This Valentine’s Day, anything pink is bound to be hot, especially since J. Lo’s more than $1 million pink diamond engagement ring was showcased around the world and Bachelorette Trista Rehn surrounded herself and her guests in pink when she wed Ryan Sutter on national television.
Pink has become the new red, says Françoise Shirley, president of sleepyheads.com, a trendy sleepwear shop that stocks brand names popular among the rich and famous.
“A lot of it (the pink trend) has been driven by television and celebrities,” says Shirley, who noticed that pink pajamas have been selling twice as fast as the other colors on the rack. But Shirley also believes the pink craze is part of the “comfy/cozy trend.” Pink is simply a “better color match” than red for our increasingly casual lifestyle, she says.
Snuggly sleepwear
At sleepyheads.com, V-day shoppers will find lots of pink products, from P.J. Salvage’s fuzzy, flip flop-style slippers, priced at $24.95, to Cherry Pie’s 100 percent pima cotton pajamas for $162. Rehn and her bridesmaids adorned their feet with the pink slippers at their pre-wedding spa treatment. Rehn also wore the two-piece pajama set at breakfast on the day of her nuptial. The pocket of the pj top is embroidered with the expression “kiss the bride.” Los Angeles-based Cherry Pie Inc. makes the pajama sets as well as robes, which can be personalized with other sentiments.
Some small shops have had special sayings created for them. Minneapolis-based online boutique sleepwear.tv has a stash of pjs and robes, priced at $144, embroidered with the maxims “in chocolate therapy,” “out shopping,” and “queen of shoes.” Sound like anyone you know?
Pink bags and props
Check out the dark-but-not-quite-hot pink cosmetic bags by designer David and Goliath at sleepwear.tv. The totes are not only pink but also fit in with another trend — the “love yourself” theme. Each leather purse features a cranky-looking stick figure character and the expression “It’s all about me.” Four styles are available, from the “essentials” pencil-case shaped, zippered pouch for $18 to the “hit the mall” rectangular tote, priced at $38.95—suited for larger loads.
Other fun pink props that make great V-day gifts include the lingerie bag at wishingfish.com and a hot pink pocketbook shaped like a watering can at uncommongoods.com. The light pink lingerie bag is now $24.99 at wishingfish.com, reduced from $29. And the hot pink rubber handbag at uncommongoods.com is a steal for $18, especially if it really does “hold water as well as your stuff” like it says in the product description.
To stray from the pink theme a bit, also take a look at the L-O-V-E print pjs, just released from popular pj manufacturer Nick and Nora. The 100 percent cotton two-piece set, available in black or white, is covered with hearts, flowers and other symbols of L-O-V-E. “The print is a take off on the popular Murakami design from the Louis Vuitton bags,” says Miracle Wanzo, a buyer for the trendy hipundies.com, who says she seen other colors — including light teals and soft yellows—featured at trade shows and during L.A. Fashion week.
Serious bling
But these days, if he really wants to get serious, the new diamond may be the pink sapphire. “Immediately after J-Lo's pink engagement ring announcement, our phones began ringing off the hook with pink diamond inquiries,” says a company representative from cyber jewelry shop bluenile.com. What most consumers don't realize — and found out soon enough — is that pink diamonds are extremely rare and very expensive, starting at $80,000-$120,000 for a 1 carat, he adds.
Knock-offs of J.Lo’s engagement ring abound online, for as little as $14.95 at czfantasy.com. But for V-day, believe me she wants something that more closely resembles the real thing.
Enter bluenile.com’s pink sapphire collection. The five-piece collection consists of: a heart pendant — a mix of seven round diamonds and seven round pink sapphires ($450); earrings with posts for pierced ears ($675); a three-stone necklace with two diamonds and one pink sapphire ($750); a three-stone ring set in 18k white gold ($950) and a platinum engagement setting with a diamond at the center, surrounded by two pink sapphires. The setting cost $1,000 plus the cost of the diamond.Gifts for himNow what about something for him? Even in the “Queer Eye” days, he’s not wearing pink. But it never hurts to stroke his ego. In that vein,
Cranford, N.J.-based webundies.com has the best selection of superhero underwear. Superman-themed boxers continue to be a very popular style, especially paired with the Wonder Woman set for her, says Scott Marino, the company’s president. The men’s boxers sell for $11.99; the women’s set costs $24.99.
As for guys who are willing to show that cuddly side — love the “one fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish” Dr. Seuss boxers. Splurge and buy the companion story book. Consider the “bath book” variety, $5.99 at barnesandnobles.com, which features soft vinyl pages.
But this year, my personal favorite has to be the Sugar Daddy-themed boxers. The 100 percent silk boxers, $15.99, are dotted with caramel-colored hearts that say "Sugar Daddy" and "Who's your daddy" — just a little reminder that if he wants to be the boss, he has to bring home the bacon — soy or regular. There’s also matching lounge pants for $16.99. A perfect companion gift for the sassy boxers or pj bottoms are some good old-fashioned Sugar Daddy caramel candy pops. Usually sold in bulk online, the prices vary wildly. A few sites that offer the caramel lollipops include oldtimecandy.com, groovycandies.com and woodstockcandy.com.
Other hot picks for him include the burgundy Terry cloth robe at llbean.com for $39 and anything from the Mansilk collection, especially the silk boxers covered with “tumbling hearts,” $21 at barenecessities.com.