When you’re making home movies, one of the glaring deficiencies many people face is medicore sound quality.

If you own a Sony Handycam, the ECM-HW1 wireless microphone is an affordable way to instantly improve the sound quality of any future recordings.

Because it is a clip-on model, the ECM-HW1 lets you record right up close to the source of the sound. This means you can clip it directly onto someone’s clothing. And because it uses Bluetooth technology to send the sound back to the camera, there are no ugly wires or cords required.

When it comes to wireless microphones, Bluetooth technology is far superior to traditional RF wireless models as the sound tends to be much clearer.

The ECM-HW1 works for both stereo audio and 5.1 surround.

Your Handycam must have Sony’s proprietary Active Interface Shoe technology to be compatible with the ECM-HW1.

Click here to find offers on wireless microphones from retailers near you.

By Caroline Warnes

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few weeks, chances are by now you’ve at least heard something about the small matter of a world financial crisis.

Now I am no economic expert, in fact I struggle with the basic concept of spending less than you earn, but even I have worked out that this isn’t your garden variety “I accidentally spent my week’s rent money on booze again” type of financial crisis.

No, it appears that a couple of corporations in the US may have done the big business equivalent of “mortgaging the house to put on race five at Randwick”.

Anyhow, it’s often said that the state of the economy has a direct effect on the fashion industry - and in particular, on the length of our hemlines. There is actually sound economic reasoning behind this: in a booming economy, the cost of fabric goes up, so designers make mini-skirts to maximise profits. Similarly, in an economic downturn, the cost of fabric drops and they can afford the extra fabric for longer styles.

Expect to see hemlines skimming the knees and below in the coming months - despite the fact we’re coming into summer. Colours and patterns also tend to become darker and more muted in any sort of world crisis because, well, most of us like to at least pretend that we’re socially sensitive and aware.

Form-fitting black dresses to the knee not only fill this criteria but also have several bonuses: 1. you don’t have to worry about how your thighs look and 2. you instantly appear at least 3kg slimmer. Damn. I sure could have done with a world financial crisis last bikini season.

The cotton spandex jersey tube dress pictured here sells for $52 from American Apparel, and I also like this tank dress from Metalicus, which sells for $139.

By Caroline Warnes

We have five double movie passes to the new film “Brideshead Revisited” to give away to Lasoo members.

“Brideshead Revisited” is the classic Evelyn Waugh novel about English society and Catholicism that has enthralled readers for decades.

The story begins in 1925 at Oxford University where Charles Ryder (Matthew Goode) is befriended by the flamboyant Sebastian Flyte (Ben Whishaw), son of Lord and Lady Marchmain (Michael Gambon and Emma Thompson). Sebastian takes Charles under his wing and when he’s invited to ‘Brideshead’, the Flyte family’s magnificent ancestral home, Charles becomes infatuated with Julia (Hayley Atwell), Sebastian’s beautiful sister.

To be in the running to win a double movie pass, email competitions@lasoo.com.au with the word BRIDESHEAD in the subject line and tell us why you want to see this film. Entries close next Thursday.

You can view the “Brideshead Revisited” trailer below.

Competition terms and conditions

Fake designer goods are one of the most controversial issues in fashion.

In one camp, you have the people who say “it’s okay to buy knock-offs because the originals are so expensive” and in the other camp you have the fashion mavens who get upset when they see a $100 version of their latest $2000 Louis Vuitton handbag purchase coming down the street towards them.

What you may not know is that when you buy fake designer goods, you could be doing more damage than what you realise. Recent articles I’ve read have variously suggested that the manufacture and distribution of fake designer products can be linked to sweatshops, terrorist funding, crime syndicates and other illegal activity. Suddenly that $50 fake Gucci bag from the local markets doesn’t seem so appealing, right?

Then there are the more abstract issues related to intellectual property. Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but I doubt that matters to the designers who have poured their creative juices into a new handbag, only to find poor imitations selling on every street corner. If you design something, you are entitled to own and control the way that design appears in the public sphere.

My personal opinion is if you can’t afford it, don’t buy it. Most of us don’t earn the kind of money that allows you to routinely spend thousands of dollars on a new designer handbag or hundreds of dollars on sunglasses. And that’s okay, because having numerous designer logos plastered all over you doesn’t necessarily make you stylish (you only need to look at the likes of Victoria Beckham and Paris Hilton for proof of that). While it may be tempting to buy that knock off handbag because it looks “exactly the same and no one will know”, I have some bad news for you - many people can tell a fake designer item, and it screams cheap and tacky.

