Blame it on Junior.

My little sister is obsessed with Dunkin’ Donuts. She has coffee running through her veins. She dreams in pink and orange.

So it’s no surprise that when she and I went shopping together the other day, I suddenly felt an overwhelming need for tangerine yoga bottoms, a bubblegum-colored hoodie and the coolest drawstring-ankle pants ever – in pumpkin.

Of course, it could have something to do with the fact that everything I own is black. Perhaps that’s why the pants, sweaters and hats at the Gap seduced me with their siren song. Or why I considered forking over $30 at Marshalls for a pair of Adidas yoga pants. Or why a cotton-candy-pink purse suddenly seemed like a good idea.

This is the time of year when everything gets a little bleak. There’s no snow yet to brighten things up, and everything outside looks brown and dreary. When I get ready for work in the morning, my monochromatic wardrobe provides little cheer. What I want is some color to face the day – and khaki doesn’t count.

Hot pink and orange do count, though. And they pack such a punch that even a hat or a scarf will perk up any outfit. Among my favorites is the adorable Kangol-inspired cap at Gap in raspberry pink ($24.50). And the orange sateen pants ($44). Never before have I even considered wearing orange anywhere near my butt. And sateen? But these are different. The athletic cut and casual fit make them a natural for those chilly days when you just want to wear something comfy and cute.

For dress-up, Junior and I both covet the lace-trimmed pink satin camisoles at Marshalls. They had several options (one embellished with a butterfly), and all of them would look perfect with a pair of slinky pants or sexy jeans and heels. But for a more laid-back look, I would choose American Eagle’s mohair hoodie in soft, bubblegum pink ($48).

With all these options, I’m going to need a little time to decide. Maybe over coffee. Dunkin’ Donuts, anyone?

ShopNotes

After my last column ran, I got an irresistible invitation from a group of women after my own heart. Brenda Hall of Mount Desert Island Hospital wrote to tell me that she and six other staffers were renting a 15-passenger van and embarking on a three-day, six-city Mardens tour, and I was invited! But, as bad luck would have it, I had a scheduling conflict.

I was fortunate enough to catch up with tour leader Laura Neal on Wednesday, and she had quite a report.

“Oh, my God, it was unbelievable,” she said. “The stores treated us like royalty.”

When the women informed Mardens about the tour, the company responded by sending a care package full of custom-designed sweatshirts depicting the state of Maine with their tour route mapped out on it. Mardens also sent gas cards and decals for the van, and the Brewer store put a welcome sign on its marquee.

They left the island at noon last Friday and made their way to Brewer and Lincoln. On Saturday, they hit Presque Isle and Houlton. After an overnight stay in Lubec, they headed to Calais. “We don’t mind starting there on Sunday morning,” Neal wrote in a letter to Mardens execs, “because to us, Mardens is like church.”

My thoughts exactly.

They wrapped up their tour in Ellsworth, but by that point, the van was getting a little cramped. Neal tallied up the purchases, and the women spent a total of $1,446.64 on 458 items, for an average cost of $3.16 per item. Among their treasures were 18 pairs of shoes, 23 shirts, 17 pairs of pants, 10 scarves and many other miscellaneous goodies. The most expensive items procured on the tour – a portable TV and a pair of boat shoes – each cost $19.95.

It was such a success that the group already is talking about a tour of Mardens in southern Maine.

I’ll clear my schedule for that one.

ShopGirl would love to hear from you! Send questions, comments or suggestions by e-mail to: kandresen@bangordailynews.net, by U.S. mail to: Kristen Andresen, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor, ME 04402-1329, or by fax to: 941-9476.