Updated Sample Sales This Week NYC: August 30-September 5, 2010

A few more sales are going on this week!

Who: DL1961 denim
What: Up to 75% off on an assortment of denim from flares to skinny jean in a range of cuts and washes
When: August 31- September 2, 2010. Tues-Thurs 10am-7pm
Where: 530 7th Ave (b/n 38th & 39th St) Suite 1108

Who: Alex & Trixie Sample Sale
What: Silk dresses and skirts are up to 80%. Short silk dresses are $50 (was $275), silk tops are $40 was $220), and silk skirts are $30 (was $142).
When: August 31- September 2, 2010. Tues-Thurs 10am-7pm
Where: 265 West 37th St (b/n 7th & 8th Ave) 11th Floor

Who: Edon Manor
What: The shop is clearing out summer stock. Now up to 60% off now shoes and bags from Alaïa, Isabel Marant, Alexander Wang, Altuzurra, Proenza Schouler, Givenchy, and more
When: Sale continues until it's gone
Where: 391 Greenwich Street (b/n Hubert and North Moore streets) 212-431-3890.

Who: Cynthia Rowley
What: Labor Day Weekend Sample Sale in Montauk. Up to 80% off clothing and accessories.
All sales final.
When: Sept 3-6, 2010. Fri-Mon 11am-9pm
Where: 696 Montauk Hwy. Montauk, NY 11954. 631.668.8077 montauk@cynthiarowley.com

Ongoing Sales:

Who: Barneys New York Warehouse Sale
What: 50-70% off clothing, shoes, accessories, home decor (Note: Men's denim, sportswear, shoes, accessories and outerwear is now an additional 25% off and casual pants are now an additional 40% off the lowest ticketed price)
When: Now through Sep 6, 2010. Mon-Fri 10am-9pm, Sat-Sun 10am-7pm, Sept 6 (Labor day) 10am-7pm
Where: 255 West 17th St (b/n 7th & 8th Ave)

Who: Kiki de Montparnasse Sample Sale
What: Sexy lingerie at discount prices! Bra’s $35-$65. Thongs $15-$30. Panties $20-$45. RTW and Lounge $45-$175. Accessories $20-$75.
When: Now through September 1, 2010. Fri-Wed Noon-7:30pm.
Where: 79 Greene St (nr Spring St), 2nd Floor (212)965-8150

Who: LF Summer Sale
What: ALL DENIM JEANS (orig. $156 - 232) are now $48. ALL DRESSES (orig. $120 - 180) are now $36 & much more!
When: Ongoing Sale
Where: LF 5th Ave. 150 5th Ave (b/n 19th & 20th St) 212-645-1334

Who: Annie Havlicek
What: 60% off on girly frocks and separates
When: Now through September 1, 2010. Daily Noon-8pm
Where: 154 Orchard St (b/n Stanton and Rivingon St) 212-260-0200

Who: TG-170 Clearance Summer Sale
What: Up to 50% off current collections from Sass & Bide, Serial Cultura, Corey Lynn Calter, Lauren Moffatt, Hazel Brown, Mara Hoffman, Pepper + Pistol and more.
When: Now through August 30, 2010. Daily, noon-8 pm
Where: 170 Ludlow St (b/n Houston & Stanton St) 212-995-8660

Who: W Showroom
What: 50-80% off menswear and womenswear from Tee Library, Gold Mark Denim, Civil Society, and more.
When: Now thorugh Aug 31, 2010. Only open on Thursdays 12pm-6pm.
Where: 552 Seventh Ave., (b/n 39th & 40th St). 646-546-5553

Who: A Uno Sample Sale
What: Up to 75% off styles from Marithe + Francoise Girbaud, Annette Gortz, Trippen and more.
When: Now through Aug 31, 2010. Mon-Sun 11am-7pm
Where: 123 W Broadway, (b/n Reade & Duane St). 212-227-6233

Who: Matthew Williamson Spring/Summer Sale
What: 40% off pre-spring and spring/summer 2010 collections. The beaded linen shift dress is $957 (was $1,595), graphic ikat-print swimwear is $177 (was $295), and beaded, gathered drape-column gowns are $1,077 (were $1,795)
When: Now through Aug 31, 2010. Mon-Sat 11am-7pm, Sun 12:30pm-6pm
Where: 415 W. 14th St (b/n 9th & 10th Ave). 212-255-9881

Who: La Boutique Resale
What: Up to 70% off apparel and accessories. Louis Vuitton’s gold patent leather tote bag is $499 (was $1,695), Marni’s printed cotton coat is $224 (was $1,250), and Pucci’s printed wood clogs are $62 (were $450).
When: Now through Aug 31, 2010. Madison Ave & 81st St: Mon-Sat 10:30am-7pm, Sun 12pm-7pm. 62nd St: Mon-Sat 11am-7pm, Sun 10:30am-6pm. 81st St: Mon-Sat 11-7pm, Sun noon-7pm.
Where: 1045 Madison Ave, 2nd floor (b/n 79th & 80th St) 212-517-8099, 141 E 62nd St, 2nd floor (b/n Lexington & 3rd Ave) 212-588-8898 and 227 E 81st St (b/n 2nd & 3rd Ave) 212-588-8898

Who: Zero + Maria Cornejo
What: Up to 40% off the Spring/Summer collection. The Evi jumpsuit is $629 (was $898), the Prisma jacket is $594 (was $849), and the Tate Dress is $448 (was $640).
When: Now through Sept 7, 2010. Mon-Sat 12pm-7pm, Sun 12pm-6pm
Where: 33 Bleecker St (b/n Bowery and Lafayette St). 212-620-0460

Who: Lilliput Sample Sale
What: Everything for $30 or less. Brands include Diesel, Petit Beateau, Replay, and more.
When: Now through Sept 19, 2010. Sun-Sat 11am-9pm.
Where: 265 Lafayette St (b/n Spring & Prince St). 212-965-9567

Closer Look: Big K

So remember a few weeks ago when I said that K-Mart was trying to take a turn for the more stylish? I just checked out the video lookbook and it certainly does look like K-Mart is taking a more sophisticated image for Fall while identifying the key trends as menswear, military and boyfriend. I respect that the tag-line of the video addresses their previous unfashionable past by saying, "It's True. It's K-mart." For a closer look at more Fall looks from Big K click here.

One thing that caught my eye however was this pair of Skinny Cargo Pants that looks suspiciously similar to the oh-so-popular J Brand Houlihan that former NY Times fashion critic Cathy Horyn previously raved about and retail stores couldn't keep in stock. I know that you might say these are just Cargo pants, but the pocket shape and diagonal leg seams are very similar. Since we don't have side or back views, I'm not sure if the K-mart version includes side zippers. I'm not sure how much the K-mart pair will run you but the J Brand Houlihan's are currently $231 and available in multiple fabrications and colors.

Red Carpet Rundown: The Emmys

As I was looking at the Red Carpet fashion from the Emmys I noticed that for most part, celebrities were playing it very safe this season. The undeniable length of the night was to the floor. Whether it be Mermaid, Column, Tiered or High-Low, skirts of all silhouettes swept the floor. As for necklines it was all about the strapless or one-shoulder (worn by Jane Lynch, Emily Deschanel, Emily Blunt, Edie Falco). Strapless dresses were cut either straight across but more popular was the sweetheart neckline.

Purple Rain: Color was also not very popular although all shades of purple made their way on a plethora of women. Royal purple on Emily Deschanel , merlot on Kyra Sedgewick, rich grape on Jane Lynch and various shades of pastels on Katrina Bowden, Christina Hendricks and Emily Blunt.

I'm not sure what to make of Emily Deschanel's purple tier concoction, it makes her look very tall but I'm not sure it quite suits her. Katrina Bowden's dress looks a bit dated. Kyra Sedgewick looks lovely as always although not exciting. Emily Blunt's dress unfortunately makes her bust appear to be droopy.

Left: Emily Deschanel, Right: Kyra Sedgwick in Monique Lhuillier and Ofira

Left: Jane Lynchin in Ali Rahimi, Right: Katrina Bowden

Left: Christina Hendricks, Right: Emily Blunt in Dior and Lorraine Schwartz with John Krasinski in Prada

Such a Sweetheart: One of the most popular necklines of the evening was the sweetheart and women of all ages embraced the flattering neckline.

