The New York Times has an interesting story in today’s Style section about how the recession and tanking economy will affect the cosmetic surgery and beauty industries. Will people, specifically women, start scrimping on beauty products and cut spending on Botox, boob jobs, pricey gym memberships, and fad diets?

Indeed, a few indicators suggest that financial constraints are beginning to interrupt the narrative of better living through surgery — at least temporarily. Sixty-two percent of plastic surgeons who responded to a recent questionnaire from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons said they had performed fewer procedures in the first half of this year compared with the same period last year, according to the latest anecdotal information from the group.

Personally, I don’t think this will last. The pursuit of perfection is a vice and an addiction, and like sex and booze, which thrive during tough economic times, the desire to look better and younger will never die.

Miracle of miracles, the current economic crisis doesn’t look like it’s going to saddle you with major financial setbacks. Your significant other, however, hasn’t been so lucky. Whether your partner’s been laid off, forced to take a pay cut, or seen a formerly robust stock portfolio become awfully puny, it’s become quite clear that his or her financial future is looking grim. Though it makes you feel a little guilty, you’re beginning to re-evaluate whether, going forward, his or her financial situation will be able to provide or assist you with living the kind of lifestyle you’d like – or at least to which you’ve become accustomed. Are you being cold and superficial or wise and practical? We consulted Debra Mandel, Ph.D., a psychologist and author of Dump that Chump! for advice on how you should best approach the situation.

2008 is almost history, and it definitely made some. We saw plenty of highs—the election of the first African-American President—and lows—the stock market dip—but as we look back at a year of extremes, our jaw still drops at these unbelievably shocking moments…

I wouldn’t consider myself to be a Grade A snob, despite what some may think.  I may carry an expensive bag or be sporting expensive shoes, but chances are that I’m wearing Forever 21 everywhere else.  I prefer a diner sandwich to a fancy meal, have cut myself off from mani/pedis and learned to polish my own, and am getting a little less bitter about the subway. In these tough economic times, we’re all trying to cut back, but there are some things we’re just not willing to give up.

Yesterday I posted about the Leading Lipstick Indicator, “a surprisingly reliable theory that suggests consumers turn to inexpensive little treats, like lipstick, when they start freaking out about the future.” It seems that included in those inexpensive indulgences, we women are splurging on sex toys to get us through the hard times. At a benefit last night for the New Space Women’s Center hosted at Babes of Toyland, owner and co-founder, Claire Cavanauh, told NYMag, “Right around when the AIG bailout started, and people’s consciousnesses were really being raised about what was going to happen, our sales went up 26 percent,” an increase she said the store hadn’t seen since just after the 9/11 terrorist attacks (the same time lipstick sales reportedly soared for leading cosmetic companies). The idea, explained benefit attendee and “Gossip Girl” actress Michelle Hurd (Eleanor Waldorf’s assistant, Laurel) is, “You can stay home, it’s free! And it’s warm, especially since here in New York it’s getting so cold.” She even bought her mother the Rabbit for Christmas last year, a vibrator made famous by a memorable “Sex and the City” episode. While I can appreciate a vibrator’s place in these trying economic times, I’m not quite sure I’d give the gift that keeps giving to the woman who gave me life (a tube of lipstick may be a more appropriate stocking stuffer), but what about you guys? Would you ever give someone — your mother or anyone else — a vibe as a holiday gift? [via NYMag]

If history is any indication, you may want to stock up on your favorite lipstick before every tube is sold out, and go ahead, splurge on that cupcake — curves are coming back in vogue. Since our recent economic crisis, people are once again talking about the Leading Lipstick Indicator, a surprisingly reliable theory that suggests consumers turn to inexpensive little treats, like lipstick, when they start freaking out about the future.  For example, after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, lipstick sales doubled. The term was coined by Leonard Lauder (chairman of Estee Lauder), “who consistently found that during tough economic times, his lipstick sales went up.” Hmm…Sephora has been unusually crowded lately (last time I was there, I couldn’t find an available mirror to save my look, I mean life).

What’s the average Joe and Jane cutting spending on during these tough economic times? Our girl Lori finds out.

We’re hoping that with this week’s election, the financial situation will straighten itself out—but it’s not going to happen overnight, so we’re gonna need to be a little more frugal. No more eating out every night! No more buying expensive salads for lunch! If you missed Teri Tsang Barrett’s “Hot Out Of The Oven” recessionista menu last week, make the dishes this week! After the jump, the shopping list and daily recipes…

Hot foodie Teri Tsang Barrett knows her way around a kitchen—a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education, she works as a Food Editor at Everyday With Rachael Ray in constant search of the perfect thin crust pizza. Here she unveils her favorite frisky recipes—good food that every ravenous gal can make in a pinch. Got a rumble in your belly for something you want her to cook up a recipe for? Email us at tips@thefrisky.com.