You’re better off taking your $100 and buying a nice handbag from a respectable brand that doesn’t blatantly steal other people’s designs. Head to your local Myer store and see what you can find from the likes of Olga Berg, Modapelle and Urban Originals. Better karma and better style!

Photo courtesy of Design You Trust

By Caroline Warnes

Apple has just unveiled the LED Cinema Display, the company’s most advanced display ever.

The screen has been designed to complement the new range of MacBook computers, which was also announced overnight.

The LED Cinema Display, which will be released in November and will carry a recommended retail price of $1499, features a 24-inch widescreen display and 1920×1200p resolution. It uses LED-backlit technology to optimise brightness levels. LED technology is very energy efficient and the screen meets Energy Star 4.0 requirements.

It also has a built-in iSight video camera, microphone and speakers, so you can turn your MacBook into a multimedia centre - you can video conference, listen to music and watch movies.

Also included are three USB 2.0 ports, a universal MagSafe charger and the new Mini DisplayPort, so you can connect your MacBook and peripherals quickly and easily.

Click here to find offers on Apple products from retailers near you.

By Caroline Warnes

I have to admit that I’ve always wanted to own a kaftan, for various reasons.

When I was in my teenage years, it was mainly because all my friends thought that the Led Zepplin Indian era was pretty much the be all and end all of cool.

Lately I want a kaftan so I can cover up at the beach and avoid scaring small children.

Camilla kaftans are pretty much the cream of the crop, and that is reflected in their price tags (hundreds and hundreds of dollars, but my God, so beautiful, and if anyone wants to buy me one for Christmas, I’ll love you forever).

This v-neck beaded kaftan dress from sleepwear guru is a much more affordable kaftan alternative at $99.

I love the decorative beading around the neckline, and you can also buy a black or cream slip to wear underneath (if you are going from the beach to somewhere with a dress code). I’d also recommend putting on some kind of pants as well because in my opinion it’s a wee bit too short to wear on its own away from the beach.

By Caroline Warnes

If you like top Australian designers like Alannah Hill and Terry Biviano but can’t afford their main ranges, I have some exciting news for you.

Jeanswest has collaborated with four local designers to produce a range of t-shirts, each retailing for just $29.99.

Even better news is the fact that $10 from the sale of each t-shirt will go straight to the Cancer Council - a charity that is dear to many of us.

Did you know that one in every two Australian men and one in every three Australian women will be diagnosed with cancer before the age of 85? Chances are you or someone you love will need the assistance of the Cancer Council at some point in the future.

The designers who have teamed up with Jeanswest are Alannah Hill (pitured here), Terry Biviano, Flamingo Sands and Life With Bird.

The range goes on sale on October 27.

By Caroline Warnes

If you have a home theatre system with multiple components, chances are you need a universal remote control.

Universal remote controls can be programmed to control most common devices at the one time, eliminating the need to sort through multiple remote controls for your Foxtel, set-top box, TV and so on.

The Logitech Harmony One is the replacement to the Harmony 785 and is widely considered to be one of the best universal remote controls on the market.

It’s a feature-packed device that retails for well under $400, which might seem expensive if you’re new to universal remotes, but is actually very reasonable when you consider some high-end devices retailer for around the $1000-mark.

It boasts a large and stylish touchscreen, which you use to access all your devices, as well as a charger cradle, where you rest the remote when you’re not using it.

What may take some getting used to is the way you use the remote. Rather than searching through a list of devices in order to operate them, you choose your activity and let the remote do all the work. For example, if you wanted to watch a DVD, you would press the appropriate button and the TV, DVD player and any speakers (for example) would all power up.

While this may not seem that intuitive, for novice users it can actually make using the Logitech Harmony One far easier than other universal remotes.

Click here to find offers on Logitech Harmony universal remotes from retailers near you.

By Caroline Warnes

It’s very rare today to find an original boutique outside the inner city, so LuLu Loves Paris is a refreshing change.

It’s a little shop in the beachside suburb of Manly that opened its doors in August - plus there is also an online store.

According to the website, the shop fuses “contemporary Australian style with classic European style”.

There are some nice original shoes and bags available on the site - the Bucket Bag (RRP $158) is the perfect blend of casual style.

Some items are also onsale for up to 50% off.

By Caroline Warnes

The winners are:

A. Ramdas, 5070; N. Burkhill, 2428; J. McStay, 4220; G. Watkins, 2040; K. Wong, 2010; G. Davis, 2250; T. Cassar, 3060; W. Loo, 3106; S. Avery, 7178; M. Polvere, 5085.