Jessalyn Gilsig looked perfectly glam in her simple yet elegant sweetheart neck dress with cascade ruffle. She was one of the very few actressess that took a bold color choice. Glenn Close looks like she has slightly too much dress for her body. January Jones' dress is different but I almost feel as thought it wears her rather than the other way around.

Left: Jessalyn Gilsig in Nicole Miller Signature with Chopard, Right: Glenn Close

January Jones

The Black Sea - As expected for a red carpet event, there was a flurry of black gown, as it's the least likely to land you on a worst-dressed list. However all black can become often dull. Fortunately these ladies opted for dresses that offered a variety of textures to keep things interesting.

Edie Falco does a great job carrying off a simple goddess column. Kelly Osborne's dress looks interesting and I wish I had a better view of the front. Is it me or is Lea Michelle channeling Penelope Cruz? While not an entirely black dress, Toni Collete looks fantastic and is one of my fave looks of the evening. Julia-Louis Dreyfus tries out the sheer trend but I find it looks a bit forced as she looks stiff like she cannot comfortably breath. I love the bodice on Anna Paquin's dress but the hemline looks for some reason a bit unfinished.

Left: Eva Longoria Parker in Robert Rodriguez with Tony Parker in Brooks Brothers

Right: Edie Falco in Bottega Veneta

Left: Kelly Osbourne, Right: Lea Michele in Oscar de la Renta

Left: Toni Collette in Valentino and Bochic with Julia Louis-Dreyfus in Narciso Rodriguez

Right: Anna Paquin in Alexander McQueen

Twinkle Twinkle - Another trend this evening was a light or champagne color usually accompanied by a smattering of shimmering embellishment.

Sarah Roland looks fresh and age appropriate in her light column. Rita Wilson comes across as slightly fashion victim-y with the matching shoes and shapeless Prada shift that does nothing for her figure. Claire Danes looks lovely but I think her hair looks a bit too blond. Some low lights would do her wonders.

Left: Sarah Hyland in Pamella Roland and Chopard, Right: Tom Hanks with Rita Wilson in Prada

Left: Sofia Vergara in Carolina Herrera

Right: Claire Danes in Giogio Armani Prive and Martin Katz

Black and Light Lace - One of the newer trends I spotted this evening was the use of black paired with a light color base.

Both Tina Fey and Dianna Agron use sheerness over an opaque ground to create drama through contrast. While I think Tina Fey looks great, Dianna Agron looks slightly too cupcake like for my personal taste. Although I think Stephanie Pratt looks quite adorable it looks a bit under-dressed for the event by comparison.

Left: Stephanie Pratt, Right: Tina Fey in Oscar de la Renta

Dianna Agron in Carolina Herrera and Cartier

Lego Architecture

As a kid - I loved Lego. I used to pile things up super high and enjoy knocking down whatever blob-shaped mass I ended up making - sigh, those were the days...

Lego introduced an architecture series a while back and I've always though this stuff would be great to build, collect and display. I'm hesitant to start since if I get one - it means I will want all of them! The pieces are designed by Adam Reid Tucker and there's a couple of series out now.

The Landmark Series:

John Hancock Center

Seattle Space Needle

Empire State Building

The Architect Series:

Gugenheim Museum

Falling Water

Lego isn't just for kids!

UPDATED: A Few More Sales This Week

Who: Yumi Kim
What: 2-Day Sample Sale blow out! Dresses and Rompers-$30. Tops-$20. Cash ONLY

When: August 26-27, 2010. Thurs noon-7pm, Fri noon-6pm
Where: Cable Building, 611 Broadway (at Houston St) Suite 816

Who: Sophomore
What: Up to 80% off must-have pieces from SOPHOMORE Men's & Women's Spring & Fall Collections.
Bustier Dress was $297 now $150. Tank Tops & T-shirts was $60, now $20. Tie Dye T-Shirts was $60, now $34. Leather Shorts was $300, now $60. Fall & Spring Dresses was $280, now $60.
When: August 26-28, 2010. Thurs-Sat noon-8pm
Where: Court, 178 Mulberry St (b/n Broome & Kenmare)(212)925-1022

