Columnist Muriel Stevens: Fashionable options for toddlers

Wednesday, March 24, 2004 | 8:13 a.m.

A recent children's fashion mailer from Neiman Marcus in the Fashion Show mall offered a glimpse of what well-dressed toddlers to teens will be wearing for spring.

Such familiar names as Florence Eiseman and Lilly Pulitzer have been dressing kids and teens for many years, but there were many names that were new to me -- Juicy Couture, Plum Pudding, Monkey Wear, Skinny Minnie and more.

Saks Fifth Avenue in the Fashion Show has a beautiful children's department with a fine selection of clothing for small babes and betweeners. The infants-wear department is such fun.

L'Oreal Paris One on One mall tour: Fashion Show's Grand Court will be the stage for the L'Oreal Paris One on One Tour, featuring free beauty consultations with L'Oreal's team of makeup, skin and hair experts. Included are complimentary product samples.

This tour began Feb. 14 in Dallas. Dates and times for Las Vegas are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 3 and noon to 5 p.m. April 4.

Consultations include cosmetics, hair color, skin care and hair care. Complete your consultations and L'Oreal will offer deluxe gift bags that will include samples, coupons and full-size products from "select L'Oreal product categories."

Among the products featured on the tour are True Match foundation, Volume Perfect lip color, Wrinkle De-Crease wrinkle corrector and skin smoother and a new line of hair care products designed for men, Vive.

Men are, of course, welcome to attend these events. As the L'Oreal rep said, "L'Oreal skin products are for men and women."

For more information call (866) 220-1587 (leave your phone number and your call will be returned at the end of the day) or visit www.lorealparisusa.com/1on1 for complete tour information.

Bijoux and bling-bling join Swatch: Swatch watches are not only collectible, they're well priced.

Remember the plastic-banded, colorful designs priced from $24.95? Those early editions are now collectors' items and worth far more than their original prices. If you should happen upon a Swatch in a thrift shop, jump on it.

And designs change every year.

Swatch recently added bijoux (jewelry) with a new color spectrum and made with stainless steel, resin and plastic. Each design group has a sassy name: Pop In, Glaring, Appeal, Colorstair, Siamra, Ocellus, Greekagain and Jonction. Swatch Bijoux have broad appeal. Bangle bracelets, rings, chains with pendants and earrings are priced from $40 to $60.

Swatch watches are sleek and chic, and the designs have come a long way. Tribal Chief, part of the spring/summer 2004 Irony Collection, is bound to sell out. Turquoise Glimmer for women is a dazzler.

And I do like the colorful Filamento Multicolore, designed for petite wrists despite its wide band of shiny, bold-colored strands. The Swatch dubbed Snake Charmer sports a black-and-gray synthetic strap with an embossed python design. These Swatches are priced from $70 to $120.

Chronographs are priced from $110 to $120 -- excellent values and smashing designs.