gold standard.

play like a geisha with tatchca blotting papers ($12 for 30 sheets) for centuries, japanese have used aburatorigami, an ultra-absorbent leaflet of paper, to keep their skin silky smooth from dinner to drinks. (and all the way through to the decadent dishabille the morning after.) these whisper-thin strips, flecked with pure gold, come packaged in a discreet and adorable package, ensuring that your evening partner is none the wiser about your supposed "natural beauty." available at www.tatcha.com

sake to me.

make like blair waldorf and don one of colette malouf's signature hairpieces. big in the 80s and back again, malouf's eponymous designs mix high style and affordability in a match up that's too sweet to be ignored. we're special fans of her "red and plum" collection from fall '09, inspired by japanese culture. for now, she's unavail in DC proper, but you can snag her collections online for a one-of-a-kind 'do. available at www.colettemalouf.com

ra ra ruffles.

make like a left coast stunna and don one of a too-haute-to-handle look from kirribilla. the san fran-based designer has finally appeared in DC, thanks to fashion-forward old town boutique hysteria. we're (pardon the pun) hysterical over this "genevieve" dress, with its sexy-ruffle back and ladylike high neckline. its relatively modest hemline makes it a hit for the company cocktail party and a night out on the town alike. 125 south fairfax street. between king and prince. 703.548.1615.

caffeine fix.

rise and shine, beauties. caffeine's the key ingredient in new origins ginzing ($29.50) eye cream. infused with optic brighteners, ginseng and magnolia extract, this amazing new prod brightens, depuffs and fights dark circles from the inside out. union station. 50 massachusetts avenue NE. at north capital NW. 202.589.1644.

recession revival.

we're head over heels for the norma kamali for ebay line. inspired by the legions of kamali girls searching for hard-to-locate items online, kamali (who previously designed a capsule collection for wal-mart) engineered an only-for-ebay collection of multi-wear dresses, jumpsuits and tops. our fave? the all-in-one dress ($150) which can be worn in six different ways and features an ultra-wearable striped grey fabric. available exclusively at www.ebay.com

green greetings.

move over, crane. save trees (and stamps) this holiday season with the paperless post line of greeting cards ($10 for 150 "stamps"). true to the tradish mail experience, this online-only stationery allows readers to personalize their holiday greetings with photos, custom fonts, wording, envelope and color choices that would rival even the finest stationery shop. best of all? delivery is instantaneous and allows the sender to track open rates and responses. available at www.paperlesspost.com