Apparel & Accessories

The month chock full of holiday cheer and tireless shopping is in full swing, with a ticking clock growing louder and louder while it counts down to the ultimate gift giving day we are all looking forward to. This week, with sales from Charlotte Ronson, DVF, Frette Fine Italian Linens, Haute Hippie, Alain Mikli and Tory Burch, you’ll have ample opportunity to find the perfect gifts for your fashionable friends and family members, as well as take a special time out to browse for yourself. It may be the time of year to think about purchasing thoughtful gifts for others, but that’s no reason to pass up a good bargain for you!

This Week’s Sample Sale Alert: ORANGE

Start off the week right with the Haute Hippie Sample Sale on Monday. Their luxurious bohemian clothing would make the perfect gift for the free spirits in your life. April’s Haute Hippie Sample Sale was a hit, which provides great potential for this winter sample sale with up to 75% off.

Rest up Monday evening, because there is a lot of shopping to be done come Tuesday! Begin your day right at the strike of 9AM and be first in line for the DVF Diane von Furstenberg Sample Sale at 260 Fifth Avenue. This four-day sale will provide up to 70% off DVF ready-to-wear, bags, and accessories with actual samples on hand.

Next up on Tuesday, tote your beautiful new DVF wrap dress uptown and arrive right on time for the 11AM opening of the Tory Burch Sample Sale on West 36^th. Be sure to get your sister’s and girlfriends’ sizes in advance, and load up on buttery soft flats from among the most comfortable brand on the block.

End your day in SoHo with the last official Alain Mikli Sample Sale. Consider purchasing a pair of Alain Mikli’s bold frames in order to bespeckle the sophisticated men and fashionable women in your life with high end eyewear.

After a hectic month of shopping, you’re going to need a nice cozy bed to rest in. Transform your bedroom into a luxurious living space with fine Italian linens from the Frette Sample Sale, opening Wednesday. With bed, bath, and table linens also available, this sale could be the perfect stop for special gifts for your loved ones.

Uptown on Wednesday, the Charlotte Ronson Sample Sale kicks off, with up to 70% off her popular clothing from Ronson’s fall collection. From tweed jackets with leather trim, to floral print flocks, this is the ultimate sale for the downtown style maven in your life.

With next week being shopping crunch time, this week may be the last chance for sane shopping without the added stress, pressure, and crowds. To reward yourself for shopping ahead of time, saving with great bargains, and purchasing thoughtful presents, be sure to gift yourself something special from your favorite sale.

By Caitlin Colford

There is a truly fabulous Designer Sale underway at Saks Fifth Avenue this week, a precursor to their vast Holiday Sale, where sales grow and prices are slashed right up until New Years Day, when the highest deductions take place. As we mentioned in this week’s Don’t Miss, this is the time to get your shopping on for your holiday party wear, before choices are slim and time is limited. Lucky for you, there is no better one-stop shopping retreat than the Designer Sale at Saks Fifth Avenue this week with up to 40% off designer goodies.

The mood for holiday dress shopping is immediately set in place as you take a gander at Saks’ glorious windows decorations. This year acts half as one major advertisement for — you guessed it — holiday party wear. From a Mad Men theme in one window, to flapper style in another, right up until the latest trends, windows depict the ultimate cocktail dresses and accessories in a glitz and glamour manner. The second half of the windows feature the main event, where tourists and locals alike, flock to snap their digital cameras and “ooh and ahh” over the imaginative displays. I must say, these are one of my favorite window displays of recent Saks’ holiday seasons.

Beginning with the sale on designer shoes, I was overwhelmed by the selection and size availability. This floor is definitely among the highlights of Saks’ sale. Jimmy Choo had the perfect party flat with their Black Sequin Loafer ($385, orig. $550, pictured), while Gucci offered a Cement Suede Strap Heel ($455, orig. $650, pictured), and taking the gold was Reed Krakoff with his Red and Mango Melanie Cut heels that would make any little black dress pop ($525, orig. $750, pictured), as well as his Leather Buckle Military Boots ($906.50, $1295, pictured).

The women’s contemporary wear on the 5^th Floor took 1^st place with the best of the sale. I was completely obsessed with 3.1 Phillip Lim’s Green Shearling Motorcycle Jacket with leather detail ($570, pictured) and his Knee Length Ivory Coat as well ($570, pictured). The sale selection of 3.1 Phillip Lim in Saks definitely trumped Lim’s less than thrilling sample sale last month.  Moving along to Vince, I loved their Brown Cords and Grey and Orange Denim ($117-$136.50), as well as their massive Oatmeal Wrap Cardigan ($267, pictured). I certainly saw some great party options from Rag and Bone’s Agra Shirt, for a casual option ($174, pictured), to Milly’s Winter White Dress ($237, pictured) and Diane von Furstenberg’s Black Dress with Leather Cap Sleeves ($298, orig. $498).

I wasn’t so impressed with the sale on denim. Corduroys seemed to take charge of this section, with J Brand Brown Lioness Cords ($105) and 7 For All Mankind Plum Cords ($106).

Your classic little black dresses are all waiting for you. Within this great selection is a traditional Ali Ro Black Dress ($184), a cute Belted Shoshanna Dress ($198), and Nahalchand’s Black Dress with Lace Cap Sleeves ($358). For a glitz and glamor look, check out Monique Lhuillier Dazzling Sequenced Dress ($358), B44’s Black Sequenced Dress w/ Bow ($136), and lastly Aidan Mattox’s Crochet Knit Bead Dress ($210). Employees were still rolling out dresses to this section, with heaps of options for all tastes and sizes.

