TheClick

Domestic Goddess Mom

Type in “cookware” and a myriad of great cooking sets come up, going into the thousands of dollars. Dad might have to chip in here, BUT there is a very affordable 12 piece set is from TARGET, a grey anodized cookware set by KitchenAid – think of how much better your breakfast will be!

Another genius, but rather expensive gift, is an espresso set – what mom doesn’t love great java? The best is the Saeco Odea GO automatic espresso maker, which is $599.99 on WHOLE LATTE LOVE (worth the price just to check out a site with that name!). But the DeLonghi combo coffee and espresso maker is just $239.00 from HOMEVISIONS.COM.

FLOWERS
This is your easiest option and a good last minute lifesaver: got to TheFind.com, type in “flowers,” and FTD.COM has two great options: the Heart of Hearts arrangement for $197.99, or the Fabled FTD Mothers’ Day flower bouquet in shades of pink for $45.99.

VASES
There’s a wealth of pretty vases on TheFind, but my two faves are the Murano Orange Scarf Vase (THE color of the season) for $99.99 at SMART BARGAINS.

The Lenox ecru carved posey vases are $29.95 for a set of 3 at BOSCOV’S – these are small and would look great on a kitchen shelf.

Warm and Fuzzy Mom

NIGHTGOWNS: Some moms want slip styles (Diesel, white slip nightgown, YOOX, $30.00), some want soft and comfy (LAND’S END short sleeve regular knee length t shirt style, $25-$30), some want super comfy (SERENE COMFORT, Calida Long sleeve dream cotton knit, $68.50).  Or get all three.

PAJAMAS:  Type in “Women’s Pajamas” on TheFind.com and a wonder assortment comes up. I love Bed Head’s PJ set in sage flowers – (it’s subtle and pretty, and can work for Mother’s Day or Christmas Day, and is even fedex man proof - $199 on ZAPPOS.COM). A cuter hipper pair is the scanty white vintage set on BLUEFLY that has fun colors, short sleeves and cropped pants – this is for a younger mom - $49. And groove-ster mom will like the mismatched purple and brown 3 piece set on Overstock.com called “Little Mis Matched” for only $11.99!

SLIPPERS: Type in “Women’s Slippers” and there are chic ones and fuzzy ones, perfect for summer or winter or both. I like my tootsies rather overheated, so my  vote goes to the Old Friend Scruff fur lined suede slips on Piperlime.com ($36) in chestnut. The shaggy tex moc slippers in plum on EASTERN MOUNTAIN SPORTS ($36) are also warm and plush. But a more bare style is the acorn caftan thong slipper in pink ($50 at  OnlineShoes.com) – these are perfect for running out to Starbuck’s or driving little Mindy to school. Daniel Green has a chic blue slipper that’s very Cinderella in the Sky Pattern and a nice terrycloth out-of-the-shower style in many colors on B A MASON for $29.88.

What becomes your Mother most?

There are all kinds of moms, to be sure – but shopping for mom can often be harder than shopping for your friends, siblings, lovers and spouses. A generic shower gift or anything at a registry is a snap compared to actually having to THINK about what to buy Mom. Books and music won’t cut it. So I’ve divided my "mom" shopping advice into several categories, that show how you think about your mom, and how you categorize her. And trust me, she’s sure to notice. Is there anything mom misses? Only when you don’t get her a gift on Mother’s Day!!!!!!

Smoke Grey Frothy Gowns

Scarlett Johanssen's Dolce & Gabbana strapless gown was very reminiscent of Carrie's opening dress in "Sex and the City" - made of soft crinkled chiffon, and the skirt full of tulle and looking like a ballerina - but it was the soft smoke color that really caught the eye (and her new engagement ring, courtesy of fiance Ryan Reynolds). Julia Roberts also donned the smokey hue, in a silver Armani off the shoulder column with a sprinkle of beads. When our eyes are so used to black, it's striking and usual to come upon soft grey. Think of it as summer black.

Type in "GREY GOWNS" on TheFind.com, and let smoke get in your eyes:

-Aspesi women has a long lace dress for $444 on Yoox
- There is a long grey Grecian style gown with a deep V neck, a knot at the waist, and silky pleats in a hundred percent viscose for $471 at Anastasia.
- And a long patterned strapless grey gown is $277 on Sequin Queen.

Hit the "Dept. Store" box, and here's some lovely modern options:
A Laundry gown for $244.99 at Bloomingdale's, and a long grey skirt which can be worn with any style camisole or lace top, for $159 at Bloomingdales.

