STYLE/BEAUTY

I don’t know about you, but it appears that I am way behind with my beauty shopping. I do admit I don’t have the most rigorous beauty regimen, and don’t have the name of the brand I use at the tip of my tongue. Considering the e-tailer expert I am, I shouldn’t have been shocked by the number of online stores dedicated to beauty. Yet, that was my exact reaction when I read the article published in WWD, under the self explanatory title, “BEAUTY E-TAILERS”. I have compiled a shorter list that doesn’t include mega stores (hope you’ve heard about Amazon), sites that have a brick and mortar operation, flash sales and discount sites. If you have had shopping experiences with any if these sites, I am looking forward to hearing from you.

	Beauty.com : is a leading online destination for a diverse assortment of prestige beauty ranging from the widely recognized to niche, hard-to-find beauty products
	Beautyencounter.com : is a premiere online source for fragrances and beauty products that offer consumers an exceptional range of hard-to-find international and specialty products.
	Beautyticket.com Beautyticket.com is a premium beauty experience that brings the best of beauty to women on every budget
	Cosmeticmall.com is where you shop the most exclusive and hard-to-find beauty products on the planet
	Dermastore.com is offering the largest selection of skin care and beauty products with informative user and professional reviews
	Folica.com believes that hair is the most important accessory, and sells everything for a great mane
	Fragrancenet.com believes in exceptional beauty and exceptional prices
	Luxuryparlor.com sells luxury beauty, organic products and accessories
	Parfumsraffy.com sells high-end niche fragrances from around the world
	Skincarerx.com Customer service, 60 day return and free shipping orders over $49.
	Skinmedix.com was born from the idea that the world’s leading skin care products need not cost a fortune.
	Skinstore.com carries the most trusted brands with proven results
	Timetospa.com has one philosophy: inner peace, outer bliss- and a wide variety of products and tips are available to un-stress you.

Through Sunday your favorite Manhattan chain, Scoop, is having their annual sale, clearing house to make room for winter fashions, with an additional 50% all tagged prices. Two floors of goodness take up a prime location in the Meatpacking District. Although the threads don’t compare to their surrounding competitors, there are a few diamonds in the rough that are worth a look. On the first floor you will find a wide variety of denim, mostly light wash Citizens of Humanity skinny jeans and some selection from Scoop’s own line. Once you’re done with the jeans hop on over to the other side of the store to find Beyond Vintage sequin tanks. Alice + Olivia dresses are hidden but they are there, I promise! The colorful dresses are worth the hunt within the stuffed racks (hint: first rack on the left as you walk in, about a third of the way in, sift carefully or you may miss them!).

As you walk down the extra wide staircase you are immediately greeted by a rack of cut-off denim shorts. Jet Loves Scoop is the label behind my favorite shorts on the rack, studded and cuffed, perfect for pairing black tights underneath for the chilly weather!  Even better they are sale priced at $29 with an additional 50%. $19.50? Yes please! Other noteworthy mentionables include long and flowing summer dresses, Marc Jacobs tweed jackets, Element sweaters, and Halston silk tops.

Be fair warned my fellow fashion fiends! Some of the incredibly cute blouses, specifically a draping silk button with an exaggerated pocket, have black marks on them, make sure to fully examine before purchase for this is final sale! I don’t want any pouty faces later tonight upon an unfortunate discovery.

No pictures allowed inside this New York bargain bonanza, but the glass windows will allow you to sneak a peak!

WHEN: Through 10/11, Wed 9/29 (9-7), M-W (11-7), Th-Sat (11-8), Sun (11-6).
WHERE: 875 Washington St., at 14th St. (212-691-1905)

By Caitlin Colford

At the Kooba sample sale, prices aren’t quite rock bottom (you can still expect to shell out close to $200), but the reductions are still pretty staggering. Giant Millie bags, available in colors from bourbon to a cheery apple green, are available for $245 – pretty impressive considering the original retail price of $595. The Hadley ($195, marked down from $545) is more compact, but somehow, almost as roomy.  A beautiful cream Samantha ($195 from $595) is a good deal more understated than its Sex and the City namesake, but just as attention-grabbing. The ultra-classic Greta ($175 from $395) might be one of the sale’s best bets: it’s the rare purse that can take you from your conservative office to a hot date.

Though the large main room of bags is the main focus here, there’s a well-curated selection of shoes as well, including the effortlessly cool Suri sandals  ($60 here, $157.50 online). And don’t miss the small room off to the side, where the bag prices are slashed even further and you could pay as little as $40 for a good sized leather tote. If you dig Kooba’s signature embellished leather look, this sale is a must.

– Leila Cohan-Miccio

According to Wikipedia, Masstige is a marketing term meaning downward brand extension or “prestige for the masses”.  These products are “premium but attainable” or otherwise called democracy in luxury.

There seems to be an increasing trend among premium designers to use their names and talent to create short or long lived affordable lines. From Jil Sander, Karl Lagerfeld, Vera Wang, Stella McCartney’s to more recently Lanvin; they have all dibbled into the lower markets. WWD quotes Jil Sander, “I took part in the transformation of fashion from a couture craft into a contemporary industry. We are much better equipped to realize quality on a much larger scale.” Recently, she has been quoted as saying, “To me, luxury has nothing to do with high prices”. So, now you have it. You don’t need to break the bank to be elegant. Designers say it, and consumers couldn’t agree more.  Where do you find all these affordable brands? From Kohl, that successfully carries Simply Vera; to H&M, Target and regular department stores; everybody seems to have them. What’s the best way to play the Masstige game and win? Learn your brands. Product knowledge is important – not just for vendors, but also for consumers.  Once you find the designers you love, check out if they have a better priced line and make these items the backbone of your wardrobe.