How many events, cocktail parties, fundraisers, you name it, have you gone to where you look around at a sea of women wearing black? Great for blending in. But then occasionally you'll see someone wearing a fabulous jacket, in an eye-popping color, and you notice that people are flocking to her like bees on honey. That is the beauty of a statement jacket, and we've got the scoop on some standouts from the Gabrielle Carlson Collection.

 

And we're heading into summer and hats and sunscreen go hand in hand. But how to pick a hat that protects and looks good too? We've got help this week from a NYC hat designer. Plus we have this week's shopping steals and deals.  Make sure you enter for a chance to win theater tickets this week too. And what will the tomatoes be gabbing about this week on Tomatoes in the Trenches?  Read on.  

 
Tomato Bites: Another Wedding for Liz Taylor? Don't like your kid? Send him Back. Paying to use the bathroom on a plane? The Tomatoes will be in the trenches weighing in with their views on the latest hot topics in the news for what we like to call "Tomato Bites". What's your favorite beauty product that you can't live without? iPAD- are you interested? Another wedding for Liz Taylor? The adoptive Mom who sent the kid back to Russian. And what's up with the airlines charging for carry- on baggage and using the bathroom? These are just a few of the topics we ll be "Biting" into this week on Tomatoes in the Trenches. Listen in live Wed. April 14th at 1PM EST, or on demand at your leisure. Remember anything can happen when the east coast meets the west coast. 

 
The "remember me" jacket
Every tomato needs to own at least one statement jacket. The head tomato wore this fabulous red jacket last week at the "Say No to End Violence Against Women" event and  her head is still spinning from all the compliments.  In fact, we might have to have an intervention to get her out of the jacket - wearing it for Saturday grocery shopping is a bit much.  But if red is not your color, fear not. This terrific jacket from the Gabrielle Carlson Collection comes in other fabulous colors and you'll find more terrific styles too. More details at 3T Shopping.

 

More Skin More Brim
Patricia Underwood, a New York-based millinery designer has some suggestions on picking the right hat, that's not only stylish for summer, but helps protect your skin and eyes too.  A wide-brimmed (3-inch or greater) hat covers places where it is difficult to apply sunscreen, i.e., the scalp as well as places where people often forget to apply sun-screen, such as the tops of the ears and the back of the neck.  Read her tips on picking the right hat for you, that protects your skin too.