Do you have a garage or basement full of clutter? Hold a yard sale - your unused stash can turn into cold, hard cash. We'll show you how. 

Invite the Neighbors
To turn your sale into an event, invite your neighbors. Having a multi-family sale creates a bigger attraction for shoppers. Better still, round up support from your entire neighborhood. Having multiple participants provides multiple families to share in the cost of advertising.

Advertise
Post signs at busy intersections and on your front lawn. Big arrows pointing the way toward the sale make it easy for motorists to navigate their way to your wares. Use heavy, colored poster board for durability and visibility.

Placing an ad in the local newspaper is a good idea too. Be sure to run the ad for several days prior to your event. Websites, such as Craigslist, church bulletin boards, and neighborhood association sites can also be useful. (To learn how companies use advertising as a competitive advantage, read Advertising, Crocodiles And Moats.)

Another Man's Treasure
Put some real effort into cleaning out your closet, empty the basement, take that clutter out of the garage, empty the attic, and round up every item you own and haven't worn or used in the last two years. Just because you can't imagine anyone wanting your old items doesn't mean that somebody else wouldn't love them. So, put out your old junk, stand back, and collect the cash. (To find out what to do with your old stock certificates, see Old Stock Certificates: Lost Treasure Or Wallpaper?)

Organize
Prior to your event, you'll want to be prepared. Start by cleaning everything. Set up tables in your front lawn and arrange merchandise in price order, grouping similarly priced items for shoppers' convenience. Either put a price tag on each table or price each item individually. You don't want to be trying to figure out prices with a lawn full of potential buyers. You'll do well to remember that people want a bargain. Items priced at 60% off of retail are likely to sell.

Hang the clothes rather than putting them on a table. It's easier to examine hanging items and it'll keep things looking tidy. Have an extension cord available so that shoppers can test out any electrical items that you are selling. Have a trash can handy so that any trash ends up in the can and not on your lawn.

Hold your sale on a Saturday and, if possible, Sunday too. Because Saturday tends to be a popular day for yard sales, you should generate significant traffic. At the end of the day, you can decide whether to continue your sale into the next day.

Be sure to have plenty of change on hand, including bills and coins. While you may be tempted to stick to your prices, just remember that you don't want this stuff anyway, and whatever doesn't sell will need to be hauled away or stuffed back into the basement.

Time To Sell
Wake up early and be out front and ready to sell at least an hour before your event is scheduled to start. You will be amazed at the number of people ready to shop even before the morning paper arrives. Keep in mind that your advertisement may have said that the sale starts at 9am, but bargain hunters may show up earlier to beat the rush and get a jump on the competition.

Be polite, but don't hover. Nobody wants to feel like they are being watched or pressured while they are shopping. Also, lock your house. You don't want uninvited guests wandering in and out while you are distracted.

When the sale starts to wind down, consider reducing prices. Whatever you can't sell can be donated. Just be sure to ask for a receipt so that you can write off the value of the items when you file your taxes. (For related reading, see Deducting Your Donations.)

Lisa Smith

One of the most distinctive shopping centers in the world, Dubai's Wafi Mall is known for its opulent décor as well as its range of shops and restaurants. Shaped like an Egyptian pyramid, it has hieroglyphics that decorate the walls, while statues of pharaohs sit next to the gold-foiled white pillars lining the walkways. Arabic fashion stores like Eve N Black stand alongside big-ticket European luxury retailers such as Missoni and Chanel.

 

Wafi is just one example of how extravagant — and sometimes over the top — the world's malls can be.

 

In Pictures: The World's Best Shopping Malls

Sure, hot weather in places like the Middle East make indoor shopping centers preferable, but these spots go beyond necessity. Today's superstar malls are often the epitome of opulence.

 

Most of these centers sprang from the growing demand for luxury goods in the BRIC countries — Brazil, Russia, India and China. An emerging middle class has stolen market share from the West, forcing brands to open up shop in developing nations where their names were virtually unknown before 1995. In fact, Chinese consumers now account for 12 percent of worldwide sales of global luxury goods, about $6 billion altogether, according to Goldman Sachs.

 

All Upscale, All Under One Roof

For those traveling or living in the Middle East, Villagio in Doha, Qatar, is a must-see. Under a ceiling painted like the sky, this white marble mall resembles a movie set — or, better yet, a Disney theme park with its postmodern pillars, bridges and ornamental flares. But instead of prop closets or cartoon characters, the space houses over 200 shops, including Dolce and Gabanna, Banana Republic and Ralph Lauren.

