New York is a walking city. As much as we love wearing heels, it’s just not possible to hobble around on a four inch needle while you make your way around a three mile track of errands. Ballet flats, smoking slippers and driving shoes have been the historical go-to for practical and fashionable footwear but this season, manly lace-up derby’s, oxfords and creepers have taken the spotlight.
Below are a few of our favorites:
We know that shopping incentive programs aren’t the best way to save money but a gift card for your purchase often feels like chocolate cake after great meal. Starting Wednesday, Barneys is gifting customers with a $25 gift card for every $250 you purchase. The promotion is just four days and ends Sunday.
The best part about this deal, is that there are no exclusions. That means you can get gifted from buying anything at Barneys from Goyard to Givenchy and Chanel and Louboutin. The only snag is that you have to use your gift card between the dates of November 17 and December 31, which is always a prime markdown period.
Be warned, Barneys will most likely not extend the dates if the cards aren’t used during the specified window of time. So be sure to enjoy your meal and eat all your dessert.
It’s been a few weeks since there has been a sample sale worth mentioning. We are now entering the beginning of sample sale season and we can anticipate a flurry of activity before the Christmas retail season begins. Below is a carefully curated selection of our favorite upcoming sample sales.
Derek Lam
Now through Wednesday, October 22
10am—7pm daily
151 Wooster St (btwn Houston and Prince St)
The Derek Lam sale started today and includes a lot of runway pieces for a hefty discount. Dresses are $250, sweaters are $200 and shoes are $125. The lower end line, 10 Crosby, is less expensive with dresses for $100 and sweaters and shoes for $75. Update: We were just alerted that everything at the sale is an additional 50% off. Go shop!
Hermes
VIPs: Wednesday October 22
Thursday, October 23 through Saturday, October 25
9am-6pm daily
Soiffer Haskin, 317 W. 33rd St btwn 8th & 9th Ave
The Hermes sample sale [formerly the mother of all sales] is scheduled to start later this week. Press, friends and top clients of the brand –with invitations– are scheduled to begin shopping Wednesday. The sale will officially open to the public on Thursday. Expect very long lines at the start of the sale and before you invest a lot of time head remember how last year’s epic Hermes fail. Oops, sale.
Hunter Bell
Wednesday, October 22 through Friday, October 24
Wed & Thurs 10am-7pm, Fri 10am-6pm
152 West 36th Street, Suite 206
The sale includes an assortment from the designer’s Fall and Winter 2014 samples. The merchandise ranged from dresses to coats and blouses to skirts. The merchandise will all be priced from $50 to $120 from a retail price of $250 to $600.
The Row
Thursday, October 23 through Sunday, October 25
Thurs 12pm-7pm, Fri 9am-7pm, 9am-6pm
Metropolitan Pavilion
123 West 18th Street, 4th Floor
The Row sample sale is always a huge hit. Expect to save 70% off clothing and bags and 80% on damages. Last season, a leather coat was $11,000 reduced to $3500, a leather jacket is about $1000 from $2900 and a classic blazer was $1790 reduced to $537. Click here to read our past coverage.
David Yurman
Thursday, October 23 through Sunday, October 26
Thurs 3pm-8pm, Fri & Sat 10am-7pm, Sun 11am-5pm
The Altman Building, 135 West 18th Street
The discount usually ranges from 40% to 60% off but the last sale hosted by the designer didn’t offer a very desirable selection. Silver bangles with cabochons and a few classic styles were half-off. Among the fine jewelry was a large gold Albion ring with tiger’s eye and diamonds for $2250 from $5500 and an X cross-over ring was half off too.
I don’t think there is another time of year that makes us feel more popular. It seems as if every online retailer his hosting a friends and family sale. And, guess what, everyone is your bestie. Our friends are offering enticing discounts ranging from in season Prada shoes to YSL lipsticks. Browse through the pictures of our top picks and read below for more details.
BlueFly
Extra 20% off your order with the code FAMILY and an extra 10% off Prada. We found a Moncler jacket that’s reduced about $1000 and a huge assortment of Burberry that’s reduced about 50% once all the discounts are applied. The selection of Prada includes this season’s colorblock Mary Jane that come to $545 from $925, wingtip oxfords are $520 from $890 and a Prada Saffiano double zip bag is about $1500 from $2100.
Calvin Klein
Mark our words, Calvin Klein is about to have a huge comeback. (We’ve been saying it for a while but it’s happening.)
Now though Sunday you can save 30% off everything on line using the code FFOCT30. You can try using the promotion at the Madison Avenue boutique but we aren’t sure it will work. Not sure what to buy online? We are big fans of the company’s sleepwear and their basic underwear rivals La Perla Studio.
Lord & Taylor
Lord & Taylor may not be the swankiest of stores but is about the only shopping destination that still includes beauty in its friends and family sale. Right now you can save 25% off most merchandise and 10% off beauty and fragrance. Use the code FRIENDS at checkout. The sale runs through October 26. We suggest heading to the Chanel beauty counter to take advantage of this sale promotion. Dior and YSL beauty can both be purchased online.
