The ladies' paradise

Repurposing that Obama (or McCain) sign

I admit it, I'm a little behind the curve sometimes. I'm just starting to wonder what I'm going to do with those leaves piling up in my yard. I have a couple boxes of spring and summer clothes in a corner of my bedroom awaiting their annual trip up to the attic.

And two weeks after Election Day I'm beginning to think about what to do with the Obama sign that's been in my window for six months. (I may leave it up through January 20, since I live in Washington.) For those of you who hate to throw out a perfectly good political sign, here's your solution: Make it into a bird house. (I know! Why didn't we think of that?!)

Directions are from a Quebecois group, Les Fourmis (hence the images you probably don't recognize).

The birds will be happier for it!

Eco-chic: Beyond "Paper or plastic?"

Have you ever dressed to the nines (the cute jeans, the fabulous silky-wafty top, the great necklace, hell, even the killer heels) only to find yourself...... You see where I'm going with this. There are times when the perfect bag is just a little on the small side and you find yourself carrying along some stray extra thing in -- gasp! -- a plastic grocery bag!

And that will just ruin a look.

What if, instead, you had these lilliputian rolled-up, featherweight and oh-so-chic bags strategically placed, one next to the front door (for hauling dry-cleaning), a couple in the car (goodbye, CVS bag!), and one in your purse (for those still-wet-at-the ends flowers you picked up when you detoured to the farmer's market on your way home).

These bags don't try to be too cute -- they won't detract from you.

Need another reason to get them? The website that sells them, Reusable Bags, boasts, up top, a running tally of the plastic bags used so far this year. It's in the billions -- and that's just wrong.

Envirosax set of five flora reusable shopping bags ($37.95)

Spring trends

Wondering where to find a comprehensive guide to the upcoming season? Well, I found it!

How To Look Great This Season, by Brenda Kinsel ($34.95)

I first came across Brenda Kinsel last year at a conference I attended. She's the author of many books about finding your own style and a dynamic speaker. She gives some tips about what styles work, and what don't, in her e-book. They are very practical and real-world suggestions about finding what will look good on you from among the trends this season.

And recently I've been thinking a lot about ruts. (It's because a big birthday is looming, I'm sure.) Kinsel has some great rules of thumb about that.

Haven't bought new jeans in three years or more? You're in a rut!

Hit the same stores over and over again, buying the same things over and over again? Time for a change!

Wearing the same hairstyle you wore three years ago? Get over it!

What I really like is that, whereas many style folks tell you you shouldn't be wearing the same haircut and hair color you wore in college if you're over 30, I've always thought that was really self-evident. Kinsel's rules of thumb move things along a little faster, and that's appropriate. Hairstyles do change that quickly, and trends in denim certainly do.

So today -- a beautiful spring day here in Washington, perfect for reflecting on renewal and change -- take a good look in the mirror and identify one thing you can do to shake up your life and make yourself look as great on the outside as you feel on the inside. (And if you're not feeling so great on the inside, well, a pick-up in your appearance certainly can't hurt.)

Organizing your wardrobe

Isn't this a great idea -- a journal for keeping track of recent purchases, planning outfits and new purchases, and storing inspirational pictures.

Fashion Journal

Summer breaks

During graduate school, I  turned to any type of activity that would allow me to put off writing my dissertation. One project was a tiny antiques business. To find goods that I could sell, I frequently drove to an iffy neighborhood for a weekday-morning auction. One of my favorite finds was a hundred-year-old African-American doll. The other favorite was a Neiman Marcus carpet bag, made of kilim, with leather straps and sterling silver fastenings. Brand new. Sold to the highest bidder -- me -- for $25. I use it whenever I can find an excuse.

Bags like that are rare, but this one is a close runner-up, though a bit smaller (and a bit pricier than my $25 version). It would work as a capacious everyday bag, or as a weekend bag when you weren't expecting to make many costume changes.

Wine-tasting weekender ($568)