StyleBop is hosting a sale where final remaining item of any given style are discounted 50% off. This sale stands out among others as it includes some hot pieces, some even from this most recent season’s collections.
We must say that it’s worth the heartbreaking scroll because when all the stars align you can checkout with an amazing deal. The Stylebop sale runs through October 16 but we suggest shopping now to avoid unnecessary heartbreak.
Not sure what to do this weekend? Obviously, we suggest shopping but there is so much more than the run of the mill shoes and accessories on Madison Avenue this month. “Obsesserize” is a month-long celebration of creativity, fashion, style, and art.
Along the two-mile stretch of Madison Avenue, between 57th and 86th Streets, strollers and flâneurs can appreciate 19 encased public art sculptures. The project is a result of an incredible collaboration between the Madison Avenue BID, the School of Visual Arts and 40 Madison Avenue boutiques. Kevin O’Callaghan, School of Visual Arts 3-D Design Chairman and self-described “Creative Hoarder” tasked freshman students to take common objects to reinterpret into fashion.
The results are extraordinary. There is a backpack made from an old radio, shoes made from Chinese food take-out boxes, another pair of shoes are crafted with doll shoes and actual vintage Barbie dolls used as heels, a hat fabricated from stamps, a clutch from an old clock radio and so much more. You can click here to browse through an assortment of photos or take to the streets.
Every Saturday through the rest of the month, you join Kevin O’Callaghan at 2pm to take a guided walking tour of the exhibit. The professor will present “Obsessorize: Common Objects, Uncommon Accessories” with colorful commentary and lively context. The exhibit gives new meaning to the concept of Street Art. You can click here to register.
Participating stores include: Aquatalia, David Webb, David Yurman, De Beers, Devi Kroell, Dolce & Gabbana, Dyptyque, Emilio Pucci, Etro, Guiseppe Zanotti, Ippolita, Isabel Marant, J.J. Marco, Lanvin,, Michael’s Luxury Consignment, Morgenthal Frederics, Paul Morelli, Roger Vivier, Sonia Rykiel and more.
The Manolo Blahnik sample sale kicked off this morning without a hitch. Early birds first arrived at the Warwick Hotel in the middle of the night and shoppers received their ticket numbers at about 7:30am.
The sale was opened employees, press and at 8:30am and the first group of “public” shoppers was allowed to enter the sale at about 10:30am. Normally, we are not big fans of waiting in lines or waking up with those in a European timezone but this sample sale is always special. (It might even be fun if you plan with a friend.) The best part is that once you get your ticket you can leave and come back.
When we finished shopping, at 11am they were already allowing group 4 to enter the sale. Arriving shoppers were given #21 at that time. We can’t say if there will be any selection by the time the #21s enter but don’t think the wait will be too crazy.
This season’s inventory is really a mixed bag from assorted seasons and years. Prices start at $125 for styles that are plain, suede, leather or satin. Add some ornamentation and you’ll pay $150. Boots cost a bit more but are priced equally as attractive. Shoe booties, styles below the ankle are $200 and those above the ankle are $250. Styles from mid-calf to the knee are priced at $300 and OTKs $400. Prices on boots top out at $500 for OTK styles with fur, lizard, embellished or shearling.
The best selection is for those wearing a size 37 or size 41 through size 42.5. The assortment is very small if you don’t fall into those categories. We didn’t notice any classic Hagisi style shoes but there are some finds with embellished buckles and rhinestones. This season we were really drawn to the great selection of flats. (Perhaps we’ve reached our quota for sky-high occasion shoes? Nah!)
Even though $125 Manolos are fantastic, we prefer the boutique’s end of season sale. In January, shoppers can score shoes at 75% off and can find a full-size assortment. Did we mention that there is never a wait at the boutique? Feel free to ask questions in the comment section or on Instagram.
Manolo Blanhik
Thursday, October 11th
Doors open at 9am and close when inventory runs out (about 3pm or 4pm)
Warwick Hotel, 65 W 54th St. & 6th Ave, 2nd fl.
