CONTENTS The Gift of Thrift Entertainment Gadgets Gear Garden Interiors Practical Kids Books Kitchen Food and Drink Body

BY TINA SATTER Babe Watch Imagine what a member of Hanson would give his girlfriend for Christmas or what Baby Spice (the most popular Spice) would use as a timepiece. Perhaps a sporty, shock-resistant Aqua G watch ($14.99, Claire's Accessories, Pioneer Place, 700 SW Fifth Ave., 223-1287)? The Aqua G, available in pink, light blue or white and blue, is pure plastic street flair. The analog face and scratch guard mix school-girl sensibility with athletic practicality. The water-resistant Aqua G comes with a warranty, ensuring it will last longer than Hanson, The Spice Girls, Keiko and I Know What You Did Last Summer sequels. Chopsticks for everyone From The New York Times Sunday Style section to Willamette Week, it's official: Asian-themed prints are in. At Naked City, where everything is affordable, you'll find great deals on adorable Lycra tops ($28.50, 3730 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 239-3837). Cheap Thrills' Little Yen shirt is a collage of pale greens, faint purple script and a picture of an Asian toddler. The Dragonfly shirt showcases fashion's hottest insect against a red and gray Chinese landscape. Both are long-sleeved with not-quite-bateau necklines. The Little Yen print is also available on a groovy messenger bag ($32). Bug Out If you're tired of hemp hand creams and recycled fleece mittens but still want to put nature at someone's fingertips, give a bug ring ($3, 3 Monkeys, 803 NW 23rd Ave., 222-9894). These plastic rings serve as permanent condos for bug carcasses, but they're not nearly as vile as they sound. They are made of clear, blue, orange or yellow transparent plastic and have a chunky, rave-style look. The plastic magnifies arthropods to twice their actual size. Nothing beats the luminous dark colors of the beetle for aesthetic grandeur, but the orange lightning bug adds bright color. Czech Please Sometimes a fancy bobby pin is all it takes to make a girl feel gorgeous. Give the gift of the Magi without the tragedy. Choose from a cache of wondrous hair pins (Matisse, $8-$28, 2223 NE Broadway, 287-5414). Matisse offers beautiful clothing in addition to its delicate hair accessories. Designs by Noir include elaborate flowers crafted from cut glass and precious enameled butterflies. The antique look and black diamond glass of a Collette Malouf hair pin transports the wearer to an Edith Wharton ballroom scene. Choose super-sparkly Tarina hair pins for stargazers bent on emulating the likes of Minnie Driver and Ashley Judd. Many Hollywood hotties are sporting Tarina's bold rhinestone-and-crystal bugs and butterflies, but the most breathtaking barrettes are the few imports crafted from shiny Czechoslovakian glass. Aloha, Mr. Hand It's hard to think of a reason not to give a vintage Hawaiian shirt ($14-$20, Retread Threads, 931 SW Oak St., 916-0000). A Hawaiian shirt-clad cutie adds a tropical aura to even the wettest winter day. Most Hawaiian shirts have so many colors they'll match anything. Stains blend right in. The wearer can escape from the gray season to the sun-splashed world of Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Dress à la Jeff Spicoli, but go snowboarding instead of surfing. String Him Along Men argue over the pros and cons of boxers and tighty-whities. Women debate the merits of the G-string. The "you don't even know you're wearing it" and "permanent wedgie" positions are oft-argued. Let him decide after he slides into a Mansilk 100 percent silk G-string ($11, Jane's Obsession, 728 NW 23rd Ave., 221-1490). These luxurious wisps of cloth are dyed in jewel tones, including red, blue, gold and silver. They're soft and non-irritating, an especially important attribute for those hard-to-reach places. The comfort and obvious style make it easy to imagine that this is James Bond's premier undergarment. For those not quite as adventurous as 007 or not as concerned with their panty lines, silk boxers from Jane's are equally elegant. Low Rider It happens on the dance floor. It can even happen while waving an energetic hello. And it must be stopped. Right up there with the fashion faux pas of sweat rings and bad breath is that unsightly peek of pale stomach cinched by the top of tights. This present is not just something every fashionable girl needs--it's a public service. Hippies low-rider tights and pantyhose ($13-$14, Pokerface, 128 SW 3rd Ave., 294-0445) will save our society. Hippies, designed in Australia, are comfortably cut to fall beneath the waistline of the low-rider pants and skirts that dictate today's dress code. Bizarrely named colors--love bite (charcoal), chocolate bunny (brown) and dizzy blond (nude)--only add to the appeal. The time is now, these are the tights, this is our fight. A Pain in the Neck... ...can now be eased in style with a leopard-print Bucky neck rest ($30, The Savon Company, 518 SW Yamhill St., 226-3168). Never again be seen with a ghastly, off-white, grime-collecting orthopedic pillow. These luscious, soft polar-fleece covers are 100 percent washable. Bucky gets its name from the buckwheat stuffing, popular for centuries in Asia as a pillow filler. Bucky naturally fits the contours of the head and neck, offering soothing support, and it's recommended by chiropractors. The chic patterns and sleek cut make Bucky stand shoulders above the rest. Add instant sophistication to the pain-alleviation process whether you're traveling or lounging at home. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Willamette Week | originally published December 9, 1998