Having difficultly getting to sleep? Try a hot bath. Lavender soothes and relaxes like no other and this Mangiacotti Lavender Glycerin Bar Soap packs enough “vitamin zzz” to get you to doze off the minute your head hits the pillow. Lavender buds from the fields of Provence are gently mixed into a generous six ounce glycerin bar. Vitamin E lends essential moisturizing properties to soothe the skin.

Technorati Tags: beauty, Charles & Marie, cosmetics, Marie’s closet, wellness

You love comfort. You love style. You’ll love aerodynamic corduroy pants by San Francisco-based Cordarounds. The creations have a horizontal stripe instead of the typical vertical columns that get worn out so fast. We’ve never been big on this fabric, but the company’s A-line skirts and reversible smoking jacket are, well, smokin’ hot.

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Vivienne Westwood is the original princess of punk (the Sex Pistols owe much of their rock star image to her). Her mix of elegance, audacity and humor has shocked, rocked, and seduced the fashion world in the very best way. The VW gold label collection for autumn/winter 2006-2007 offers a pinch of her signature je ne sais quois. Très edgy!

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Ever wonder why the Beach Boys declared California girls so hip? It’s all in the tee. That’s right, a perfect-fitting one classifies as quintessential California wear (aside from the bikini, of course). Josh Podoll, an abstract painter, creates comfy options for both men and women. His organic pima cotton shirts have distinctive hand-screen-painted graphics that never fail to turn heads.

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Andrea Fohrman’s jewelry designs communicate in a sultry, come-hither tone. This Lauren necklace leaves us a bit weak in the knees with rhodolite garnet, pink sapphire and pink gold. Let’s face it, all that precious pink makes it perfect choice for October, National Breast Cancer Awareness month.

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California beauty Traci Arntsen recently added Voluspa Japonica to her line of luxurious candles and fragrances. Check out her intoxicating Aloe Vera hand soaps that leave hands silky smooth and oh-so-holdable, or her Creamy Shea Butter Hand Lotion (Marie keeps it on her nightstand and applies it religiously every night).

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So you want to adorn your lovely lobes with one-of-a-kind designs? We know the feeling. Enter Vicente Agor, San Francisco’s designer du jour. This is a stunning collection of hand-wrought 18k gold jewelry that eliminates the fear of social “cloning” (a term we use to describe the tragedy that occurs when another socialite shows up in the very same glamour gear). This stunning pair of earrings is from the marvelous Moroccan collection.

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We’re shouting it from the rooftops: L.A. export Zooey is super fab. Designed by Alice Heller, this collection of silky supima cotton jersey creations boasts everything from henleys to ultra lightweight hoodies. They’re perfect additions to your causual luxe weekend wardrobe.

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We love big bags, but many of the latest designs are weighed down with heavy hardware. Our shoulders need something light, and we suspect you want the same. Ladies, say hello to Austin by Mike&Chris. This antiqued leather satchel is big but not nearly as hefty as some of the other bags on the market. Your wallet (filled with hundred dollar bills, no doubt) should really be the heaviest thing you’re toting this season.

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We all know how quickly word-of-mouth spreads around tiny suburban towns like Danville, California. So it was only a matter of time before the locals were swooping up the array of too-cute tops and denim at Flaunt boutique on Hartz Avenue. Well guess what gals? The extraordinarily popular shop has re-opened down the street at the newly constructed Prospector’s Place where it will occupy three times its original size and showcase an interior that’s less “young and funky” and more “grown up and sophisticated.” That includes the addition of a wine and champagne lounge, plenty of makeover events, plus a few new labels, from designers like 24-year-old Charlotte Ronson.

Technorati Tags: Charles & Marie, fashion, jeans, Marie’s closet