Who said everyone can't be a Superhero - or Superheroine?

Pale Blue Gowns

Color - particularly pastels - is the big statement for summer black tie. Jennifer Lopez's seafoam one shoulder Alberta Ferretti chiffon gown looked like cascading water, like she could have been standing in a waterfall. Eva Mendes wore a pale turquoise Calvin Klein satin gown with an assymetrical hem that dipped onto the floor on one side, and hit the top of her shoes on the other.

Type in "PALE BLUE GOWNS" on TheFind.com and all those water-y sky-blue dresses will have you wanting to wear the shade of a robin's egg right away. Here's what we like:

- Informal Bridal Gowns has a close-to-the-body style for $298 at Ella Park Bridal
- It's called "Wedding Dress Style Number DM064," but it's a lovely bustier pale blue gown from Elegant Gowns for $159.
- But if you want to go Big Time Designer, there is an Emanuel Ungaro floral print blue silk gown for $1996 (a great price for an Ungaro gown) at Designer Expo

Now, hit the "ebay" box - a formal prom gown in pale blue comes up for $24.99, and a pale blue vintage lace gown with long sleeves is $30. You can't do better than those prices!!!!!!

Peachy Pink Gowns

Supermodel Gisele Bundchen wore a peachy pink satin cut out Versace gown that clung to her curves. Beyonce wore a similar color -so girly and feminine - by Armani, with a ruffle down the front. And Christina Ricci donned a Givenchy gown that gradiated from red to the palest pink, built over a strapless bustier, in pleated delicate chiffon.

Type in PALE PINK GOWNS on TheFind.com and find these beauties:

    - A frothy vintage strapless gown with tulle skirt, $135 on Babylon Mall
    -  A bridesmaid style strapless pale pink perfect gown for $149 at Elegant Gown
    -  An informal bridal gown, which is perfect for black tie and does not scream "bridal" at all - fitted, and the perfect shade of pale pink, $283 from Ella Park Bridal
    -  The headline reads "Colorful Day Dress Series," but this pink rose slinky dress looks dressy enough for evening, $167.99 from Good Orient

If you refine your search to "Department Stores," Neiman Marcus offers a lace bolero with a pale peach strapless gown for $585 - the detail in the fabric is amazing, and so is the cut. Then, for a deeper rose like the shade in Christina Ricci's Givenchy, David Meister's Ombre Silk dress is $688 at Nordstrom -and it's stunning!!!

Gowns worthy of a Superheroine

Last weekend, "Iron Man" opened to huge accolades and huge box office - another summer kicked off by a giant superhero blockbuster. It isn't the first time and it won't be the last. Superheroes are embedded in the American culture.

Well, art imitated life -or at least, movies  - on Monday night in New York. The Metropolitan Museum in Manhattan staged its once a year blockbuster, "The Met Ball"- a celebration of the Met's Costume Institute, begun by Diana Vreeland years ago, which stages a major exhibition of historical clothes every year. The exhibition this year is "Superheroes" - very Hollywood -and indeed, the ball was hosted by Vogue's Anna Wintour (in a wild twisted and coiled Chanel couture white gown), along with Giorgio Armani - infusing it with taste, George Clooney and Julia Roberts.

With those hosts, there was no doubt the big guns were showing up: Jennifer Lopez, The Beckhams, Scarlett Johanssen, Tom and Katie, Beyonce, and every supermodel and actress you could shake a power stick at. It is quite simply the Oscars of the fashion business -with some serious fashion afoot.

Sure, there were over-the-top gowns (that ballgown look with miles of fabric just looks WRONG), but there were some sleek beauties, too, and some new blacktie trends just in time for wedding and prom season. Coming next is a list of our favorites, and a way to find similar looks on TheFind.com for a fraction of the cost.

The Birth of Earth Day

“Green” used to be a word reserved just for Earth Day – but now you hear it every day. Elle Magazine just dedicated their entire May issue to green clothing lines, non-leather shoe lines, and beauty products that help save our depleted environment. Vanity Fair has done all-green issues, too. Let’s face it – what’s the good of dressing chic and looking fabulous if the environment is being wreaked havoc on? Fashion and shopping take on a whole new meaning – as does narcissism – when the air and water and climate are in such global peril. No one can afford not to be green. Strike out this earth day. Paint your toes green, wear recycled clothes, and conjure Al Gore.

