Complete Style While Dressing Petite

While it can be a comforting idea to be able to walk into a store and buy clothes off the rack, the range of sizes that most stores offer simply doesn't suit every body type.

For example, many petite women (under 5'4") have difficulty finding clothes that are fitted properly for them. Most end up having to shorten sleeves or pants, or otherwise have them tailored. Fortunately, there's a convenient new option that keeps petite customers in mind.

PetiteSophiticate.com offers stylish looks for work, including structured career separates. Coordinating jackets, pants and skirts are paired with soft shirts, knit sweaters and twin sets for a complete career wardrobe that does not require a trip to the tailor. Customers can also choose from styles in career, casual, sleepwear and select leather outerwear.

PetiteSophiticate.com is part of the company's grand expansion plan, with growth to several retail stores over the next few years. To learn more, visit PetiteSophiticate.com.

With a new online resource designed for them, petite women can now enjoy the convenience and selection of Internet shopping. Welcome to a whole new world of style & savings from a petite point of view. Now through 4-30-08 shop PetiteShopisticate.com and take 25% off $75. Plus returns are FREE!

Save Time And Money - Do-It-Yourself

Sometimes it easier and cheaper to do it yourself. A little hands-on information can help you be more handy at home and save time and money in the process. That advice is found in the new "Do-It-Yourself" series from For Dummies, which guides homeowners through common fixes and projects with efficiency, accuracy and confidence.

Do-It-Yourself Plumbing for Dummies covers all things plumbing related--from the kitchen faucet to the bathroom shower.

Readers can learn how to unclog a toilet or sink; caulk a sink or tub; replace or repair a sink sprayer; repair a leaking tank or faucet; install a garbage disposal, dishwasher or water purifier and deal with noisy, burst or frozen pipes.

Do-It-Yourself Painting for Dummies provides advice on tackling more than 50 of the most common and unique painting projects and fixes. Readers learn how to find the right tools, select a color and style of paint, prime or prep a wall, ceiling or floor and even paint over wallpaper. A range of finishings and techniques are covered.

Pick up one of these books and start your home improvement yourself.

Top 2008 Travel Destinations

From big-city fun to rural relaxation, from places that test your mental and physical mettle to getaways that fly below the radar, Frommer's travel experts have compiled their list of the top travel destinations for 2008. They are (in no particular order):

• Pittsburgh, Pa.-Steel City U.S.A. turns 250 in 2008 and will celebrate with sports events, art fairs, and the Pittsburgh Biennial.

• Denver, Colo.-Sunny weather, the Rocky Mountains and 650 miles of urban bike paths make this a perfect spot for active travelers.

3-Day Sale: Round-Trip Flights to Denver starting at only $103

• New Orleans, La.-Put your money to good use by helping out and having fun in The Big Easy.

• The American Whiskey Trail-Visit the sites of the early Whiskey Rebellion in Pennsylvania and tour George Washington's Mt. Vernon Estate in Virginia.

• Exit Zero-The last exit on the Garden State Parkway leads to quaint boardwalk towns like Cape May, Ocean City and Wildwood.

Take 50% Off Weekend Rentals with AVIS

• Essaouira, Morocco-See why Jimi Hendrix, Orson Welles and other notables spent time in this Atlantic coastal town.

Easy Escapes to Europe: Hotels from $99

• Cardiff, Wales-This thriving cosmopolitan center is home to a 2,000-year-old castle and the modern Wales Millennium Centre. For more information buy Frommers England 2008 (Paperback) (Mixed Media).

Visit Travelocity for all your European Vacation destinations and Package deals

• St. Lucia-Party in fishing villages or snorkel and dive in the protected reefs of this Caribbean island. For more information buy: Frommers 2008 Caribbean (Paperback) (Perfect).

Paradise Found: Caribbean Hotels from $98

• Quito, Ecuador-500-year-old churches sit alongside modern buildings brimming with restaurants and nightlife.

• Romania-Take a seven-day hiking tour through the Carpathian Mountains.

• Seoul, South Korea-Stroll the green spaces in Namsan and trawl the all-night markets in Dongdaemun.

• Bras d'Or Lakes, Nova Scotia-Spy bald eagles from a kayak, visit small towns rich in cultural history, and behold long stretches of undeveloped shoreline.

• Kosrae, Micronesia-Slipped in between Hawaii and the Philippines, this island is one of the most beautiful in the world.

Book a Flight and 3 Nights+ and Save $75 on a Trip to Vancouver! PROMO CODE: VANCOUVER75

Look More Glamorous In Less Time

Celebrity makeup artist Nick Barose--who honed his "speedy sultry looks" and "on-the-go glam expertise" working on such beauties as Katherine Heigl, Kerry Washington and Mischa Barton--offers some tried-and-true timesaving makeup tips to cut your beauty routine in half:

• Prep now, save time later. Taking the time to prep the skin is the most important step in your beauty routine and should never be skipped. Barose recommends Clarins Face Care Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch Makeup Base for Women to quickly hide fine lines, disguise pores and even skin tone in a matter of seconds, saying, "The best way to ensure a fast and flawless makeup job is to start on a smooth palette."

• Get the glow all over. For a natural glow on both cheeks and lips, try a double-duty stain and apply it before foundation or tinted moisturizer so the color appears to emanate from the skin.

• Simplify your coverage. An oil-free tinted moisturizer with an SPF like, Laura Mercier - Oil Free Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20,of at least 15 can take care of moisturizing, light coverage and UV protection in just one step. Barose blends a small amount over the entire face to hydrate skin while lightly covering imperfections. "Makeup should enhance, not cover up who you are," Nick explains. "Tinted moisturizers improve the health of the skin without adding a heaviness or caked-on look."