On the designer floor there was a small selection from Marc Jacobs, Chanel, Derek Lam, Jean Paul Gaultier, Doce & Gabbana and the works.  I wasn’t so impressed by these collections as they offer very little options. In the ten or so pieces on sale from Jason Wu I fell in love with his divine Red Lace Dress ($1,107, pictured).

The fur coat sale section was buzzing with shoppers, while around the corner the Stella McCartney sale racks wow-ed with her Bat Wing Sweaters ($738), Vibrant Blue Belted Dress ($933) and Blue Midnight w/ Gold Sequence Sleeveless Dress  ($2,475).

Do check out the Ralph Lauren racks with a color palate of nudes and mint greens, as well as the plum and white blends in Burberry’s sale assortment.

The Designer Sale at Saks Fifth Avenue is ready to doll you up and prep you to party. I highly suggest going, not only for your holiday outfits, but also to get the designer merchandise you have been lusting over all season, as it is highly unlikely it will be there as prices drop and sales continue. If that means paying 10% more for an item you’ll wear to death, then I say it’s worth it.

By Caitlin Colford

Photos: Caitlin Colford, Micky Filip

It’s hard to keep up with the breadth of Ralph Lauren. From the highest end Purple Label, to the middle point Blue Label, all the way down to the casual Ralph Lauren Denim Supply & Co., this designer has an extensive array of options for every price point and fashion preference. Today in Midtown, the Ralph Lauren Sample Sale at Soiffer Hasken began with Men and Women’s winter luxury apparel and accessories.

Ralph Lauren Blue Label occupied this credit card only sale, with a bit of RRL (Double Ralph Lauren) tossed in for good measure.

Blue Label, being the more traditional Ralph Lauren collection that you know from department stores, offered limited options, but high quality nonetheless for 70% off retail prices. Unfortunately, the notorious Soiffer Hasken “no photography” rule was strictly and tirelessly enforced today. I tried to steal a few snaps at the end in order for you lovely shoppers to gain a general gist, but their security’s hawk like eyes snagged me even then.

This sale consists mainly of cashmere sweaters, blazers, and black pants. In the neatly arranged cubby of racks, blocked off by sizes (up to size 14), the same styles repeated, with a fair amount of inventory for each piece. Among my favorites, which I found in nearly every size, was a Grey Long Sleeve 100% Cashmere Sleeveless Dress, which falls just above the calf ($286.50, orig. $955), a Merino Wool and Cashmere Blended Jacket featuring an assortment of beiges, creams, and nudes ($417, orig. $1,390), a wonderful Green Plaid Cape  ($999.40, orig. $4,498), and a Beige Alpaca Blend Oversized Sweater ($838.60, orig. $1,198).

A long table in the center of the room was the main attraction.  Piles of purple, orange, red, blue, grey, and black Ralph Lauren 100% cashmere sweaters ($389.40 – $479) were lined up and excitedly grabbed by cashmere feigning shoppers anxious to get their fix. Also on this table were simple, yet luxurious Cotton Long Sleeve Tops in various colors ($46.50), Merino Wool V Neck Sweaters ($157.50, orig. $525), and a stunning 100% cashmere Green Sweater w/ Shearling Lamb Fur Lining ($329.40, orig. $1,098).

In the back left corner of the sale were three racks full of pieces from the RRL, a casual, grittier line. One rack in particular was strictly denim, with great distressed washes in the form of skinny jeans and washed out flares ($126 – $206.50). While you’re getting your hands on some killer denim, peek around the corner to check out RRL’s Destroyed Denim Shirts ($103.50) and their Tweed Blazers ($420, orig. $1,200).

Although the sale states that there are “luxury accessories” on hand, this selection is 90-times more thin than the apparel section.  One table has a display of mediocre jewelry not worth a second glance, while behind the cashmere sweaters are two sizes of Canvas Tote Bags ($148.50, orig. $495) that resemble something you would receive as a freebie from Bloomingdales.

As you enter and exit the Ralph Lauren Sample Sale, prepare yourself for the rudest employees you will ever meet. Many shoppers were bullied and berated for being too slow in taking off their jackets and also bundling up to leave, while another young lady was scolded and brought to tears for accidentally scratching a less than pleasant employee. Although the options of the Ralph Lauren Sample Sale are slight, the cashmere alone may be worth braving the nastiness of the employees and the weather alike.

WHEN: 12/7 – 12/10; F-Sun (9-6:30), M (9-5)

WHERE: Soiffer Haskin
317 West 33rd Street, NYC
(Just west of 8th Avenue)
For more information, call: (718) 747-1656, M-F (9-6)

By Caitlin Colford

December 6th was a big day in the fashion world. Why? Because Pantone finally made an announcement regarding 2013’s color of the year. The big winner was…drumroll… emerald! (Sidebar: As a fashion writer, I cannot express to you how delighted I am to hear the announcement. I’ve had about enough of this tangerine tango business and am excited about an easier-to-style — and often more flattering — color.)

The jewel tone, inspired by the Earth’s own precious gemstone, has already finagled its way onto Spring 2013 runways via apparel, accessories, shoes and even makeup. Emerald is sure to transcend beyond the fashion world, as well, into underwood interior decor, electronics and electronic accessories, etc.

Says the Pantone website on emerald: “Lively. Radiant. Lush… A color of elegance and beauty that enhances our sense of well-being, balance and harmony.” Wall Street Journal writes, “Diamonds may be forever, but emeralds are for 2013.”

Below we’ve highlighted some fashion examples that feature emerald as their leading lady.

Alice and Trixie Greta Top, $275	Michael Kors Emerald Crystal Bracelet, $250
Anya Hindmarch Holly Faithful Tote, $880	Trina Turk “Monarch” Sheath Dress, $298
Kate Spade New York “Licorice Too” Pump, $328	Articles of Society Acid Wash Skinny Jeans, $69

By Wendy Rose Gould