Sometimes T-shirts can say a whole lot-- or nothing at all. Make a statement or leave folks scratching their heads with fun graphic tees from www.threadless.com.

You can stock up on them at $5 and $10 a pop during the website's "Heatwave sale." It ends next Monday, June 8.

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We were out on the town Saturday night to check out the scene at the Las Olas Wine and Food Street Festival to benefit the American Lung Association. A sold out event, it brought the beautiful people downtown.

We snagged a great table on the boulevard and enjoyed the fashion parade strolling by. After a few minutes we had determined there was a definite trend in the South Florida fashion scene. The ladies were wearing either sexy short shorts with high heels or long summery dresses.

Heather Keir, left, of Plantation wears a long dress from Inc purchased at Macy's. Cynthia Pappas, right, is in a blue and white print Michael Kors top from Macy's. Cynthia is a smart shopper, she paired the Michael Kors top with more economical Old Navy shorts. Who would know? Her shoes are by Marc Fisher, also from Macy's.

High fashion all the way, Dianna Vontroll, left, wears Catherine Malandrino top and shorts with Christian Louboutin shoes, all from Neiman Marcus. More Catherine Malandrino designs can be found at ShopStyle.

Lisa Marcello, right, wears Theory with Stuart Weitzman shoes.

Denise Li of Miami is a savvy shopper. She got her white to pink variegated long dress from Saks Off Fifth. She buys what she likes and had no idea who designed it. We checked the label, it said Payton. Cute dress...does anyone know this designer?

The shoes are not visible with the long dresses, a good excuse for stretching the budget. No need for Manolo Blaniks here.

Hope Simmons of Fort Lauderdale wears a long dress, brown on top and floral on the bottom, by Love, from Macy's. Britt Platt of Parkland wears a cute long dress from T J Maxx, our kind of shopper.

Super Saver Kathy and Marcia "Bargain Hunter" Pounds

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Since I've been watching Michael Phelps record-breaking achievements in the Olympics this week, I've been curious about Speedo's new LZR Racer suit that he and others are wearing.

According to Speedo, "the Fastskin LZR Racer is the result of some of the most extensive research in swimwear history. Made from an ultra lightweight, low drag, water repellent, fast drying fabric, unique to Speedo, called LZR Pulse, the LZR Racer is the world’s first fully bonded swimsuit."

The benefits, they list as:
5% better oxygen efficiency, enabling swimmers to swim faster for longer**

4% faster in starts, sprints and turns**

Internal core stabiliser supports and holds the swimmer in a corset-like grip and helps them to maintain the best body position in the water for longer. The result...faster performances.

Reduces muscle oscilation and skin vibration through the world's lightest, most powerful and water repellant swim fabric. The athlete has complete freedom of movement.

I doubt whether the suit is responsible for Phelps' magnificent performance and I don't think we'll see the LZR on South Florida's beaches anytime soon, but interesting stuff. Parents, may be worth noting for your budding Olympian. -- Marcia "Bargain Hunter" Pounds

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I'm a fan of InStyle magazine http://www.instyle.com/instyle/
I'm a much bigger fan of any help that gets me to that state of fabulosity (Kimora, thank's for coining that word). So when I heard that the magazine's editors created Instant Style, I had to buy.

Although I know what looks good I don't always do justice while shopping or getting dressed (there have been a few fashion faux paux). If your fashion impairment has to do with putting an outfit together, then start turning these pages.

The book's useful layout is full of pictures and explainations on what works for different body types. There are tips on wardrobe pieces that are a must.

These suggestions won't be soon outdated because as every fashionista knows, classic pieces of clothing, shoes and accessories are timeless. Not that your wardrobe doesn't need the occasional update, but if you invest wisely, purchases go a long way.

The book retails for $29.95 at major book stores like Barnes & Nobles http://www.barnesandnoble.com/index.asp but there is currently an online offer for $23.96 and members pay $21.56. Check Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/ for prices ranging from $19.77 or less for used copies.

Wishing you a stylish life,
Heather.

