Pucci at TJ Maxx. I never thought it would happen. Imagine my surprise when I walked into the TJ Maxx at Tyson's Corner headed for the Runway section, only to be distracted by a familiar pattern amidst the handbags. Upon further inspection I discovered adorable medium-sized, canvas Pucci bags in really cute patterns from last year! The one pattern I was very fond of the first time around (a lovely combination of browns and blues), and I liked it just as much hanging in front of me at TJ Maxx. The bags were under $150, and let's just say I would love to see one in my stocking :)
P.S. Also worth noting were some very jaunty Juicy bags for under $100 and HoneyDew underpinnings for a mere $2.99!
Showing posts with label Juicy Couture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Juicy Couture. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Last Call, Final Clearnce, It's Sale Season!!!
Most of the time when you hear last call, it's a bad thing (i.e. when you really just need one more martini). However, when you see you see an email pop-up in your inbox from Neiman Marcus that says "Last Call" you know that it's that time of year. . .
First things first: you must instantly start calculating how much you really need certain luxuries like cable, water, groceries, etc., so you know how much money you have to invest. Next, you need a POA (plan of attack); sales can be extremely overwhelming and you'd hate to passout while shopping and have someone else grab that $100 must-have Diane VonFurstenberg dress. Finally, dress in something comfortable that is easy to get on and off, so you can easily shophop from dressing room to dressing room. I feel it is my responsibility to act as your safari guide and help you survive the wilderness (have you seen the way some people get over the last pair of $150 Manolos?). Now, it's time to forumlate the aforementioned POA.
For those in the D.C. area, Tysons Corner Center (I and II) is going to allow you to cover the most territory in the shortest amount of time. Personally, I would start at Tysons II because I have found the Neimans and Saks sales will get you the most shopping bags for your(what was formerly known as rent) money. The other big department stores like Nordstrom, Macys, Bloomingdales, and Lord & Taylor have big sales as well, but the margin of savings isn't the same and thus not as exciting.
When approaching a sale rack there are a few things to keep in mind.
First things first: you must instantly start calculating how much you really need certain luxuries like cable, water, groceries, etc., so you know how much money you have to invest. Next, you need a POA (plan of attack); sales can be extremely overwhelming and you'd hate to passout while shopping and have someone else grab that $100 must-have Diane VonFurstenberg dress. Finally, dress in something comfortable that is easy to get on and off, so you can easily shophop from dressing room to dressing room. I feel it is my responsibility to act as your safari guide and help you survive the wilderness (have you seen the way some people get over the last pair of $150 Manolos?). Now, it's time to forumlate the aforementioned POA.
For those in the D.C. area, Tysons Corner Center (I and II) is going to allow you to cover the most territory in the shortest amount of time. Personally, I would start at Tysons II because I have found the Neimans and Saks sales will get you the most shopping bags for your(what was formerly known as rent) money. The other big department stores like Nordstrom, Macys, Bloomingdales, and Lord & Taylor have big sales as well, but the margin of savings isn't the same and thus not as exciting.
When approaching a sale rack there are a few things to keep in mind.
$Know what you have in your closet and what pieces/colors you would like to have; it helps to have some guidance as to what racks you need to scour first, so you don't waste time looking through a bunch of jeans when your closet is seriously lacking in the dress department.
$$If you're an experienced shopper you know what brands/designers you really like. Some stores will sort sales racks in this manner, which can save a lot of time; however, since many of the items are so cheap it doesn't hurt to branch out and try something new, especially if something happens to catch your eye.
$$$Always at least skim through all the sizes; people get a little crazy when things are over 40% off and everything gets jumbled up (my success story of the season came from the Size 11 shoe aisle, when I'm normally an 8...an amazing pair of patent leather Gucci heels for under $200!). Also, don't forget that clothing can be altered and it may be worth it depending on the markdown. BUT, as I have mentioned before DO NOT squeeze into something that is too small just because it's cheap.
Now that you're ready to feign sick and leave work early, here's my last bit of advice. Take a trusty shopping buddy along; it's always helpful to have a second opinion to tell you that you really don't need that sparkly sequin Tory Burch dress that weighs 15lbs. Also, it's kind of fun to laugh at some of the really awful high-end designer pieces that you know why they are on sale and people might think you're crazy if you're laughing hysterically alone. Make sure that your pal can keep up, though, or else he/she may get abandoned in a heap of last season's Juicy pants.
Good Luck!!!
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Sunglasses
Whether you're avoiding the sun, the paparazzi, or trying to rob a bank (a la the Barbie Bandits) sunglasses serve many purposes in addition to being stylish. Sure, you can pick up some cheap ones at the local dollar store, but there is just something about an absurdly expensive pair of sunglasses that makes you feel like you could take on the world. However, they are also easily misplaced, forgotten, or sat on. What could possibly be worse than having someones fat butt crush your $300 treasure (other than your own fat butt crushing them)? Allow me to explain how you can ease the pain by picking up everything from Gucci to Oliver People's for well under $100!
