THINK PINK!

Sometimes shopping can be about more than just spending. Take our Think Pink Portero Specials this week--a percentage of proceeds goes directly to the Cancer Vixen Fund, started by breast cancer survivor Marisa Acocella Marchetto. Her story is inspirational: When she found out she was sick, depression took over. But empowering herself through fashion changed her spirits and gave her the strength to fight.

To explain a little further, Marisa created the cartoon above especially for Portero. I also talked to Marisa this week to find out a little bit more about what got her through the toughest days.

Portero: How did fashion change your emotional health?
Marisa: My mom was a shoe designer, so I always thought that well-designed accessories are great pieces of beauty. I also knew that you could feel really powerful just by wearing a heel. I was going through a lot of treatment, and I needed a way to bring my spirits up, and shoes did that. Whenever I had an IV in my hand, I always wore a fabulous pair of shoes. I went from victim to vixen. Fashion to me is very powerful, it can make you feel great about yourself, and the stronger your emotional health, the healthier you are.

Portero: Why did you start the Cancer Vixen Fund and what does it do?
Marisa: When I was diagnosed, I, like many people, didn't have health insurance. Bad suddenly went to devastating. I realized that if you're diagnosed with cancer, you have a 50 percent better chance of surviving if you have insurance, and there's a 98 percent chance of survival if you find breast cancer early. I wanted to promote early detection among women and help those who don't have health insurance, and the Cancer Vixen Fund directly promotes that.

Portero: What are some actual events Cancer Vixen supports?
Marisa: For example, we're doing free mammograms for uninsured women this month at St. Vincent's Hospital in Manhattan (see poster below).

To learn more about Cancer Vixen, log on to www.marisamarchetto.com. To
shop our Pink Items, click right here.

Want the Skinny?

I'm thrilled that Portero is featuring skinny watches this week because it's a needed departure from the oversized, unisex timepieces that get a lot of the press. Sometimes it's nice to just look like a lady, and these delicate styles do just that.

But, even if you don't want to go around wearing super feminine clothes, these watches look equally as good with this fall's minimal fashions, seen above as chosen by Style.com."Minimal Tendency" was one of Vogue's big trends for this fall, and I think it would be a shame to break up the clean lines of these ensembles with clunky accessories.

A skinny bracelet watch is also great for women who like to wear their watches even at formal affairs. Choose a style with a metal strap that looks like a bracelet, and you have a piece that will take you from boardroom to ballroom.

Click right here to see all leather strap skinny watches.

Click right here to see all bracelet skinny watches.

Lipstick Jungle/Chanel Sweepstakes!

After giving away a fabulous Mikimoto necklace in the last sweepstakes, we're back again, and this time we're bringing handbags! The newest giveaway items is a gorgeous Chanel Special Edition 2.55 Reissue Dark Silver Classic Double Flap Bag, and all you have to do to win is enter now through November 13.

Besides being a timeless bag, you'll also have the added bonus of seeing it on NBC's Lipstick Jungle on October 29. The show, starring Brooke Shields, follows around three thirty-somethings as they navigate careers, romance and families in New York City. Watch closely and you'll catch the purse on the arm of one of the leading ladies.

Click here to enter. I am totally smitten with this bag. The 2.55 is a classic, and the dark silver makes it totally modern.

You can also click right here to see our huge selection of authentic Chanel merchandise. Good luck!

Book Club: The Necklace

My lovely fiance came home with this book for me recently, and I'm about to get started, so I thought I'd share it here. The Necklace: Thirteen women and the experiment that transformed their lives by Cheryl Jarvis was just released this year and has gotten some great press.

Here's the jist: Four years ago a woman named Jonell McLain saw a diamond necklace in a shop window in Ventura, California. She surely could not afford the extravagant jewel, but it got her thinking about how she could have a piece of it. The answer? Sharing the necklace with 12 other women.

According to reviews: "What started as a quirky social experiment became something far richer and deeper, as the women transformed a symbol of exclusivity into a symbol of inclusiveness. They discovered that sharing the necklace among themselves was only the beginning: The more they shared with others, the more profound this experience--and experiment--became."

I'm excited to read this, and I'll report back when I'm done. Want to join me?

