H&M Clearance Haul!

Someone just asked me what's the point of shopping at H&M when I have access to amazing designer sample sales. The answer is - the H&M clearance racks. At the end of a season when they start slashing prices to next to nothing, I always stock up on dirt cheap basics and inexpensive collection pieces.

For $5 (retail $39.99) I decided that I could layer this crop top. Last week I spotted the matching skirt but it wasn't there when they did mark downs :(

Bomber jackets were all the rage on the runways so for $10 this $69.99 piece seemed like a no-brainer. It's a little old lady/crazy cat lady but there was something about it...

When I saw this wool coat I knew it had to be better than half off. When the manager told me $15 I snapped it up.

This  H&M studio silk caftan is from their Spring/Summer 2016 collection and is sold out online. Retailed for $149, red sticker-ed $30! It's a size small and way too much fabric for me, but I love the idea of it. The problem could be that I'm not 6 feet tall like the model. We'll see.

$5 sweatpants, yes please! (Retail $29.99)

Grabbed a bunch of $3 workout wear (Retail $14.99-29.99) but most of it is for my SIL.  Personally I work out in a sports bra and my husband's boxer briefs.

Last but not least, my $5 lace skirt that retailed for $59.99. Pretty sure I missed out on the matching top too.

I also grabbed a few $3 pieces for my kids and a bunch of $7 pants and jeans for my husband. For a sale like this you really want to be there when they are marking down and you grab anything that may work for you. I missed the kids markdowns so I missed all the $1 pieces. No matter, there's always next sale. And there's always another sale :)

For my Cali girls, I got a tip that the Morgane Le Fay sample sale will be on April 6-13th from 10-6, at 1109 Montana Ave, Santa Monica, CA. Prices will be up to 70% off so if you're a fan it's worth a look. 

Tomorrow (Friday) is the last day of the Vince Camuto and Cynthia Steffe sale. They usually mark down on the last day and a friend told me she saw stacks of DVF there! Mind you someone hoarded it but the good stuff always goes fast. Click here for details if you're gonna be in the City! 

XO
Shoppinggal

Everything Is $25 & Under at the Cynthia Steffe & Vince Camuto Sample Sale!

For a couple years now I've been meaning to check out the Cynthia Steffe sample sale as it's notorious for it's insanely cheap prices. When I spotted this notice on Instagram I made sure to be at the doors when they opened this morning.

Additional brands included were: Vince Camuto, 1.State, CeCe and Chaus. They also had other random brands floating around too. Prices started at $10 for bottoms, $15 for tops and rompers, and topped out at $25 for dresses and jackets. Sizes were mostly size small or 4 and the back wall was all plus sizes.

I should warn you, it's easy to get caught up in the shopping frenzy. Take a plastic garbage bag when you walk in because you're gonna need it. Hoards of shoppers were grabbing everything in sight. Take everything that may work for you and find a corner to try on. Unfortunately there are no mirrors so find a shopping buddy whose opinion you trust - but you can always have them take a picture with your phone if you're not sure.

These pictures were taken after I shopped so it was already pretty empty. They said they would be slowly restocking as they had boxes and boxes to unpack. 

This is what I mean by random brands - spotted this NWT Kamali dress.

Spotted this floral CeCe dress in several colors.

Couldn't find any leather jackets but they had a few faux ones.  This one was by Chaus.

Cynthia Steffe dress, size 4.

Cynthia Steffe faux fur colored vests.  Cute colors but too boxy for me.

Another Cynthia Steffe dress,size 4 - had a few colors.

I wish looked for more skirts as they were only $10. These faux leather ones were cute but I still passed.

Plaid unlabeled coat.

Vince Camuto faux fur poncho.

Vince Camuto faux fur vest. 

Vince Camuto faux suede fringed jacket.

Zara wool moto jacket.

I'm linking pieces I spotted other people trying on at the sale:

You really need a lot of patience for this sale. Lots of digging and lots of waiting around for people to put stuff back. Here's what came home with me...

NWT Topshop dress/tunic, retail $105. They charged me $10 for some reason and I'm not complaining. It's a little snug across the chest but that's because I'm not a size 4 in Topshop. Reminds me of one of my Rebecca Taylor dresses.

Vince Camuto size small long cape, retail $199. I had seen this before so for $25 it was a no-brainer. Very linty thou.

Cynthia Steffe size small knit dress, retail $228, paid $25. Very Chanel. All I need is a white leather camellia pin for the neck :)

Black fur capelet, $25. Looks like a vintage piece and has pretty embroidered lining. Pretty sure it's the real deal so I took it.

After the sale I ran out of time so I didn't pop into the Bauble Bar sale but I heard it wasn't that great anyway. I headed uptown to meet a new personal shopping client, so after I went to my old favorite thrift store at the church at 96th and Broadway. Sadly it's just not what it was. I used to get so much designer stuff for next to nothing there but it was full of overpriced junk today (and the past few times I checked). I did dig these designer kids pieces out of the bins for $1 each. The tutu dress is Little Mass, the black lace tunic is Deux Par Deux, and I just couldn't leave behind the tiny baby Mayoral sweater. It's so cute I'll save it for my future grandkids if I have to LOL.

The Cynthia Steffe sale is on thru Friday and I would recommend stopping by if you're in the hood. No amazing designer pieces but lots of cheap, wearable clothing to be found. BaubleBar is on thru Saturday. Both sales should reduce prices towards the end :)

Vince Camuto, Cynthia Steffe, Chaus (and More) Sample Sale
Now thru April 1st.
261 West 36 Street, 2nd Floor
Tue-Th 9:30-6:30 Fri 10-4

BaubleBar Sample Sale
Now thru April 2nd.
260 Fifth Avenue
Tue-Fri 10am-pm, Sat 10am-5pm

BTW, the Rent the Runway sample sale is returning to 260 Sample Sale on April 5th - you can click here to sign up for a VIP ticket! 

