Last week, Norma Kamali announced that she would not be extending her deal to design collections for Walmart. Instead, she will be concentrating on health and wellness. Kamali will be producing a series of videos for Hulu where she will be discussing health, wellness and longevity with a series of experts.

Some of the videos are already online, but our favorite interview video is with choreographer Twila Tharp . In her clip, she discusses staying motivated and overcoming failure. Her frankness and energy are completely contagious. As Twila says, “Get going, or quit.”

Before we submerge this post in issues of higher meaning and living longer, we thought we should pay tribute to Norma’s final Walmart collection. Before proceeding to checkout, we consulted New York Times style reporter and resident Walmart expert, Stephanie Rosenbloom, to pick the best items from the Walmart Kamali collection. When it comes to fashion and value, Stephanie’s word is akin to one of a higher order.

Here are Stephanie’s top picks based on style, price and quality:

The Motorcycle Jacket — It’s not leather or even pleather, but in black, this short cotton jacket with multiple zippers and an asymmetrical closure is an edgier, tougher-looking alternative to a jean jacket or blazer. It’s lightweight yet staves off a chill and looks chic open or closed. I pair mine with tall boots and jeans. And at $24, I still have money to put inside those zippered pockets.

The Batwing Cardigan Amid a sea of dainty, ho-hum cardigans, this draped, oversize number is a lot of drama for little money. That’s mainly because of the long, tight sleeves that encase your forearms before gently ballooning out at the elbows. The cardigan is warm enough to stave off a chill and long enough to cover your rear (a bonus given that leggings are in vogue). It feels like a sweatshirt and washes like one too: just toss it in the machine. Consider your perfect airplane sweater found. (Limited sizes available for $15 in black, red, milk, and grey heather. The cocoa version is $18.)

The Wrap Dress — It’s hard to go wrong with a wrap dress as any Diane von Furstenberg fan knows. At one point, Ms. Kamali made a version for Walmart with short sleeves and a sweetheart neckline that transitioned easily from cubicle (under a blazer) to cocktail party. It looked far more expensive than its Wal-Mart price tag, and washed and traveled with nary a wrinkle. Wal-Mart is now selling a long-sleeve Norma Kamali “wrap dress,” though it doesn’t have an adjustable tie closure so there’s no tweaking it to be more snug or loose. The long-sleeve version is flattering and affordable at $20.

Yesterday, we started our Union Square shopping adventure at Filene’s Basement where we found a wonderful assortment of Jil Sander clothing at bold discounts. Naturally, our next stop was DSW.

At first we were underwhelmed by the selection and prices of the discount store’s newest shipment. Jimmy Choo low boots for $900, Giuseppi booties for $500 and high boots for $600? Really, we can do better on Madison. A little bit of patience paid off because if you make your way to the back of the clearance section, you will find a diverse amount of Gucci, Sergio Rossi and Bottega Veneta shoes for an additional 30% off. After the additional discount, most shoe styles are about $160 and boots are $210. Not too bad right?

The best of the Guccis are the round toe wedges that come in a variety of colors. They are still $250 online but are just $160 in the store. Tired of the ubiquitous Hunter rain boot? Go the high heeled white Rossi or the indigo flat. They are both $210 and sure to make a statement.

Considering the markdown, the atmosphere was very calm. Maybe we should keep this markdown our little secret!

While many of you were waiting at Uniqlo to get your hands on Jil Sander’s lower +J line, we were scoping out the real thing at Filene’s Basement, on Union Square. Seriously, the Jil Sander rack was one of the only standouts at the discount store. The majority of Filene’s clothing selection was so bad it could cause a sensitive shopper to break out in hives.

But lets concentrate on our shining Sander, which was marked an extra 40% off. We found a classic $3400 khaki shearling coat reduced to $800, after the additional discount. Granted, Jil Sander isn’t really designed by Jil Sander and the price is be several times more than the $150 rough-edged wool pea coat at Uniqlo. This is shearling, however, and it’s top quality and not off-label.