The Hierarchy of Sample Sales and Black Friday 101

Not all sales are created equal. People always ask me how do I know which ones are the "good" ones but you have to understand - I've been sample sale-ing for over 20 years now. I probably hit my first NYC sample sale back when I was studying at F.I.T. After a while you develop an instinct for where to shop and when the deals are gonna be epic.

When you first discover sample sales, it can be overwhelming. You have to fight the urge to shop every sale and you can get yourself into real financial trouble. Luckily over the years I've honed my editing skills and while I still make a mistake or two, these days I tend to under-buy and error in the side of caution. I'm still kicking myself for not buying more $50 Tamara Mellon heels or clothing at her first couple NYC sales (read about them here and here) or more $99 furs from Elizabeth and James - they haven't had another sale like that one since.

These days the term sample sale is often misused. A true sample sale is when a brand or manufacturer sells off their previous season's samples. Real samples (often one of a kind pieces made for the runway or garments made to show to buyers) are often the best deals at any sample sale. It drives me nuts when a sale consists of stock merchandise for moderate discounts - and you can often find better deals at end of season department store sales. I always look for pieces that nobody else has (as they were never produced - like these white Rebecca Minkoff booties) for killer prices.

My favorite sales are almost always always run by the brand themselves in their showroom or a rented space. When you cut out the middle man you often get the best deals. One of my all time favorites is Jimmy Choo. The brand runs their own sale in Metropolitan Pavilion 1-2x a year and on the last day they slash prices and you can walk away with $2,000 heels for $100, $50 men's shoes, and bags and wallets for as little as $30. When discounts hit 90% or better, you're speaking my language. I know I picked up a Lockett bag at the last sale but when I saw this lil white stunner for $150 I couldn't resist.

From head to toe:

• Sunglasses: Wildfox, gifted in Fashion Week swag bag
• Dress: H&M, $29.99 - get it now for 20% off and free shipping with code 1662 - click here
• Bag: Jimmy Choo, sample sale, $150 (over 90% off!)
• Socks: Forever 21, $2.90
• Boots: Rebecca Minkoff, sample sale $30 (not sure if these were ever produced) 

This round of pics is by my amazing 12 year old son, Akiva. He's getting pretty good, right?

You can shop my style here:

Other sales are run by companies that buy end of season goods and samples and sell them at discounted prices. Some of these companies work directly with the brands to sell - so they don't have to do it themselves. These are the middle men. They can often be hit or miss. Companies like Clothingline (look for their blowout sales!), 260 Sample Sale (not as good as they used to be), Jen X (on the expensive side but their Balenciaga sale makes it all worth it!), Shelly and Renee (I always skip because they aren't cheap enough for me) and Global Fashions (mostly slightly damaged and not well priced) all fall into this category.

And then there are the sample sale sites. Always check to see if a listing is sponsored because if they were paid to list it. you don't know how authentic their review is. At this point I'm lucky enough to  have a crew of bloggers and readers who share when something amazing happens. IMHO the site Chicmi has the most comprehensive listings right now - and they don't just cover NYC sales. Before I hit the City I'll check in there - plus I check a few of my fellow bargainistas' Instagram feeds (and stories) for updates and a peek inside the sales. Shout out to my girls Lakeisha, Dinara and Mushkie!

And now on to Black Friday/Cyber Monday!

I have to confess that I don't really do too much for Black Friday anymore. Back in the day I used to wait for hours in the middle of the night (in the freezing cold!) to get the best deals. These days thank goodness so much of it is online! Typically when I shop I'm not much of an online girl (better deals are almost always in-store unless we are talking about a rare online glitch) but for the next few days I'm happy to shop in my PJs.

Nordstrom Rack is the on only sale that will get me out of bed in the morning. Take 30% off all red tag clearance and in past years they have had 50% off clearance dresses. Fingers crossed for some refurbished Louboutins!*

*ETA no extra discounts on dresses this year and not a single Loub in sight. Booo.

