Christian Siriano's line is LIVE on Bluefly

Christian Siriano, that dastardly little fashion wizard from Project Runway, has launched his line on Bluefly - where prices are 20% off. There aren't tons of pieces, but I very much like what I see! However, it appears to be selling out fast...items that were there yesterday are no longer posted.

So get going!

Yours Truly on Cool In Your Code

Have you ever watched Cool in Your Code? OK, have you ever even heard of it? Well you have now and it's important that you watch it, because I have made my debut on the show's associated Web site:

http://www.coolinyourcode.com/code-words-guerilla-shopper/
http://www.coolinyourcode.com/guerilla-shopper-2/
http://www.coolinyourcode.com/

Cool in Your Code is an “infotainment” TV show that breaks down what’s cool, new, and undiscovered throughout New York City’s 200+ zip codes. CiNYC has won 4 NY Emmy Awards, and has received more Emmy nominations (18) than any other New York entertainment series. Every code offers its own distinct flavor and this show unzips the hidden treasures and intriguing destinations that are found in each one. Our hosts cover everything from fashion and beauty, shopping, eating, culture, nightlife, celebrity, and entertainment. CiNYC helps you get hip to your zip! The show premieres Tuesday at 9 pm on NYC TV (TWC Channel 25/Cablevision Channel 22).

Cool in Your Code also explores London’s 120+ postcodes through a partnership with TimesOnline, check it out at www.timesonline.co.uk/coolinyourcode.

Calypso Warehouse Outlet: Opens July 24

I may have to go to LIC for this. Weekly!

John Varvatos: 70% off Men's Sale Collection

Death of A(nother) Neighborhood?

I've been living in "Grey Box" since 1997 - that's the area between Gramercy Park and Murray Hill with no name. When I moved in it was pretty much a shite-hole. People sleeping in the foyer, by-the-hour hotels down the block, drug fronts, goat meat wholesalers, ladies of the night, The Sunflower was a greasy spoon dive diner, and all the bars were either Irish pubs or completely non-descript (aside from The Rodeo). It was pretty dire, but I thought it was swell. I'm not going to romanticize and tell you it was great, but it was what it was. And slowly over the years, and seemingly in hyper speed the past year it has turned into...

THE UPPER EAST SIDE (insert shrieks and screams of terror here)

There are now 10 "Sex and the City"/frat bars within the three blocks North of my street, not counting an 11th - a wine bar opening in the very near future (Cavatappo). Here are photos of the offenders, and some of my least favorite public houses in town. And I live among them all. Sigh...

Origins.com: More Free Stuff

Order from Origins.com and receive a full size Smileage Plus™ Liptint - select your shade at checkout.

Good Shopping Advice from Teri Agins (WSJ)

Style: Ask Teri
By Teri Agins
17 July 2008
The Wall Street Journal
(Copyright (c) 2008, Dow Jones & Company, Inc.)

[Fashion reporter Teri Agins answers readers' questions]
Q: Before the weather even got warm this spring, a lot of department stores were already putting spring clothes on sale for 40% off. I just went to the mall and saw signs for prefall sales. Summer clothes just went on sale. What is going on?
-- M.J., Evanston, Ill.

A: Retailers today work to turn over their inventory as often as possible. Long gone is the era when stores received only a couple of big seasonal deliveries. Now, most stores get fresh merchandise monthly -- or as often as weekly at some fast-fashion chains. Frequent deliveries keep the stores looking fresh and inspire shoppers -- led by the trendiest -- to get into the habit of shopping early and often for the latest novelties.
Compounding the seasonal confusion, high-end designers now aggressively market "pre-collections," such as the fall items that are now in stores, well in advance of each season. In addition, stores may offer "special purchase" and "special value" items that are depicted as deals but were never really marked down.
Retailers typically start marking down goods after nine weeks on the sales floor -- or sooner when retail traffic is sluggish or when they have very unpopular items to clear out. Now that sales are slow, vigilant, frequent shoppers can find better bargains earlier than usual.
To navigate the store floors, develop a deft strategy. Wait it out for the markdowns, if you must, but make exceptions for exceptional finds. Right after July 4, I bit the bullet and paid full price for a distinctive fall dress that fit perfectly.
Contrary to myth, the best-dressed people typically don't have closets bursting with clothes; they have smaller, exquisite wardrobes of carefully picked items. After years of buying too many middling markdowns that I never wore, I now buy far less. Most of the time, I walk away from the markdown rack empty-handed. I buy only what I adore, no matter how cheap it is.
To temper your impulses, don't remove tags on new clothes until you've given them another audition in front of the mirror at home. If the merchandise doesn't pass muster, take it back.
---
Email questions to askteri@wsj.com

Glarkware T-Shirts, hahaha

These T-shirts from Glarkware are funny. As is the way they encourage your purchase: "Let this year be the year you don't get arrested for public lewdness: buy a t-shirt and hide your shame. All shirts include two sleeves and a neck hole." I figured it must be a British company, but in fact they hail from the great state of Canada. Toronto, that is.

Chicago: Robin Richman

Funny, but the first store I visited during my Chicago shopping mission was also the most interesting. Sadly, I was forbidden from taking any photos inside the store and the salespeople behaved as though they were protecting the world's most valuable works of art at MOMA. But to be somewhat fair, this store does offer much more than the standard clothing-and-accessories that we plebeians are accustomed to.


While considering some of the delicate clothing and jewelry masterpieces, created by designers such as Istanbul's Umit Unal, I had to ask, for example, "how do you wash this dress?" I was sternly advised to wear the dress a couple of times until it was unwearable and then hang it on my wall...I assume by a curator. And no I am not even being my usual sarcastic self. This is literally what a salesperson said to me.


Oh, the name of the store you ask? I shouldn't say, but since you can kind of see it in the photo above anyway, guess I will relent: Robin Richman on N. Damen.

Chicago: Clothes I Bought at noir & michelle tan

So in addition to scoring a pair of the arguably best-fitting jeans (Levi's) ever at new'd (it's a resale shop with truly amazingly new-looking apparel) for about $34, I also got the above skirt-that-doubles-as-a-cape (for when you are needed as a stand-in superhero in a crunch) at michelle tan, and the fun fluorescent greenish yellow off-the-shoulder scoop neck top at noir.

The skirt is by ming, a Hong-Kong based design outfit that offers some interesting pieces. This one has dual functions and includes some interesting styling and details (e.g. red thread). Since it's made of poly+wool, I got it at the decent price of $87 (it is the off-season after all).

The top, by Rubber Ducky was basically the only thing that fit my body in this store better suited for a 23 year old. However, the salesgirl was fun, interested and helpful...so I bought something. See how effective real customer service can be?