While women are darting around the city chasing after samples sales touting the latest "it" darling of Fashion Week, tall, petite, plus size and regular ones (0-18) will line up early Thursday for Lafayette 148. Deals for leathers ($125 reduced from $998), novelty skirts selling for $45, originally $448, had women at the Friends and Family sale simply GLEEful about the prices and scope of selection. Even leather belts were $3, but don't get distracted. Lafayette 148 was just cited in Crain's NY Business as having successfully weathered the recession - no wonder - as they design for different shapes, sizes and height. Sold at Saks, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom. Wendy Williams is a fan. Need I say more? And fashionistas if you are job hunting - there are five openings - just think of the employee discounts.
148 Lafayette (between Howard and Grand)
9 am
/nancy brenner
Showing posts with label Lafayette 148. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lafayette 148. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 04, 2011
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Men, Stripping, Sample Fatigue, Sticker Shock: Sample Sales 2010 in Review
The Men - are they all out of work, or turned into jobbers? They are running amuck at sales - Vivienne Tam - so many it felt like a construction site, and at Cynthia Steffe - men appeared, like apparitions hoarding with abandon. Would you like us to storm your sales while you are down to your skivvies or Man Spanx?
Most Improved Sale - Thanks to Cynthia Steffe for installing guards. Boo to women who had no dignity and insisted on stripping as it was against the rules and the pleas of male security who begged women not to display their Victoria's Secrets.
Pushing and Shoving - More women MUST be working out. Wouldn't sample sales be a better place if it was a little bit more "Glee," Gwynnie Paltro guest appearance and a little less "Jersey Shore"?
Sample Prices? - Just so we're clear, a 60% off retail reduction is simply not an old-school sample sale (off of wholesale), especially when Fifth Avenue stores were already offering the same.
Leifsdotter was the swankiest sample sale setting, but not deepest discount!
Professional Place Holders - Everyone has a thousand friends on Facebook, but at a sample sale, 1-3 max.
Are people setting saving spots for cash like Merchant of Venice tickets at Central Park?
Beware the angry shoppers behind you.
Bragging Bloggers - Stop the line blogging about how you clocked the sample sale at a preview before the die-hard devotees! And how they won't be restocking.
Best Insider Access - Kudos to Gilt City for offering early access for $5 to Catherine Malandrino and others. It’s worth the investment.
True discounts - The $20 for anything and everything Cynthia Steffe and the Lafayette 148 with $40 skirts along (props for plus size finds) with the $50 Shoshanna samples, $5 intimates at Natori are just about the deepest discounts.
A-List Designer Treatment - Rebecca Minkoff, Isaac Manevitz, Kokin, Colette Malouf, Vivienne Tam treated discount-divers like full-price customers.
Indie designers - No not the ones plastered in Vogue.
Patronize smaller ones that sell in boutiques like Anni Kuan that are well-made and priced.
Consignment shops - Sample sale-aholics worked themselves and their credit cards into a frenzy will be probably be dumping their sample sale slip-ups in the consignment shop after-market.
Soon we'll need a clock keeping track of the number of samples sales, like the one for National Debt... hmm any correlation? The unofficial count was 200 sample sales in the last week causing sample sale fatigue to set in. Stock, but fewer real samples.
Women feeling pressure to buy after they've waited in line in extreme weather, fought off opponents, defended their finds and held in their bladders. Even if a friend tries talk you out of buying a La Perla bra with feathers at a “steal" of $80, it can be easy to make rash decisions on a post-Starbucks bladder, an empty stomach and exit waving a “V” sign to the nearest blogger interviewing you for her VLOG.
~Nancy Brenner
Most Improved Sale - Thanks to Cynthia Steffe for installing guards. Boo to women who had no dignity and insisted on stripping as it was against the rules and the pleas of male security who begged women not to display their Victoria's Secrets.
