You can view, save and delete any story that appears on GazetteNET here for up to 30 days. To add a story, simply click on the icon next to any headline.     2007 SPRING FASHION Wednesday, April 25, 2007  Fashion do's & don'ts: It's all in the way you wear it CHARLES ABEL Here's a "do": Devon McArdle of Faces in Northampton demonstrates how to wear a bold pattern from Faces. - FEATURED ADVERTISERS | SEE ALL - Click to view original size This ad ran in Spring Fashion 2007 4/18/2007 Click here to browse all ads - Tell me I'm not the only one this has ever happened to: You check out the fashion magazines, and they say, "You MUST buy this item or you are finished! FINISHED!!" You let yourself get a little carried away and the next thing you know, you're in a store pumping your fists saying, "Give me one in every color! Wooo!" And then you bring your Thneed home and you look at it on the hanger, and you think: "Huh. What in the name of Britney Spears am I going to wear with that? I forget, was I supposed to roll up the left side or the right side? And is it on the full moon that I should wear it backwards?!" » read more...    Sizing shuffle - 00P ... PXS ... L ... 1.5 ... 3 ... 24WP .... T8 ... 4X.  Festive feet: Colorful clogs bring a touch of whimsy to the garden - Red is my favorite color and I've always envied little girls with bright red rubber boots. But a catty friend once told me red shoes are considered vulgar, so I've avoided spending my footwear budget on off-limits red heels.  Mineral makeup: A powdery trend takes off - For thousands of women across America, putting on foundation today means dusting a feathery sweep of minerals across the face. And as the popularity of mineral makeup continues increasing, products are emerging in every price range.  Boot makers strip down to offer men's sandals - Brandon Huber loves sandals. He owns eight pairs, and has tried to wear them to, among other places, his own wedding (his fiancee nixed that) and to work (his boss nixed that).  Restraint reigns in ladies' swimsuits this season - Women of the world rejoice: This is not the season of the skimpy swimsuit.  Jeans: Thin is in, but options abound - Sorry, ladies, it's all about being skinny. Again.  Testing two: Face serum, hair conditioner - Carol's Daughter Hair Smoothie Long before Mary J. Blige and Jada Pinkett Smith sprinkled their celeb stardust as Carol's Daughter spokeswomen, my friends raved about the company, even making a pilgrimage to its Brooklyn store every time they visited New York.  Raising the barre - America is dance-crazed right now, says Michael Kors. The designer, who lives near the Joffrey Ballet School, based his entire spring collection on the way dancers look on the streets of New York. Vera Wang garnered inspiration from the Ballets Russes and Martha Graham, crafting layered looks from lightweight silk and linen.  What would it take to make old-hat new again? - There are probably more women with hat boxes in their closets than with fashion hats these days.  Size Stuff - Last year, the Massachusetts-based Talbots chain released the results of a survey of more than 2,200 women, ages 35 and 65, carried out to gain some insights into size matters.  How to wear man sandals - Sandals for men are great, but there are a few things to avoid if you're going that route. Wednesday, April 18, 2007  Fabric and flow: Spring blooms in a bouquet of color, cut and panache CHARLES ABEL Kiren Bhowmik of Zanna wears an ensemble that brings together several trends, including an emphasis on yellow and an enthusiasm for prints. A Surrealist skirt ($129) and sheer top ($69) are worn over a Hanky Panky tank ($49), all from Zanna. - FEATURED ADVERTISERS | SEE ALL - Click to view original size This ad ran in Spring Fashion 2007 4/25/2007 Click here to browse all ads - There's something about the colors and fabrics and flowy designs of spring fashion that accentuates the natural enthusiasm many of us have for clothing. Stopping by 25 Central in Northampton recently on an unrelated matter, I came upon owner Sheree Bloomberg and several of her staff members ooh-ing and ahh-ing about a new shipment of summer dresses that had just arrived. As they unpacked, they speculated about which one of them would be buying which of the items and how they'd wear them. Bloomberg has said she won't carry an item in the store if she can't think of at least one staff member who would wear it, and for this shipment at least, it seemed she and buyer Sarah-Beth LaBonte had filled that requirement several times over. Meanwhile, Amy Slattery, buyer at Zanna, was positively beaming as she zipped from rack to rack showing off the bright colors and captivating details that festoon clothing this season. "Fun!" was one of her watchwords going forward. That fun, bright attitude is present from the mall to the boutiques as retailers themselves admit spring is an exciting season for them. » read more...    Power pearls: Women politicians let bold statement pieces do the talking - Nancy Pelosi dons sleek, oversized pearls. Hillary Rodham Clinton favors sparkling lapel brooches that catch the eye. Either way, the message is clear: I am a bold woman and someone to be reckoned with.  Sophisticated and flexible: How the casual lifestyle has led to comfortable men's clothes with new fabric blends and textures - In her cozy Masonic Street storefront one recent morning, J Rich owner Nancy Donato strode over to me with a pair of silk and cotton blend slacks draped over her outstretched arm.  Happy feet here are again: Flat shoes still in style - Ladies, keep your stilettos in the closet this summer. The age of the flat shoe continues, as we wind into warm weather. Flats have become so popular, they're pushing flip-flops out of place as the season's most comfortable shoe.  Comfortable shoes needn't sacrifice style - Baby boomers who came of age wearing Birkenstocks and Earth shoes, are once again making tracks to companies offering foot-friendly shoes. These days though, the Woodstock generation wants footwear with style as well as comfort - and manufacturers are updating designs and rebranding names to meet the growing demand.  Helping women find fashion within - He tackled those lovable, design-challenged men on "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy." He put his stamp on the W Hotel in Los Angeles. He even took on J. Lo. Now designer Thom Filicia is embracing a group that he has sidestepped on television: women.  The stacks are high: Bangle bracelets are again commanding attention - You can't really say that bangle bracelets are back since they never completely went away, but this season they're a full-fledged fashion trend. The way to wear them is in stacks, so get used to hearing that jingle-jangle or clickety-clack they make as a cluster shimmies up and down the arm.  Testing two: Lip Plumper, pre-makeup gel - Laura Mercier Lip-Plumping Gloss My lips are hardly what you'd call bee-stung. Though I'd love to have an Angelina Jolie-esque pout, I cower at the thought of needles and the doctors who wield them.  Drew Barrymore: New CoverGirl - Drew Barrymore grew up with tearsheets of models such as Cheryl Tiegs, Rachel Hunter and Christie Brinkley plastered on her bedroom wall like wallpaper. Come January, another young girl can do the same with Barrymore's photo.