The windows have been revealed and there is only one final detail to make the holiday season official. Designer markdowns, of course. Saks Fifth Avenue has been hosting a presale for the past few days and the seasonal markdown ritual will be officially public starting Tuesday morning.

The biggest highlight of the Saks sale is the Gucci merchandise. No other store seems has publicly offered any discount on Gucci merchandise– yet. The markdown assortment isn’t wonderful but 40% off is the equivalent of two shots of toquilla– makes almost everything more attractive.

Among the Gucci merchandise that’s discounted 30% to 40% off are there print Gucci loafers, pumps with the removable jeweled bow, Zebra Princetowns with black fur, various colors and prints of the Marmont Double G Block Heels, some Marmont slides and Blossom pool slides. The sale also includes some styles of Gucci bags, including Blossom prints, Padlock bags and some styles of pouches. You can see pictures of more styles over here.

Beyond Gucci, there is a healthy selection of Balmain. This logo sweatshirt isn’t crazy expensive and is almost reasonable after the 40% discount. The logo Muscle tees come to just about $150 after the markdown and this ‘archival-worthy’ studded leather jacket is $2900 from about $5000.

Moving on to the shoe floor, we suggest you nab some Manolo Hangisi satin mules and satin pumps that ring out for about $540 from about $900. You can see lots more shoe pictures this way.

Again, Christian Louboutin, Chanel, Celine and other designers aren’t part of the markdown yet. Usually those brands are added in early December and within days prices are cut to 50% off. Just don’t expect to find those Opium pumps hanging around waiting for you.

Getting yourself party ready is nothing in contrast to styling budding teens and a mini-me. The demands of a New York child’s social calendar, combined with an evolving personal style, and questionable media influences could be rather, um, challenging.

Styling these children is a full time job. To make matters worse, there aren’t many dress-up options once your girls leave the toddler years. The choices are generally segregated to poor-quality bedazzled styles, ‘hootchie’ bondage-esque varieties and crazy-crazy-expensive shrunken designer labels. It’s really slim pickings.

After extensive research we have found that Milly is the ultimate destination to wardrobe our girls. The SoHo and Madison Avenue boutiques have everything you need to get your mini-Manhattanite ready for just about any social obligation.

Some of our favorites include this pom-pom coat, which caused a fight between my 11-year-old and 6-year-old. My 13-year-old didn’t want to take off this lipstick red dress after trying it on. It’s no doubt Gotham Hall-ready. This bell sleeve dress comes in a variety of colors and looks good on everyone!

Milly and Milly Minis is sold in a variety of boutiques and department stores but the SoHo and  Madison Avenue  stores have so much more than anyplace else. There are also lots of exclusives, like this ‘Uptown Girl’ sweatshirt.

Remember  Milly  successfully dressed Blair Waldorf for many seasons. Your Sacred Heart child should be no problem either.

Milly SoHo
158 Mercer St
(212) 921-1682

Milly Madison Avenue
900 Madison Ave
(212) 395-9100

Days are continually getting shorter and colder and there is nothing more delicious than getting home, kicking off your heels and suiting up in soft, warm pajamas. As a matter of fact, we look forward to it almost all day.

I’ve been on a personal mission to get the most out of my cozy time at home. I’ve found that Bloomingdales has the best loungewear options and Splendid has become my most beloved brand when I’m dying to snuggle-up and cozy-down.

These printed thermals are my absolute favorite. One in each print just isn’t enough. We love these cropped jogger pants because all you need to do is throw on a coat and you’re in a perfectly acceptable ensemble for school drop-off. On nights when the pre-war building heat is pumping, the windows are open and it’s still boiling, I opt for this simple short pajama set.

The right robe is the last remaining component before you settle in to Netflix binge. I find thin silk robes and oversized terrycloth styles to be a bit overrated. I prefer something thin and soft for Winter. Check out this flannel style from Henro or this heather knit version from Ugg.

You can click this way to see more terrific options from Bloomingdales. The best part is that you can always count on Bloomingdales to offer  great promotion to make your wallet as cozy as your winter jammies.