Pushing and Shoving - More women MUST be working out. Wouldn't sample sales be a better place if it was a little bit more "Glee," Gwynnie Paltro guest appearance and a little less "Jersey Shore"?
Sample Prices? - Just so we're clear, a 60% off retail reduction is simply not an old-school sample sale (off of wholesale), especially when Fifth Avenue stores were already offering the same.
Leifsdotter was the swankiest sample sale setting, but not deepest discount!
Professional Place Holders - Everyone has a thousand friends on Facebook, but at a sample sale, 1-3 max.
Are people setting saving spots for cash like Merchant of Venice tickets at Central Park?
Beware the angry shoppers behind you.
Bragging Bloggers - Stop the line blogging about how you clocked the sample sale at a preview before the die-hard devotees! And how they won't be restocking.
Best Insider Access - Kudos to Gilt City for offering early access for $5 to Catherine Malandrino and others. It’s worth the investment.
True discounts - The $20 for anything and everything Cynthia Steffe and the Lafayette 148 with $40 skirts along (props for plus size finds) with the $50 Shoshanna samples, $5 intimates at Natori are just about the deepest discounts.
A-List Designer Treatment - Rebecca Minkoff, Isaac Manevitz, Kokin, Colette Malouf, Vivienne Tam treated discount-divers like full-price customers.
Indie designers - No not the ones plastered in Vogue.
Patronize smaller ones that sell in boutiques like Anni Kuan that are well-made and priced.
Consignment shops - Sample sale-aholics worked themselves and their credit cards into a frenzy will be probably be dumping their sample sale slip-ups in the consignment shop after-market.
Soon we'll need a clock keeping track of the number of samples sales, like the one for National Debt... hmm any correlation? The unofficial count was 200 sample sales in the last week causing sample sale fatigue to set in. Stock, but fewer real samples.
Women feeling pressure to buy after they've waited in line in extreme weather, fought off opponents, defended their finds and held in their bladders. Even if a friend tries talk you out of buying a La Perla bra with feathers at a “steal" of $80, it can be easy to make rash decisions on a post-Starbucks bladder, an empty stomach and exit waving a “V” sign to the nearest blogger interviewing you for her VLOG.
~Nancy Brenner
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Lambskin leathers $108 were retailing for a thou: Preview from Lafayette 148
Lowest price is $2 highest is $108.
Security was tight at today's friends and family sale - with good reason: the markdowns were a bigger percentage point drop than the Loubie sale. Lambskin leather jackets and skirts in many textures, colors and sizes and if you only add one new update item - this is it.
Don't overlook the skirts - a high-waisted snakeskin print skirt retailing for $498 is $40 here. For plus size women - a sequined merino cardigan is selling for a song - original price is $476. This sale has more choices than a peacock has feathers. From patent belts (only $2 - originally more than $100) to flower pins, to handbags to bolts of fabric (kudos to the few brave men who shopped this sale), every nook and cranny holds something you may have missed the first, second and even third sweep of the sale.
If you don't know this brand by now, shame on you! Check out bloomingdales.com, nordstrom.com, or lafayette148.com to see this brand.
148 Lafayette Street, 9 am start -
nan$y brenner
Security was tight at today's friends and family sale - with good reason: the markdowns were a bigger percentage point drop than the Loubie sale. Lambskin leather jackets and skirts in many textures, colors and sizes and if you only add one new update item - this is it.
Don't overlook the skirts - a high-waisted snakeskin print skirt retailing for $498 is $40 here. For plus size women - a sequined merino cardigan is selling for a song - original price is $476. This sale has more choices than a peacock has feathers. From patent belts (only $2 - originally more than $100) to flower pins, to handbags to bolts of fabric (kudos to the few brave men who shopped this sale), every nook and cranny holds something you may have missed the first, second and even third sweep of the sale.
If you don't know this brand by now, shame on you! Check out bloomingdales.com, nordstrom.com, or lafayette148.com to see this brand.
