New York Survival Guide

Well it’s the week before Christmas, or the week of Christmas rather, so it comes as no surprise that retail stocks were up Monday and Tuesday. But that can’t hold a candle to the $2 billion in lost sales retailers felt when a pretty blanket of snow covered the Northeast last weekend. Yeah, a White Christmas might sound nice to those off work, done shopping and baking snickerdoodles. But for retailers – and our economy – it sucked. (Not to mention the millions it costs the city, state and country every time it snows.) Delusional retailers are accelerating pre-xmas markdowns and apparently still trying to recoup lost sales.

But there is still a lot of shopping to be done from now until Christmas. What. Will. We. Buy?

We would help out Cabela’s, Cache, Delia’s, New York & Co., Quicksilver and American Apparel because they were in the evil red this week. (In the black crept unusual suspects Zale, Joe’s Jeans and Crocs because people either feel badly for these companies or actually still want them. Or they are on sale since they’ve continually been so red, which is likely a better argument.) But for serious, choose wisely this week as you make your last minute present purchases. What might not make a huge difference to a big department store, might mean the crux of the season for a smaller boutique struggling to get another, stay in Nolita or even survive. This isn’t to say that “the man” doesn’t need our business as well, but leave your larger purchases to someone it might make a difference for.

Oh, and Merry Christmas! We can’t wait to report on the outcome of this week… in shopping.

Emma Dinzebach

‘Tis the season! With Hanukkah in full force and Christmas around the corner retailers are wishing on a star and the market news is jam packed with both naughty and nice.

Barney’s dodged a potential panic, putting off rainy weather for another day, when parent company Dubai World received a $10 billion injection from Abu Dhabi earlier this week. Barney’s sale is still under consideration as Dubai World examines outlets for restructuring and letting go of some of their trophy companies (i.e. Barney’s). For the little guys, CIT said this week it would waive the $1,000 packaging fee on loans for the Small Business Administration. Good news since everyone could use the extra cash for… er, online shopping? That’s right! A recent survey by comScore, Inc. found more and more online shoppers are using cash in the form of debit card purchasing as opposed to credit cards with credit card purchases still dominating high-ticket items. Because srsly? Who can afford sans credit card luxury anyway?

No one. And as soon as Kohl’s moves to Broadway, you won’t have to! No, no you did not read wrong. Kohl’s (as in the suburban back-to-school outlet that kind of smells like your grandmother) is eying real estate in Carrie Bradshaw’s homeland. What, we ask ourselves holding back pieces of vomit, is this city coming to? First J.C. Penney, now Kohl’s? It’s just a matter of time before Wal Mart stomps the city into unrecognizable mass market mania. Oh god, and then there is this depressing list on WWD.com of retail companies who filed for bankruptcy protection sporting names like Escada, Christian Lacroix, Crabtree & Evelyn, Mark Shale, Eddie Bauer (sold), Filene’s Basement (sold), and Shabby Chic. Yes, those sad post parentheses were included in the list in the form of either (sold) or (liquidated). Actually, don’t even look at it.

But in good news, because we always like to end on a positive note, Rhianna and Lady Gaga are doing their part for luxury lingerie by single-handedly increasing the sales of bustiers and corsets worldwide. And come December 26th, you’ll find yourself in markdown heaven because even though it hurts the industry, retail still can’t sell at a normal price. Cue the angels.

Emma Dinzebach

Oh the burden of traveling this holiday season because you needed to spend $400 on a plane ticket, $25 to check your bag $75 to check your overweight bag (damn shoes) and $60 on taxis just to stuff your face with fatty food you would never dream of putting into your perfectly sculpted body any other time of year. Then you get home, weigh seven pounds more, and cry. Convinced your scale is wrong, you spend $70 on a new one and $450 on another package with your trainer. You’re going to need him.

Now smile! Because everyone is penny pinching this and penny pinching that, hotel spas are offering spa credits when you book this holiday season. That’s right “spa credits.” Oh, don’t let the word credit scare you, this is a good thing!

In New York City, hotels like Mandarin Oriental, Intercontinental, Affinia hotels and more are offering anywhere from $75 to $100 spa credits to holiday travelers. These credits can be used towards hotel spa services during your stay or sometimes during future stays. A body detox wrap or cleansing facial might make a huge difference because when we feel healthier and more relaxed, we treat our bodies better. Ask when you book. I repeat: ASK WHEN YOU BOOK.

If your hotel isn’t offering a spa credit, mention some of those above and see if they will match the offer of other hotels. Nine times out of ten, they won’t want to lose your business.

Emma Dinzebach

I walked into Barney’s late of afternoon exhausted from New York bargain shopping and searching for shoes. “And just where are you from?” asked the salesman in a patronizing tone. “Oh, me? Soho,” I said lightly. He eyed me up and down, hesitated, then replied coolly, “Oh, the Bloomingdale’s bag threw me off. Only tourists normally shop at Bloomingdale’s.”

Was he calling me a tourist? Wait, I look like a tourist? Paranoid visions of neck cameras and Jansport backpacks spun in my head. I checked my espadrilles, my jean cut off shorts, Carrera sunglasses and Judah Newman bracelet. These aren’t accessories donned by tourists, I told myself and huffed aloud. Shocked and sad that me, the apparel writer, was mistaken for a trite tourist, I gloomily walked back in the direction of cursed Bloomingdale’s to the subway. I emerged on Spring Street only to be bombarded by a giant bus unloading heaps overweight middle-aged Midwestern who took up the whole sidewalk like a flock of stagnant sheep on the back roads of Ireland. “Stupid tourists,” I muttered. “Excuse me, miss,” said one facing my direction, “Can you tell us where to go shopping?” Oh the irony. “Apparently Bloomingdale’s,” I snapped then pointed her south down Broadway.

Later I got to thinking about the tourists. Do they shop at Bloomingdale’s? And how do you shop like a New Yorker? The shops in Nolita and Soho are chock full of tourists but these tourists are European. The American tourists tend towards stores like Bloomingdale’s and Century 21. For what it’s worth real New Yorkers know about sample sales, designer specials and retail timing. They wait for the Barney’s Warehouse Sale, know to buy discount sunglasses at Loehman’s and get to Bloomingdale’s on the first day of  their shoe sale. Real New York City shoppers know that Daffy’s carries Malia Mills swimwear and to avoid Prince Street on Saturdays. Brilliantly, they only partake in chaotic shopping trips  – Macy’s (god help your brave soul), H&M, Urban Outfitters – when it’s raining and smartly buy their socks at Uniqlo. An entire book could be dedicated to these tips, so what should the newbie tourist do to shop like a New Yorker?
Real New York City shopping mavens get the sales and shopping secrets lightning fast via none other than America’s blabbermouth bluebird… Twitter. They follow their favorite stores, sites and designer’s Tweets putting them constantly in the know. Now there is something anyone can do. Daffy’s practical approach Tweets where their trucks are going and when, so customers can be the first to score discounted merchandise.

There are in fact many ways to shop using social media, and our good friends at Mashable, of course, have them in list format. The cathttps://thestylishcity.com/www.mashable.comch, people need to know about these social media shopping strategies and use them. So while there may be great find, the number of people finding it depends on the number of users. Twitter, on the other hand, allows you to control the information you want by following only the stores or websites you are interested in and/or rely on. For instance, you love sample sales and witty articles, so you follow The Vogue City on Twitter. You’re stuck in 2007, then follow American Apparel on Twitter. A tourist can do the same allowing them to fake it and shop like a New Yorker. Just make sure you remove your scrunchie. The 80’s may be back, but the scrunchie will forever remain the proverbial dead give away.

Emma Dinzebach