 

In Melbourne, Australia, where emerging fashion labels like Dhini and Kirrily Johnston are based, try GPO. This neo-Renaissance-style building served as a post office for more than 100 years. After a fire that nearly destroyed the space in 2001, the GPO reopened as a mall featuring local designers such as women's wear specialist Wayne Cooper, bikini brand Zimmermann and dressmaker Leona Edmiston.

 

"The style at GPO was unique and fascinating. The clothes were very different from other fashion looks," says Karen Meyerhoff, a managing director at the Guggenheim Museum, who visited recently.

 

From Indoors to Out in the U.S.

Malls may be the attraction du jour in several parts of the world, but in the U.S., indoor shopping meccas have been replaced by outdoor "lifestyle centers," immaculately landscaped properties that offer fine dining and provide access to specialty and big-box retailers, all within walking distance.

 

This change occurred in the 1990s, during the rise of specialty retailers like Gap, Abercrombie & Fitch and American Eagle Outfitters. The market for department stores — which usually serve as a mall's anchor, generating the largest number of sales — is saturated, and developers have been forced to try new approaches to keep consumers interested. The concept of having a stylish outdoor center where shoppers can eat outside in the summer — and easily move from Victoria's Secret to Target in the cooler months without driving 20 more miles — is more attractive.

 

"In the last 10 years there has been an absolute explosion of retail shopping opportunities," says Pam Danziger, founder of Stevens, Pa.-based United Marketing, which provides market research for luxury goods companies, referring to the aforementioned lifestyle centers.

 

In 2008, there are 69 open-air centers being built, compared with 37 in 2007 and 14 in 2006, according to Boston-based firm Property and Portfolio Research. On the opposite end, the vacancy rate for indoor malls was 6.3 percent in the second quarter of 2008, according to Reis, a commercial real estate research firm. That's the highest it's been since the end of 2001.

 

Although the U.S. may have started to shed its mall culture with the development of these outdoor centers, there are some upscale venues that still shine, like the Galleria in Houston, and Las Vegas' Via Bellagio. And then there's the Shops at Columbus Circle in Manhattan's Time Warner Center: It has only 52 shops, but its distinctive blend of high-end retailers, upscale restaurants and larger, mid-market stores makes it a destination for locals and tourists alike.

 

It's also known for its dining scene, which includes sushi restaurant Masa, home of the $400 tasting menu. Per Se, with chef Thomas Keller's highly lauded take on the popular New American-French menu, is considered one of the best restaurants in the country.

 

From East to West, whether you're chasing after a limited-edition Chanel handbag, the freshest sushi or the ultimate tourist attraction, these malls stray far from the J. C. Penney and Spencer's Gifts of your past. And consumers seem to be saying of them, "Good riddance."

Melbourne's GPO

Melbourne, Australia

This neo-Renaissance-style building served as a post office for over 100 years. After a fire that nearly destroyed the space in 2001, the GPO reopened as a mall featuring local designers such as women's wear specialist Wayne Cooper, bikini brand Zimmermann and dressmaker Leona Edmiston.

Tokyo Midtown

Tokyo

An incredible fusion of design, art, fashion, food, leisure and business, this six-building mall includes every store imaginable, from Chloe to Harry Winston to Issey Miyake. Restaurants range from traditional Japanese steakhouses to French bistros. Tokyo Midtown Design Hub features the latest in Japanese industrial design, while the Ritz-Carlton welcomes both tourists and business travelers.

The Galleria

Houston, Texas

With over 24 million visitors a year, the Galleria is one of Houston's biggest tourist draws. However, its high-low mix of stores--from upscale Valentino to mid-market Tory Burch to fast fashion Zara--attracts locals too. Along with 375 stores, the mall boasts an indoor ice rink, two hotels and both casual restaurants and upscale restaurants.

Wafi

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

This Egyptian-themed mall is known for its opulent decor as well as its range of shops and restaurants. Arabic fashion stores like Eve N Black stand alongside big-ticket European retailers such as Missoni and Chanel. The 30 restaurants include the Noble House--for contemporary Chinese food--and Seville's for Spanish tapas.