Happy shopping!
XO
Shoppinggal

Rebecca Minkoff Embellished Leather Moto Jacket - Take 2!

Decided to have another go with my Rebecca Minkoff embellished leather moto jacket and penny booties. Until I find the perfect combo I will keep experimenting with these beauties. I noticed some pink trees starting to bloom so I hunted one down near my parents house when we visited for Purim, and had little miss Ella snap some shots to share my latest spring bargainista look.

I will confess that I'm makeup free other than my Miley Cyrus MAC lipstick. Mommy hack 101 - if you throw on some sunnies and the right shade of lipstick you can let your face breathe :)

From head to toe:

• Sunglasses: Valentino Rockstud sunglasses, Century 21, $15 (Back when Century had decent sales...)
• Necklace: Jes Design Studio arrowhead, Free! - won on Instagram :)
• Dress: Rebecca Taylor Kiku print dress, sample sale, $50 (retail $550!)
• Jacket: Rebecca Minkoff Wes leather moto, sample sale, $150 (retail $798!)
• Bracelet: Dannijo, sample sale, $25
• Ring: Lionette Ace ring, sample sale, $20 (retail $80)
• Bag: Givenchy pouch, TJ Maxx, $99 (retail $480 - yellow sticker sale!)
• Boots: Tesori, Nordstrom Rack, $0.01

You can shop my look here:

 
While I didn't dress up for Purim, my kids did. I used to hoard cheap Gymboree and have costumes stockpiled in every size. This year my oldest was a Fireman at night and a werewolf for day. I gave him sunglasses and my UGGs (yes, my 10 year old has giant feet) and told him he was teenwolf. My middle was a cheerleader at night and 50s girl by day. My youngest, who is a giant ham, dressed up as a fairy by night and a strawberry fairy for daytime.

My local nieces and nephew came by to take pics - they were all dressed as animals. You can see my BIL - the pig (my husband's identical twin) in the back.

My son thought it would be funny if he ate my niece, the panda bear. She's actually wearing a Milly Mini skirt I picked up for her for $15 at Nordstrom Rack.

Last but not least, I'm on a winning streak! I won a $50 Marshalls giftcard for this pic on Instagram and I just won another Insta contest on Friday! Fingers crossed my luck keeps going!

BTW, Happy Easter to all my friends celebrating!

XO
Shoppinggal

Lady in Red & Lionette :)

Photo by A Sequin Love Affair - thanks Shira!

On Wednesday I headed into the City for the Lionette sale. This week has been insane so my report is going up post sale (sorry). Pricing was pretty much the same as last year - 40% off most items with exception of the $20, $50 & $100 chairs - which were discounted up to 80% off. The necklace I'm modeling was $100 but I was feeling a little cheap so ended up passing.

The $20 bowl was mostly dainty necklaces, the same Nadine rings as last time and some Ace rings - plus some other odd pieces. I grabbed a few Aces and a Nadine in green. Items in the discount area were discontinued pieces, actual samples or pieces that were since updated in production.

Lots of gorgeous hair pieces in the $50 bowl but I knew I'd never actually wear them. They also had a pretty broach.

The $100 tray had the best assortment - for some reason I forgot to snap a pic. This $100 glove that another shopper is modeling was gorgeous, but honestly still felt too expensive for me. If anything in that $100 area was $50 it would have been a different story...

Everything on the display wall was 40% off retail which is amazing if you're a super fan but I need at least 75% off retail for me to buy.

I wish they had the Nadine ring in blue in the $20 bin but all they had was turquoise and green - so I took the green this time. For $180 less 40% I passed on the blue.

Here are more pics for you to drool over...

I'm linking some pieces I spotted so you can get an idea of pricing:

After Lionette I popped by Vivian Tam. They had two areas, an archive area with all their vintage pieces and their collection area. In the archive everything was $15-40 but it looked liked leftovers from the 90s. I did manage to find a $40 dress and $20 sweater that was cute. Vivian herself was there and did not allow pictures. Today is the last day so if you want to see what's left head to 260 W 39th St, 11th floor. They're open 10-4 today.

I didn't end up meeting up with any of my sample sale crew (other than A Sequin Love Affair who met me for a few minutes at Lionette before running off to work out) so when I got home we went to the park to snap some pics of my outfit. My look was really all about my amazing leather jacket. I got it at the Minkoff sample sale and I haven't been able to wear it because it's brown and so much of my wardrobe is black. I don't have a lot of denim so I had to look for other pieces to coordinate. For all the brown shoes and boots I own, it really didn't match any of my footwear. Finally I pulled out these penny booties from the Rack and just went for it. 

My look from head to toe:

• Sunglasses: Prada, Nordstrom Rack, $0.01
• Jacket: Rebecca Minkoff, sample sale, $150 (retail $798!)
• Dress: H&M, $10
• Bracelet: A.V. Max, sample sale, $20
• Bag: Rebecca Minkoff, sample sale, $50
• Ring: Lionette, sample sale, $20 (retail $80)
• Boots: Tesori, Nordstrom Rack, $0.01 (very Isabel Marant, right?)

I decided I need a gold or denim bag - can you believe this was the only neutral I could find?

You can shop my look here:

My newly 9 year old loves to climb trees so we shot a couple pics in one. All I can say is that it's really hard to do in heels.

I know it's spring but it really looks (and feels!) like fall around here. For now I'll be transitioning with brigher colors before I break out the pastels. The red also got me lots of comments in the City LOL. In the sea of black I was the lady in red :)

Hope you have a great weekend!

XO
Shoppinggal