Few fashion houses are as dreamy as Oscar de la Renta. The New York Times Critical Shopper, Cintra Wilson, recently described the old guard of luxury designers as being “worn exclusively by women so morbidly wealthy that they can wear white satin on the soles of their shoes since their daily walk involves only the floor mats of bulletproof limousines, Hereke silk carpets and the soft, clean heads of the middle class.”

This may be true, but a spin through the store is almost like a garment museum. Walking through I hear my mother’s voice in my head scolding me for touching everything as a child. But it’s so hard to control yourself. The fabrics sometimes feel like they are spun from Rapunzel’s golden hair.

This week, however, Oscar made his store a bit more approachable by marking down the Fall/Winter collection to 70% off. The sale also includes the online store. Gowns that were $10,000 are now around $3,000, which is a lot of lettuce out of any one’s pocket but a far cry from ten-grand. Remember the dress is hand painted and embroidered!

Popped into the Donna Karan store only to be pleasantly surprised by the aggressive discount. Bags are 60% off but the styles have little to be desired unless you’re into strapping a cinder block to your shoulder. Ready-to-wear is discounted 60% and 75% off.

Although I am probably at least decade younger than their target audience I was appreciative of the versatility of their dresses. Perfect for almost all body shapes and most situations a closet needs at least one Donna Karan dress. The prices hover around $1200 normally and picking up one of these timeless staples for $300 is a valuable find.

Contact: Genie 212-861-1001