Danielle Guercio

A gathering of a few premium brands can be in your favor.

I hate to say it, but sometimes knowing what a sale holds can make or break whether or not you attend.  Vente-Privee had a few big name brands on site for a new sale this week, but there was more room to walk around than things on the racks.  This means if you can get there asap, by all means stop in and help yourself to pieces by DVF, Catherine Malandrino, and Elizabeth and James among a few others.

Not much of a line for the opening allowed a nice easy start to this sale, located on 36th street between 7th and 8th avenues.  The checkout queue was also not yet bustling, but we have seen it get miserably long very fast.

Brands we saw included many big names, but oddly enough, there was a rummage sale type feel to the rest of the sale.  Now don’t get me wrong, there isn’t a single thing wrong with thrift shopping, vintage shopping, bag sales, yard sales, and estate sales.  Those are some of my all time favorite ways to shop especially on the cheap.  We have all scored countless times for all of the digging, even huge designer names and rare goodies never seen anywhere else, but this is a sale with prices that enter the triple digits.  So seeing bins of miscellaneous t shirts and junky vinyl handbags next to pricey dresses was a bit of a mismatched scenario.

To be honest it seemed like they needed some ‘filler’ to this sale.  But lo and behold the real reasons for coming were not a disappointment by any means.  Gowns lined the better portion of the front of the space, and they were joined by a plethora of cocktail dresses and other one off big name pieces.  We saw Catherine Malandrino, Halston Heritage, Diane von Furstenberg, Elizabeth and James, and Erin Featherston, and Oscar De La Renta.

Most of the big name tags could only be found on the dresses, but there was no lack of selection.  Rich blues and poppy pinks were all on hand to make a special event just right, and the cocktail dresses were even more varied.  There were drape-y styles and plenty of fitted styles to suit many body types.

A few other things we saw were denim, in dark blue and white, but no one too notable on the tag.  Shoes were a decent variation, with plenty of pairs from DVF going for $80.  There was a small amount of mens shoes to choose from too.  A large rack of designer pajamas and nighties was in the middle, bathing suits lined one wall and lingerie another.

This sale would make an OK lunch break stop if you need an occasion dress and have money to spend.  If you don’t, we suggest skipping this one.

WHEN: 6/24 – 6/26; Tue-Th (11-7)

WHERE: Clothingline Sample Sales
261 West 36th Street
2nd Floor
between 7th and 8th Avenues
New York, NY 10018

By Danielle Guercio

Some brands have sales that are very much off season and late on many trends. It doesn’t make them worthless, but they can be not worth your time. This was not the case with the 260 Fifth sale space’s guest this week: J.Crew. Hosting a huge array of both previous seasons and actual samples, making it a true sample sale. Variety was on point at this sale in many ways as was the staff and the discounts. We love the 260 Fifth space because no matter who they are hosting they are consistent. An ungodly line began to hug the block as opening time drew near.

When you first walk into the well stocked rows, you are greeted with a long rack of beads, textures, and styles. This is where you find the holy grail of J.Crew’s deal pieces, the Collection line. This is where you can find the higher end and more adventurous selection. This was also one of the most exciting racks I have seen yet at 260. Ranging in price from $40 to $300, the price pretty much depended on what you were holding. This could be anything from printed leather A-line skirts to fully sequined shift dresses, the variety was insane! Original pricing can be in the $700 to $1500 range!

Cashmere was another hefty selection, right next to wool skirts. The cashmere was in the $90 range and there was a good color palette, though nothing too far off from the basic colors. Skirts also had incredible range, from embroidered cotton twill fluted skirts, to soft, pleated crepe. There were prints, solids, ikat, brocade, suiting, leather, silks, and every cut and color you could ever want. Really skirts are one of the most well stocked things we saw at this sale.

Honorable mention goes to the accessories section which had wool hats, phone cases, headphones, ipad cases, and belts like crazy. Purses were a great bonus, and we saw some really beautiful leather handbags in a few sizes. Basic totes, stylish hard construction clutches, and soft foldable clutches in hair on calf and snake print. Prices on these pieces were pretty good at $40-$120 for a typical piece.

Shoes were another star of the show, with a very large selection of colors, sizes, and styles. You could take any girl in the world back to these shoes and they would find something they liked. On trend neon styles, lots of prints and patents, and a few dainty menswear styles could all be found. Mostly flats, we saw a few heels but at $80 or so we think those will be the first to go. Shoes we don’t really see lasting more than this first day, given the amount of people waiting to gain entry.

We should also mention that J.Crew sale also made available a select amount of merchandise from their sister brand, Madewell. There were dresses, pants, skirts, tees, and a few different styles of blazers and jackets. We have it on good authority from an experienced J.Crew devotee that this sale was very much worth the time, she says that online deals with this company are epic, but this sale gave her a chance to grab some stuff that was long gone from the website, as well as some newer items.

