THE LEFT LANE
Fake lei? In Hawai'i??
Used to be fake lei were tacky, but advanced techniques in fabricating them, and a new awareness of the need to conserve lei flowers and greenery in the wild, have drawn attention to ribbon and crochet lei. Proof comes in the form of two new books on the subject: "Hawaiian Lei in Crochet" by Roberta Wong (Island Heritage, $9.99) and coming in September, "Making Ribbon Leis and Other Gifts of Aloha" by Coryn Tanaka and May Masaki (Bess Press, $9.95).
Both books are handily spiral bound so that they lie flat while you're consulting them.
Cheap catches on
Just in time for the stock market plunge is Budget Living, a bimonthly magazine to be unveiled in October with a "spend smart, think rich" motto aimed at readers who want to save money without compromising on style when it comes to cars, clothes, travel, furniture, food and drink. And seeing how parking lots at Kmart, Costco and Sam's Club these days are filled with BMWs and TV-equipped SUVs, getting a good deal is clearly on many peoples' minds, even if they have bucks.
"Cheap is the new chic," says editor Sarah Gray Miller, 32, who is aiming "Living" primarily at thirtysomething women. "What people love to say, when they're told 'great bag, great shoes' is: 'I found it at Wal-Mart.' It's cool to be smart." Early articles: how to throw a Thanksgiving dinner for 10 for less than $100, 10 wines under $10, how to make a Salvation Army sofa look good.
Eyebrow appeal
It is possible to be too thin in Hollywood after all. At least when it comes to eyebrows. Glamour girls such as Jennifer Lopez, Naomi Campbell, Madonna, Oprah Winfrey and Sharon Stone are going for a thicker, not-so-dramatic shape these days at Anastasia, the Beverly Hills salon.
"Thinner eyebrows make you look older," says Anastasia's owner, licensed aesthetician Anastasia Soare. Her clients include Lopez, Stone, Winfrey, Campbell, Penelope Cruz, Reese Witherspoon, Renee Zellweger, Debra Messing, Oded Fehr and Hank Azaria. "When you are in your 40s, you lose the fat around your eyes and the space (between the eyes and brows) gets bigger. ... Having thick eyebrows (gives) you a more youthful look."
