June 24, 2010
We Went: Tory Burch Sample Sale Insanity

This past Tuesday morning, if you were female and lived or worked in Manhattan, chances are you were at the Tory Burch sample sale.  At least that’s what it seemed like when we took a trip down to its location in Midtown and saw the line stretched well past the block (261 W 37th Street). This ageless brand had women’s heads reeling during the opening of this sale to the public and upon entrance, one could consider it to be a bit of a mad house.  

Younger girls headed straight to the handbags and shoes, while the older women ransacked the clothing, holding piles and piles of clothes in hand. Bags were cute clutches and fashionable totes ranging from $99 to $250. Shoes ranged from gladiator jellies to embellished high heels priced $65 to $195, and clothes started at $65 for a basic tee-shirt, with all items being final sale.

Before anyone could enter the door, each person had to take a number.  This would be the order that each person was allowed into the shoe area. Conveniently, there was a glass case in place that showcased the styles of shoes which were for sale.  Surprisingly, there was not a huge selection and the most sought after shoes with the Tory Burch logo were nowhere to be found. Women crowded around the waiting area, eagerly awaiting for their number to be called.

Sizes in shoes were going quickly and bag styles flew off the wall. There was a lot of clothing in stock, but if you are still dying for a bag or a pair of shoes, word on the street is that there are shipments throughout the week, so there will be more merchandise.  Furthermore, we received word that there have been additional markdowns on shoes, ready-to-wear merchandise and accessories. So if you haven’t gotten a chance to head over yet, don’t throw in the towel yet! Now that the initial rush is over, leave your knee and elbow pads at home, and head over to the sale through Friday because there is a really good chance that you’ll find that perfect Tory Burch piece for a bargain!

12:07pm  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZzkyayhdC7d
(View comments) 
Filed under: Fashion Shopping Sample Sale 
June 10, 2010
Amazing Pieces at Charlotte Ronson Sample Sale

If you’ve ever wanted to snag beautifully crafted designs and unique pieces of rising designer, Charlotte Ronson, then you may want to consider checking out her sample sale now through Friday (1071 6th Ave between 41st and 42nd, suite 301). The sale was housed in a aesthetically pleasing building and as we entered, a man directed us to the third floor. There were signs on the wall directing us to the room right around the corner. Since it was the second day of the sale, we weren’t sure what we were going to witness – would it be filled with tons of people?  Luckily, the sale was not too overwhelming, but had a steady flow of people.

The crowd consisted of young, fashionable women, and it seemed like everyone had familiarity with the designer. Everyone was polite to each other, without any pushing or shoving (which was great)! There were 5 racks of clothing, consisting of mostly dresses and tops. Prices ranged from $15 to $90.  Mostly knitwear and damaged items (which were truly damaged) were priced at $15.  Elaborate dresses were $70, with shoes priced at $30 and $50.  The dress here in this picture was marked down from $180 to $30.

There were basic tees marked down to $30 from $125 which is a steal. Almost everything on the rack were small sizes, with a medium and size 8 as the largest sizes.  Still, employees were able to find additional merchandise for patrons in the back.  Shoes, however, were a bit limited in sizes.

Customers are allowed to try on clothes but be warned the “fitting room” is a bathroom with one extremely dim light. Several people were in the room at a time, meaning it did get rather stuffy and uncomfortable. Customers are not allowed to make returns so you must choose wisely. While I didn’t purchase anything, I found the sale to be pretty good.  If you are sick of wearing items from chain stores and want something chic and unique to update your wardrobe, I recommend heading down to this sale now through Friday, from 10-7. Happy Shopping!

3:46pm  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZzkyayepFrx
(View comments) 
Filed under: NYC Sample Sale Shopping 
May 4, 2010
Reasonable Prices at J. Crew Sample Sale

If you’ve ever wanted to hit up a sample sale in New York, this week may be the time to do it.  Now through Friday, J. Crew is having its sample sale over on 36th Street between 7th and 8th.

I decided to check out the sale right after it opened at 10 am this morning, and was surprised that it was a breeze to walk in to - no lines, no craziness outside.  The sale is held on the second floor of a building and there are signs that mark the way up to the second floor.  When you walk into the sale, if you have any bags with you, you’ll need to check them - ladies, small handbags are okay.

When walking into the sale, I almost missed the room to the right since I was so focused on following the path that Clothingline, the company who throws these sales, laid out for me.  To the right was the shoe and accessories room. Everything was organized beautifully.  Shoes were arranged by size - keep an eye out for the little white pieces of paper that indicate the shoe size.  You’ll also noticed that each pair of shoes is wrapped in plastic with the size on it, and I was so proud of my fellow shoppers for returning a shoe after they tried it on back with its pair into the plastic bag.  Footwear ranged from $10 for rubber flip flops to $70.  Accessories were also thrown into this room as well.  There were several tables filled with shoes and as someone with a small shoe size, I’m proud to say there were about 15 pairs of 5 and a few 5 1/2s.  There were mostly sandals, flats, strappy heels and slip on sneakers - there were very few pairs of boots.