148 Lafayette Street, 9 am start -
nan$y brenner
Tuesday, May 04, 2010
Report from the Front PREVIEW: Lafayette 148
Nancy Brenner braves the humidity in the name of fashion:
These deals were so sweet, it made me wish I was the size 8 sample size.
Forty dollars for a Swiss cotton sateen skirt w/golden studs that retails for $448 or a fringed tweed skirt retailing for $498 were seen at the preview of tomorrow's Lafayette 148 sample sale. Sizes range from 0 petite to 3X. One of the best-priced sample sales of the year.
Leather jackets and skirts are $100, reduced from $698 and $595. Spotted the Mila charmeuse blouse for $35, retailing for $298, as well as the safari shirt, flower embellished cardigan, beaded tunics and other "where did you get that?" pieces. And if you are a seamstress, or know one, check out their fabulous bolts of fabric for sale too.
Ladies there IS a dressing room this year. YAY!
148 Lafayette Street; 9-7
These deals were so sweet, it made me wish I was the size 8 sample size.
Forty dollars for a Swiss cotton sateen skirt w/golden studs that retails for $448 or a fringed tweed skirt retailing for $498 were seen at the preview of tomorrow's Lafayette 148 sample sale. Sizes range from 0 petite to 3X. One of the best-priced sample sales of the year.
Leather jackets and skirts are $100, reduced from $698 and $595. Spotted the Mila charmeuse blouse for $35, retailing for $298, as well as the safari shirt, flower embellished cardigan, beaded tunics and other "where did you get that?" pieces. And if you are a seamstress, or know one, check out their fabulous bolts of fabric for sale too.
Ladies there IS a dressing room this year. YAY!
148 Lafayette Street; 9-7
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
May 5: Lafayette 148 Sample Sale -- Plus Sizes, Petites and Price-Conscious Peeps...
...should mark May 5th for the Lafayette 148 sample sale. Mo'Nique wore a smokin' Lafayette 148 dress for her New York Times cover story. My friend Michelle did a little web-window shopping pre-sale. She "saw a dress to wear on a hot date, a dress to wear on a lukewarm date and a, 'Dude, let's just go dutch,' dress."
True sample sale prices.
http://www.lafayette148.com/
148 Lafayette (betw. Howard & Grand)
9-7
~N. Brenner
True sample sale prices.
http://www.lafayette148.com/
148 Lafayette (betw. Howard & Grand)
9-7
~N. Brenner
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Sample Size 8 Heaven at Lafayette 148, Report From the Front
Nancy Brenner, still at it:
Lest we be accused of pulling a Cintra Wilson on shopping reportage, come one, come all to the Lafayette 148 sale where there was a line curling around the corner for women of all sizes - they sell petite (a few racks where you can find zeros if you look hard enough), Missy and Women's at Lafayette 148. And if you are a Size 8 in their brand, which is generously cut, you will be burning up your credit card - so control yourselves! One of my friends said "this is not a sale for skinny minis." But if the size fits, you will find sequined jackets worthy of black tie events, perfect work wear skirts, a red day to night red dress that is currently "on sale" at a major department store for 3 X the "street sample price" of $60 and originally more than $400 - you do the math on the discount... Skirts are $40 - one originally tagged for $698 - wool, alpaca with hand beading. Leather skirts like butta are $100. Wool sweaters that retail for $200 are $40 - just check for moth holes. Ladies there are no dressing rooms and there are men at the checkout registers! So, unless you're an exhibitionist or want to outdo the infamous Highline hotel for women who don't do shades - come dressed to undress - close fitting top - if you're only looking for jackets and maybe a pencil skirt or leggings, so you can avoid stripping. This sale is on the ground floor in a space with many windows and curious onlookers! One optimistic shopper brought an empty suitcase - which she expected to fill - at these price points, she probably did. Peruse glimpse.com for a look at their luxurious line.