This part can be short and sweet since the havens for cheap, designer sunglasses are the same places where you can find many of my other favorite deals. Talk about one-stop shopping at it's finest! To keep you on the edge of your desk chair, I'll start from the less exciting deals and build up to the grand finale.
C-Mart- This is the one place I haven't mentioned previously. I will give C-Mart a full review at a later date, but it's basically a clothes/furniture warehouse. There are definitley some good finds there, but be prepared to make a day of it. Apparently they just got a big shipment of sunglasses including, but not limited to: Gucci, Dior, Versace, YSL, Kate Spade, and Juicy Couture. I have not made the treck to examine these in person, but from what I gathered from the advertisment they are marked down around 50% which places most of them at about $150. While that is definitley much better than paying full price, you can do better.
Off 5th-Normally there's a pretty decent selection at most of the stores. The sunglasses are priced around $70. If you are on the Off 5th mailing list there are ALWAYS coupons being sent out, so that can help knock the price down by up to another 30%. I would say the biggest plus to buying them here, is that you can actually get the matching case (make sure you ask at checkout, since they keep them in the back).
TJ Maxx/Marshalls-My first pair of designer sunglasses came from Marshalls. They were dark grey Dolce & Gabbana and cost me a mere $20. I think back then the stores hadn't caught on to what they had in stock. More recently though, I picked up an amazing pair of black Armani glasses for my grandmother for $40, which still is not too shabby. A secret to finding the good stuff: most of the sunglass displays are tall and generally have a bunch of sunglasses piled on top that I am too short to reach. One day while shopping with one of my taller friends, we were quite sad not to find anything good and then she started looking through the ones on top. Come to find out that's where they were hiding...
Last Call-If you hadn't picked up on it yet, I LOVE Last Call. So this is it...the best sunglass deal I have EVER come across. As I mentioned earlier, I adore Oliver People's sunglasses. Sadly, they cost approximately one arm and one leg. In a weak, foolish moment I actually broke down and bought a pair at full price (in my defense it was a Spend Some, Get Some day at Saks so I did get a gift card); I figured I would never find a pair on sale and I just had to have some. Once I had the black ones, I decided I needed brown ones as well. Oh I found a pair I liked; they cost one arm, one leg, and an ear (about $400). I had come to terms with the fact I would have to live without brown Oliver Peoples until one day while at Last Call, they had some sunglasses on top of an island in the jewelry display. My roommate and I did a doubletake and were shocked to find that Oliver Peoples were at the outlet store! Even more surprising was that the frames weren't in terribly odd colors or shapes; they even had some brown ones very close to what I was pining for. Well, because nothing is ever as good as it looks, we figured that they still probably cost well over $100. The surprises kept coming though! I had a sales girl give me a pair to try on (that I was instantly obsessed with), I asked the price having braced myself for bad news... low and behold they were only $35!!! Can you even find sunglasses at Target that cheap?! Needless to say, that probably goes down as one of my best finds.
With all this talk of sunglasses, I think I'm going to don mine and go enjoy some sunshine!
This part can be short and sweet since the havens for cheap, designer sunglasses are the same places where you can find many of my other favorite deals. Talk about one-stop shopping at it's finest! To keep you on the edge of your desk chair, I'll start from the less exciting deals and build up to the grand finale.
C-Mart- This is the one place I haven't mentioned previously. I will give C-Mart a full review at a later date, but it's basically a clothes/furniture warehouse. There are definitley some good finds there, but be prepared to make a day of it. Apparently they just got a big shipment of sunglasses including, but not limited to: Gucci, Dior, Versace, YSL, Kate Spade, and Juicy Couture. I have not made the treck to examine these in person, but from what I gathered from the advertisment they are marked down around 50% which places most of them at about $150. While that is definitley much better than paying full price, you can do better.
Off 5th-Normally there's a pretty decent selection at most of the stores. The sunglasses are priced around $70. If you are on the Off 5th mailing list there are ALWAYS coupons being sent out, so that can help knock the price down by up to another 30%. I would say the biggest plus to buying them here, is that you can actually get the matching case (make sure you ask at checkout, since they keep them in the back).
TJ Maxx/Marshalls-My first pair of designer sunglasses came from Marshalls. They were dark grey Dolce & Gabbana and cost me a mere $20. I think back then the stores hadn't caught on to what they had in stock. More recently though, I picked up an amazing pair of black Armani glasses for my grandmother for $40, which still is not too shabby. A secret to finding the good stuff: most of the sunglass displays are tall and generally have a bunch of sunglasses piled on top that I am too short to reach. One day while shopping with one of my taller friends, we were quite sad not to find anything good and then she started looking through the ones on top. Come to find out that's where they were hiding...