Via Bellagio

Las Vegas, Nevada

If Las Vegas has become one big mall, as one of our experts declared, then the Bellagio is its luxury goods center. From Prada to Hermès to Fred Leighton, you'd be hard-pressed to find a top-tier brand that's missing in this collection. What's more, the shops cater to swarms of tourists by keeping items well stocked in a wide range of sizes.

Villagio Mall

Doha, Qatar

Under a ceiling painted like the sky, this white marble mall resembles a movie set--or, better yet, a Disney theme park. However, instead of prop closets or cartoon characters, the space houses over 200 shops, including Dolce and Gabanna, Banana Republic and Ralph Lauren.

Roppongi Hills

Tokyo, Japan

Along with the renowned Mori Art Museum, this complex serves as a home to fashion boutiques like Ann Sui, Christian Lacroix and Escada. The mall also boasts an impressive restaurant list that includes L'Atelier by Joel Robuchon. There are also several salons, gyms, child care centers and spas on the premises.

The Shops at Columbus Circle

New York, N.Y.

Located in the multi-use Time Warner Center, this mall may be small by comparison to some, but its distinctive blend of high-end retailers, upscale restaurants and larger, mid-market stores earns it a place on our list. Standout spots include Wolford--for luxe, no-run stockings--Williams-Sonoma--for kitchenware basics--and sushi restaurant Masa, home of the $400 tasting menu.

The Dubai Mall

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

This mall hasn't even opened yet, and it's already garnering more attention than all of the shopping centers in Dubai combined. Not only does the space, slated to open this autumn, house a theme park, aquarium and an indoor souk, but it's also home to the first Galleries Lafayette in the Middle East. The French department store is the centerpiece of the mall's Fashion Avenue.

Ngee Ann City

Singapore

Along with the Takashimaya--a Japanese department store that features designers with an urban-cool edge, such as Yeohlee--the mall caters to Christian Dior and Fendi lovers, as well as Chopard, Van Cleef and Arpels and Stuart Weitzman. There are also 15 cosmetics shops, including Molton Brown and M.A.C.

Lauren Sherman

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• In Pictures: World's Best Shopping Outlets
• In Pictures: World’s Most Stylish Cities
• Where to Find Designer Deals Worldwide
• In Pictures: 7 Ways to Affordably Dress Designer
• In Pictures: How to Bargain at Retail

 

Shoppers do crazy things. And retailers bank on it.

Several studies reveal how Americans shop in irrational ways, and increasingly scientists are figuring out how easily we can be duped. Retailers in turn use these tricks to get inside our heads, encouraging window shoppers to become real shoppers, driving purchases of sales items regardless of real value, and helping buyers feel good about the things they walk out with ... often for no good reason.

One new study finds that happiness with a purchase depends on the choices that were available on a store shelf and how the items were presented.

Study participants were presented products ranging from cordless phones to lawn mowers. The goods were presented in three ways:

• One choice was clearly superior to the other two (asymmetric dominance)
• One choice was intermediate to the other two (compromise)
• Two options that were somewhat equivalent (control)

After participants made choices, they rated the products and their satisfaction. In five tests that shifted the products and setups, the participants' preferences were affected by presentation. The bottom line: A product presented as clearly superior to other products on a store shelf makes for a happy customer, regardless of the product's inherent qualities to some degree.

"A pen selected from a set in which it asymmetrically dominated another pen produced a more positive writing experience and a greater willingness to pay for the pen than if the same pen was selected from a set in which it did not dominate another option," conclude Song-Oh Yoon of the Korea University Business School and Itamar Simonson from Stanford University.

The study is detailed in the August issue of the Journal of Consumer Research.

A study last year by a separate group, published in the same journal, reached a similar conclusion. Study participants were presented with two sofas. Sofa A was softer, but Sofa B was more durable. Sofa A was preferred by the minority - 42.3 percent of the participants. Then both sofas were presented with three other sofas that had very low softness ratings. Preference for sofa A jumped to 77.4 percent.

Tricks of the trade

There are many ways retailers encourage you to open your wallet. None is more obvious than putting things on sale.

Researchers have known empirically for more than 20 years a "50% off" sign leads consumers to assume a price is attractive, even if they have no knowledge of the original price or reasonable prices for that product.

In fact, shoppers as a whole seem quite clueless about sales values.

Studies have also shown that frequent but modest discounts - such as the constant sales at a car dealership - lead to perceptions of greater value than less frequent but deeper discounts.

