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The perfect accessory for an ABBA fan or proof of the consumerism we’re slave to? The Gimme Gimme Gimme Tote Bag could be taken both ways - personally, I’m leaning toward the latter. You’ll also have a high chance of driving away any man who happens to read it, but it’s each girl’s choice in the end. Maybe you just love 70s Swedish pop.

Beside the debatable print, the bag is a regular well thought out tote: it has both a zippered pocket and a key strap, big selling points for me as I like to be able to find important things in a flash, not rummage inside for 10 minutes.

Just… I don’t know, that message really doesn’t sit with me. I’ll pass on this one.

How much under $29.99?
Some: $11.99 on GoneBlue.com.

Via FashionablyGeek

Space Invaders has achieved cult status and, since this year it’s the 30th anniversary of the game, loads of themed merchandise is popping up, most of it very cool.

The latest example I’ve come across is this Gold Space Invaders Badge. It’s cool indeed. It fits the current handmade trend, it’s geeky, it looks good… But how do you justify the $12.80 price tag? (and that’s on sale) It’s a couple of stitches which take a couple of minutes to make…

All right, I know most people aren’t crafty or just don’t feel like working on something like this, but I still feel it should’ve been cheaper.

How much under $29.99?
Some: $12.80 on IDontLikeMondays.us.

I don’t do my nails very often, because it only lasts until the first time I do the dishes. And really, it’s not worth the trouble. And there’s plenty of that, especially with dark colors and especially when I do my right hand… I’ve got shaky fingers and I can’t do shit with my left hand, so the right ends up in less-than-perfect shape.

All this lenghty introduction for this brilliant product: the Sally Hansen Color Quick Nail Pen. Forget the quick coloring and fast drying; the real innovation here is the way it works. You get a “pen” filled with nail polish with a brush attached on one end, which works more or less like shoe polish: you shake it, click it a couple of times then apply. Since the pen is much easier to hold than a regular brush it gives much more control and the chances of the polish ending up on your skin instead of the nail diminish.

How much under $29.99?
A lot: $9.49 on Amazon.com.

Summer is a time for open-backed shoes, no doubt. I just want to slip my foot in and be on my way! But unfortunately my love of really long jeans means that my pants get stuck between my heel and my shoe all the time. Annoying to say the least… So far, the only answers I’d found were: a) ignore; b) buy shorter pants. But sometimes, especially with heels, shorter just won’t work, while ignoring the situation can lead to uncomfortable accidents.

Once again, someone thought of a solution. Kix by Katie is a device meant to keep your pants in place and out of your shoes. It’s very simple to use, you basically just attach it to the inside of your hemline and that’s it (if you want to see a demo video, click here).

The downside: they are not reusable. You have to remove them when you wash the pants, then replace the strip with a new one. The upside: you get three strips in each pack.

How much under $29.99?
Some: $12.95 on KixbyKatie.com.

Via Outblush

Have you ever went out somewhere… bought a beer… and found you had nothing to open it with? Um, no, me either. If I want to take beer to, say, a picnic or the beach, I’ll get cans; if I’m drinking out of a bottle it means I’m in a bar and it gets opened by the staff.

However, if you frequently miss a beer opener… the After 5 Cap with Bottle Opener is for you. It’s a baseball cap (obviously), but it has an opener embedded under the bill. I think the point is that you’re unlikely to forget your cap at home, but an opener is easily mislooked.

But I still don’t get it. How would someone end up with beers that need opening in the middle of nowhere? I’m sorry, $20 for this is waay too much.

How much under $29.99?
Some: $19.99 on After5Catalog.com.

Via FashionablyGeek

My first personal blog sported, at one time, a header saying “Will work for books”. While books still are my free item of choice… the internet is a close second. Or maybe it’s a tie for first spot, since I like to look up stuff while reading.

The Work for WiFi Messenger Bag is just great. What better way to send your message to the world? It might not be large enough for your laptop, but you can cary your EEE or BlackBerry or PDA and get online on your breaks from scrubbing the dishes or mopping the floors. Really, how much can you survive without checking your e-mail? What if someone important happens in Blogland and you’re not there to witness it?!

How much under $29.99?
A little: $22.99 on CafePress.com.

Via FashionablyGeek

I love cats, so understandably I end up with quite a lot of cat-themed merchandise… (Although nothing beats a real live cat jumping on your bed at 4 a.m.)

Maybe the humor is too subtle for me, but the Pussy Whipped Tote Bag would make sense if a man wore it, right? Because men is what the phrase is about… That aside, the picture is very cute and the interpretation hilarious. It even lets you play innocent and pretend you thought it was merely a (tasteless) joke about cats and blenders.

How much under $29.99?
Some: $19.99 on CafePress.com.

Via FashionablyGeek

Make-up skills are not something genetic, so the simple fact that you’re a girl doesn’t ensure that you can actually apply that expensive blush you just bought and make it look like on the models. What to do when you want to look fabulous, can’t do it yourself and can’t afford to pay for a professional make-up job?

Until recently, I would’ve said “tough luck”, but it appears there’s a solution: the ColorOn Instant Makeup Applicators. You get an oval applicator which you just press onto your eye, then you adjust the look with the included brush and setting powder and you’re set.

Too good to be true? Exactly what I thought, so I googled and found this wonderful video demonstration where you can see that they actually do work as advertised. All I can say is “wow”. There’s a wide range of colors to choose from and most of them are lovely combinations of colors (the zebra print is a bit toooo much, though).

A bit on the expensive side, it’s true, but I would get a set at least for last minute party preparations. Beats running around like a headless chicken while simultaneously trying to get dressed, put on make-up, call 2 friends and finding that pair of shoes.

How much under $29.99?
Some: $18 for a 10 applications kit on HelloGorgeous.net.

Via bookofjoe

Anyone aiming for the role of “funny guy/girl of the gang” needs a silly hat. But it needs to be unique, everyone and his mother has a jester hat nowadays.

How about a bit of Jaws? Killer sharks on the loose, biting heads off! Ok, not really, just a Man Eating Shark Hat. The shark is as realistic as a plushie can get, and the hat comes with a very handy velcro strip to adjust the size. The perfect occasion to wear it is, of course, at a movie night with Jaws or one of the sequels. See if a stuffed shark can scare anyone. But it’s a hat for any occasion, really. Well, as long as you don’t wear it for your graduation. (Though it would make a nice story to tell…)

How much under $29.99?
Some: 9.99 on Amazon.com.

Via FashionablyGeek

Why oh why do people make a cool product and then ruin it with a “trendy” design?

A special bag for your techy devices can be pretty useful when traveling; keeping them close to you might be safer than just chucking them into the suitcase. The Chloe Dao Mobile Technology Handbag can carry your phone, MP3 player, console and all the cables and accessories you need for the perfect tech experience. Awesome! No more shoving them in the pockets of my laptop bag!

But… they couldn’t have stopped here. They made the bag pink. With a pair of red lips. Come on! Why don’t designers understand that “girl” does not equal “squee! pink!”. Chloe Dao is a former winner of Project Runway… I was expecting she’d have a better idea of what women like (then again, given what I see in fashion magazines… women like me - i.e. casual - are not the designers’ target, so I’ll just keep buying normal looking accesories from the men’s department).

How much under $29.99?
A little: $24.95 on PacificDesign.com.

Via Chip Chick