Betsey Johnson Starts Its Liquidation Sale

See if you can guess...

Betsey Johnson Starts Its Liquidation Sale
For those of you who knew me in the 80s you may remember (because you made fun of me) my 8th grade grad dress, or the gun skirt, or my eyeball sweater.  Or even the bright yellow skirt with the giant silver zippers that prohibited me from sitting, or the red snakeskin belt.  They were all Betsey Johnson.  God I love(d) the 80s.  She was ahead of her time and then everyone else caught up, yet watered down. And then she got watered down.  I knew when I saw her clothes in Lord & Taylor it was all over.

THE FASHION CENTER SIDEWALK CATWALK

THE FASHION CENTER SIDEWALK CATWALK PRESENTED BY LF USA is a one-of-a-kind public art exhibit, featuring New York City’s top fashion designers and free to the public all summer long in the heart of New York City’s Fashion District.

Patriotic fashionistas celebrate the 4th of July strutting down Broadway posing next to patriotic designs displayed runway-style on custom built mannequins. 32 designers are participating, including Nanette Lepore, Carlos Falchi, Catherine Malandrino, Elie Tahari, Rebecca Taylor and Diane von Furstenberg,

That being said, the mannequins' flashy leggings, custom armor-like metal patterns, and the fresh flowers festooning Betsy Johnson's very sparse ensemble are guarded - so don't pick the daisies!

And Tommy Hilfiger designed the pictured flag outfit (why is the woman's face totally obscured - are all women faceless?)

For more info http://www.sidewalk-catwalk.com/

~Nancy Brenner reporting, GSNYC editing...

I Stand by the 80s

Last night, my friend was posting all kinds of photos online, mostly from the 80s, and it moved me to note at least one good thing about that time in fashion: it was fun. Call it cheesy, stupid, retarded...whatever, but at least it didn't take it self too seriously. And we were from NJ after all.

So here's me prior to a holiday semi-formal dance my senior year of high school. I wasn't really the norm among my friends in terms of my wardrobe, for I was a young Guerilla in training. I am pretty sure I bought the dress at Metropolitan(?) in Nyack, NY. I can't remember where I got the Whodini hat, but I literally just got rid of it like 2 months ago. I still have the necklace in my jewelry box - it was my mother's chain with a pendant that my dad got at a sample sale - he bought me a few things from there, I believe designed by "Krasne II" (I have to check when I get home tonight). I also know for sure that I was sporting Betsey Johnson thigh-highs, although you cannot see them. woo woo! Oh and I still have the earrings too. But probably not the lavender eye shadow.

And it's amazing what a 99-cent bottle of peroxide can do for one's hair color.

Good Sales: Woodbury Commons & Betsey Johnson

From today's New York magazine's Best Bets Daily:

NEW TODAY
Hit upstate over the long weekend and save an additional 10 to 50 percent on already reduced Escada, MaxMara, and Michael Kors at Woodbury Common Premium Outlets.
When: 10/5–10/8; call for hours.
Where: 498 Red Apple Valley Ct., Central Valley, N.Y. (845-928-4000).

STARTING TOMORROW
Fun party frocks are up to 80 percent off at the Betsey Johnson warehouse; sequined strapless dresses were $375 but are now $95.
When: 10/4 and 10/5 (10–8).
Where: 263 W. 38th St., nr. Seventh Ave. (212-391-6495).

Upper Worst Side Shopping

Wow, Columbus Avenue sucks. I remember back in the day when going shopping over there was a creative and sensory joy. OK, perhaps this is me glorifying the 80s once again, but I don't think so. Betsey Johnson is still there, and like I have said before, she seems to have somewhat sold out. The clothes and the staff are "nice," but they don't tend to kick ass as they once did. I found the only black pants and sweater in the joint, amidst a sea of pretty frilly dresses in sherbert colors. I think that the Betsey of the 80s would kick the current Betsey's ass and not even bother to take her name.

I am moving tomorrow, which means that I should also be getting some of my clothes back this weekend, which also means that I may be able to get some of my old life back, i.e. shopping and a computer?! I shall take one thing at a time. Bear with me!

Betsey Johnson Wallet at Loehmann's

I suppose in keeping with my "fear" of purses, I have been known to only use tiny wallets that enable me to fit everything I own, so that I can avoid the icky purse. However, I have decided to make some life adjustments and truly act - and maybe even live - as an adult. So I have finally bitten the bullet and accepted an adult-sized wallet that really has compartments for bills, change, credit cards, receipts, etc. Luckily, Betsey Johnson has provided an option helps bring me into the adult wallet world, while still being a bit rock 'n' roll and flirty at the same time (see the leather rose!). A perfect "bridge," you could say.

If you suffer from a similar affliction, just visit your local Loehmann's and pick one up for yourself for about $35. Then put all the money you saved in your new wallet!

More 80s Tales: Allan & Suzi / NaNa Shoes

So I'm feeling another little 80s retrospective coming on (scene: foggy dream sequence) - New York City Style.

Back in the days when Father Guerilla used to take me to buy prim and proper dresses at Betsey Johnson on the Upper West Side, we would sometimes meander around the hood, back when Columbus Avenue was all the rage, and not yet Westchester Suburbia South. Those journeys would sometimes bring us to Allan & Suzi at 416 Amsterdam Avenue, where I'd try on latex dresses and such. I never quite understood why we got such strange and puzzling looks by the salespeople, but in retrospect I'm pretty sure it was because I was NOT A TRANSVESTITE.

Next door was Na Na where you could find some cheap, but stylish, punk rock shoes. I bought some wicked, extremely pointy patent leather boots for $15. They finally gave out on me, but I have since replaced them with a similar (in look, not price) pair from Donald J. Pliner (see pic).

Anyway, stay tuned for future 80s postings. I have a couple more good ones up my sleeves. Oh, and I'll tell you where I got those on the cheap too.

Woodstock/Saugerties - Potential Exists!

The biggest issue with my shopping in these sleepy upstate New York towns is that I do not have, have never had, and will never have an inner (or outer) hippie. However, while visiting my "very special friend" I found the coolest store called Sugar on Mill Hill Rd. in Woodstock. It stocks great rocker-type garb from Anna Sui, Betsey Johnson and L.A.M.B (Gwen Stefani's label), among other brands. In no way, shape, or form is this stuff even close to reasonably priced, but the clothes were truly awesome and I could see myself trying tons of stuff on for hours and hours for kicks, if nothing else. And to be fair, there were a few pairs of shoes that were 50% off (although 50% of $450 still isn't a "steal" in my book).

Then, at a candles-only store basically across the street, I bought myself the coolest and most expensive candle of my life, and proceded to lose it in one of the many forms of transportation that I took home. I am so annoyed! I would tell you the name...but I guess I lost that too!

More tomorrow on my Saugerties experience...my blog keeps cutting me off! Too tired for technology now.

Betsey Johnson: A Bit o' History

Betsey Johnson solidified my place in 80s fashion history among the minds and memories of the very small town I am from. My dad, who scoured the streets of New York for the coolest, most cutting-edge clothes around (read my first entry for the dad-shopping tale) introduced me -- believe it or not. I mean, what better place to outfit your 14-year old daughter for her 8th grade graduation, especially when she was on tap to make a speech in front of all of the students, teachers and parents? At the time, I think the only two stores in the city were on Columbus Ave. and E. 60th Street (both stores still exist). And if memory serves me, I bought the pictured dress at the Columbus Ave. location. See how I fade into the background among my friends? When my mother first saw me in it, she screamed in horror. (And the very red shoes, what little you can see of them, are from Kenneth Cole - Columbus Ave. Didn't anyone else's mother tell them that WHITE SHOES ARE UGLY?)

I continued for years to return to Betsey's, usually buying that which was on sale, and every once in a while springing for a full-price item, such as the bright yellow mini skirt with two giant zippers running up the front that could stand upright on a table by itself, like a lampshade. Or the tight, long red skirt with the silkscreened guns and bullets all over it. This stuff should be in the Smithsonian, and still exists somewhere in the depths of a basement...alas, all I can wear now are two belts - one patent-leather silver studded, the other a bright red (faux) snakeskin.

While her clothing accented my style, I find that she may have 'sold out' a bit in recent years. I seem to find her clothing and hand bags in malls and even discount department stores, such as Loehmann's. What happened to the sweaters with patterns of giant eyeballs or spiders? Where are the patent-leather ankle and wrist belts? Perhaps they are stuck in the 80s, and I may be as well, apparently.