Kohls always offers extra Kohls cash this weekend ($15 for every $50 you spend) so stacked with deals and rebates it's always a win. For this and the rest of my picks you can just shop online and skip the in-store madness.

I'm always on the hunt for cheap Crocs Sexi Flips. Crocs.com is offering 40% off sitewide (plus some doorbusters with additional discounts) and free shipping on orders over $24.99.

Amazon will be chock full of deals this weekend! I spotted some cute Aldo bags on sale for around $50 or less that are very Gucci inspired. Click here, here and here. I also love this little glittery cutie. When buying inexpensive bags the trick is to look for texture and embroidery to make it look luxe. For example the velvet or fabric bags will always look more expensive than the pleather verisons.

More Amazon finds from this year include my air fryer and Firestick. My husband got one for me and I've been using it nonstop. I saw several on sale for under $100 and I would highly recommend grabbing one. Even my kids throw in fresh cut potatoes and make their own healthy fries. And thanks to my Firestick I don't really watch cable anymore.

I always check Canon.com for refurbished deals for this sale. My T5 camera is currently on sale (but out of stock) but you can still snag a T6 for a little over $200! And I have my eye on a 24mm lens. I have the 40mm (you get crisper images with a prime lens) and I love it but I hate stepping so far back to take a shot.

You've all heard me rave about Kidpik basics before - now take 50% off sitewide plus free shipping on orders over $50. Time to stock up on inexpensive basics for your girls!

My list could go on and on but basically anywhere you want to shop - pretty much has a deal right now. Needless to say, I'll be checking slickdeals.net all week! This is definitely the best time to shop electronics. Clothing sales are always better at the end of December/early January.

As for sample sale picks for the week, there are a few new ones that have popped up! Golden Goose will be having a one day sale with discounts up to 75%. I know it's not as inexpensive as I'd like but I really want a pair of their sneakers. They have limited quantities so get there early. A.V. Max also announced their holiday sale which is where I always stock up on jewelry gifts for $5-25! Alice and Olivia usually has great samples if you can fit a 0-6, but for stock wait for the end for discounts.

Golden Goose
November 28, 12-5
ESP Showroom, 231 W 39th St, #715*

*ETA I was informed that they are limiting purchases to 1 per customer until 4pm.

A.V. Max
December 4-8, 10-4 (open till 7 on the 5th)
39 W 38th St, 10th Fl

Alice and Olivia
December 5-10
Tues 8-8, Wed 9-8, Th 10-8, Fri 9-8, Sat 10-7, Sun 10-4
260 5th Ave

Happy shopping! Hope you had a great Turkey Day!

XO
Michelle

Adventures in Sample Sale Land.

So most of you know how dedicated I am when it comes to sample sale shopping. It's been a while since I've done a how-to tutorial for sample sales (read my last one here) so I thought I'd revisit it after finally editing these pictures from the recent NYC snowstorm. That was the day that I hitchhiked into Manhattan from NJ because public transportation in Jersey was down. I had to do it because I had seen a friend's Insta-stories boasting of $50 designer shoes (Rochas, Proenza, Marc Jacobs...) at the Jil Sander sample sale preview.

When I say hitchhiked, I mean it. I literally stood by the side of the highway and waited for a bus for almost an hour. I finally put up my thumb and waited for someone to pick me up. Is it safe? Maybe...maybe not, but I should mention it wasn't my first time LOL. Luckily a couple heading into work picked me up and drove me over the bridge. Even on a nice day there are often people who want to pay the carpool rate to cross the George Washington Bridge so they pick up a commuter or two so they can use the carpool lane and pay a few dollars less. I've been around the block a few times so I obviously use my judgement when getting in a car. This couple was friendly and I spotted the empty carseat in the back and figured they'd be a safe bet.





The great thing about NYC is that it pretty much is always up and running. I've lived there thru a couple serious blackouts and 9-11, when the City was pretty much shut down. Otherwise for the most part, public transportation of one kind or another is always running in Manhattan. Those aforementioned days were the only times I ever had to walk 70+ blocks back to my apartment. I actually used to walk 50-100 blocks a day when I lived there just because I loved wandering the City. There's a reason I packed on the pounds in suburbia.

