DEAL DIVAS HOLIDAY BARGAINPALOOZA!

WARNING: BIG FUN AHEAD!

Colleen and I spent Wednesday working from the malls (it's a hard job, but someone has to do it), finding you the best deals you can ALREADY get for holiday shopping. I know, I know, it's only the first week in November, but that's exactly the point. You can't walk into a store without seeing a heavy array of pine and glass bulb ornaments and snowflake window stickies. Just submit to the seasonal retail gods and take advantage of the sales that come with the madness.

An entire opus will run in the St. Petersburg Times tomorrow. We hope readers will take some notes over their coffee before hitting the stores. But for you, loyal Diva fans, we present a sneak peak. And if you've seen any good sales we missed, add them to the comments section!

HOLIDAY SALES BONANZA!

Deal Diva Stephanie

Liz Claiborne brand moving exclusively to JCPenney, Isaac Mizrahi line to QVC

Remember when Liz Claiborne was a go-to brand available at seemingly every department store?

That was then. Now? The clothing line has signed an exclusive deal with JCPenney, according to Times retail reporter Mark Albright. That means one of the longtime staples of women's clothing will no longer be stocked at Macy's, Belk and Dillard's department stores starting next fall.

Those stores don't sound too sad about their loss because, well, the Liz Claiborne brand doesn't have the appeal it once did. And it apparently sells better at JCPenney, which already was the only chain carrying Liz & Co. and Concepts by Claiborne.

The Liz Claiborne New York line, designed by Isaac Mizrahi, is being taken off shelves and will be sold exclusively through QVC starting with fall 2010 merchandise. The celeb designer's revamping of the clothing line that we told you about earlier this year didn't kick start sales as the company hoped.

Deal Diva Colleen

(Photo: Liz Claiborne fall 2009 collection, Associated Press)

Wet Seal stores having big sales, Deal Divas having flashbacks

Here's a quickie sale you might want to check out.

Everything at Wet Seal stores is buy-one, get-one half off. The entire store. Limited time only, they say, so they want you to come now.

In high school, I was OBSESSED with Wet Seal. I bought everything I owned at the old store across from the food court at Westfield Countryside. I even applied for a job there once (mortification). My friend Tyson, who worked at the cookie stand across from the store, used to hold up heart-shaped cookie cakes at the cute girls in Wet Seal buying pink straw cowboy hats and halter tops. Ahh, 1999. Those were the days.

I've grown out of Wet Seal a bit, but they still have some cute finds if you're tight on cash and want something trendy in a pinch. My favorite Countryside food court store is but a memory now, but Wet Seal still has locations at Tyrone Square Mall in St. Petersburg and Westfield Citrus Park, Westshore Plaza and International Plaza in Tampa.

~ Deal Diva Stephanie

Photo: Model all decked out in Wet Seal wears, wetseal.com

Video Blog: Forever 21 score of the week!

Argh, YouTube and your screen grabs! Why do you hate me so? Anyway, here's a quick video blog about a score I made at Forever 21 in Tyrone Square Mall this week. I couldn't even find a photo of the shirt on the Forever 21 website anymore -- it's THAT clearance. Let's hope you get a good idea of it from my video skillz. Happy shopping!

~ Deal Diva Stephanie

Anchor Blue closing. Sadness and sales.

We always feel bittersweet about stores going under. On the sad side, it just confirms the toiletness of the economy and drives good competition out of the mall. On the up side...

SALES.

The latest to bounce is Anchor Blue, the casual shop responsible for bearing the burden of the Heidiwood line on our poor, poor eyes. In addition to selling their soul to Heidi Pratt, the store had some really cute stuff. Tops, jeans, bags, accessories.  I always liked going in there to pick up cheapo message tees and last minute amusement park wear or whatever.

Alas, 46 of the chain's 177 stores are closing, including Westfield Brandon and Countryside malls, Tyrone Square and University Mall.

The going out of business sales started Friday. I stopped into the Countryside location yesterday, and most everything was 40 percent off. I saw guys and girls jeans, tops, accessories, bathing suits, shoes, underwear, PJs, and so on and so on. You know how this goes -- the sales will get better, but the stock will get picked over.  Looks like they'll stay open till the stuff is sold.  R.I.P.

~ Deal Diva Stephanie

Photo: Promo shot from Anchor Blue's MySpace

Got cash? Check out these sales

If you missed EVERY SINGLE TV newscast last night, you might not be aware that the latest retail sales figures are bad. Really bad. Bankruptcy bad.

But you know we Deal Divas like to see the glass half full. And prices half off. So divas Stephanie and Colleen charged ahead yesterday, scouring area malls and stores for deals that will make anyone with a little discretionary income feel better about spending it.

Check out the sales we found. We couldn't fit all these in the paper this morning: