Recently in Shopping Category

On Tuesday Manhattan's first Nordstrom Rack opened. We don't even have Nordstrom itself, so it's interesting that they opened the Rack first. I am looking forward to checking it out, I have long since given up on TJ Maxx, Daffy's and the like - I find they stock mostly junk. I did however have good luck at Loehmann's once (got a Diane Von Furstenberg silk jersey dress), but they also have a lot of junk. The new Nordstrom Rack is at Union Square, 60 East 14th Street.



Here's a feature from New York Magazine that compares finds from the Rack to finds from other discounters.

Here's an article about it from Crain's New York Business.

Hopefully I'll make it down there this weekend.  It's kind of pathetic... I hardly ever go South of Penn Station these days unless I'm going down to Soho or the East Village for dinner.  I really need to start taking advantage of this great city again! (sorry, that was off topic)

There are some good deals to be had at Bloomingdale's if you hurry...

You can take 20% off selected items (it's a good selection) when you spend $250 - $499 and 30% off when you spend $500 or more.


Here's an example:
Herve Leger Black Signature Dress, regular $850, with sale $$595.

I mentioned in yesterday's post you could get an authentic Saint James French stripe shirt from J. Crew... it made me think, why not get it from Saint James?  So I googled it and it turns out they have a shop in my own back yard! (well, maybe front yard, it's on Madison Ave.)

The Saint James New York boutique is at 1045 Madison Avenue between 79th and 80th streets.  This location also ships orders for their online store: http://www.saintjamesboutique.com/.

They have several options in the classic striped shirt realm.

Galathee, $85. Stripe tee with boat neck and 3/4 sleeves avail. in several colors including 4 options in blue/white. 100% cotton.

Huitriere II, $100. Similar to above, 95% cotton with a bit of stretch.  Only 1 blue/white color option among the 9 options.

Lezardrieux, $165. Similar in style to the 2 above but in a 91% meryl and 9% elastane blend.  This one has slit sleeves and button detailing.

They could really do a better job explaining the items. It's hard to say why the 3rd shirt is worth $165, based on the skimpy product descriptions.  Anyway, I think I'll go check out the boutique one of these weekends...

I was wandering around Bloomingdale's on Saturday... one of my favorite passtimes. It makes a perfect afteroon activity to walk down 3rd Ave. and window shop along the way down to Bloomingdale's. (Gracious Home, Sephora, Banana, Club Monaco, L'Occitiane, True Religion, etc. etc.)  

At Bloomingdale's I saw these gorgeous shoes at the Louis Vuitton boutique...

Slingback in Monogram Idylle Canvas, $675

They look incredibly well made. I wanted to try them on but I thought better of it, a bit dangerous perhaps.  Also, there wasn't a salesperson in site.  Oddly, the shoe area there never seems to be staffed, as if they don't expect anyone to actually want to buy shoes.  Their shoes are very expensive, and frankly often quite ugly. A basic ballerina flat was $535, so that makes these seem to be a relatively good value...

At the Chanel counter I picked up one of their last bottles in stock of the Particuliere nail polish. Apparently they had just got the shipment in and it was already nearly sold out! I also got two colors of the new Rouge Coco lipstick. The colors were very nice and the formula is great, I got Muse and Perle.

Oh, I also finally tried the 40 Carrots frozen yogurt. I ordered a "small" and was given a quite huge serving, it cost $4.90.  I don't know who could eat that much, I ate about half of it.  I got the Caribbean Coffee flavor.  It was quite good!

There's a fun article in the New York Times style section by Cintra Wilson about the upscale lingerie shops Kiki de Montparnasse and Agent Provocateur. (Critical Shopper: Dressing for Success on Valentine's Day) It explains the history of Valentine's Day and reports on the two stores' Soho shops.

Image: New York Times

Above, the boudoir vibe of the Kiki de Montparnasse store.

Personally, I wouldn't spend $160 for a bra or $70 for knickers (as Agent Provovateur calls them) but apparenty the pieces are more well-made than Victoria's Secret - as they should be!

 

"Anyway, Mrs. Obama has made it clear that her well-stocked closet is her business. Last March, in an interview about the new White House organic garden, she took a playful poke at her husband. "He doesn't understand fashion," she said. "He's always asking, 'Is that new? I haven't seen that before.' It's like: 'Why don't you mind your own business? Solve world hunger. Get out of my closet.' "

Excerpt from 'Wrapped in Their Identities' by Cathy Horyn, New York Times.

I thought this was funny.  The article is actually about both Sarah Palin and Michelle Obama and how they helped bring attention to fashion this year...

"If the doorman at Bergdorf Goodman seems a little more cheerful than usual this holiday season, or a salesman at Prada or Hermès offers to find a pair of shoes in your size without rolling an eye, do not act so surprised. Retailers are being extra nice, and not just to the regulars."

Excerpt from the New York Times, 'During a Recession, Holiday Shoppers Are Given A Hero's Welcome' by Eric Wilson

Yay, good news for common man!  It's about time!

Shop your style at Shopbop with their new style boutiques: bohemian, girly, casual chic, edgy and classic.

Which are you?  I think I tend towards classic and casual chic. Definitely not bohemian...

Here's everything that's going on at the Chanel stores tonight...

 

The London Times has a nice piece today, Confessions of Vogue's Shopaholics, about what various Vogue editors will be buying during Fashion's Night Out.  It includes the editors from Vogue: Italy, Britain, US, Russia, France, Greece, China, India, Germany, Spain and Japan.

Here are Anna Wintour's and Carine Roitfeld's.

Anna Wintour, American Vogue

When I first mentioned Fashion's Night Out to my friend Vera Wang, a fashion designer here in New York, she gave me a quick double take. While her business, like everyone else's, was having to ride out the recession -- Vera always jokes that she has this knack for opening a store just before some new global cataclysm hits -- it had never crossed her mind, not once, to stop shopping. "Anna," she said, laughing, "I did shop, I do shop, and I will continue to shop!" For Vera, hitting the stores is about more than an act of acquisition. It's one of self-invention and self-empowerment, no matter how small and inexpensive her purchase might be. It's Vera's attitude that I'll keep in mind when I do the rounds on September 10.

I'm going from Macy's in Queens to Manhattan, where I'll drop by Ralph Lauren, the Oscar de la Renta store -- Oscar promises to sing! -- then Intermix to see Sienna Miller, and on to Barneys, Bergdorf Goodman, Dior, Saks Fifth Avenue (where there will be a William Rast pop-up shop), and Sean John, finishing up at the Meatpacking block party hosted by Theory and Diane von Furstenberg.

What am I looking to buy? Something in red, some new boots, and some kind of savage fur (that's American Vogue shorthand, so you know, for a rough, shaggy stole or collar of some kind).

It's not a lot, but isn't that the whole point of shopping these days (and probably should always have been)?

You don't need much, just whatever you'll love and that will really mean something to you.

Carine Roitfeld, French Vogue

What is most important for me about the clothes I buy is that they fit perfectly. I bring almost all my new clothes to my retoucher and spend a lot of time with him to make sure that they fit me as if they were completely tailor-made. I buy mostly classic, timeless pieces, such as knee-length pencil skirts: I always buy a few every season and never get tired of them. But I am also a real fashion addict and every season I fall in love with a few eccentric, strong, designer pieces that I just have to get. Those strong, wild, pieces complement my more classic clothes.

Finally, I have to say that the thrill of falling in love with a piece of clothing, of rushing to the store, hoping it will be available, trying it on and leaving the store with the precious package, is still a real pleasure and can relieve a headache!