And when math is involved, most of us can't cope. For example: See if you can calculate the total savings in the setup: 20 percent off the original price plus an additional 25 percent off the sale price. How much is that item marked down? If you said 45 percent off, then you're math skills are as pitiful as the 85 percent of college students who also got this wrong in a study last year by researchers at the University of Miami and the University of Minnesota. The right answer: 40 percent off.

More tricks

Other tricks, such as this one documented in a study last year, are more subtle:

A salesperson can totally alter a window shopper's inclination to buy something by simply asking the right question. When a salesperson asks a shopper which of several items she prefers, the shopper tends to skip the whole "Should I buy it at all?" question and go straight to the "Which one should I buy?" phase. The study was done in simulated tests and in real-world retail situations.

"Stating a preference appears to induce a which-to-buy mindset, leading people to think about which of several products they would like to buy under the implicit assumption they have already decided to buy one of them," wrote Alison Jing Xu and Robert S. Wyer, Jr. of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. "Consequently, they are more disposed to make a purchase than they otherwise would be."

Amazingly, the gimmick worked even in selling unrelated products. Just 2 percent of a control group bought candy in one test. But in a group who had been asked to indicate their preference among mp3 players, restaurants, and mobile phones, 28 percent bought candy.

Some tricks are downright nasty. One sales technique is called "disrupt-then-reframe."

Frank R. Kardes at the University of Cincinnati and colleagues found that by presenting a confusing sales pitch (such as telling a potential customer that a candy bar costs 300 cents) then restating the pitch in a more familiar way, they were able to increase sales of a candy bar in a supermarket. The same trick increased students' willingness to accept a tuition increase or to pay to join a student interest group.

Loyal shoppers

Any good salesperson knows that if you really want to sell something, you just need to know what the customer wants.

Another study by Simonson, the Stanford researcher, with Ran Kivetz of Columbia University, focused on loyalty programs, in which a consumer joins to gain discounts or some other rewards but is required to make a certain number of purchases.

People who liked sushi were offered one program that required them to buy 10 sandwiches, and another program with equal rewards that required them to buy 10 sandwiches and 10 orders of sushi. The study subjects were more likely to join the second program, even though it offered no additional benefit and required them to buy more.

The study "shows that people put too much emphasis on things that seem to fit them better than others, often leading to irrational choices," Simonson told LiveScience.

• The Truth About Shopaholics
• Men as Addicted to Shopping as Women
• Bad Habits: Why We Can't Stop

Robert Roy Britt

The Sun will eat your skin alive, in case you have been incommunicado for the last 35 years or so. Even seemingly to-and-fro daily exposure wreaks havoc on the skin for premature aging and pre-cancerous lesions. 

Remember Magda from “There’s Something About Mary?”

Yeah, that dreaded crepe thin leather 'twixt the breasts gully, the bane of any woman, along with “turkey wobble,” skin which gave up and refuses to adhere to the neck anymore.

The Sun is not your friend.

CNN had an interesting segment the other day with Elizabeth Cohen and a CNN staffer who examined the better sunscreens and blocks for you to invest in.

SPF 30 or higher is first and foremost where you need to begin. 

But look for the UVA AND UVB blocking words on the bottle.  The best blocker will include ingredients like opaque compounds titanium dioxide or zinc oxide, which come in skin colors other than old school surfer boy white.  Micronizing technology makes both appear more transparent on the skin.

Number one rule: Don’t wait till you are at the beach or poolside to smear it on.  Do it after your shower in the morning.

Sunlight is made of two types of ultraviolet light: UVB rays, which cause sunburns, and UVA rays, which tan.  Although both may increase the risk of skin cancer, sun damage and wrinkles, the FDA only requires UVB protection, according to Cohen.

Experts agree, avoid the sun between the daytime hours of 11 and 3, catch early rays or late afternoon to keep your Vitamin D levels where they need to be.

The Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit, also released their investigation of nearly 1,000 brand-name sunscreens that says four out of five don't adequately protect consumers and may contain harmful chemicals.

The group says that some of the products of the nation's leading brands -- including industry standards Coppertone, Neutrogena and Banana Boat -- were the poorest performers.

Coppertone – according to the group - had 41 products fail to meet the group's criteria for issues ranging from failing to protect adequately to containing potentially harmful ingredients to making unsubstantiated claims.

