Contact lenses

The moral of the story?

Plan.

Make lists and coordinate outfits beforehand.

A dingy tent is no place for experimentation.

There are three sartorial paths you could follow: indie and flirty à la Abi Harding, of the Zutons, who says she “makes an effort to look good in loose empire-line dresses or little shorts”; louche rock groupie such as Kate Moss (although her lean jeans and waistcoat combo is looking rather Pirates of the Caribbean); or impractical and slightly mad, à la Lily Allen, who braved the mud in a wedding dress last year.

Style tips- Parkas are a big trend.

The deep pockets and sloppy shape make them perfect for putting over layers in the evening.

M&S has one at £69.

- Swap last year’s giant Jackie O shades (the former First Lady never sat crosslegged and chanting in a field ) for Ray-Ban Wayfarers or Aviators (rock mystique).

Ray-Ban Wayfarers from Sunglass Hut, 020-8846 8700.

- Avoid: patterned wellies – too twee (Hunter wellies are more understated); fairy wings – too “I’m mad, me”; stetsons – too hen night/Manumission; and maxi dresses, unless you want to collect fag ends with your hem.

Hunter Originals wellies, £50, 01387 269591 - Don’t forget: to fake ...

She began writing when she grew disillusioned with the lot of older actresses cast aside while their male contemporaries continued to work.

Her first novel The Actresses, written a decade ago, was a contemporary "bonkbuster" about a group of ageing actresses behaving badly.

"I wanted to write about what happens to middle-aged actresses, when you have played leads all your life and you find yourself playing the mother or the wife.

You worry what you look like and about your 'playing age' and you see men of your age getting leads when you are not.

Everyone always points to Helen Mirren and Judi Dench but they are the exceptions.

I don't blame Glenda Jackson for giving up in her 50s to become an MP because she wouldn't sit and wait for the phone to ring." Similarly she empathises with Cordelia, her mother Kitty, and friend Rillie, who turn their hands to mesmerism when the acting jobs run dry."I have supported myself all the time between acting jobs; as a maid, telephone operator or accountant.

Cordelia and her mother do what they have to to survive, otherwise they would end up in the workhouse or dying down a corner of Drury Lane.

"Young pretty girls became actresses in the hope that a rich man would see them and set them up ...

"The marriage penalty tax is not a myth." If you're agonizing over your choices, don't let that money just sit there while you make up your mind, experts say.

"Park your money in a 30-day or 90-day certificate of deposit," Lan said.

"Don't rush into anything." Visa USA offers free tips on a variety of personal finance topics, including taxes, at http://www.practicalmoneyskills.com.

Contact Janis Mara at jmara@angnewspapers.com or (510) 208-6468.

But for now, if you're trying to decide what to do with this year's refund, here are some good ideas, according to experts.

Pon said the two best ways to make the most of your refund are to put it in a tax-advantaged plan such as an IRA or use it to pay off your credit cards.

"Most people can guarantee themselves a saving of more than $100 a month simply by paying off their credit cards," Pon said.

"If you owe $1,000 and your interest rate is 10 percent to 14 percent, which is not unusual, every month you are paying between $100 and $140 for absolutely nothing," Pon said.

"Pay off the credit card and you're putting that money back in your own pocket." Putting the money into a retirement fund can help provide for your old age and also get you a tax break, Pon said.

"The maximum amount you can put in an IRA account this year...