I then headed into the main room where women’s, children’s and men’s clothes were housed and I was surprised how full the racks were (unlike our last trip to the Zac Posen popup shop).  Racks were arranged by type of garment - i.e. dress, skirt, pants - and by color.  Just from browsing the women’s section, I noticed there were a wide variety of sizes, from petites, to size 2, to size 12. Most of the clothing on hand was spring and summer wear, so lots of dresses, casual shirts, sleeveless blouses, shorts and skirts.  For women, they had a lot of the special occasion dresses on hand, so perfect if you are in a wedding and the bride has instructed you to just get something yellow for your bridesmaid dress.  Special collection garments were on hand as well, such as leather skirts, but these were marked a lot higher - about $400 or so, but were 50% off original price. 

Every guy I know asked me to see if “button up work shirts” were on hand, and they were.  Sizes we saw ranged from small to extra large and there were also more casual shirts laying around the men’s section as well.  Guys, if you are looking for shoes at this event, skip the first footwear/accessories room and head straight to the main event -your shoes will be located in there.

Now what about the prices?  Here’s a list (as well as a picture) of how much everything costs at this week’s sale:

Women’s and Men’s Apparel

  • Plain tees/tanks/polos: $15 or 2 for $20
  • Not plain tees/tanks/polos: $20 or 2 for $35
  • Sweatshirts: $20
  • Top/shirts/blouses/sweaters: $35
  • Thomas Mason Shirts: $50 or 2 for $90
  • Suiting vests: $45
  • Cotton/cord/chino bottoms: $25 or 2 for $40
  • Denim pants: $50
  • Suiting pants/skirts: $50
  • Lounge/pajamas/thermals: $20
  • Cashmere vests/S&S/sleeveless sweaters: $50
  • Cashmere sweaters/pants: $70
  • Cashmere dresses: $85
  • Beach dress/tunics: $30
  • Everyday dress: $60
  • Special occasion dresses: $75
  • Casual jackets: $45
  • Blazers/outwear/trenches: $105
  • Specialty items: priced as marked

One thing to note if you are heading to the sale is that you cannot try anything on - but you can return it through Friday (except for footwear and accessories).  Don’t even try to barter with the guys who work there to see if you can sneak into a dressing room.  A woman tried to use the excuse that she lived in Brooklyn, and one guy’s response was, “So do I, I don’t care, it is a 40 minute train ride so you can return it.”  If you know your size at J. Crew or have time to make a return later this week, head over from 10am - 7pm now through Friday to take advantage of these deals (261 W. 36th Street, 2nd Floor, between 7th and 8th). 

11:43am  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZzkyayY2UIE
(View comments) 
Filed under: J. Crew Sample Sale NYC 
April 27, 2010
Gear Up for Sex and the City 2 This Week!

If you are a girl and live in Manhattan, chances are you are eagerly awaiting the Sex and the City sequel.  If you are like me, you’ve read the spoilers (Aidan in Dubai?!?), dissected the trailer and considered purchasing tickets with your girlfriends in advance.  

While the movie doesn’t premiere until May 27 (29 days!), there are plenty of Sex and the City activities this week to keep Miranda, Charlotte, Samantha and Carrie top of mind.  Grab your girlfriends and get ready to hit up these events:

Candace Bushnell Book Reading:  We all know the intimate details about Carrie’s love life and career, but what about her past?  How did she end up in NYC?  Candace Bushnell, the author that inspired Sex and the City, will read passages from her recent book, The Carrie Diaries, at Barnes and Noble in Union Square tonight.  The Carrie Diaries chronicles our favorite character throughout her senior year of high school, explaining what actually brought her to New York.  The reading starts at 7pm, but we advise getting there early. (17th Street between University Pl and Park Ave South).

Sex and the City Trivia Night: Who designed Carrie’s wedding dress? What’s the name of Miranda’s cat?  How many “suitors” did Samantha have?  Test your knowledge at Turtle Bay’s Sex and the City trivia night.  Team registration begins at 7:30pm, with the games beginning at 8pm.  (987 2nd Ave, between 52nd and 53rd).

Manolo Blahnik Sample Sale:  ”Oh my god!  Do you know what these are?  Manolo Blahnik Mary Janes!  I thought these were an urban shoe myth!” - Carrie.  Clearly, any SATC girl needs a pair of Manolo Blahniks, and what better way to get them than at a discount.  Head to the Warwick New York Hotel on Thursday, April 29, and try your luck at snagging a pair of these shoes.  While the official sale time has yet to be announced, rumor has it that typically the public is let in between 11 am and noon (we’ve read different reports in the blogosphere).   Get there early, and if you have a day job, it may be the perfect excuse for a sick day.  Have plenty of cash on you as this is a cash-only sale. (65 W. 54th St at 6th Ave).    

Can’t make it out to these events?  Then there’s always the late-night re-runs on TBS at 1am and 1:30am!

11:13am  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZzkyayW-jxr
(View comments) 
Filed under: Sex and the City Trivia Book reading Sample Sale