Cohen introduced some brands that did fit the bill for good daily protection, and laid out the Olay brand Complete, SPF 30 face lotion that tackled both UVA and UVB. 

The Olay line features a range of face and body products that measured up according to dermatologists and the EWG. Their non-comedogenic sunscreen provides a full spectrum UVA/UVB protection against 97% of the sun’s most harmful rays, according to Olay.  Along with regular Olay Complete, there is Olay Complete Defense SPF 30 for Sensitive Skin with Vitamin E, Aloe and Green Tea Extract (100% PABA free).   

All who study the deleterious effects of sunlight exposure on skin agree more stringent requirements – as well as testing – needs to keep the industry on the level with consumers.

Cohen noted that the ingredient Oxybenzone -  a popular UV filter in many sunscreens – is under fire by many who feel the ingredient is harmful.

The Environmental Working Group also claims Oxybenzone can penetrate the skin and pose health concerns, anything from hormone disruption to cancer.
The industry and the FDA refute this claim.

Using the lotion properly is key to skin safety too. Dermatologists say that an ounce (handful) of sunscreen should be applied to all exposed areas 30 minutes before going outside and should be reapplied every two hours, or immediately if you swim or sweat.

Kids and sun: Experts agree that children under 6 months old should be kept out of direct sun. Children need sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher, and applied frequently.

If sunscreen bothers you, try using physical barrier, such as the earlier mentioned zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.  Clinique, Estee Lauder and several cosmetic lines make great full barrier foundation makeup that is perfect to protect the face, neck, tops of your hands and décolleté, so you don’t get the dreaded Magda look.

Continuous coverage by Clinique rocks for wear and dependability when near the shore, on a boat or outdoors for an extended period of time. Shiseido makes a high SPF stick foundation that works nicely too.

Also, don’t ever wear gloss at the pool or beach; it hastens potential lip/skin cancer. Wear an opaque matte lip color.  Invest in a hat (if you color your hair, it will keep your hair from drying out and the color from oxidizing and pulling red), and don’t forget your sunglasses.  Unprotected eyes deteriorate in the sun.

Other sun products that were recommended by the EWG:

Badger SPF 30 suncream                                                                            Blue Lizard Blue Lizard Australian Suncream Lotion, Sensitive, SPF 30
Blue Lizard Australian Suncream Lotion, Baby, SPF 30+
Blue Lizard Australian Suncream Lotion, Face, SPF 30+
California Baby California Baby Sunscreen Lotion No Fragrance, SPF 30+
California Baby Sunscreen Lotion Natural Bug Blend, SPF 30+
California Baby Sunscreen Lotion Everyday/year-Round, SPF 30+
California Baby Sunblock Stick No Fragrance, SPF 30+
California Baby Sunblock Stick Everyday/year-Round, SPF 30+
CVS Sunscreen with Zinc Oxide, SPF 45+
Jason Natural Cosmetics Jason Natural Cosmetics Sunbrellas Mineral Based Physical Sunblock, SPF 30+
Kiss My Face Kiss My Face Face Factor Paraben Free, SPF 30
Kiss My Face 100% Paraben Free Sunscreen with Oat Protein, SPF 30
Neutrogena Neutrogena Sensitive Skin Sunblock Lotion, SPF 30
Olay Complete Defense Daily UV Moisturizer, Sensitive Skin, SPF 30
Olay Complete Defense Daily UV Moisturizer, SPF 30
SkinCeuticals Skinceuticals Physical UV Defense, SPF 30
Solar Sense Solar Sense Clear Zinc, for Face, SPF 45                             

Vanicream SPF 35 sportcreme
Walgreens Walgreens Sunblock with Zinc Oxide for Face, Nose & Ears, SPF 45+

>>>>

Buying overpriced indulgences may feel good in the short term, but you pay the price later. Or at least that’s the conventional wisdom.

But a study by a couple of business-school professors says splurging now makes you happier later. Even more surprising: Not splurging now gives you pangs of regret later.

Anat Keinan, an assistant professor at Harvard Business School, and Ran Kivetz, a professor of marketing at Columbia Business School, make their case for the vice lifestyle in an article in the Harvard Business Review.

One of their studies polled college students and alumni on the subject of spring breaks. Regret about not having spent more money or traveling during breaks increased with time, whereas regret about not having worked, studied, or saved money during breaks decreased with time.

