Push-Button Buying Helps Avoid a ‘Malling’
DEAR HOT SHOPPERS: Here’s Part II of our cavalcade of holiday catalogue finds. It’s designed for all of you who, like Candice Bergen, are determined to “avoid the maul.” So get out the pre-roasted chestnuts (purchased by mail, of course), move your telephone over by the fire, play that video of last year’s holiday party and get ready to hit those 800 numbers.
TEAM SPIRIT: Some of the best-looking athletic jackets we’ve seen this year feature colorful super-graphics of NFL teams splashed across the back. The cinnamon-and-gold Washington Redskins jacket, for instance, has a larger-than-life profile of an Indian on the back, while the L.A. Raiders jacket features a black and white “Raiders” graphic reminiscent of the “Raiders of the Lost Ark” logo. Other jackets include the Chicago Bears, San Francisco 49ers, Minnesota Vikings, Cincinnati Bengals, New York Giants and the Cleveland Browns. (Browns fans: Please note that your team’s jacket is dedicated to the “Dawgs,” the Browns’ infamous “dog pound” of barking fans.) The jackets are available from Sears’ Starting Lineup catalogue, which contains a wide variety of official NFL merchandise. They come in men’s and boys’ sizes and sell for $54.98 and $49.99 respectively. To order, call (800) 366-3000.
FIT TO BE TIED: We know, we know. It’s not red and green. It doesn’t have Santa Clauses or gingerbread cookies on it. But it’s gorgeous wrapping paper (pictured), and it’ll make your packages look as enticing as what’s inside. It’s conveniently packaged in book format, with the wrapping paper easily torn out. “Giftwraps by Artists: French Provincial 16th-Century Textile Paintings” costs $12.95, and there are two 19-by-27-inch sheets of eight different designs. To go with the paper is equally amazing French ribbon ($13.50 for one roll, one inch wide and five meters long), which contains tiny hidden wires that allow you to bend it into any shape you want; it comes in various colors. Both are from the Smith & Hawken Holiday 1990 catalogue. To order, call (415) 383-2000.
TOTE-A-COAT: Anyone who has had to stuff, squash or lug a raincoat while traveling will appreciate a bit of innovation from Lands’ End: a raincoat that packs into its own small zippered pouch that in turn fits into a briefcase or tote. The putty-colored, full-length coat for men or women is made of machine-washable cotton and has a water-repellent finish. It’s $79.50 from the Lands’ End Blockbuster Holiday Issue catalogue. To order, call (800) 356-4444.
LAMPSHADE NOT INCLUDED: Always yearning to be the center of attention at a party? With Partyalls you’ll have no problem attracting people. This long-sleeve jumpsuit turns you into a living canvas so aspiring painters and graffiti artists can cover you with words and pictures. They come in white in two sizes, one for kids ($13.95) and one for adults ($14.95) and include two markers. Partyalls are from Potpourri Holiday ’90 catalogue; to order, call (800) 225-9848.
FROM THE HIP: Love the idea of fanny packs but hate boring nylon models? So do we, but we’ve found two great alternatives. The first is quilted black leather with a leather-woven gold-tone chain belt. It’s $55 from the Christmas 1990 Bloomingdale’s By Mail catalogue; to order, call (800) 777-0000. The other is a furry koala bear pack for kids; it’s $16.95 from the Nature Company Catalogue. To order, call (800) 227-1114.
