Sing for spring with these six trends
Each time a new season rolls around, I get a major shopping itch.
Unfortunately, this spring's itch coincides with a downright cruddy economy. That won't keep me from shopping, but it will make me shop smarter.
Here are six fun spring trends. Some of them seem worth spending a little extra on, while others are more suited for picking up at affordable retailers.
Worth the Splurge
1. The hobo bag: Roomy without being the size of a suitcase. Can be dressy or dressed down. Everyone needs a little hobo in their lives, no? Try on this Chinese Laundry bag for size.
2. Statement necklaces: I'm still loving this is a carry-over from '08. Big jewelry spices up solid tops in a way that gets noticed. And this Banana Republic coin bib necklace would be a versatile piece to add to your accessory arsenal.
3. Dresses: Say yes to the dress! Why suffer through hot days with pants or shorts sticking to your thighs? Consider a well-fitting dress as an investment. It's an instant outfit that makes getting ready for work easy.
Seek the Cheap
4. Florals: Springtime makes its way to your closet with sweet floral prints. You might work a mini floral like this Forever 21 top, or get your feet in on the action with these adorable flats from DSW.
5. Ruffles: Go girly with ruffles, but keep them away from spots where you don't need extra bulk. This J.Crew shift dress has a subtle ruffle neckline (and it's on sale!), and this shirt from The Limited is aptly named the ruffle explosion top. Sounds a little dangerous, but we'll go with it.
6. Cool in blue: Bold colors are in. As a blue-eyed girl, I already have a bias toward anything azure. I'm happy it abounds this season and, with declining retail sales, there should plenty of clearance items to choose from. Perhaps we can convince Dillard's to go ahead and send these hot Jessica Simpson heels in caribbean blue to the sale rack?
~ Deal Diva Colleen
Stephanie Hayes came out of the womb wearing high heels. While other kids were reciting multiplication tables, she was learning to calculate an extra third off the half-price discount during buy-one-get-one week. She loves animal prints, black mascara and anything that sparkles. She objects to visible panty lines, Crocs and anything that costs more than a car payment. And she doesn't drive a nice car. She can be reached at (727) 893-8857 or 
Since she was a little girl Nicole Hutcheson dreamed of dressing like a Vogue cover girl. But her reality was more JCPenney catalog. The fact only honed her better ability to find luxury for less. Always on the hunt for markdowns on designer labels, this Deal Diva’s weaknesses are good jeans and killer heels. She can be reached at (727) 893-8828 or 
Colleen Jenkins learned two invaluable shopping tenets from her mom: 1. Buy quality. 2. Get it on sale. Then she added one of her own: Accessorize, accessorize, accessorize! This Deal Diva’s idea of a blissful Saturday includes a trip to the Ellenton outlet mall. She loves mixing classic with trendy and cheap Target accessories with her markdown Banana Republic duds. She can be reached at (813) 226-3337 or 
A disciple of the little black dress classics school, Letitia Stein stretches her budget by looking for styles with staying power. She lives for 80 percent off shoes at DSW, floral sundresses and bohemian chic tops. She confesses to being a bit of a snob when it comes to handbags and jewelry. She can be reached at (813) 226-3400 or 
I totally love the green version too! Maybe one of each?
Posted by: Deal Diva Colleen | April 16, 2009 at 04:54 PM
The Jessica Simpson shoes in dark blue - I have died and gone to heaven!
Posted by: USFBullsBabe | April 16, 2009 at 03:19 PM