CASH ONLY
Farfetch is known for bringing the world’s most popular fashion boutiques, local and emerging designers and brands to a single website. It almost makes us sad that we can shop our favorite Italian boutiques right here in New York. Some might say it takes away the adventure but it’s unrealistic to think that anyone can hop on a plane several times a year.
One of the other great things about Farfetch is that it makes markdowns available globally. Right now, the site is offering discounts of up to 60% off with an additional promotion of an extra 20% off. That brings the total discount over 70%. Just use the code x20Oct at checkout to engage the additional savings.
Shoes and bags are on the pricey side and could be found for less in many other destinations. We often forget that Farfetch is a great site to shop for kids. For some reason, American stores still haven’t caught up in the tot department.
We have great news! You don’t need to scavenge through TJ Maxx to find discounted Manolos! Our sources tell us that this year’s Fall sample sale will open to the public on Thursday, October 11th. As is tradition, the second-floor salon of the Warwick Hotel will be the site of the event.
This sample sale is a bi-annual highlight for shoe lovers. Frankly, we usually prefer the boutique sales even if prices are a bit more expensive. You can read the full report from last season over here. Those who can’t make it to the sample sale or boutique sale can shop an assortment of brand new Manolos starting at just $75 from the scroll above.
Shoppers who are up for the Manolo sample sale challenge, should expect to take a number and wait, and wait, and wait. The really nice thing about this sale is that you can leave and come back once you get your lucky numbered ticket. Take note, that the sale opens at 11am and will close when inventory begins to run low. In past years, that was at about 3pm to 4pm, which doesn’t leave a big window for shopping.
We expect that prices will run along the same lines as last season. Plain shoes, including leather, suede satin, and printed fabric start at $125 ($136 with tax) and go up to $150. Shoes with embellishments like glitter and studs were priced $175. Boots started at $200 for basic versions and went up to $400 for over-the-knee styles.
At the last sale, by 10am the crowds of VIPs had thinned and the shopping environment was very civilized. Sizes 37.5 to size 39 were already running very thin. The best selection was for sizes 40.5 and up or 36 and below. Doors opened to the public at 11am sharp and the room filled with many more shoppers– many seemed like resellers.
Remember, the sale is open to the public only for one day. That’s a good indication that there will not be much merchandise. You can read all about last season’s sample sale right here. If you attend the sale, please keep us all posted in the comment section below and follow along live on Instagram.
Manolo Sale Sample Sale
Thursday, October 11th
Sale opens: 11am and closes when the inventory dwindles (usually 3pm – 4pm)
The Warwick Hotel, 54th Street and 6th Avenue, 2nd Floor
Cash only!
The Dolce & Gabbana sample sale started on Sunday. It wasn’t very surprising that costumers complained about waiting three to four hours to get into the sale. (One would think that after all these years, Soiffer Haskin would implement a system that would show a little bit more regard for their customers.)
The first Dolce & Gabbana reports were that prices were much higher than they have been during previous sales. Markdowns were announced on Monday morning but customers still said that prices were too high. The biggest surprise came later in the day when a reader emailed us saying that the retail sticker prices at the sale were inflated. We were skeptical at first because sample sale sticker prices can fluctuate a bit when there is a Euro conversion but this wasn’t the case.
Our keened eye reader sent us proof. Over this way, on Mr. Poter, Dolce briefs are $85. At the sample sale, they are marked $125. In another instance, pants at the Dolce & Gabbana boutique can be found for $900 but the retail price at the sale is marked $2200. There is a picture in the jump and we can assure you– it’s not a Euro conversion controversy.
As an alternative sample sale fix, we suggest you head way Downtown to Rosie Assoulin. Prices on older season merchandise can be found at 90% off retail. The best part is that there are no lines. As a matter of fact, there was nobody else there for most of the time we were shopping.
While you’re shopping, take a moment to appreciate the fabrics and craftsmanship that goes into Rosie Assoulin’s pieces. You’ll notice the weight of each piece and the fabric quality. This is a prime example of getting what you pay for.