The authors write: “We saw a similar pattern in a study of how businesspeople perceived past choices between work and pleasure. Over time, those who had indulged felt less and less guilty about their choices, whereas those who had been dutiful experienced a growing sense of having missed out on the pleasures of life.” (As the old saying goes, nobody dies saying “I wish I’d spent more time at the office.”)

The authors also did a study of mall shoppers, asking about their regret about buying an expensive item of clothing. Those who anticipated short-term regret bought less-expensive items, while those who anticipated long-term regret splurged. “Thinking about short-term regret drives consumers to be virtuous, while thinking about long-term regret leads them to be extravagant,” the authors write.

Luxury-goods makers, of course, will eat this up. I can see the slogan now: “Luxury: It’s Good for Life.” Or “Cartier: You’ll be sorry you didn’t.” Whether luxury is good for your finances is another matter. (Nobody goes bankrupt saying “I wish I’d spent more on Gucci bags).

Wealth Report readers, what do you think? Do the long-term benefits of indulgence outweigh the short-term risks of regret? >>>>

The new iPhone hasn't even landed in stores yet, but already pundits are grumbling about the revised iPhone, based on demos and published specs, about what the new model has failed to fix since the first-gen device.

Yes, we get 3G and GPS, a way to connect to Exchange, and the new app store, but what about everything else? Forbes' Brian Caulfield outlines seven (actually eight) iPhone disappointments, and most of these observations are spot on. Some highlights (get his full list here).

The cost - I've written about the value proposition of iPhone 3G already, and sure enough it'll cost you an extra $160 or so over the next two years vs. the original iPhone. Worth it? It's debatable, but I can't blame people for not being happy about the service price hike.

The camera - Forbes notes that there's still no flash and no video recording on the device. I'll add the camera resolution: We're going to see 8 megapixel cell phone cameras in the U.S. this year, and the iPhone is still stuck with a puny 2MP model? Many early rumors also had expected the iPhone 3G to include a forward-facing camera for videoconferencing use. Naturally that didn't happen either.

The battery - Not replaceable. Again. On the other hand, this shouldn't be a surprise considering that Apple is now actually making laptops without replaceable batteries, too.

No MMS - Again, the lack thereof. It just makes no sense. Apple is basically right that you don't need MMS to send pictures on a device that has a full email client, but the problem comes when users of other phones send you a photo via MMS: You simply can't view it on the iPhone. It's a ludicrous limitation on what should be the most advanced phone on the planet.

I'll add a few of my own complaints to Caulfield's list:

No live TV - That YouTube feature was fun last year, but now it's grown tiresome and old. Live TV is coming to all manner of handsets now as part of the standard data plan, but one gets the impression that Apple keeps it off the iPhone just so it can sell you TV episodes at $1.99 a pop instead.

No 32GB option - 8GB feels pathetically small in 2008. 16GB is really barely passable now. 32GB USB thumbdrives have been on the market since 2006, as cheaply as $140. I'm sure Apple will launch a 32GB model in the near future (another $100, please!), probably around Christmas, in the hopes that you'll buy a third phone. >>>>

I've been thinking a lot about how, in the summer, it's almost as if I can't get enough clothes and shoes. Everything feels so breezy and loose and I just want to try a new thing every day (unlike the winter when I buy a pair of boots, jeans and a sweater and sulk in the corner of a bar until spring). This season I've been particularly obsessed with shoes, especially nearly flat-to-the-ground sandals (the true, high, complicated gladiators are a little too unfeminine for me, I've been going for more simple variations). Anyway, I love the versatility of this footwear, how you can wear it with dresses or skirts or with jeans and a tee. Check out some of my favorites here—they're all under 50 bucks.

1.Merona Wyomia Patent Strappy Sandals, $19.99
They're a little like my childhood jellies, which makes me happy, and also can't wait to wear these with an a-line jean skirt and a flowy little top.
2.Xhilaration Thea Sandals, $14.99
My sister has these in black and she was wearing them the other night with a little green dress and they looked awesome. I, however, really want this shimmer silver-gold.
3.Elizabeth Street Sandal, $29.99
You know what these scream to me? They say, "I'm a stylish European lady who's so hot she doesn't need to wear heels."
4. Embellished Leather Sandals, $14.59
There's something about the hand-sewn look of this pair that makes them seem much more expensive than they are.
5. Ivory lizard printed leather Medium, $49.99
The design on these is clean and pretty and I feel like you can dress them up a bit too.

