Joy--the idea of a holiday bag is sparking my imagination. I will look into that. Noted about the Midwest...I usually just go there with a healthy supply of jeans and tees.

Bijou--what a cute jacket, that you could do so many things with. A lace dress with a black beanie, some leather pants with riding boots...I don't know.

I really like metallics for everyday wear and have added a few to my wardrobe recently. That said I have had trouble with sweaters or woven fabrics where there is a metallic thread - I often find them to be scratchy to wear after a while. I have returned several items because of this and one sweater that I *thought* was ok I tried on the other day and felt the familiar discomfort.