Last Call-If you hadn't picked up on it yet, I LOVE Last Call. So this is it...the best sunglass deal I have EVER come across. As I mentioned earlier, I adore Oliver People's sunglasses. Sadly, they cost approximately one arm and one leg. In a weak, foolish moment I actually broke down and bought a pair at full price (in my defense it was a Spend Some, Get Some day at Saks so I did get a gift card); I figured I would never find a pair on sale and I just had to have some. Once I had the black ones, I decided I needed brown ones as well. Oh I found a pair I liked; they cost one arm, one leg, and an ear (about $400). I had come to terms with the fact I would have to live without brown Oliver Peoples until one day while at Last Call, they had some sunglasses on top of an island in the jewelry display. My roommate and I did a doubletake and were shocked to find that Oliver Peoples were at the outlet store! Even more surprising was that the frames weren't in terribly odd colors or shapes; they even had some brown ones very close to what I was pining for. Well, because nothing is ever as good as it looks, we figured that they still probably cost well over $100. The surprises kept coming though! I had a sales girl give me a pair to try on (that I was instantly obsessed with), I asked the price having braced myself for bad news... low and behold they were only $35!!! Can you even find sunglasses at Target that cheap?! Needless to say, that probably goes down as one of my best finds.
With all this talk of sunglasses, I think I'm going to don mine and go enjoy some sunshine!
Friday, April 27, 2007
Lounge Wear
The weather forecast for the District of Columbia is gross with a 30% chance of miserable. This morning as I was in bed listening to the rain, work clothes were the last thing I wanted to adorn. On rainy days there's really nothing better than lying on the sofa watching the recently released 90210 Season 1 DVD's in your finest loungewear. Seriously, shed the PJ's; that can be the one productive thing you do all day...
Loungewear is one of my favorite types of clothing. If you get the right items you can compose an ensemble that's comfy, flattering, and stylish. An outfit that feels like you're wearing PJ's, yet is appropriate to wear in public; it just doesn't get much better than that!
I love Juicy with Primp coming in a very close second; I'm especially keen on their T's with the sparkly rhinestones! However, there is absolutely no way I can justify spending $80+ on what are, essentially, sweatpants. Fret not, you can still have your Juicy and Primp and afford it too.
Have you ever heard of a place called Gabrielle Brother's (Gabe's)? For those in the DC area, the closest one is in Winchester, VA, and well worth the trek. Gabe's is a warehouse-type store that sells clothing and much much more, but in all fairness Gabe's deserves it's own post so you'll have to wait to find out more. Chances are if you have heard of Gabe's it was probably in reference to someone looking through clothing and finding pants with one leg, shirts with holes, and dresses with stains. Amidst all the one-legged pants, though, are Juicy pants (both velour and terry) for a mere $10!
While not as exciting/scary as Gabe's, TJ Maxx is a great place to find Primp (they occasionally have Juicy, but it's still not as cheap as Gabe's). You have to look in the new Runway section that select TJ's have, but it's well worth it since the Primp pants are marked down to $30. You can also find Primp at Filene's Basement, Loehman's, and the sale racks at Neimans and Saks, but they are still usually over $50 there.
I think it's supposed to be pretty this weekend and what better to do than take a nice drive down Route 50 (stopping in Middleburg for some cookies at The Upper Crust) or I-66 and check out Gabe's to stock up on loungewear for the rainy days to come!
Loungewear is one of my favorite types of clothing. If you get the right items you can compose an ensemble that's comfy, flattering, and stylish. An outfit that feels like you're wearing PJ's, yet is appropriate to wear in public; it just doesn't get much better than that!
I love Juicy with Primp coming in a very close second; I'm especially keen on their T's with the sparkly rhinestones! However, there is absolutely no way I can justify spending $80+ on what are, essentially, sweatpants. Fret not, you can still have your Juicy and Primp and afford it too.
Have you ever heard of a place called Gabrielle Brother's (Gabe's)? For those in the DC area, the closest one is in Winchester, VA, and well worth the trek. Gabe's is a warehouse-type store that sells clothing and much much more, but in all fairness Gabe's deserves it's own post so you'll have to wait to find out more. Chances are if you have heard of Gabe's it was probably in reference to someone looking through clothing and finding pants with one leg, shirts with holes, and dresses with stains. Amidst all the one-legged pants, though, are Juicy pants (both velour and terry) for a mere $10!
While not as exciting/scary as Gabe's, TJ Maxx is a great place to find Primp (they occasionally have Juicy, but it's still not as cheap as Gabe's). You have to look in the new Runway section that select TJ's have, but it's well worth it since the Primp pants are marked down to $30. You can also find Primp at Filene's Basement, Loehman's, and the sale racks at Neimans and Saks, but they are still usually over $50 there.
I think it's supposed to be pretty this weekend and what better to do than take a nice drive down Route 50 (stopping in Middleburg for some cookies at The Upper Crust) or I-66 and check out Gabe's to stock up on loungewear for the rainy days to come!
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