Any smart City girl knows it's all about layering. Winters are bitter cold so you pile it on if you plan on being outdoors for more than 5 minutes. And on shopping days I never wear stupid shoes. Never. I knew I needed a serious boot so I pulled out my thrifted Pajar boots that are waterproof and super warm. For me it was about function, not fashion - though I threw on my cute $3.99 Zara sale scarf that I had just scored.

Thou it's not fashion,  I figured I'd break it down for those of you who appreciate how I little I spend. From head to toe:

• Hat: H&M, $1
• Sunglasses: Moschino, Century 21, free with rewards
• Scarf: Zara, $3.99
• Gloves: Carolina Amato, sample sale, $10
• Bag: Balenciaga, Nordstrom Rack, 75% off
• Coat: One of my husband's really warm coats - gift from my brother.
• Leggings: Comm-ci, gifted (RV $69)
• Boots: Pajar, thrifted, $20 (RV $200)

So I digress, I got into the City, jumped on a subway and headed down. I was lucky because above ground subways were closed, but the A train is below ground in upper Manhattan. I got there just after opening and my friend Belle (who took all my pics that day) was already there. She scored a pair of the Proenza silver booties I wanted but of course they didn't have my size. They actually didn't have ANYTHING in my size. So after all that....

I did make plans with an-Insta friend, Diana who was visiting the City so I told her to meet me at the sale. She scored some cute shoes and dresses so it seems I was the only unlucky one. Win some, you lose some. We headed out to byChloe which was miraculously open! For the first half hour or so we had the entire restaurant to ourselves. Then little by little people trickled in as the City began to awake from it's snow induced slumber. We took the train down to Century 21 to find it closed so we just grabbed some tea and hung out until we decided we all had enough.

Message to any other bloggers visiting NYC - feel free to reach out if you want to hang out or shop, and I love to take pics. I wouldn't call myself a photographer but I have a pretty good eye and some basic editing skills. If you want to see NYC on the cheap, I'm your girl!

In NYC plan to walk on a bad day. Subway service is spotty sometimes and it's almost impossible to call a car in bad weather. Poor Diana learned that the hard way. When she was with me I dragged her around on foot and via subway - which she quickly learned is the only tried and true way to navigate the City. She probably froze that day but I probably should have warned her to bundle up.  She did look super cute though :)

Diana

Belle thought she looked like a little boy that day but I thought she looked adorable. Plus the pops of pink were just enough to scream girl LOL.

Belle

Unfortunately the buses still weren't running over the bridge so I had to hitchhike back as well. I stood there for about 20 minutes helping people flag down pedestrian cars when a woman finally gave up and called a car service - and she was going to my town. My share was almost triple of what a bus would have cost but I figured it was worth the convenience, instead of hitching over the bridge and waiting for my husband to dig out the car and pick me up. Normally you can walk over the bridge to but the walkway was closed so I really had no choice.

So in the end, one could argue that FOMO got the best of me and I really didn't need to go after all. Then again, I have quite the story to show for it.

************

I don't always get around to posting my hauls so I decided to start sharing some of my best finds on a weekly basis. Last week I hit the Rebecca Minkoff NYC sample sale - I came for the preview and hung around waiting for a friend who came in with the public. I didn't go crazy because I plan on heading back for markdowns. I scored this Julian backpack for $75 that I probably didn't need but I really like the iridescent hardware. I also scored a few of these tassel belt bags for just $15 each! I grabbed a bag strap for me and a shorter version for Ella also for $15 each in the sample bin. I shared a peek of my strap on Insta here.

On my Insta stories I shared that H&M was having another mega sale so I popped into a couple locations. I found this coat for $7 from $99 and it rang up half price for $3.50!!!! Score!

