Starting next month, just in time for some New Year Optimism, Lilly Lovers can officially wear their favorite green and pink, eyes, lips, and cheeks to tippy toes. In Lilly Pulitzer's latest collaboration, the always perky line has paired up with cosmetics kind of color, M.A.C., to create a line of nail polishes, lip glosses, and eye shadows. New York Mag sneered a little at the idea of the pairing; here, I think it's only natural. Bright, poppy colors are beloved by girls everywhere, by pretty and prim prepsters to Lady Gaga - worthy on-edge trendsetters alike.


Vineyard Vines has some competition on the critter accessory front in homegrown "classically casual" line Tucker Blair, it seems. Tucker Blair specializes in needlepoint accessories, such as flip flops, key fobs, belts, and headbands with lobsters, starfish, American flags, sailing flags, even snowmen. But the special thing about this company is that it is web-based only, so consumers aren't paying "paying a 100% retail markup, so the value is delivered back to (them), not the retailer." There's a 100% guarantee on every product and they'll pay the shippingon any return or exchange. As they say, "at Tucker Blair, we're swimming against the stream to build a web-based lifestyle brand that puts the customer first." And then there's the fact that the entrepenuer toured Asia to source yarn, and uses only "100% wool yarn, tight petit point stitching, and full grain leader."

Now, I happen to think critter accessories are cute: I even had an instant bond with a boy once over the fact that we both had whales (courtesy of Vineyard Vines and J.Crew) on our flip flops. And I do like the hand-made needlepoint look, actually. I'm not going to buy a snowmen belt, but I like the polka dot headands and adore the dog collars. And I like the no mark-up idea. So, in the case that you sometimes err on the side of preppy like me, or just like cute animals adorning your wardrobe, check then out at http://www.tuckerblair.com.


And in the realm of all things monogrammed, at http://www.2preppygirls.com, find a digital version of the monogrammed stamp - for Word documents, e-mails, anything your heart should desire, so long as it has pixels! I adore this idea and it's defnitely going on my Christmas list, along with a monogrammed candle, checkbook cover, coozie - I mean, it's my personal belief that you can'thave enough things monogrammed. Check out http://www.preppyprincess.com, for even more monograms.


And in case that's not just me, local company Olympic Engravings does an absolutely beautiful job personalizing any gifts not made of cloth. A friend's boyfriend gave her a set of champagne glasses etched with her initials by this company, last year for her birthday, and, well you definitely could have colored me a little jealous. They're gorgeous. A truly elegant gift.