And in our celebrity driven culture, it’s reassuring to know that celebs are very increasingly involved and some  - like Leo DiCaprio, George Clooney, Adrian Grenier, and Cameron Diaz – have been supporting green projects for many years. In fact, get ready for many more environmental documentaries along the lines of  “The Eleventh Hour” and “And Inconvenient Truth” – Disney this week created an environmental wing to product only environmental docs.

At the Sundance Film Festival, TheFind and TheFindGreen had a chance to speak with some celebrities about the personal efforts they are making to make the earth a better place:

ADRIAN GRENIER
The “Entourage” star is so passionate about the environment, he recently teamed up with Leo DiCaprio to support ForestEthics, an organization devoted to saying endangered woodlands by curtailing the mailing of junk mail. “Can you imagine how many trees would be saved if there was less junk mail?” he told us at Sundance, where he and his band The Honey Brothers played a set. “And I have this advice for all the fashion people,” he added. “Wearing vintage clothes is inherently green – so keep doing it!” He also attended The Evidence of Evolution Fashion Show at Smashbox in LA in October, to support their recycled fabric line of tops, skirts, pants and jackets, available at Barneys.

MISCHA BARTON
“I did a campaign with Orlando Bloom and Kevin Bacon,” Mischa told us in Sundance, donning a recycled cotton beanie hat by Zola Hats, “for Climatestar.org, which was about the fact that there are six million kids in the U.S. with asthma, which is constantly made worse by global warming. It helps just to use less energy in your house – keep your lights turned off in rooms you aren’t using.”

SARAH JESSICA PARKER
The “Smart People” and “Sex and the City” star confided that she now drives a Toyota Prius.

PARIS HILTON
One way I recycle,” Paris told us at Sundance this year, “is that I give outfits away all the time to fans and friends. If any of my friends writes to me or tells me they liked a certain look, I immediately give it to them or mail it to them. That way, it keeps vintage clothes in circulation.”

And TheFind.com spoke to a number of other stars about their environmental efforts:

KATE HUDSON
“I never though I would lend my name to a fashion or beauty product, even though I’ve been asked several times over the years,” Kate Hudson told us recently. But when she was invited to partner her up with her L.A. based hairstylist, David Babaii (who has been tending to the locks of the stars for years), she finally said yes – because it’s called WILDAID, and ten percent of the haircare product line, which will be distributed this summer for starts, will go to the global wildlife conservation organization Wildaid. They work with governments and communities to try and reverse the wildlife devastation across the planet. Their mission is to end the illegal wildlife trade within our lifetime and strive for a world in which local communities can improve their lives without destroying their environment.  “I would never put my name on something I didn’t use myself,” says Hudson, who will also appear in the ad campaign.. “These products smell amazing and make your hair really healthy and fresh without depleting the environment, without animal testing – and they really are the best things I’ve ever used. Smell my hair! I’ve got our new hairspray on.” Sure enough, it smelled fruity and delicious, and looked pretty great, too.

CHRISTINA RICCI
“I’m using as many green and earth friendly products for beauty purposes and around my house as I can,” the “Speed Racer” actress told us. “And I’ve always loved vintage clothes, which is very convenient!”

NATALIE PORTMAN
The actress recently created a non-leather shoe line because she refuses to wear anything that has come from animals. In conjunction wit Te Casan, a percentage of the line goes to charity.

GWYNETH PALTROW
Not only is she a practicing vegan, Gwyneth is a fan of
the French bath line Patyka,- the organic luxury bath line features face and body skin care as well as perfumes that do not use silicone, petroleum, PEG, parabens, phenoxyethanol or any synthetic matierials that are harmful to your skin or the environment. GP is such an environmental activist is so many ways that she and her mother Blythe Danner were honored by the Environmental Media Association recently – as was Edward Norton.

GREAT EARTH DAY SHOPPING TIPS:

If you feel like shopping this Wednesday, do the earth a BIG favor, and do it on TheFindGreen.com. Even things like nail polish and hair products that are environmentally safe can make a big difference. Here’s some suggestions that can be found on TheFindGreen.com:

TYPE IN “NAIL POLISH” –
And Edible Nature has polishes by Honeybee Gardens for $5.67. Herbaltrader.com features Suncoat Water Based Nail Polish (in Magic Purple) for $7.05. And Greenfeet.com has Corn and Soy based Nail Polish remover for $5.95 – how cool is that? It probably smells a ton better than the usual polish remover.