Today and tomorrow from 9am—8pm. 148 Lafayette St. between Howard and Grand Sts. (near the Canal Street station 6, N, R, etc.)
Lest we be accused of pulling a Cintra Wilson on shopping reportage, come one, come all to the Lafayette 148 sale where there was a line curling around the corner for women of all sizes - they sell petite (a few racks where you can find zeros if you look hard enough), Missy and Women's at Lafayette 148. And if you are a Size 8 in their brand, which is generously cut, you will be burning up your credit card - so control yourselves! One of my friends said "this is not a sale for skinny minis." But if the size fits, you will find sequined jackets worthy of black tie events, perfect work wear skirts, a red day to night red dress that is currently "on sale" at a major department store for 3 X the "street sample price" of $60 and originally more than $400 - you do the math on the discount... Skirts are $40 - one originally tagged for $698 - wool, alpaca with hand beading. Leather skirts like butta are $100. Wool sweaters that retail for $200 are $40 - just check for moth holes. Ladies there are no dressing rooms and there are men at the checkout registers! So, unless you're an exhibitionist or want to outdo the infamous Highline hotel for women who don't do shades - come dressed to undress - close fitting top - if you're only looking for jackets and maybe a pencil skirt or leggings, so you can avoid stripping. This sale is on the ground floor in a space with many windows and curious onlookers! One optimistic shopper brought an empty suitcase - which she expected to fill - at these price points, she probably did. Peruse glimpse.com for a look at their luxurious line.
Today and tomorrow from 9am—8pm. 148 Lafayette St. between Howard and Grand Sts. (near the Canal Street station 6, N, R, etc.)
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
Call to Michelle Obama: Recessionista!
Bargain shopper and writer extraordinaire, Nancy Brenner, pens another important piece for GSNYC:
According to Barron's new cover story on the new consumer and the Michelle Index, Michelle O. wields weighty influence over brands like J. Crew whose fortunes rise as a result. Michelle Obama tried to lead the nation as a frugalista by gracing J. Crew even wearing a timeless twin to Jay Leno, but Crew is still an aspirational brand for most Americans. And at the TIME 100 dinner, she showed up in a pricey Michael Kors number. Michelle - try shopping like most American grappling with job losses, furloughs, and two-household paychecks slimmed down to one or none- by being a recessionista. As a veteran of more sample sales then I'll ever admit to, I offer my tips to savings wannabe Obama and real recessionistas on how to earn their sample sale blackbelts. Tips for the frugalista: Ever had someone snatch your very own clothes at a sample sale? It's not just an urban myth - bring a bag with you that's big enough to stuff in your "street clothes" so you don't have to guard them in the makeshift dressing room. Don't want to show up to work or an appointment with your hair in disarray? One savvy shopper clipped her hair close to her head in a signore Chanel scarf so she could keep her coif perfect. Set a stopwatch - establish a time limit from the start - and allow for checkout lines. Be strategic - go for the most limited item first - if a sale is stocked with skirts, but few blouses, get there faster than KFC coupon holders. If you can wing it to NY for a Broadway show, surely it's worth the savings to head to the sales. Amortize extra costs such as parking near the building - consider it part of the expenditure. One woman takes the red eye to hit up her favorite sale, stocks up with racks of clothes and heads home with her booty. At reductions for a Lafayette 148 leather jacket from $895 to $75, it was worth the airfare. Buddy up - go with someone who's judgment you trust and can be an extra "mirror" - and can assess when something is not the perfect fit - maybe Sarah Palin has some free time. Michelle - show us you got game and on your next trip to New York, roll up your sleeves (if you're wearing any) and go where real fashionistas hunt for fabu finds - on long lines to gain entry into dimly lit spaces, with teensy try-on rooms and dresses that even Jackie-O would have worn with grace. Bring the Secret Service with you and find out where the real housewives of New York and their single counterparts hang out and economize.
XOXO, Sample Sale Girl
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
