Back to school backpacks, from blinged out and basic book bags
Backpacks have become more than just bags to hold students' books. They're now an expression of their personality, too. Basic or blinged out, designer label or discount brand, there's a dizzying number of choices this month, priced anywhere from $9.99 to more than $200.
• Target is the place to find backpacks with cartoon and TV show characters, like The Incredible Hulk or Camp Rock. But it also has some sturdy basic backpacks, like the FUL Gibson model ($34.99). Also check out its decorate-your-own backpacks.
• Lands' End is a definitely-will-find-something spot, with a wide range of practical and trend-resistant styles. Light, small, large, wheeled, bunge corded, monogrammed - everything. Priced between $26.50 and $56.50 at www.landsend.com or the Lands' End Inlets in Niles, Schaumburg and Lombard.
• Wal-Mart has a new line of backpacks by "Fresh Prince of Bel Air" star Janet Hubert (she played Aunt Viv), called Double XXposure. The colorful backpacks, priced between $9.99 and $19.99, feature characters from Hubert's soon-to-be-released book and DVD series, "J.G. and The B.C. Kid."
• Mixing art and pop culture is the stylish Kidrobot Super Day Pack, $228 at Bloomingdales.
• Old Navy and Victoria Secret's PINK have cute pink backpacks, all in the $20 range.
Cool for school
There is so much cool decorate-your-dorm-room and fill-your-backpack stuff out there this month, it's hard just to highlight a few pieces. But here are our faves:
• Mead's new HASBRO notebooks and folders carry fun designs, like the Operation guy or Mr. Potato Head (99 cents to $2.49, at Office Max).
My personal favorite is the colorful, psychedelic Clear Impressions planner ($4.99, at Kmart).
•The new dorm room decor at The Container Store has an eco-friendly theme, including the Graphic Can by Umbra garbage cans, made of biodegradable plastic and printed art on foil. A nice extra: the can's interior color matches the exterior. ($14.99, at The Container Store. Suburban locations include Oak Brook and Schaumburg).
•A fully functional PC that weighs only 2.6 pounds? Hewlett-Packard's 2133 Mini-Note has an 8.9-inch screen and is loaded with the basic stuff you need, including Wi-Fi. Starting at $499, at Costco, Micro Center and www.hp.com.
Cool for girlfriends
Now that the kids are heading back to school, moms can treat themselves to the Girlfriend's Getaway package from the AVANI Spa, at the Abbey Resort in Lake Geneva, Wis.
For $229 per person, women can enjoy deluxe accommodations at the resort, a 50-minute custom massage, an AVANI manicure, and daily admission to the fitness center and all aerobics classes.
The only catch? It has to be Sunday through Thursday, and before Oct. 15. For details, see www.theabbeyresort.com.