Lifestyles

• Jewelry designer Sharon Meyer will be in the fine jewelry department from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday at Saks Fifth Avenue, Downtown. Meyer has been designing jewelry for more than 20 years. She is a longtime member of Fashion Group International and an annual exhibitor at the international Sculptural Objects and Functional Art show.

• Robert Bruce Bielka will appear at Saks from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 17 and 18. Bielka is a certified master jeweler who trained at Cartier in New York. His extraordinary quality and attention to detail lend to the appeal of his one-of-a-kind pieces sold by retailers such as Tiffany and Fred Leighton. Bielka is the originator of the Asprey sunflower and daisy collection. His signature Bielka Bearlooms are fully articulated moveable teddy bear charms with gemstones and enamel accents.

Details: 412-263-4800.

Jewelry designer's trunk show planned at Henne

Italian jewelry designer Franco Pianegando will hold a trunk show at Henne Jewelers, 5501 Walnut St., Shadyside from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 18.

Customers will receive a gift with a $500 purchase and a Pianegando autograph. Pianegando's jewelry is known for elegant simplicity and edgy style that marries the traditions of fine Italian craftsmanship with contemporary style.

Details: 412-682-0226

Bra-fitting at Nordstrom's is opportunity for early birds

Shoppers can get a sneak peek at one part of the new Nordstrom department store by attending the "Nordstrom Fits Pittsburgh" bra event from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at the Ross Park Mall store. The entire store officially opens Oct. 24.

Customers will have the opportunity to be expertly fit and shop for lingerie. Participating vendors will make a $1 donation per bra sold to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Nordstrom will make a matching donation. An appointment is required.

Details: 866-231-4657

Fashion shows

• A fall fashion show will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Boyd Community Center, 1220 Powers Run Road, O'Hara, to benefit "Team Fashionista," a recognized team of Pittsburgh Walk Now for Autism, sponsored by Autism Speaks. Tickets are $15. Details: 412-963-1104.

• St. Barnabas Charities will hold its annual fundraising fashion show at 4 p.m. Oct. 18 in The Washington Place's Kean Theatre. The event, "A Chocolate Affair" begins at 1 p.m. with desserts, shopping, live jazz performance by the Donna Bailey Jazz Quartet and basket raffle at The Washington Place, 5847 Meridian Road. Local celebrities include Johnny Angel of Johnny Angel and the Halos and Neil Walker, Pirates baseball player. Tickets are $32. Details: 724-444-5521.

Fashion critic Roberts pokes fun in new book

Fashion critic and illustrator Michael Roberts pokes fun at the industry in a new book that he says is as much a satire as it is an homage.

"Fashion Victims" (Collins Design, $21.95) features 26 poems with accompanying illustrations based on the letters of the alphabet, ranging from Auctions to Zips. The letter "B," for example, is given to the word "Bimbo" and illustrated by a silhouette of women stabbing each other in the back.

"There's a huge amount of folly, yes, in the fashion business, but it's not as though it causes wars or people go around killing each other," Roberts says.

Now the fashion director of Vanity Fair magazine, Roberts has been compared to French artist Jean Cocteau for his prolific output, which ranges from cut paper collages to photography, poetry and painting. His illustrations have frequently been used on the cover of The New Yorker magazine.

Roberts says he is not afraid of offending his colleagues with the new book, in which the poems are written in the first person, each adopting the tone of a different character. Only two, however, were based entirely on actual people -- though he would not say which ones.

"That's for me to know, and you to find out!" he says.

How to save your hair

Hair loss is partly genetic and partly linked to age, but professional stylists say there are ways to slow down the process:

• Dry gently. After washing your hair, pat it down with a soft towel rather than rubbing vigorously. Rough treatment can break off hair just as it emerges.

• Get the right brush. Choose one with soft bristles and brush gently, especially when your hair is wet and at its most fragile.

• Use the right shampoo. Pick a mild product -- even a baby shampoo -- that has as few chemicals as possible. Rub your scalp gently as you wash to stimulate blood circulation.

• Use a detangler. A cream rinse can spare you from having to use a comb or brush to break through tangles. Conditioning your hair, especially the

• Avoid hair dryers. Hot air can damage proteins in hair and make it more likely to break. If you do use a dryer, keep it on the lowest setting.

• Keep it loose. Styles that put a lot of strain on hair, such as tight ponytails or cornrows, can make strands fall out faster.

• Eat healthy. Nutritious foods such as fish, fruits, vegetables and nuts help nourish hair, unlike choices high in sugar and unhealthy fats.

• Drink plenty of water. Water carries important nutrients throughout the body, including to the skin follicles that hold the roots of hair.

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