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    Century 21 Clearance Sale Bombs

    We recently got an email from Century 21 department stores about their end-of-season markdowns. Usually, this sale is amazing. In past seasons, we spent some time mining through unorganized racks but coming out with some genuine gems.

    Unfortunately, our most recent shopping trip was not so fruitful. It wasn’t a surprise that the sale department was a disorganized mess but we were surprised with the vast amount of damaged goods. We found it hard to keep track of the numerous torn, stained and ripped clothing. The worst part of the entire trip, was that it was hard to locate our favorite brands.

    Just before we became disillusioned and left, we happened upon one rack near the cashier. We found a powder pink Pucci coat with jeweled embellishments reduced to $425 from $849. The suggested retail value was over $2500. A Jil Sander capulet jacket is $300 from $599, the suggested retail was $1560. A fully sequined Plain Sud sweater just $80 from $230, the suggested retail price was $625. All the above mentioned pieces are great deals but most of the clothing looked like it had seen better days.

    The most tragic find was a Lanvin jacket, hiver 2009, for $1300. Not exactly cheap but a reasonable deal if the jacket didn’t look like it was caught in one of those fashion wars that are often the subject of Century 21 advertising campaigns. We suggest that Century 21 stop igniting those fashion fights and start spending time respecting the fashion.

    Intermix Extra 50% Off

    On an off day it’s always nice to know you can find a bit of solace on Madison Avenue. This is especially true at the height of sale season. If you are going to hit any store along Madison, we suggest you take a spin through Intermix.

    The discount is currently an additional 50% off the second markdown. We found several Matthew Williamson dresses discounted to $200 from almost $900. A $900 Stella McCartney top is now about $250. A buttery leather jacket is reduced to under $5,000. Before you ask, it’s Balmain and was originally $16,000. As a matter of fact, there are several Balmain pieces on the reduced rack. You can safely assume anything over $1k is Balmain. In addition, there are several nice Zac Pozen dresses and Helmut Lange pieces on the extra markdown rack.

    We suggest bypassing the website, which doesn’t hold a candle to the boutique’s inventory. If all fails, a great cappuccino at Sant Ambroeus is waiting for you just across the street.

    Norma Kamali End Of Season Sale

    It would be hard to beat Norma Kamali’s Black Friday sale or her Christmas markdown but right now there’s a larger assortment of discounted merchandise than ever before. Most items from the fall and winter season are now 50% off or more.

    During a quick tour de Kimali we found a $285 stripped dress reduced to $95, a terry side snap jacket was $198 from $385, a parachute skirt for $500 and tiny short modal skirts for just $45. The most exciting find, however, was a powder pink cloud ball length skirt marked down to $150. After further investigation we found this striking piece is one-of-a-kind and was made specifically for last year’s window display. Does it get any better?

    If you’re not in the area, we suggest browsing online and calling the store. Prices don’t always match up and Kamali’s over-the-phone sales associates are absolutely top notch.

    J. Crew Final Sale

    You would be hard pressed to find a company that has had a larger impact on Madison Avenue than J. Crew. First there was the J. Crew Collection boutique, which opened in Fall 2008. Then CrewCuts opened In August 2009 and shopping for kids’ birthday gifts was forever changed.

    Most recently, J. Crew Bridal and J. Crew Men’s made their debut on the Avenue. If you live in the neighborhood, chances are that you have shopped in one of these four boutiques. And if you visit them frequently enough, you have come to enjoy the deep discounts and outstanding values.

    The J. Crew emporium is currently offering an additional 30% off reduced items. The discount is also available online but prices and product assortments are much better in the boutiques. Our favorite finds are always accessories. A dainty sash, a glittery necklace or a little girl’s headband are an inexpensive way to fight the winter blues.

    One secret we’ve uncovered is that the bulk of Crewcuts clearance items are sent to the Prince Street location. We suggest jumping on the 6 if you’re really interested in diving into tot sale racks. We would love to hear your J. Crew shopping secrets. Please feel free to leave pointers in the comment section below.

