Rave Online Shopping

Hola, shivering stylistas!

Baby, it's cold outside! Perfect weather to put on flannel jammies, make a cup of hot buttered anything, and sit down with your iPad and your favorite online shopping sites! Nothing warms the heart like a package on your doorstep - and while you're remembering everyone else this holiday season, you can treat yourself to a little gift (that's my rationale and I'm sticking to it!). If you're more disciplined than I am, you can just browse...but is that REALLY as much fun?

I have some favorite online shopping sites, as I'm sure you do, but you haven't written to tell me yours, so I'm just going to share mine. Some of mine are bargains, others are pretty pricey but they're all fun and worth checking. For example, the "Mint" triplet - BeautyMint.com, StyleMint.com and JewelMint.com. You pay a monthly fee, like $29.99, and that buys you one credit. Each object then costs you a credit - at Beauty Mint it's beauty products, at StyleMint it's T-shirts and at JewelMint it's jewelry and accessories. So, in effect, you're paying $29.99 for each piece you buy, which can be quite a deal (and I've gotten some fab jewelry and Ts), or you can wait and use your credits later, or even opt out for the month and pay nothing. Lots of flexibility and choices - cool stuff. No downsides here, and lots of ups!

Two very chi-chi but fun sites are shopbop.com and net-a-porter.com. These are high end but frequently have good sales, and yours truly has scored some definite deals. I'm also a big fan of the whole enchilada, I mean, banana, as in Banana Republic, which is also Old Navy, Gap and Piperlime. Piperlime in particular has some GREAT buys on shoes and boots and shipping and returns are usually free, (these are also great sites to find gifts for others, thereby assuaging your guilt at spending on yourself! I have a whole host of gifts stocked in my closet...but only for women who wear size 9 shoes and love leopard booties!).

Fashionistas also find fun fashion (say that five times, fast!) at MyHabit.com, a discount site, and revolveclothing.com. Warning, though. Read through the site to make sure you get free shipping, free exchanges and free returns, along with no tax. Those bennies really make a difference, and you can save mucho over department store prices - READ CAREFULLY!

So, have I given you something to think about?  Or just given you the seeds of a new obsession? Either way, these sites can provide great buys, great gifts or great window shopping escape time - and all while you're wearing those warm jammies and drinking that hot butterscotch schnapps, I mean, tea. So enjoy your computer time, my savvy senoritas, and remember, trend is today, style is forever!