Image via amazon.com

Some Enchanted Evening

Now that Fall is here, I find my social calendar swiftly picking up speed. Everyone wants to be back in action, and that means lots of cocktail parties, dinners and work functions. That also means bringing out my collection of evening bags, which range in size from teeny tiny to roomy, and in style from over-the-shoulder to clutch. If you need to expand your own set of evening bags, you're in the right place. Portero is featuring a huge selection of gorgeous styles this week in all prices and looks.

Let's take a look back at the recent Emmys to get a feel for what's happening on the red carpet. First, we have Nicolette Sheridan (right, above) in a gorgeous purple Angel Sanchez gown. Her clutch choice just goes to show that picking a matching shade can be a good thing. Her purple and gunmetal Kotur Creel bag (below) goes with the dress, but isn't a perfect match--a very modern way to go.



I've already told you that Mad Men is my favorite show on TV, so I'm happy to feature Maggie Siff in this roundup (below, right. She plays Rachel Menken, FYI.) I love the simple silhouette and teal color of her strapless dress, and that she went for some oomph in her choice of clutch. By going with the black feather Celeste by Romanek, she was able to show some personality alongside a relatively classic gown.





Finally we have America Ferrerra carrying an Anya Hindmarch Maud clutch in gold (the silver version is below). The business of her dress was perfectly offset by this unadorned coin-purse style bag that doesn't take away from her gorgeous gown.





Don't be afraid to experiment with evening bags. I personally like to pair a black dress with a brightly colored clutch, and I often throw in pattern without going overboard by injecting a python clutch in neutral tones. To start your search, click on the links below:

Judith Leiber
Mary Norton
Leather and Skins
Embellished
Structured

Images via bagsnob.com

Free Shipping!

It's always a good idea to save money, especially in light of what's going on in the world financial markets. That's why Portero is currently offering free shipping and insurance on orders over $1,000*.

Want the details? It's as easy as these two steps below:

Free shipping and insurance will be applied automatically during checkout (a promo code is not needed) on all orders over $1,000 via FedEx or UPS Ground within the continental U.S. only. Not applicable on international orders or shipments to Alaska, Hawaii, or Puerto Rico. Expedited shipping generally available for an additional fee.

Please note: During checkout, you will see a fee for insurance. In order to receive a refund for this insurance fee, please contact Customer Care prior to checkout at 877-307-3067 or customercare@portero.com.

Don't forget that Portero also offers starting bids at up to 80% off of retail value. Now those are savings.

Click right here to see all of Portero's current promotions.

The Gift that Keeps Giving

There are entire industries devoted to (what I would call) cheesy gifts for big occasions. The cap and gown teddy bear, above, is just one example of the type of Hallmark last-minute buys that gets thrown into a closet and never seen again. So why not choose something that has much more lasting value and will see practical use on a daily basis? This week, Portero is highlighting fantastic mid-level watches that make great gifts for occasions such as graduation. Men, often, are particularly hard to shop for, so here are some ideas for how to make every holiday a great one:

Let's start with graduation. Whether it's high school or college, this is the perfect time to gift a young man with something that looks and feels adult. After many years of sport watches or merely using a cell phone as a time keeper, a distinguished watch will propel him to the next phase in his life. I would strongly recommend a stainless steel model like this Tag Heuer 2000 Chronograph Quartz Men's Watch. The oversized black face and sporty features are a perfect transition from kid to grownup, and for around $1,000, you're getting a trusted brand.

Another traditional watch-gifting occasion is from bride to groom. This is definitely my plan for my upcoming wedding day, and I think this is a perfect time to go for something a little more dapper and classic. This Montblanc Star Reveil Stainless Steel Automatic Day Date Men's Watch fits the bill perfectly. The embossed calfskin band looks rich, and the elegant Roman numerals on the face work wonderfully for dressy events.

Father's Day is the perfect time to surprise him with something fashion-forward and unlike his sports or dress watches. How about this Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra 18k Yellow Gold Diamond Men's Automatic 2164.75.00 Watch? The eye-catching yellow gold may be too much for everyday, but it's a statement piece that will really complete his collection, and it will remind him that you deserve something special for Mother's Day as well.

Click below to go directly to the brands featured this week:

Montblanc
Hublot
Omega
Ebel
Tag Heuer