WHEN: 6/24 – 6/29; Tue-Sat (10-9), Sun (11-5)

WHERE: 260 Fifth Avenue
between 28 & 29th Streets
NYC NY 10001
N,R,6 Trains to 28th street
212.725.5400

By Danielle Guercio

Alexis Bittar held his sample sale in Chelsea on 19th street, and it kicked off with a bang!  With plenty of staff on hand to help corral the crowd, when we stopped by it was not a madhouse but was quite lively.  No line to get in at that time, not too much drama in the rows, but a plenty long checkout line and plenty of ladies with their bounty: plastic bins overflowing with jewelry.

Alexis Bittar is a very well renowned artist, creating custom jewelry collaborations for the likes of Thierry Mugler, Phillip Lim, and Jeffrey Scott.  The designs are unique and trendsetting, and we see this stuff knocked off left and right, but if you aren’t fond of rashes or tarnished skin from cheap costume jewelry, this is where you can move on up.

We saw pieces ranging from $49 to $200, and they also ranged in style from lacquer and lucite pop styles to glamourous and detail-drenched statement pieces.  You could find something in this well organized sale for every doll you know.  The walls were lined with shelves containing most of the pricier pieces and helpful staff restocking them constantly.  Here we saw turquoise, labradorite, and other semi precious gemstones.  Things were gold dipped, neon paint dipped, and full of tiny side stones.

Necklaces really stood out, and there was a huge number of color selections.  Stones or no stones, draped or fitted, futuristic or classic, we saw nearly every type here.  SO many of these pieces were enticing with their color palette, pink and yellow gold, rose gold, turquoise and yellow gold, and plenty of dark and stormy looking stones too.  A beautiful sculpted lucite collar was just $49.

Rings were also to die for, and we think that Alexis Bittar’s price range satisfies in between the range of cheap costume throwaways, and fine jewelry that is inaccessible to most or basic at best.  Why go to some dinky jewelry shop to see all the same stuff when you could get a large stone in a gold dipped setting for around $200?  Sure, they aren’t diamonds, but you aren’t the Queen of England.  Big, baloonish lucite rings hung out right next to the Yurman-esque most popular styles of cocktail ring.  It was a lovely selection and we think you will agree.

Earrings and bracelets were also in no shortage, and if you need a thin bangle or a thick arm cover, there are both and everything in between.  It’s truly distracting to see so much shiny stuff in one room.  Chandelier earrings galore were a huge standout.  Who doesn’t want to channel a pompous royal with such stylish selection.  There was every color one could hope for, and some small and dainty versions as well, so even if you only want to have one pair of statement earrings, you may fall in love with more than one pair here.

WHEN: 6/18 – 6/20; W-Th (8:30-7), F (8:30-4)

WHERE: 143 West 19th Street
between 6th & 7th Avenue
New York, NY 10011

By Danielle Guercio

We often wonder if it is a coincidence that sample sales coincide with wedding season.  Smart and savvy women flock to these sales to land the chicest pieces to be had at such deep discounts. Rebecca Taylor is holding their spring sample sale at the 260 Fifth space, on Fifth avenue near 29th street.

If you have been traipsing down 5th avenue and missing out on some flair, stop by the Rebecca Taylor sale.  A charmed ex pat of New Zealand, Rebecca Taylor made a name for herself by getting gowns on the likes of the Middletons and plenty of A-list actresses including Reese Witherspoon.  Now you too can channel BAFTA and Oscar glamour like a celebrity, and for prices to the tune of $299 per gown.

Gowns were the centerpiece of this sale in our eyes, with rich peacock blues, soft pinks, bright oranges, basically a color for every skin tone and style.  There was even white, if you are a bride, it is worth a look.  Who wouldn’t want to channel the likes of Alexa Chung’s effortless beauty on their big day.  Aside from floor length gowns, many similar styles could be found in a cocktail length for 100 fewer dollars.

Cocktail dresses were the other spotlight, and everything was grouped by size, perhaps making it a bit easier to locate the dress of your dreams.  We saw boundless silk in bold colors with beading, cutouts, embellishment, and fabric work.  There was even a delightful silver leather bustier style color blocked dress with a soft pink skirt.

This sale was easygoing, lines were nothing to get worked up about, and people were piling on the items toward checkout, where fur lined shoes and leopard printed leather handbags were waiting to pounce on you.  Sweaters were also very beautiful with neons, muted basic colors, and plenty of texture.

Leather jackets, denim jackets, and blazers could all be found at this sale, making it a great stop for anyone looking for discounted wardrobe staples.  We have mentioned before that we haven’t been to a sale yet that didn’t have something with a nude or soft pink colored leather piece, and this sale was no different with embellished nude pink jackets in almost every size out on the floor.

Peplum style was another highlighted item, with denim bustiers, jersey knit, silk blouses, and even tweed all with a skirt trim.  This is a great sale for office wear that isn’t boring, and pairing pricier, stylish blouses with more affordable bottoms allows you to budget for such great pieces to add to your repertoire.

This sale was easy going and carefree, with plenty of styles to entertain almost any kind of girl, we recommend stopping by whether you need everyday or special night glamour.

WHEN: 6/16 – 6/20; M-Th (10-8), F (10-4)

WHERE: 260 Fifth Avenue
(Between 28th & 29th Streets)
New York, NY 10001
N / R/ 6 Trains to 28th Street

By Danielle Guercio