There's nothing like an impending crisis to make people go shopping. Heck, even here in Charlotte, a forecast for snow brings the masses out to the grocery store for milk and bread, doesn't it?

Some major marketers are seeing an uptick in sales of items such as masks, latex gloves, anti-bacterial soaps and hand sanitizers. There's a "measurable increase" in mask sales at Walgreens in Chicago, New York and Texas, spokeswoman Tiffani Washington says. Consumer gurus aren't surprised that so many treatments and protective devices related to swine flu — legitimate or not — are getting plenty of traction from retailers and marketers. (USA Today)

Of course, purchasing Tamiflu kind of makes sense. Want to have the drug on hand in case you contract that dirty disease, right?

Masks are going pretty fast right now, despite how scary they look — even doctors look scary in surgical masks. But when everyone on TV is sporting one, the average Joe jumps on the bandwagon, goes to Lowe's and buys himself a box, just in case.

The LA Times' fashion critic Booth Moore muses on Susan Boyle and the era of ordinary chic.

Here's an excerpt:

Maybe the collective embrace of Boyle is a sign that we are at last tiring of faux-reality and unattainable perfection, of the "happy couple" Heidi and Spencer, the airbrushed Kim Kardashian and the rest of Hollywood's incredibly shrinking celebrities. In this age of engineered attractiveness anyone can be beautiful, but oh, to be ordinary!

What do you think? Is Susan Boyle a style hero?

Well, what do you think?

I wouldn't want to be a shop owner right now. The only way they can get people to buy anything is to discount their merchandise by like, 70 percent off. And that's in-season stuff.

The penchant for percentages off rather than specific prices or promotions can be attributed to the continuing weak retail climate, said Wendy Liebmann, chief executive and chief shopper at WSL Strategic Retail, a consulting company in New York.

“We’ve gotten to a point where the specific price isn’t bold enough or specific enough” to be noticed, Ms. Liebmann said.

“The magnitude of the crisis has created this sales vernacular where people are saying, ‘If I’m not getting 50 percent off, I’m not even getting off the couch,’ ” she added, “ ‘but 70 or 80 percent off gets my attention.’ ”

In recent visits to stores, Ms. Liebmann said, she noticed that if there was “nothing on sale,” there was “nobody in the store.”

“Everyone’s just waiting,” she added.

Read the rest of this New York Times article here.

Maybe one day, I won't think it's so odd to be sporting shades in the nightclub.

But did you ever imagine that eyeglasses or contact lenses could deliver digital images directly from a smartphone to the retina?

Several companies are developing prototypes for digital devices that look like stylish eyewear but may one day offer such capabilities to consumers. The glasses are called heads-up displays because the wearer can always look through them and see the real world — like the sidewalk just ahead — but can also see, on an overlay image, virtual information like an electronic map or an arrow showing the correct way to a destination. The glasses may also help the wearer remember the name of a long-lost friend she sees on the street.

Read the rest of this New York Times article here.

I love my dog, but $4.2 million for dog jewelry? I think not. (There's no sound on the video, but you can at least the tiara.)

Can you believe Gap has never launched a signature fragrance for women? Gap's been around forever!

Alas, today they launch Close, which is said to be composed of fresh salty citrus, florals, sandalwood and vanilla. Close will be offered in three sizes: 100ml. ($35), 50ml ($25) and 10ml ($8.50).

Patrick Robinson, who leads Gap's design team, tells Fashion Week Daily: "My team is constantly reworking our formula to keep Gap cool and relevant. That's the most important thing to me," said Robinson. "Being sexy is part of that lifestyle, and that was the first criteria for this fragrance. It had to be sexy, sensual and beautiful."

Just over $100,000. That's how much you'll pay for the Alexander Amosu, a suit named after its designer. And what makes this suit so special?

From ABC News:

Each suit will be a one-off creation made from gold and platinum threads, the rarest silks and a blend of Himalayan Pashmina, Qiviuk and Vicuna. And, to complete the garment, nine 18-carat gold and pave set diamond buttons will be sewn into place.

Anyone who purchases such an extravagance should have his left toe chopped off. $100,000? Are you kidding me?

The ladies behind the computer screen of Shop Talk, Charlotte Magazine's shopping blog, got their picks in for the best places to shop in Charlotte for their annual Best of the Best issue. Some of the shopping categories include Vintage Clothing (Hong Kong Vintage), Yoga Apparel (Asana), and Stylish Gifts (who else by Paper Skyscraper?). To see the whole list, click here.

TimesOnline has a nice little article on 10 ways to update your wardrobe for the spring. It's particularly helpful to check out now during the seasonal transition period, when the weather's not quite springy but definitely not wintery either.

As long as Carolina Place doesn't get like Eastland Mall, we should be OK.

From the Charlotte Observer:

The company that owns Carolina Place Mall in Pineville and Valley Hills Mall in Hickory has filed the biggest real estate bankruptcy in U.S. history.

General Growth Properties Inc., which also had planned to build a large mall in Mint Hill, has filed for Chapter 11 protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York, listing $27 billion of debts.

The mall owner said it will continue operating Carolina Place Mall, Valley Hills Mall and more than 200 other properties, including such prominent centers as South Street Seaport in Manhattan and Faneuil Hall in Boston.