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It's no surprise that I would choose one of my favorite stores for my first entry. With at least ten South Florida locations for your shopping delight, White House I Black Market http://www.whitehouseblackmarket.com/store/home.jsp
is a must for classic clothes and accessories that fit so well it's like the pieces are custom made.

What's even more attractive to me is the store's sale rack, I'm talking up to 50% off . The website has a constant supply of sale items.
If you sign up to become Black Book member, you get an extra 5% off all purchases plus free shipping. Then there's the extra 5% off you get for your birthday.

Here are a few of my favorites from the website's sale items.
This Watersberry Bustier is 100% silk and only $39.99.

Or how cute is this Grand Scales Bracelet, priced at $19.99

Let me know what favorites you find for yourself.

Heather.

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Better hope your air conditioner doesn’t need to be replaced in the next few months. They’re considered “seasonal items” and many retailers don’t carry them until summertime. I guess South Florida home improvement stores figure people are out buying winter coats.

Did you know this? Well, I didn’t. So you can image my frustration when I tried to get a new one this week.

My father is coming to visit next Tuesday, and the apartment needs to feel like a walk-in freezer otherwise he starts getting cranky. My air conditioning unit makes loud banging noises and a thick block of ice forms on the coils after running for an hour or so. No air, whatsoever, emits from the darn thing.

The last time dad was in town he de-iced the machine with a hair dryer for 45 minutes in hopes of getting it to work again. He was not happy about this, of course, and gave me a lecture about “taking care of these things.” But like many thin-blooded South Floridians I don’t use the air conditioner much from October to March, so I never talked to my landlord about getting it replaced.

Alas, with pops coming to town I needed to do something – and quick. My landlord gave me the green light to replace the unit and I went to Home Depot Wednesday to make the purchase and have it installed. Lo and behold, a sales associate told me he had none. Zip. Zero. Nada.

I thought this man was either joking, too lazy to check or absolutely incompetent when it came to the merchandise in his store. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” I said. “We live in South Florida, and you’re telling me you don’t have a single air conditioning unit in this entire store?”

After three Home Depot sales associates called air conditioners “seasonal items” and said I would be hard-pressed to find one at any of their South Florida stores, I demanded an explanation. One customer service representative overheard my frustration and said he thought there might be a few in storage. But he needed a SKU number to locate them.

“How am I supposed to have a SKU number when I can’t even look at one?” I said.

He shrugged.

“Forget it,” I said. By the time these associates get the units down from their hiding place my apartment will freeze over.

“I would suggest going to Sears,” the associate said.

I thanked him for being “helpful.” And turning on my heel, I walked out, got into my car and drove directly to Sears.

A nice salesman named Walter educated me on the intricacies of air conditioning units. Who knew there were so many options? By eyeballing the choices, I took a wild guess about what I needed and asked him to check the stock before I left the store with my homework assignment of tape measuring, etc.

“We might not have any,” he said. “They’re seasonal items.”

Yes. I’m aware of this.

“But I’ll check for you,” Walter said.

“Thanks.”

Well the Sears home improvement Gods must have been in my corner, because there were eight in the store. I thanked Walter and went home to measure. Yesterday, I went to Sears and charged $529 on my credit card. I got a call from the installers this morning: The darn thing arrives tomorrow. Hooray! Dad’s going to be happy with the thermostat blowing fierce at 70 degrees. I’m going to freeze for a week.

At least I don’t have to step foot in Home Depot until hurricane season.

What do you guys think? Should stores stock air conditioners this time of year?

-- Jaclyn Giovis, Staff Writer

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Checking in from the O.C. because, like it or not, the West Coast eats Florida's lunch on trends.
So what's big here? Ridiculously tight jeans on guys. Some people call 'em "emo jeans" because Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz wears 'em (reportedly girl's jeans).
The trend was started by, of all people, skateboarders, and many skate companies are selling teeny little jeans for teeny little guys, like these Volcom Sheckler jeans, named for teenage skateboarding whiz Ryan Sheckler.
Maybe it'll only catch on over here because the weather's so awesome. Seriously, can you imagine wearing these things in our hot, sweaty weather?
-- G.G.S.

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