SHOPPER
Getting Things Off (and Putting Things On) to a Good Start
Thursday, January 5, 2006; Page C02
Our resolution this year is to be the best Shopper we can be. (Seems achievable.) To get the New Year started, we present six for '06 that we can't live without:
Kitschy throw pillows. Don't take these little pillows so seriously. They have but one function: distract from the mess on the coffee table. Look for bright colors and silly prints -- how about birds?
  Burguess, Veranda, Pine Cone, Octango, Tallulah and Tiffany gift wraps from Heidi, $8 for two 24-by-36-inch sheets at shopheidi.com. (Photo By Julia Ewan -- The Washington Post) |
Multi-tasking wallet. Both a clutch and a wallet -- this graceful billfold is a great addition to an oversize bag but can stand on its own, too. Winter shades range from plum to bronze to a glorious white gold.
Quirky dude T-shirts. Baltimore-based Squidfire's tees, created by Jean-Baptiste Regnard and Kevin Sherry, are designed by hand and printed on manual presses.
Stationery with attitude. We can't stop the showers (baby or bridal) but we can stop the cuteness. Arlington-based Amy Smyth's quirky self-titled line Amy Smyth Made It celebrates babies, new pads, sushi and turning 30 with a wicked sketch and blunt words ("Nice house" and "Goodlookin' baby").
Shoes with a personality. Everything by J Shoes is functional and funky: chunky bottoms, smart colors (chocolate, olive, violet) and clever embellishments (pinstripe, plaid linings, diagonal zippers). Plus, J Shoes takes the ordinary (sneakers) and adds the unusual (crocodile and stingray).
Wrapping paper that rocks. Heidi Arrizabalaga was inspired when her own search for chic gift wrap left her empty-handed. So she created a palette of graphics and hues so vibrant and vivid, the lucky recipient is almost distracted from the gift.
-- Janelle Erlichman Diamond
