The Daily Deal for Sunday May 11, 2008

In plenty of time for the Memorial Day launch of the summer carousing season, Venus Swimwear is having a blowout sale on some of the season's most eye catching beach styles. Bikinis, tankinis, one piece, and tonga (thong) styles can be had at fabulous prices that will make both you and your wallet smile.

Venus has long been a favorite seller of women's swim wear. I have always found their suits to be more than just your average beach babe garb. Deep, rich colors in tasteful patterns and solids are applied to lady's swimsuits of every style. Embellishments and exciting details make each swimsuit a statement of your own personal style.

You'll find that Venus includes flirtatious cover-up skirts and elegant wrap around body shawls for after your swimming is done. Headbands, wrist bands and tasteful body jewelry will complete your personal look. You'll find that Venus offers a pleasing array of the season's most desirable sportswear also.

Use the attached gallery to browse through some styles. You are cordially invited to visit the Venus website. You'll find savings of up to 30% on a myriad of styles and for a limited time, orders of $100 or more will ship for free!

If Marybeth Bond has her statistics right, there are a few relatively big changes in travel that women should know about:

• 80% of travel arrangements are made by women.
• There are 28 million single women in the United States and we're traveling.
• By 2010, women will control 60% of this country's wealth.
• There has been a 230% increase in the number of women only travel companies in the last 7 years.
• The average adventure traveler is a 47 year old female who wears a size 12!
  

Let's just say this is food for thought. First, it tells us that the magazine covers and article photos - all the cruise and travel scenes of couples gazing into each other's eyes - is only part of the story. It's the old part.

Women, unaccompanied by men, have historically been vulnerable when they travel. Not only are they more physically vulnerable, they are much more vulnerable emotionally too. If you are over fifty, and even if you are younger, there is still that lingering "one down" feeling when you walk into a restaurant un-escorted.

It takes awhile for our internal, psychological realities to catch up with changes in the outside world. It may just be that women - especially older women - are entering a time when traveling with friends or solo will no longer leave us feeling even remotely self-conscious.

Wouldn't that be nice!

Some deals only come around once or twice a year, but offer savings that justify the wait. This post is part of our series on such 'don't miss' sales.

When I think about dressing for business, it's usually just that, thinking. In my world, a stout pair of jeans, a clean t-shirt and a sweatshirt will serve you for just about everything. Yet there's always been a part of me that wanted the natty look of a midnight blue, three piece, pinstriped Brooks Brothers suit. The company is famous for outfitting dignitaries from Abraham Lincoln to John F. Kennedy, as well as popular figures like Clark Gable, Andy Warhol and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, so it should be able to gild me as well.

The suits normally cost a minor royalty's ransom-- the Golden Fleece two-button pinstripe, for example, retails for $1,600. However, the company's semi-annual sales bring them a little closer to the Earth I inhabit. After Christmas and in June, Brooks Brothers knocks 25% off of much of its stock. If you open a Brooks Brothers credit account at that time, you can bump this discount up to 33%, quite a healthy savings on an outfit just south of $2,000.

Brooks Brothers was established in 1818, during the administration of John Quincy Adams, making it the nation's oldest clothing retailer. With 170 U.S. locations and 70 in other countries, even we in the hinterlands can dress like the famous. You may use this store locater to find Brooks Brothers near you.

Even at 33% off the regular price, those fantastic Golden Fleece suits are still a bit out of my reach, though. For now, I'll just have to imagine how a $1,600 suit must feel. Perhaps I should resume pursuing that law degree after all. Ya think?