Glamour On A Budget
My friend Virginia Postrel of Deep Glamour asked me for glamorous gift ideas for people on a budget, who hope to avoid the Black Friday insanity. Here are my suggestions:

For safe glamour, I'll pass along a recommendation from my good friend Sergeant Heather, keychain pepper spray. If you're wearing high heels and a slinky dress, you aren't going to be able to outrun a mugger, and if blinding him with your beauty doesn't cut it, a red pepper schpritz in the eyes should do quite nicely.

For unwrinkled glamour, I recommend the best sunblock on the market, Anthelios #60 pour la visage. That's "for the face," in French, and if you don't want yours to look like an Hermes lizard handbag by the time you're 50, this is the stuff to slather on. (It also helps to live like a bat, and carry my big banana leaf umbrella whenever you leave the house during daylight hours.)

For people not on a budget, here are Amazon's Black Friday Week Deals deals. If you buy through this link, I'll get a kickback from all your purchases, which I truly appreciate, and especially now, in the downturn in newspapers.

Finally, because good manners never go out of style (and neither does earning back one's book advance), I recommend my book, I SEE RUDE PEOPLE: One womans' battle to beat some manners into impolite society...which is published today!

Shouldn't you call that a parasol if you're taking for sun protection? Perhaps 'tis a distinction no longer worth making. (sigh)
Also, if one enters Amazon through your link but traipses around for a while before finding the product to be purchased, do you still get the spiff? If so, I'll use your link every time I go on the 'Zon to feed my gummi habit.

BlogDog at November 27, 2009 7:12 AM

Amy Alkon

http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2009/11/27/deep_glamour_gi.html#comment-1679308">comment from BlogDog

It's really an umbrella, great in the rain, so I called it that. I use it as a sun umbrella.

And yes, thanks for asking, if you go through my link, I get the credit - and truly appreciate that!

Amy Alkon at November 27, 2009 7:23 AM

After your comment, I clicked the link and I see what you mean. It is an umbrella per se. It's also *extremely* cool looking!
You got style, no one can deny.

BlogDog at November 27, 2009 8:28 AM

Amy Alkon

http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2009/11/27/deep_glamour_gi.html#comment-1679316">comment from BlogDog

Thanks, BlogDog. And best of all, while it isn't really cheap, it's a nice-quality umbrella, and I've had mine for about 10 years. I learned this from the French -- to buy a few quality things that last rather than lots of cheap things. Of course, I get my quality things that last on sale in January and August and on eBay for $10 or $20 (and sometimes things that cost hundreds new). The evening dress I wore in the Psychology Today serial of my book was one I bought (either at National Liquidators or Daffy's, both stores in NYC) on sale for $19.99!

Amy Alkon at November 27, 2009 8:40 AM

Be careful of tat Pepper Spray if you live in my state, Massachusetts.

Carrying Pepper Spray without a permit issued by your local Police Chief is against the law.

I feel so much safer than the rest of you rubes in "less enlightened"
states.

sean at November 27, 2009 12:08 PM

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