TYPE IN ‘HAIR PRODUCTS” –
Herbtrader.com sells Jason Natural Cosmetics Hair Styling Products with Aloe Vera for $6.28. The amazing line of Dr. Hauschka hair products is available on the New London pharmacy. Evitaminstore sells Mode de Vie products, Me and Minime has Nature’s Baby Hair Care Products, and Onewithearth.com sells Chemical Free Products for around $35.

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Merle Ginsberg is a bestselling author and internationally-renowned fashion, culture and entertainment journalist, who also contributes to TheClick fashion blog.

HOT NEW COUPLE ALERT!!!

THEFIND AND ELLE.COM HAVE HOOKED UP BIG TIME!!

There's about a zillion ways to shop on TheFind.com, as you probably know - whether it's by item, price, chic shopping neighborhoods (Rodeo Drive and Madison & Fifth Avenues), or even by color. (I wanted a red trench coat and found several, in price ranges from about 50 dollars up to a thousand today, and it saved me driving from store to store for hours.)

And now there's another, even more specific shopping option. TheFind and Elle.com have created a synergy on Elle's website: just go to Elle.com and punch the "Elle Shopping Guides" link. Once on the Elle Shopping Guide, go to SEARCH ONLINE STORES, and there is a brand new Elle-edited branch of TheFind, which includes all kinds of items from two hundred stores that Elle features in the magazine. You get all the benefits of TheFind, edited down by Elle. You just type the thing you want in the box, and you can refine by price ($120 up to $1700) - or by store (Saks, Neimans, Bergdorf's, etc). There is even a viewing option in which you can choose the order in which your items come up (lowest up to highest price, etc.) It's a super-shopper's dream come true, and it sure is THIS super-shoppers dream come true.

Now, this is a hot new couple I can get behind - cause they obviously have a whole lot in common other than simply looking good. We won't be reading about their breakup in US Magazine anytime soon.

The April issue of Elle, just out, concentrates heavily on a whole new jacket and pant style look. New tailored jackets, with sharply cut silhouettes and colorations - these are not your old preppy blazers, although some combine elements of prep with Parisien chic. One jacket on the pages of Elle shown is black stripe on white background by Smythe ($595)- type in "Smythe jackets" in TheFind's highlighted box, and all kinds of tantalizing shapes come up for spring: Smythe's pale grey "tulip coat" for $395 at Saks is long and rounded with tight sleeves. The Smythe "trumpet sleeve" jacket is $570 in a beautiful turquoise at Saks. Just by adding these two jackets to your already existing wardrobe will launch your black pants, white shirts and grey dresses into spring with aplomb. (Plums, too, which will be in season shortly).

Another Elle fave is a yellow plaid blazer by Brit designer Luella Bartley ($450). Type in "blazers" in a lit box, and a huge array of this slightly boxy, but still fitted, topper that looks very now with your skinny jeans, a white shirt or t, or over a vest and the new jophur style trouser. The $25 Old Navy grey blazer is killer for the price. Polo Jeans has a black blazer with a black and white trim that looks oh-so Balenciaga, for $138 at Yoox. Yoox has some especially good buys on classics that are great for now, and great for later: a Krizia jeans wheat colored blazer for $340, a brown MaxMara cinced at the waisted for $390, and an Acne jeans black blazer with bell sleeves for $318.

Elle's spring jacket faves featured in April are by YSL, so try typing in "YSL jackets." A pale grey beauty ($3345.00 Neiman Marcus) has the incredibly cool combo of a nipped waisted and short embellished sleeves. A pale khaki short sleeved safari number that's belted (safari being a big Elle trend for spring, and as Yves St. Laurent might have said, "Safari is forever") for $1700 at Bergdorf Goodman. Elle's hottest trend of the season, the sleeveless jacket, can be found also at BG, the "boyfriend jacket" for $2160. - MG

Tom Ford Frames

Tom Ford, since leaving Gucci and YSL, a few years back, has been doing a sunglass line under his own name - and they’re so unique and cool and well-designed.  Large, often cat-eyed, or with unique details. My absolute faves are “Anouk”($300.00 – type in in “Tom Ford sunglasses,” and they come up at Bloomingdale’s- I have them in both black and tortoise, and they seem the closest of any frame I’ve seen to Audrey Hepburn window peeping in “Breakfast in Tiffany’s.” But the “Jennifer” is also cool ($310 at Kitson), so is “Isabella” ($340 at Neiman Marcus) and the “Whitney” may be the best choice for absolute status staring: the frames are oval, but the lenses are more square, so they don’t completely meet, giving the impression of floating in the frames. H-O-T, and immediately recognizable as “Tom Ford Chic.”