Stone interrupted her hosting duties during dinner to announce that a bug had flown up her dress. “What an awkward moment—for the bug,” she quipped. Stone auctioned off works by Marina Abramovic and Donald Judd and got Alec Baldwin to shell out $50,000 for a private performance by Rufus Wainwright, who had belted out an a cappella version of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” to get the bidding going.
That was more than anyone was hearing from Terence Koh, who indicated with his fingers that he was on day 35 of his vow of silence. But with 600 guests packing the dinner tent, there was more than enough buzzing to go around.
—Darrell Hartman
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I’m a sucker for sales, fashion, and pretty things. Find me a great deal on something awesome, and I’m there, instantly – I can never have enough of something awesome. Every few months; however, I start to feel an extreme sense of guilt, and I want to stop shopping altogether.
Like many people, I sometimes feel like I spend too much – and I want to spend less. Then I find an awesome deal on something that I know that I will want or need, and I’ll just have to have it.
All the while, my closets are overflowing, and I’m a little paranoid – am I a shopaholic? Am I behaving excessively when I feel like I buy and buy and buy?
A recent MSN article that I read explains that nearly 1 in 20 men and women are unable to stop spending, even if it means risking finances, family, and marriage. Being a shopaholic means spending more than you can afford — for example — some people will spend up to $250 on blow drying their hair.
After reading this article, I feel a little better about my own shopping habits, but I’ll still probably cut it down a bit. Even though I live within my means, a little efficiency certainly could not hurt.
http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/savinganddebt/p58684.asp
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- Ashley Judd to Create Fashion Line
- This Weekend’s Sales & Strategies for Shopping Them
- Forever 21 Launches Maternity Clothing Line
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For whatever reason, this weekend seems to be a big weekend for clothing sales. Perhaps the tone was set by Nordstrom’s awesome Anniversary Sale, or maybe it’s just getting late enough in the summer that stores are trying to get rid of their summer items and start preparing for fall (Oh no! It’s way too soon!). 
So if you can manage to find the time, I would definitely be scoping the stores this weekend – I will be! In particular, aside from just the most expensive retailers like Nordstrom, a lot of cheaper clothing stores are having big sales as well. For example, I know H&M is running a huge sale right now. One of my friends went to her local store and bought three dresses for five dollars each! That scoop definitely got me thinking about making the trek to H&M, Forever21, and other similar large stores this weekend.
But sometimes I just find those stores so exhausting. I’ve had some bad experiences where it feels like there are just too many clothes, too many people, and too little space to actually find anything worth the while.
But over time I’ve learned a few secrets that cannot only make the experience more enjoyable, as well as a million times more successful. Feel too overwhelmed to brave the daunting clothing racks at H&M? Well here are my top three tips for making the trip amazing:
1. Wear an outfit that you can change out of easily. I absolutely hate shopping while wearing jeans, as it takes forever to take them on and off. I also frequently make the mistake of wearing my oversize men’s watch while shopping, and it always gets caught on clothes. So make things easy for yourself, pick a simple outfit and easy to take off shoes.
2. Go to the store early. In San Francisco, where I live currently, most of the stores open between 9 and 10 am. By getting there early, you can avoid crowds as well as the mess left by crowds. Going early in the morning means the store won’t be out of sizes and will have a full, clean selection to look through.
3. Try on everything that catches your eye. One of the nice things about these stores is that they give you nylon bags to throw all your clothes in. And especially in this situation, you want to try on as many things as you can, as you’ll never know what might fit.
What are your tips for making shopping at a large store bearable?
flickr.com/photos/idhren/2763787804
Related posts:
- Women’s Jackets: Holiday Weekend Style
- Weekend Style: Women’s Sweaters
- Shopping for the Perfect Brassiere
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