Here's something about this time of year that makes you want to get your hair out of your eyes -- sort of like spring cleaning for the face. (Just don't forget to exfoliate first.) Plenty of designers showed hair accessories with their spring lines: candy-colored, blocky hair ties from Louis Vuitton, for example, and desert-chic leather headbands by Colette Malouf for Michael Kors. But if you're not prepared to spend more on a barrette than you would on an outfit, try these alternatives.

Hair clips covered in Pucci-inspired fabrics (which seem, by the way, to be staging yet another return) by Mimco are trendy and only $9 a pair at C.O. Bigelow. If Marc Jacobs's grade-school rainbows appeal to you, try this headstrap from cm new york, Colette Malouf's lower-priced line. (Also available at C.O. Bigelow, it comes in great packages, with handy how-to illustrations.) If $80 for the Vuitton baubles seems steep, try Zitomer Pharmacy's $16 version. Haute Stuff's wide headband ($26 at Saks) is a perfect way to ride the toile trend (see Cacharel's spring line) without going overboard.

C. O. Bigelow, 414 Sixth Ave. (212-533-2700); Zitomer, 969 Madison Ave., near 76 St. (212-737-5560); Saks Fifth Avenue, 611 Fifth Ave., near 49th St. (212-753-4000).

Picks of the Week
Morton & Company is a mecca of designer pillows -- look for versions covered in Aubusson tapestries and Victorian beadwork. To celebrate a recent relocation, it has knocked prices down as much as 50 percent. 220 East 60th St. (212-593-8600); cash or check only; Mon.-Fri. 10-6; 4/1-5/31.

Chaiken's lean separates, like flat-front trousers and tailored shirts, are usually found at Barneys, Scoop, and Bloomingdale's. This week's sale includes the current season's collection and plenty of spring colors. Pants are $99, sweaters start at $30, and stretch cotton suits, which usually retail north of $400, are $160. 24 W. 40th St. (212-334-3501, ext. 24); A.E., M.C., V.; Thurs. noon-7, Fri. 11-7, Sat. 11-6, Sun. noon-5, Mon. 11-6; 4/5-4/9.

Thunder Bay, Ltd., imports furniture directly from India, China, Indonesia, and South America, and prices are always a good deal lower than at most other stores. This week, it celebrates its fifth anniversary by knocking off an additional 20 percent. 307 W. 38th St., tenth floor (212-254-4062); M.C., V.; Mon-Sun. 10-6; 4/2-4/8.

Harry Kirshner & Son, a fashion-district furrier that's been around longer than peta, will store your bulky furs in chilly, moth-proof luxury until the mercury falls again. $25 a garment. 307 Seventh Ave., near 28th St. (212-243-4847); A.E., M.C., V.; Mon.-Fri. 9-6, Sat. 9-5; sale starts 4/1.

Helen Morley's gowns are not for everyday wear -- her collection is polished and very grown-up. She's having a two-day sale of current and past-season collections of evening gowns, cocktail dresses, and dinner suits. Normally, they retail for $1,500 to $4,000; here they are $500 to $1,200. The Lombardy Hotel, 109 E. 56th St. (212-594-6404, ext. 11); M.C., V.; Wed.-Thurs. 10-7:30; 4/4-4/5.

Related:

• Archive: “Sales & Bargains”
• Articles by Amy Larocca
• Table of Contents: April 9, 2001 issue of New York | Subscribe!