In preparation for the financial apocalypse, I was challenged by Amelia to come up with five recipes for Frisky readers eatin’ on the cheap. Check out the full grocery list for all the recipes here. I tried to stick with an “under $10” budget* for each recipe, so set aside $50 and let me know if I was wrong.  After the jump, the fifth and final recipe I’ve concocted…

Hot foodie Teri Tsang Barrett knows her way around a kitchen—a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education, she works as a Food Editor at Everyday With Rachael Ray in constant search of the perfect thin crust pizza. Here she unveils her favorite frisky recipes—good food that every ravenous gal can make in a pinch. Got a rumble in your belly for something you want her to cook up a recipe for? Email us at tips@thefrisky.com.

In preparation for the financial apocalypse, I was challenged by Amelia to come up with five recipes for Frisky readers eatin’ on the cheap. Check out the full grocery list for all the recipes here. I tried to stick with an “under $10” budget* for each recipe, so set aside $50 and let me know if I was wrong.  After the jump, the fourth recipe I’ve concocted…

Hot foodie Teri Tsang Barrett knows her way around a kitchen—a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education, she works as a Food Editor at Everyday With Rachael Ray in constant search of the perfect thin crust pizza. Here she unveils her favorite frisky recipes—good food that every ravenous gal can make in a pinch. Got a rumble in your belly for something you want her to cook up a recipe for? Email us at tips@thefrisky.com.

In preparation for the financial apocalypse, I was challenged by Amelia to come up with five recipes for Frisky readers eatin’ on the cheap. Check out the full grocery list for all the recipes here. I tried to stick with an “under $10” budget* for each recipe, so set aside $50 and let me know if I was wrong.  After the jump, the second recipe I’ve concocted…

Hot foodie Teri Tsang Barrett knows her way around a kitchen—a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education, she works as a Food Editor at Everyday With Rachael Ray in constant search of the perfect thin crust pizza. Here she unveils her favorite frisky recipes—good food that every ravenous gal can make in a pinch. Got a rumble in your belly for something you want her to cook up a recipe for? Email us at tips@thefrisky.com.

A good friend of mine who works in finance told me that every time she’s gone on vacation (or “holiday”, as she so elegantly refers to it as she now lives in the U.K.), a bank or major financial institution has collapsed. She’s about to go on vacation again, so in preparation for the financial apocalypse, I was challenged by Amelia to come up with five recipes for Frisky readers eatin’ on the cheap. Check out the full grocery list for all the recipes here. I tried to stick with an “under $10” budget* for each recipe, so set aside $50 and let me know if I was wrong.  After the jump, the first recipe I’ve concocted…

Rashida Jones and Natalie Portman are the kind of chicks I would like to be best friends with. And this proves why—the answer to the current economic crisis? Puppies of course!

In my last column, when I gave five tips for staying chic for cheap during this economic crunch (and beyond), I promised to tell you everything you need to know for throwing a kick-ass clothing swap. Not only is a clothing swap a great excuse to organize your closets, get rid of stuff you no longer want, and gather a group of girlfriends for an afternoon or evening of cocktails and clothes, it’s also an opportunity to score some totally free new-to-you outfits and accessories. I mentioned in my last column that I found one of my favorite dresses — a vintage summer maxi dress — at a clothing swap a couple years ago, but I’ve also scored some cool jewelry, a couple silk vintage slips, a few purses, and once I even nabbed a pair of barely-worn Seven jeans that fit like a glove (for once, I was grateful for my curvy hips). Hey, one woman’s trash is another woman’s favorite pants, so after the jump, my top six tips for throwing a successful clothing swap…

Every cloud has its silver lining and, in this case, that silver is going gray gracefully!  The bottom isn’t just dropping out of the economy, in American’s cases, it’s spilling over pants proudly.  Due to the falling economy, people are willing to let their skin sag rather than pay a plastic surgyeon to fix up their business. Tits, tummies, butts, and faces are going untucked, unsucked, and unenhanced. Across the country, some cosmetic docs have seen a 30% drop in their earnings. “With this latest fiasco [on Wall Street], many are probably down closer to 40 percent,” said Sacramento surgeon and president of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, Dr. Patrick McMenamin. Sounds like America is going au natural!  In these tough times, we’re all going to have to work with what we got. [MSNBC]