Rebecca Taylor
Always classic. Rebecca Taylor is giving shoppers 25% off everything. Could you imagine, no exclusions? Use the code RTFRIENDS14 at checkout. Absolutely go for the double v-neck jumpsuit and the cocoon coat. The sale runs through Monday.
Highlighting trends and style is fun but it’s always nice to add a bit of substance to your fashion with the understanding of a brand’s history and heritage. The Madison Avenue Business Improvement District is elevating the shopping experience through an interactive online app that allows shoppers to view educational shorts from some of their favorite brands.
Although the online app launched today the Madison Avenue Fashion Heritage Week officially runs from October 20 to 26. During this time, a variety of boutiques will redesign their store windows to highlight their rich heritage and history. Participating boutiques include: Akris, Bally, Brunello Cucinelli, Calvin Klein Collection, Carolina Herrera, Dolce & Gabbana, Emilio Pucci, Ermenegildo Zegna, Etro, Hermès, J. Mendel, John Lobb, Longchamp, Max Mara, Missoni and Mulberry.
We must admit, that the best part of the initiative is the rich commentary delivered by Dr. Valerie Steele, director and chief curator of The Museum at FIT. Her depth of knowledge and insight leave you salving for more. We just wish more brands allowed the resident expert to narrate more of the heritage videos. Her insight is a lot more enriching than the ordinary luxury brand short.
You can experience the official Madison Avenue Heritage Week walking tour here. The best part is watching it live from in front of the boutiques but we won’t tell if you experience the app right there from your bed.
The ubiquitous little black dress, or LBD, isn’t always very exciting. But there’s lot of room to have fun if you think of the wardrobe basic as a blank canvas. Below, we shopped Nordstrom for three stylish basic black dresses and picked an assortment of accessories to jazz up the look. These items can be used with almost any basic dress. Remember, if the dress is basic you can go wild with the accessories. Nordstrom always offers free shipping and free returns. If only other things in the city were as easy as shopping at Nordstrom.
1.McQ by Alexander McQueen lace trim dress 2. Helmut Lang asymmetrical sleeve dress 3. 3.1 Phillip Lim jacquard dress 4. Proensa Schouler ankle boot 5. BLK DNM lambskin biker jacket 6. Charlotte Olympia neon Girls bag
Alexis Bittar bangle 7. Vince Camuto wool and leather arm warmers
The Saks Friends & Family sale doesn’t officially start until Thursday but the sale just went live online today. The discount is 25% off most everything that isn’t designer. Jewelry is 20% off. Just use the code FRNFAM when checking out.
This season there seems to be more designer exclusions than ever. We estimate that there are more than 200 designers not participating in the discount. Sure, we’ve become accustomed to the Chanel and Louboutin embargo, but we are surprised that even brands like Jet Set and Gryson are opting out. At this rate it feels more like shopping hype.
If you’re really looking to take advantage of the available discounts, we suggest starting in the sale section. Most everything that’s already reduced is eligible for an extra 25% off, which brings the savings to 75% on some items. This Nanette Lepore leather and illusion skirt comes to $273 from almost $600, an emerald green Kate Spade jacket rings out at $285 from $648 and this white Thakoon eyelet dress is more than 75% off from $1220 to $366.
Take note, Saks has underscored all of the items that are included in the friends and family promotion. (We can use all the help we can get.) Just look for the Friends & Family tag below each specified item. As always we suggest waiting for the Private Night promotion that happens during the first week of November. Most designers are included then and the discount is 40%.
The hugely popular Shopbop friends and family sale is scheduled to kick off on Tuesday. Once the sale begins shoppers can use the code FRIENDS25 and save an additional 25% off most items on the site. Of course, there are designer exclusions but Shopbop’s list isn’t too bad. You can click here to see the full list of where the code won’t work.
The best part of this sale is that you can apply the discount to previously reduced merchandise. For this reason, we always like to start our browsing in the sale section. We are obsessed with these Chrissie Morris Wink pumps that come to $330 from $985, this slinky Vionnet long sleeve dress rings in at about $500 from $2260, and 3.1 Phillip Lim marbleized pants are about $100 from $450.
Some less expensive and more causal options include this BLK DNM jean top that’s now about $50 from $170, an Each x Other sweatshirt with leather fringe is about $130 from $527 and Paige Denim high waste zip jeans are about $75 from $209.
Remember, the code won’t go into effect until Tuesday. In the meantime, we suggest loading your cart up now. It wouldn’t be the first time the site went down from too much traffic. The three day sale ends Thursday. Get shopping.
*Brand exclusions: 3.1 Phillip Lim, Acne Studios, Alexander Wang, Aurelie Bidermann, Canada Goose, Cedric Charlier, Gareth Pugh, Giambattista Valli, Herve Leger, Hunter, J. Mendel, Jamie Wolf, Jason Wu, Jay Ahr, Katie May, Maison Martin Margiela, Michele Watches, Monique Lhuillier, Nina Ricci, Rag & Bone, Rodarte, Salvatore Ferragamo, Stella McCartney Apparel, Stuart Weitzman, Suno, Thakoon, Tory Burch York Totes, Versace, Victoria Victoria Beckham, Vika Gazinskaya, Wes Gordon and What Goes Around Comes Around Vintage.
