H&M

After enduring two weeks of near fiction-like weather, we are rewarded this week with a forecast of sunshine and moderate temperatures in addition to an outpouring of sample sales from top designers. With so many unbelievably great sales to choose from in the next seven days, this is your perfect opportunity to score a fabulous outfit for Thanksgiving dinner. Next week you’ll be worried about baking pies, prepping your home for company, and revving up for Black Friday, so take use week to indulge in some “me-time” as you attend sample sales from some of our favorite brands such as Rebecca Minkoff, Anna Sui, Thakoon, Nanette Lepore, Theory, 3.1 Phillip Lim, and Bulgari.

Rebecca Minkoff Sample Sale

Start your week off right with gorgeous, sunny weather and 70% off clothing, handbags, footwear and accessories at the Rebecca Minkoff Sample Sale on 5^th Avenue hosted by the always organized 260 Sample Sales.

Anna Sui Sample Sale

When Anna Sui and $15 are featured in the same sentence than I am there. Monday at 8AM marks the start of a week long sale of 40-80% off women’s ready-to-wear at the Anna Sui Sample Sale, in addition to samples for as low as $15.

Thakoon Sample Sale

Thakoon’s most recent merchandise from Fall 2012 will be on sale at their SoHo sample sale beginning Tuesday at 8:30AM, in addition to past season’s wear. Last spring their sale offered sample pieces for as low as $50, so be on the look out for sample steals!

Nanette Lepore Sample Sale

Wednesday brings us bright colors, bold patters, and thick heels at the Nanette Lepore Sample Sale on West 35^th Street where they promise embroidered skirts for $100, jewel-tone velveteen pants for $125, and beaded silk frocks for $175.

Maison Martin Margiela H&M Collaboration

The Stylish City loves a good H&M collaboration. This time around, Maison Martin Margiela brings avant-garde to the floors of wallet friendly H&M, beginning Thursday, November 15th. If we’ve learned anything in the past, it’s that arriving early to H&M on the first day of a collaboration is an absolute necessity, if you want to be able to purchase the top styles in your size that is. Please note, the way it usually works in these cases is a certain number of wristbands are distributed well before H&M even opens. These will indicate what time you will be allowed to shop that day. So be prepared to line up early!

Theory Sample Sale

For diehard fans of the designer, there are two Theory sample sales taking place this week, beginning Thursday at 10AM. With cozy sweaters and ultra cute dresses, Theory may be your best bet in finding the ultimate Thanksgiving outfit that is flattering yet comfortable. Come Thursday, be sure to first drop by the true blue Theory Sample Sale, hosted by the brand at Privé located in the Chelsea Marketplace for deals up to 60% off their men and women’s collections. If you still haven’t had your Theory fill, take a trip uptown and visit clothingline on 36^th Street, where they’ll offer Theory’s fall merchandise, including outerwear, knits, dresses, blazers, and more at a discount.

3.1 Phillip Lim Sample Sale

There’s nothing better than alleviating your shopping guilt by knowing your purchase is benefiting a good cause, close to home. A portion of the proceeds from Thusday’s 3.1 Phillip Lim Sample Sale will be donated to the American Red Cross for Hurricane Sandy Relief Efforts. This sale is a definite Do Not Miss.

Alice & Trixie Warehouse Sale

To further benefit Hurricane Sandy relief efforts via shopping, head to SoHo on Thursday after the Phillip Lim sale where Alice & Trixie will host a warehouse sale with samples, stock, vintage, and one of a kind items, which will start at $10. 15% of sales from this event will be donated to the American Red Cross relief fund.

Bulgari Sample Sale

Early holiday shopping is in order on Saturday. Load up on goodies for your loved ones as Soiffer Haskin hosts the Bulgari Sample Sale, where jewelry, watches, handbags, accessories, and fragrances will be priced at an eye-popping discount.

After getting a jump on holiday shopping, donating to the Red Cross, and scoring a comfortable yet stunning outfit for Thanksgiving Day, I’d say this week was pretty much a success. Just don’t forget to wear your apron to protect that amazing new dress while fixing the turkey and all the trimmings next week!

By Caitlin Colford

Fashionistas can finally rest easy (and prepare to shop hard). Why? Because the highly anticipated Maison Martin Margiela and H&M collaboration collection will hit stores on November 15. The brand — adored for its truly art-over-function, avante garde aesthetic — has remained true to its nature for this collection.