And finally, these super cute Mimilore tassel earrings were in a swag bag from a blogger breakfast where I ran into Kyrzayda, a blogger I met when I was first getting started. I shared our meet-cute story here on Insta but I just have to say I can't believe I'm getting invited to the same events. For me that's a big win. In blogging you have good days and bad and it's easy to get discouraged. I was recently invited to an influencer event and the hosts pretty much ignored everyone - and fawned all over a couple bigger bloggers. The lesson is to be nice to everyone. As I grow I make friends big and small I try to show kindness to other bloggers just getting started because it wasn't always shown to me. So I try to treat others the way I wanted to be treated when I felt invisible. So for all those people who break you down - hang in there because there are some good ones who will lift you up and give you a hand when you least expect it.

So let's get down to the nitty-gritty. Sample sale season is in the house!

I'm gonna start with one of my favorite sale - Jimmy Choo. You can take a peek inside a previous sale report here. As far as strategy goes, get there early on day one for small leather goods and the best selection. But if you're thrifty like me and you already own everything, just go on the last day for markdowns. Last year I walked out with $50 shoes for my husband, the bag I dyed (see tutorial here) for $50, and a couple pairs of shoes for $100 that each retailed for over $2,000. This sale is epic. You can see other past hauls here and here. You can register for it here and use the password lance. You're gonna need your IKEA tote to haul everything home from this sale!

Jimmy Choo
May 16-18
Tues 11-7, Wed 8-7, Thurs 8-6
The Metropolitan Pavillion, 123 West 18th St.

My other weekly picks include the Modo eyewear sale for $20 designer glasses and sunglasses, The Best Kids Sample Sale for designer kids stuff (I usually get cheap hair accessories and odds and ends), 90% off retail at Alex & Trixie sounds worth a peek, and if I'm remembering correctly, The News has cheap jeans and such. Kendall & Kylie is new to the scene but it's a Clothingline sale so it may not be super cheap. But you never know.

The Best Kids Sample Sale
May 15-19, 10-5
34 West 33rd Street
This is a multi-showroom sale. Get a directory from security before you get in the elevator. Cash only.

Modo Eyewear
May 16-18, 11-7
594 Broadway, Suite 801

Alice & Trixie
May 17-19, 11-7
265 West 37th Street, 11th Fl

Kendall & Kylie
May 17-21
W-F 11-8, Sat 11-6, Sun 11-5
121 Prince Street

The News
May 18-20, 10-6
495 Broadway, 5th Fl

For the brides out there (I'm talking to you Belle!) check out Jenny Packham for Bridal, lingerie & accessories, Janis Savitt for some bling, and Eberjey and the Riviere Agency sales for your honeymoon.

Janis Savitt
May 17-19, 11-4
200 West 58th Street, Suite 12-B

Jenny Packham
May 18, 8-6
71 Gansevoort Street, Suite 2B

Eberjey
May 18-19
The Metropolitan Pavillion, 123 West 18th St., 8th Fl
RSVP required: rsvp@eberjey.com
*it's in the same location as Choo so you might as well...

The Riviere Agency
May 19, 11-5:30
139 Fulton Street, Suite 413

And for all sales ALWAYS BE FIRST IN LINE. It's the only way to get the goods.

Happy Mother's Day to all you mommas out there! I gave up expecting gifts other than small handmade trinkets from my kids - which is pretty much all I got. I told my husband after the Zadig & Voltaire sample sale last week that he got me a pair of boots (Teased on Insta here and here), a cluch and a belt - and I saved him a ton because it's all current season stuff still selling for full price. I'm a good wife after all :)

I spent my Mother's Day at the Rebecca Minkoff sale LOL. What better way to celebrate? Prices didn't go stupid cheap for bags so I grabbed a few for gifts, shoes which came out to $84 for 3 pairs (I split with Belle) and clothing went to $20 so Belle and I each grabbed a leather skirt. I found her the cutest sweaters and someone literally stole one out of her bag. Welcome to NY where sample sale shopping is a serious sport!

As always be sure you're following my Insta-stories for a peek inside the sales! Happy shopping :)

XO
Michelle the Fashion Mom