With the next Great Depression seemingly getting more and more a possibility, we are all a little afraid of what this means for our future - far beyond something like shopping.

Still, in our immediate future, we have to consider things like...the upcoming holidays.

Iconoculture, a cultural trend research company, is examining the trends in holiday giving for 2008 in light of today’s economic reality. In 2008, Americans dramatically changed the way they shop. The mortgage meltdown, the domino effect of rising petroleum prices, the trading-down trend, the adoption of a myriad of ways to save dollars at the point-of-sale — all these have forced consumers to be smarter shoppers.

Some of the trends Iconoculture’s Strategists have identified for Holiday 2008 include:

* Practical Gifting — Practicality will be the leading motivator as consumers begin their holiday shopping. Consumers still plan on buying gifts, but they won’t be spending extravagant amounts of money on purchases. Shoppers have had all year to get smart about trading down and saving dollars at the point of sale.

* Christmas, Part II — Thanks to rising airfares, holiday travel could see drastic reductions this year. The silver lining for savvy shoppers is that many who opt to stay home will also realize cost savings by buying gifts for faraway loved ones during the post-Christmas sales.

* The Cards That Keep on Giving — Gift cards will continue to be a hot item in holiday stockings, but there will be changes this year. Squeezed budgets will force more shoppers to opt for lower card values, and more gift cards will show up in cool packaging, as more consumers look to balance the simple convenience of gift cards with the restoration of gift-giving excitement.

* One for You, One for Me — Practical gifting is the 2008 holiday shopping motto, but don’t expect consumers to deny themselves completely. 2008 has been a rough year, and as it draws to a close, look for those savvy, but weary, shoppers who pinched pennies and hoarded dollars all year to think about a little indulgence. With bountiful sales and discount coupons in tow, smart consumers will use the season to dabble in a bit of personal shopping — and rationalize it as something they’ve earned.

Not since Sex and the City have I so looked forward to a movie coming out!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Check out a sneak peek of the trailer:


Who else has grown up on the books and dreamed of the day this would happen???

This fall, with the economy a mess, none of us are going to break our piggy banks, even if it means having a hot new wardrobe.

In comes Brooke Shields’ Healthy Upgrade Team. Brooke Shields, a legend in our time, and star of NBC’s hit show, Lipstick Jungle, heads a team of celebrity experts who can offer the insider star treatments and fall fashion tips but at half the cost. This team is made up of Stacey Griffiths, personal trainer to Brooke, Angelina Jolie and Nicole Kidman, and Dr. Michelle Dozier, a well-respected dentist who provides Brooke with tips on how to maintain a bright white and healthy smile. The third expert, Jeanne Yang, is the stylist to the stars, including Katie Holmes, with whom she started a clothing line.

A couple of their fall fashion tips are:

 These Boots Are Made For Walkin’
>> The low ‘shoe-booty’ is perfect as we transition from summer to fall, when the weather can be unpredictable.

Feed Your Shoe Addiction
>> ‘Shoe-booties’ can upgrade a dress or jeans into an edgy fall look and also avoids the commitment of having to buy a pair of long boots, which can be expensive.

Beauty Mojo with Jojoba Oil Benefits
>> Skip the weekly manicures and do an easy up-do in minutes.
>> Keeps cuticles soft so you can skip a few weeks between manicures and save a few bucks. It's an eye makeup remover. Soak a cotton pad or ball, and swipe over your eye shadow, liner, and mascara. Not only will your eye makeup be gently and completely removed, you'll find your lashes lush and conditioned, too. It's a hair conditioner and serum. Mix a few drops into your conditioner and rinse out. You can also put a couple of drops on your palm and apply to the ends of damp hair before blow drying - a great trick for soft strands. Or if your hair is looking dull, or frizzy, a little jojoba oil on the ends will smooth out the cuticle, making it look shiny and healthy. It's been said that the Incas used to massage jojoba oil frequently into their scalps, promoting thick and lustrous hair.

This past Spring, I moved into a super-small studio apartment (once again channeling my inner Carrie), and realized that the only way to survive my space limitations was to be a lot more frugal - about clutter! 

The truth is, I have a lot of random stuff. (And that doesn't even include my sample closet!) But I am not alone: According to a recent survey by Kijiji.com, a free local classifieds website, the average household has approximately 35 unused items sitting around the home, and American households spent an average of $3,600 acquiring these items.

So why do we do this to ourselves??? And how do we know when it's time to say goodbye?

* Hopeful Hanger-Ons – People who think they may wear their hyper-color T-shirt again should, well, think again…but also place the item somewhere visible, like the kitchen table or on top of the dresser, so that they are reminded to use it. If the item is not worn during the season, then odds are it won’t be missed.

* Sentimental Squirrels – Forget about squirreling away unused items for sentimental reasons. Sell the old camcorder to someone who can put it to good use and make new memories.

* Hectic Hoarders – Sorting through unused items can be quick and painless. For instance, if you sell them on Kijiji.com the online marketplace is easy to use – all it takes is a clear photo.

* Multi-Generational Collectors – While the sentiment is nice, odds are by the time the kids have grown up, they won’t want to wear their mother’s high-waisted pants anymore. They’ll be looking for the next big trend…hello, spacesuits!

* Antique Accumulators – As iPhone owners can attest, the longer an item is held onto, the more it devalues, especially when it comes to electronics and computers that are dependent upon new technologies.

 According to the survey, 4 in 10 of us are hoarding our excess crap - for lack of a better word! - for no good reason at all. Sell it and make some cash to spend on stuff you may actually need!

Now that fall is in the air, the leaves and our wardrobes are officially changing.

I have a bit of an obsession - of the boot variety. And then it comes to a war of wills: Aesthetically, I believe that higher the heel the better. However, with that extra inch or two comes a bit of certainty that my foot will feel ready to fall off. (Or I will want to chop it off, due to abject agony.)

If only there was a way to look great and feel comfortable without tossing my gorgeous new (but ridiculously expensive) boots to the back of my closet, I'm all over it. And recently, an interesting solution was sent my way: Skin Protectant Stick by Bodyglide reduces friction and prevents and relieves chafed, chapped or cracked skin.

This product is an anti-chafing skin protectant that is apparently used a lot by runners to prevent blisters on their feet. However, I am not remotely athletically inclined and am happy to rub it on my feet before I slip it into my plum-suede shooties. Especially if it means I'm sexily blister-free when I take said shooties off. (Which so far, it does!)