Jennifer Romolini

There's an informative story over on the Beauty Brains blog today that addresses sunglasses and whether or not you need to shell out big money for a designer pair in order to really protect your eyes. The answer? Actually no.
The article's main points are how ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun can burn (scary!) the corneas and conjunctivas of your eyes, causing all manner of issues, including cataracts. And, though there are some basic guidelines set by the "American National Standards Institute," the FDA doesn't regulate sunglasses, so you're kind of on your own with this purchase and need to be informed.
Among the sunglass-buying suggestions:
1. Don't purchase a pair of sunglasses without a specific UV claim/label, whether they are fancy designer or not.
2. This label should reveal the amount of protection you're getting—what you're looking for is 95% UV reduction, but you can also take something called "UV-400" and “UV absorption up to 400nm,” which according to this story, is basically the same thing (eye wear may also be labeled "cosmetic," which means the lenses will block out just 70% of sun frying).
3. These guidelines have absolutely nothing to do with the price or label. Many drugstore brands, though probably not as stylish as you'd want, offer the highest level of protection. Conversely, many of the most luxury lines, offer zilch.

Jennifer Romolini

Candid footage of Marilyn Monroe on the set of her last completed film brought in $60,000 at an auction of movie memorabilia Saturday.

The two reels of silent, 8-millimeter color film shot on the set of "The Misfits" had been expected to draw starting bids of between $10,000 and $20,000.

The auction also included the original disco ball from "Saturday Night Fever" and an original script of "The Godfather" signed by Marlon Brando. The sale was held by Julien's Auctions at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino.

The 47-minute film, "On the Set with 'The Misfits,'" was shot by film extra Stanley Floyd Kilarr. It features candid moments with Monroe and co-star Clark Gable, as well as Montgomery Clift, Thelma Ritter and director John Huston.

The film shows actors preparing for scenes, chatting with crew members and others on the set, and relaxing between takes.

"The Misfits" was the last completed film for both Monroe and Gable.

Gable had a fourth heart attack just after filming was finished and died Nov. 16, 1960, about two months before the movie's U.S. release. Monroe died Aug. 5, 1962.

Cathy and Rod McCormick, of Sparks, Nev., obtained the film canister from her father, Frank Hasy, Kilarr's uncle.

Items sold early Saturday included a suit worn by Elvis Presley in the film "Viva Las Vegas," which drew a bid of $36,325. Alfred Hitchcock's driver's license sold for $8,000, and an original "King Kong" French film poster sold for $40,625, according to the auction officials.

Anna Nicole Smith's former boyfriend Larry Birkhead attended the auction and spent nearly $3,000 on lingerie once worn by the late Playboy playmate. Birkhead said he was picking up mementos for the couple's 1-year-old daughter, Dannielynn. >>>>

The cheapest model of Apple Inc.'s new iPhone, which is about to go on sale for $199 in the U.S., costs about $173 to make, according to an estimate by research firm iSuppli Corp.

The phone, which updates last year's model with faster Internet speeds and an improved navigation feature, goes on sale on July 11.

Apple's profit is much more than the $26 difference between the cost and retail price. The retail price is subsidized by the exclusive carrier, AT&T Inc. In effect, the carrier will be buying the phones from Apple at a higher price, then selling them at a loss that it earns back through monthly service fees.

ISuppli estimates that AT&T will subsidize each phone by $300. Other analysts have put it at $350. In either case, the subsidy creates a substantial margin for Apple.

ISuppli said the margin appears to be higher than for other Apple products, which are generally priced 50 percent higher than their cost of materials and manufacturing.

Because the cost of components has come down, the margin is also higher than for the original iPhone, which was introduced last summer. ISuppli then put the cost of the model at $226.

The $173 estimate applies to the iPhone version with 8 gigabytes of internal memory. A model with twice as much memory will cost $299 from AT&T, but the extra memory only costs Apple another $22.89, according to iSuppli.

The most costly components of the new phone are, apart from the memory, the touch screen and the underlying display, at $20 each. The Global Positioning System chip, missing from the first iPhone, costs $3.60.

The cost estimates don't include software development, packaging, shipping or included accessories like headphones.

The phone will go on sale in 21 other countries on July 11, at varying prices, all subsidized by carriers.

Apple shares rose 9 cents to close at $173.25.

PETER SVENSSON