There are also shoe options starting at $50 for samples. The jewelry table has lots of earrings and other curiosities. The sale runs through Thursday. There will be no price reductions or restocking. If you can’t make it, there are some great pieces listed on TheRealReal for about the same as the sample sale. Pictures are in the jump and sale details are below and in our sample sale link.
Rosie Assoulin Sample Sale
Through Thursday, October 11
Tues 11am-8pm, Wed 11am-7pm, Thurs 10am-1pm
371 Broadway
We have to be honest, we don’t spend enough time shopping in TJ Maxx. The discount store somehow has slid out of focus. It’s lucky that we have friends who aren’t so distracted. (Thank you 530or630 for keeping us on our toes.)
Before you get too excited, just not that the discounts aren’t exactly stellar. We found this Valentino Rockstud Spike in white marked $2000 from $2745, a medium Loewe puzzle bag is $2000 from $2850 and a small Fendi raffia crossbody is $2200 from $2800. Be on the lookout, some of the retail prices (before prices) arn’t always accurate. We found a Balenciaga Graffiti Bb bag and it was marked $2000 but here it is for just $1775 and even the newer style –which we don’t even like as much — is $1800 on MatchesFashion.
We highly suggest you browse the TJ Maxx website before running around the city. We were very surprised that they even listed some Christian Louboutin sneakers and Moncler boots. After you’ve exhausted your online shopping, hit your local TJ Maxx and share what you find in the comment section. We’ll also be sure to keep you updated if we see markdowns on any of this designer merchandise.
The Hermes sale kicked off today at Americana Manhasset, on Long Island. It was an exhilarating and exhausting day for those who attended the sale and for even those who watched it all unfold on social media.
The first shoppers to get their line numbers arrived Tuesday night and even those who arrived at 1am were over #50 in line. By the time the sale opened at 10am, tickets were well over #300. The sale space is smaller than prior years and only 40 people were allowed in at a time. There are no shopping time limits and no purchasing limits, which means that early shoppers took huge hauls.
Everything at the Hermes sale is reduced 50% off retail. We are told that before you could shop, you need to cover your phone camera with a sticker. An alarm would alert if the sticker was removed. We’re not sure if the alarm is a scare tactic but those who finally got into the sale weren’t willing to take the risk. (Can you blame them?)
Since there were no purchase limits, early shoppers left with $70,000 to $80,000 worth of merchandise. No doubt they will be reselling their hauls. There are only three registers and the line to check out is almost as bad as the line to get into the sale. It didn’t help that the credit card machines continuously overheated and needed to be rebooted. (LOL. Seriously, LOL!)
The sale doesn’t contain any scarves, ties, or bags. The biggest buzz is about the bangles and bracelets. Many of our Mad-Spy friends and family report that there were a variety of Clic-Clac bracelets, enamels, and exotic Collier de Chien and Kelly cuffs. Many people walked out with 10 or more bracelets each.
We are told that the shoe selection is very slim. Even early shoppers complained that there were only very small and very large sized shoes. Some of the shoe highlights include Oran sandals in exotic skins (that means they are very expensive) and others with rhinestones. There are no basic styles. One shopper said there were some men’s swim trunks, blazers, and pants but not much else.
Purchases made at the Hermes sample sale do not come with boxes. All items are marked with the letter “s” symbolizing that they were purchased at a sale.
Shoppers who were given the tickets #218 and above didn’t make it into the sale today — that’s after waiting several hours. The good news is that those shoppers can return tomorrow with their tickets and continue to … wait! By today’s end, organizers were handing out tickets surpassing #600. We are told that no more tickets will be issued for the remainder of the sale.
Many Hermes sale shoppers left with their numbers and don’t plan on returning. On the bright side, we are told that the sale will be fully restocked. Feel free to a message in the comment box below if you have a number that you’re not using or if you are looking to attend the sale and need a number. Also, check our Instagram account to comment get live reports on the sale.
Hermes Sample Sale
Through Saturday, October 6
10am-7pm daily
Americana Manhasset Mall: 2060 Northern Blvd (Next to Tory Burch)