All the pieces are wearable, but shoppers will find that most of MMM’s pieces are stop-her-on-the-street-and-take-her-picture worthy.

10 Things You Should Know About the Collaboration

1. With over 100 pieces, the collection is impressively comprehensive. It includes outerwear, shoes, accessories, bags, formal wear and everything in between.
2. Prices range from between $13 to $399.
3. The entire collection consists of re-issued, iconic pieces from previous Maison Martin Margiela collections.
4. You’ll notice many of the pieces have a slightly retro flare to them while others look quite modern. That’s because the collection covers more than two decades of fashion.
5. There are a number of “fusion” pieces in the collection. For example, a mens blazer that combines two different colors/silhouettes and a woman’s dress that’s one part knee length with shoulder and one part floor length with halter.
6. The collection features a wide range of shoes. They include a Plexi wedge pump in various colors, knee-high, heel-less leather boot, hand painted loafer and high top sneaker.
7. MMM’s collection includes clothing, accessories and shoes for both men and women. No sex-based exclusions in this collaboration!
8. Some of the more shocking pieces include a blanket coat, a nude bodysuit with printed black bra, a brown/black leather belt jacket and an over sized fanny pack that’s worn across the body.
9. The collection has caught the eye of even celebrities, including Selma Blair, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kanye West and Julienne Moore.
10. Each piece will include a unique tag that indicates which season the MMM piece is from.

There’s no denying it — this collection is downright cool. Even those who couldn’t care less about what’s happening in the fashion world have to be impressed and intrigued by what’s included in the collaboration.

What do you think about the H&M/MMM collaboration? Are you eyeing any pieces in particular? Let us know in the comment section below.

By Wendy Rose Gould

Nosey onlookers leaned on metal gates at the H&M mecca on 34^th Street and 7^th Avenue, watching as crazed shoppers were released into the caged in area in groups of 30, allotted 15 minutes to grab as many Marni pieces as they could handle (which was a lot). Well, let me clarify for a moment:  as many Marni pieces as they were allowed, only two pieces per item, per shopper, a restriction presumably set to prevent online resale at a greater price.

Excited shoppers had lined up hours in advanced, some passionate enough to camp out overnight, in order to land one of 300 wristbands per store. These color-coded bands provided you with a said 15-minute shopping time, increments that lasted up until 11:20AM, where the collection, or what is left, would be unveiled to the public. I spoke to one Manhattan couple who arrived at 8:30AM this morning and was lucky enough to land the last two passes.

One problem with the two item restriction is, if you are not certain of your size, everything becomes a guessing game since once you leave the gated in area to try on your clothing, you are not allowed back in to swap sizes.  The time limit made indecisive shoppers stressed out, panicking when a sales associated shouted “Down to five minutes!”

The most popular items were those marked with Marni’s signature bubble design. The Black Blazer ($80) and Black Jacket ($130) was at a severe minimum by 9:30AM. Accessories were also the most popular, almost nothing was left after only an hour of shopping, except for the Sunglasses ($20), Men’s Tote Bag ($80) and Leather Sandals ($60).

Not many people immediately focused on the Gold Jacquard Weeve Blouse ($80), Gold Skirt ($80), or Patent Leather Sweater ($149). Instead, all seemed to concern themselves with all things green, namely the Parka Style Dress ($149) and Long Silk Dress ($129). The T-Shirts were fun and a huge hit ($19.95), I saw almost everyone grabbing for those in addition to their pile of patterned clothing.

After having my fill of observing a couple rounds of shopping I scoped out the post-shopping scene. Many shoppers were trading sizes and items with each other outside the dressing rooms and some even snuck up to sales associates, whispering pleads for them to exchange an item for them in a larger or smaller size, some complied while others ignored them.

Just two blocks down at the H&M Herald Square location the same madness was occurring, at a mummer level. Less items were featured here, I saw no green, no Parka Style Dresses, no accessories aside from the Leather Sandals, but did spot a rack hanging plenty of the bubble design featured on a Blue Blazer and matching Blue Skirt.

By now the Marni for H&M Designer Collection will be available to the public at various H&M locations in Manhattan, but don’t expect a whole lot left. With the new restrictions, it will be interesting to see how much lands on eBay. Perhaps the new trend may just be posting an ad craigslist, shouting a plea to other unfortunate Marni shoppers with the wrong size on their hand to swap with them. You heard it here first.

By Caitlin Colford