Who: James Perse Sample Sale, Brooklyn
What: This sample sale has moved from the city to Brooklyn! From what I saw in the city expect tonnes of $25-30 Samples including tees, sweat skirts, washed khaki pants, drawstring drapey twill shirt dresses. $42 Swimwear. $135-175 Sweatshirts/Outerwear, $50-65 Trendy tees, Long Jersey printed Tee dresses $39. Long Jersey Dresses $75. Clothing for both men and women.
When: August 26-29, 2010. Thurs 4pm-9pm. Fri-Sat 10am-8pm, Sun 10am-4pm
Where: 189 Schermerhorn Street(b/n Hoyt St & Smith St), Brooklyn

Who: Kiki de Montparnasse Sample Sale
What: Sexy lingerie at discount prices! Bra’s $35-$65. Thongs $15-$30. Panties $20-$45. RTW and Lounge $45-$175. Accessories $20-$75.
When: August 27-September 1, 2010. Fri-Wed Noon-7:30pm.
Where: 79 Greene St (nr Spring St), 2nd Floor (212)965-8150

Who: LF Summer Sale
What: ALL DENIM JEANS (orig. $156 - 232) are now $48. ALL DRESSES (orig. $120 - 180) are now $36 & much more!
When: Starts August 24, 2010. Ongoing Sale
Where: LF 5th Ave. 150 5th Ave (b/n 19th & 20th St) 212-645-1334

Rebecca Minkoff Launches Shoes

Designer Rebecca Minkoff has been keeping herself busy these days. Hot on the tails of the new launch of men's bag and accessory line, Ben Minkoff, Ms Minkoff has decided to try her hand at footwear for Spring 2011. The new 25 piece collection was just announced in WWD yesterday and will include a wide assortment of styles retailing from $160 to $395. The full collection will be shown during the upcoming Rebecca Minkoff Spring 2011 Fashion Week presentation.

All images courtesy of Rebecca Minkoff.

(Left) Spring 2011 campaign. (Right) The Brooke sandal in Nude and Metallic Silver Snake leather.The Doll bootie in nude leather.The Vamp platform pump in both Nude and Navy leather with color-blocked Pebble leather. The Vixen platform pump in Nude and Black triangle perforated leather.

Various styles include stacked wood heels, perforated leather, silver snake and pebbled leather. With Ms Minkoff’s eye for great detailing and expertise in buttery soft leathers I can’t wait to see this collection up close and personal.

My faves are the nude Doll booties and the perforated Vixen Pumps! What are yours?

Levi's x Billy Reid Collection

Earlier this year, Billy Reid was named the winner of GQ's annual Best New Menswear Designer in America. Other designers which made it to the finals included Burkman Bros, Richard Chai, Vincent Flumiani (Caulfield Preparatory), Frank Muytjens (J. Crew) and Eunice Lee (UNIS). Along with Billy's victory, he took home $50,000 and was given the opportunity to collaborate with Levi's to create a limited edition collection. In general, I'm definitely a fan of all of the finalists GQ selected - so kudos to Billy.

Generally speaking, there is a definite shortage of designer collaborations for men but hopefully this will change for the better in the future. I love collaborations since you get stylistic elements of two designers in one item and quantities are always limited so once it's gone - it's gone.

The collection was inspired by a blacksmith's work apron made out of duck cloth which was littered with abrasions, rust and oil stains. Overall, the pieces tend to be worked over with different treatments and in the end, all tie back to that apron.

The men's tote bag is a prime example of how the blacksmith's apron was incorporated into the collection. Tote bag = apron folded in half! Simple yet ingenious.

A few items were kept untouched including a high-rise jean based off of a pair of 1947 Levi's and a denim shirt (as shown on Billy Reid's picture above).

If you're looking to grab some of this gear, the collection is set to debut at select Bloomingdale's stores this fall so watch out!

Wear What Fits: Levi's (R) Curve ID at Bryant Park - Fri 8/27

Tomorrow August 27th at 10AM, Levi's will be promoting their new Curve ID jeans. Bring something in good condition that doesn't fit anymore to donate to Goodwill and trade for brand new pair of free Levi's Curve ID jeans! The item can be old jeans, throw rug, lamp. etc. They will be giving away 1,000 pairs of jeans, personally fitted by denim specialists - first come, first serve.

And to add to the fun, Janelle Monae will be performing around noon!