Sale Reviews

One thing about sample sale shopping that can be a challenge is the lack of on season selection.  Sometimes when you reach a sale, they are liquidating sweaters and jackets when it is 75 degrees outside.  The disconnect is sometimes enough to stop a purchase, thinking about the large stash in your closet.

Then sometimes you stumble upon a sale filled with all of the things that you want to wear immediately, and those can be the most dangerous.  Tucked away in between SoHo and the Lower East Side on Prince street is a little storefront full of promise.  The Yumi Kim crew decided to drop back-stock on us, and it is glorious.

Not a far walk from the regular shopping mecca on Broadway and Lafayette Street on 40 Prince Street, you can find the princess romper you may have skipped over last year.  Prices were pretty great, at $55 for a dress or romper, $40 for a top and $20 for shoes.  There were racks filled to the absolute gills with countless options.

No lines, no waiting, and a clear shot to the dressing room makes this sale a hidden gem, not on everyone’s radar by any means.  Yumi kim is known for their hyper feminine florals, beading, and cut styles.  You can go backless, long sleeve, cutout, and short or long and find both your size and the exact cut you are looking for.  This is rare, and one of the reasons why this is a must stop if you are lacking in girly glamour pieces for this spring and summer.

Shoes were at the deepest discount, with most going for $20.  Yumi Kim doesn’t manufacture shoes, but carries brands such as Jeffrey Campell, Dolce Vita, and Minnetonka.  So brand you are used to seeing at Urban are going for $20 in many different sizes.  This alone makes the visit worth it. Folding flats, snakeskin sandals, fringe galore and cork platforms could all be found and all for $20.

Accessories such as jewelry and belts were also available at a very deep discount.  Bold brass bangles were $10, in many different styles.  There were lacquer rings for $10 and less, which could up your accessory game with not much effort, so stock up on those.  Belts in a huge box near the shoe display were also $10 or less, so again stock up on these cheapies, they aren’t anywhere near that affordable on the regular.

This isn’t the largest space, but this weekend should be a crazy shopping weekend, so I were you I would hit the sale before friday for some Mem Day classics.  The sale itself is lasting until Monday, so you have a bit of time to swing by, though we don’t recommend waiting too long!

WHEN: 5/19 – 5/26; daily (11-7)

WHERE: 40 Prince Street
New York, NY 10012

By Danielle Guercio

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