    Reiss 70% Off

    All week we’ve been shopping off the beaten path. Today our travels bring us to Reiss, on the Upper West Side. (I know, quelle horreur!) What some of us will do for a 70% markdown. For your snow day entertainment, the discount is also available online.

    Reiss is a great destination to find great style for not so many dollars. Check out this leather aviator jacket with shearling trim. It is a great value at $337 from $675. We always say that you shouldn’t overspend on basics and this marino wool cardigan ($51 from $170) is a perfect example of why. A cashmere sweater for $46 (from $155) is simply a no-brainer.

    This is what we call no-guilt shopping. Even if you wear your purchase a few times it’s worth it. The dry cleaning bill is what really worries us.

    Leslie Price Joins The High Low

    When it comes to blogs there is always a bit of nostalgia of the old guard. First there was Elizabeth Spiers who was the founding editor of Gawker. Her voice and tone marked the beginning of an entire generation of snark. Later we fell in love with Ben Leventhal who created SheLovesNY, which later developed into Eater.com. “The Pretentious Little One Pager” was pure genius.

    As blogs gained more status, Racked was born with Leslie Price at the helm. We will never forget the adrenaline rush we got from reading the first “Line Blogging” at an Hermes sample sale. It was like listening to Bill White call Bucky Dent’s unlikely home run against the dreaded Red Sox. Last we heard, Leslie was saying good-bye to Lucky. We could swear her next stop was going to be at the helm of French Vogue.

    Maybe the idea of a great blogger moving on to the top of a great glossy empire got the best of our imagination. Today, we received a press release announcing that Leslie Price will be heading up The High Low. The site focuses on the business of fashion and how the latest trends in retail fit today’s consumer and marketplace. Check out Leslie’s great article about the pitfalls of Boutiques.com. (Google clearly hired the wrong consultants.)

    We will be sure to keep an eye on The High Low. We suggest you do the same. After all, everyone knows that fashion without business brains is like a great Lanvin dress stuck in the Five Towns.

    European Kid’s Clothing 80% Off

    We mentioned that we were going to take our shopping prowess on the road and today we went through a tunnel and over a bridge to get to Brooklyn. Instead of hitting the obvious fashionista choices we decided to track down fashion that’s a bit smaller and harder to come by in Manhattan: Discounted kids clothing!

    Diva, is buried amongst discount stores like Amazing Savings and Family Dollar, but is one of the most upscale children’s stores we’ve ever seen. Diva carries brands like Simonetta, Il Gufo, Sonia Rykiel and Val Max at a fraction of Manhattan boutique prices. Those brands are like the Chanel, Valentino and Lanvin of kid’s wear. And the prices aren’t much less considering a child can wear an outfit for two years, at most.

    In order to make room for the cruise collection, Diva is hosting a sale with markdowns ranging 50% t0 70% off their already discounted prices. A $800 Il Gufo wool coat was reduced to under $200 and a matching cashmere sweater and skirt set was $115 from $475. A Val Max cashmere and sequined skirt ensemble was $85 from $500. Try to find that at Spring Flowers or Magic Windows.

    We know you can find dribs and drabs of these brands throughout the city, but this is the only store with full collections and discounts that can’t be beat. Sizes and styles are starting to run thin but kid’s clothing is not as trend obsessed as adult fashion. So thinking a year or two ahead is never a fashion faux pas.

    Diva
    1409 Avenue M
    718-645-9797

    Elyse Walker 75% Off

    Sometimes the best end-of-season deals can be found by going a bit off the beaten path. Elyse Walker is a West Coast emporium of downtown cool. Right now, Elyse Walker’s online store is running a last call markdown of 75% off.

    The online boutique carries great brands like Alexander McQueen, Givenchy and Bluemarine. The sale selection is quite respectable and there’s still a great variety of sizes from which to choose. These $1156 Bruno Frisoni platforms are now just $289 and almost every size is still available. This Stella McCartney sequined jacket is $949 from $3795 and every size from 36 to 42 is still in stock. How can you say no to this McQueen cut out dress that’s $360 from $1440?That is, how can you say no if you have the body to pull it off?

    Stores everywhere should be on the look out. We are officially on the prowl. Let us know if any of your local boutiques are slashing prices on any of the good booty.