• Double-team your lashes. Barose says, "Makeup really looks done when your eyelashes are done, but it doesn't have to take more than one step." You can skip the eyelash curler step and save precious time with a lengthening mascara that curls lashes as it lengthens them.

• Finish fast. "Apply Clarins Lip Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector on your way out the door," Barose advises. "It's soft and sheer and the two shades look great on everyone. You just can't go wrong." The combination of this sheer gloss over the lip stain will give lips a polished look that looks as if it took all day.

Only you have to know your makeup took just minutes.

Choose products that multitask and you can look like you spent hours applying makeup--in only minutes.

Blu-Ray & HD DVD - What was the Hullabaloo?

On February 19, 2008, news organizations announced that Blu-Ray won the high definition dvd format yearlong battle against Toshiba. To some this was great news. But I realize many folks have no idea what they were talking about. What battle you ask? Here is the scoop:

Sony Corporation developed the Blu-Ray format which produces super high quality images, sound etc. when watched on a high definition television (HDTV) (FYI - it doesnt make a difference on regular tvs). Toshiba developed a competing format called HD DVD. History predicted that there would be only one winner as this is not the first time two company's battled for home theater superiority.

In the 80's, Sony developed the Betamax format which lost the battle against the VHS format. VHS reigned for over 15 years before the Laser Disc format (remember Laser disc? It looked like a record album) was developed and shortly thereafter the DVD was developed. Of course, you know that DVD won that battle leaving all of the early consumer adopters of the Laser Disc in the dust (meaning Laser Disc players with no new Laser Discs to watch!

Just like the Laser Disc folks - the early adopters of HD DVD are now being left in the dust. All of the movie studios are going to produce home entertainment videos in the Blu-Ray format. Both Best Buy and Walmart have chosen to sell only the Blu-Ray formats (as well as DVDs of course).

What does this mean to you? Well if you have HDTVs you will want to watch movies in high definition. It is now safe to purchase a Blu-Ray player now that there is a clear winner in the high def format. Sony offers the players a few ranges but they will be selling their technology to other manufacturers to make Blu-Ray players as well. If you own a Sony Playstation 3 or a recent Sony Vaio laptop - good news they come with Blu-Ray technology already built.


If you want to play catch up, here are some Blu-Ray Players offered by Sony:


Razor sharp detail and sound. Save $100 now on the high definition BDP-S500 Blu-ray Disc™ player from Sony. Shop Now Sonystyle.com




Blu-ray Disc Player BDP-S300$399.99





REFURBISHED - VAIO FZ Series Notebook PCwith Blu-ray Disc$1299.99


Blu-ray Blowout - Starting at $16! Get Memoirs of a Geisha, Casino Royale, The Patriot, and More!

Tried-And-True Household Tricks Often Work Best

(NAPSI)-Cars are parallel parking themselves, digital picture frames practically hold short films and living rooms are vacuumed by robots. Still, the whole world hasn't gone high tech.

In fact, when it comes to dealing with many of life's more mundane housekeeping tasks--removing discoloration from glassware, say--lifestyle expert Sissy Biggers says the old-fashioned methods are best.

"High-tech solutions are great, but it's the tried-and-true household tricks that have stood the test of time," says Biggers, the creator and host of "A Big Life With Sissy Biggers" on msn.com.

Her answer to the discoloration problem, by the way? Soaking them in white vinegar and salt. Here's a look at some of Biggers' other favorites:

Chilling Wine

Use a cold compress from the freezer to preserve the chill on a bottle of wine. Just wrap it around the bottle, secure it with a rubber band, and drape the bottle with an attractive towel if you're entertaining.

Protecting Boots

It may sound odd, but after you drink the wine, put the empty bottles in your boots. They'll help them keep their shape--without stretching them out--and keep your closet looking organized.

Dryer Sheets

Biggers says there's a good reason that nearly 39 percent of us use dryer sheets for other purposes.

"The sheets are completely versatile," she explains. "You can put a Bounce sheet in your shoes or in your closet to keep them smelling nice. Or if you're hitting the gym, you can throw a sheet in your bag to keep it from smelling like the locker room."

There's even a Web site--www.bounceeverywhere.com--that lists dozens of different uses for the sheets. Those who visit the site and share their unique uses for dryer sheets could have their story made into an advertisement. And in tribute to looking clean and smelling fresh, every week one lucky Bounce user will be selected to receive a month of free cleaning service for their home.

Storing Earrings

As a final tip, Biggers says there's an easy way to keep from misplacing earrings: Loop them through buttonholes. That way you'll know exactly where to find them, whether at home or while traveling.

Check out these handy household gadgets that make life easier!


OXO Steel Salad Spinner


OXO GOOD GRIPS Swivel Peeler


6 Pc Stainless Steel Set


Zyliss 4-in-1 Slicer and Grater

Spring Fashion Shopping NOW at Macys.com

The winter months are still here, but there is no reason to wait til spring to start shopping for warmer weather clothes. Macy's has a President's Day sale AND a one day sale. Plus if you shop online because the the magic of spring is at Macy's! FREE SHIPPING with a purchase of regular-priced women's clothing. Valid 19-Feb-08 through 21-Feb-08. And let me tell you there are some cute tops, dress and handbags for the spring. Click below on a few trendy items available now at macys.com:



Michael Kors Brookville Bowling Bag



AGB Cropped Jacket



Sele Striped Flutter-Sleeve Sweater



BCX Square-Neck Striped Sweater

Cute Spring Clothing in Plus-Sizes

Calvin Klein Jeans Woman Open Shawl-Collar Cardigan



Nine West Woman Printed Surplice Dress



Sele Plus Sizes Belted Charmeuse Shirtdress