Cheryl Shops

When people ask me what I miss about New York, I say my friends, followed by restaurants that deliver. (Ok, you can order a pizza or Chinese food here, but that's about it.) But a flurry of recent emails hitting my inbox reminded me of a third thing I miss: sample sales. Will I ever again experience the thrill of finding a runway sample that fits me perfectly for 80% off? Maybe...Gilt City's Warehouse Sale is coming to San Francisco this weekend and promises Helmut Lang, Paul Smith, and other top designers for women, men, kids, and the home, with prices at up to 90% off retail. The one (tiny) drawback is that tickets are $10--Friday night and Saturday morning are sold out, but Saturday afternoon is still available--but, let's be honest, I'd gladly pay that much for the opportunity to claw my way through the racks and dig my way through the bins, all in search of some buried treasure. Plus there will be refreshments, snacks, and mini spa treatments from Exhale (oh, Exhale, I miss you too!). I've got my ticket; now if only we can convince Thakoon, Rag & Bone, and Alexander Wang to come out West...

Before I turn into the woman who won't shut up about her wedding, I promise this is the last wedding-related post this week. (And for awhile! Really, I promise!) But this info was too good not to share. So, earlier this spring, Gilt Groupe had a wedding weekend, a series of sales in conjunction with Martha Stewart Weddings (the best wedding magazine, btw), featuring everything from dresses to cufflinks. The good news is that the sale is back and better than ever, and the four-day extravaganza starts tomorrow, 10/20. Here's what to expect:

Day One: For the Bride and Groom
Wedding dresses, jewelry, accessories, lingerie, and suits from designers like Alberta Ferretti, Vera Wang Collection, and Hanky Panky.

Day Two: For the Bridal Party
Bridesmaid, mother of the bride, and flower girl dresses, jewelry, and accessories, plus beauty for everybody, all grouped by color.

Day Three: Honeymoons and Experiences Dream honeymoon packages on Jetsetter, makeup artist and food packages on Gilt City, and diet and beauty packages from Clean and Completely Bare.

Day Four: Home and Registry
This is a bit of a stretch, since you can't exactly register for any of it, but you can at least treat yourself to china, crystal, stemware, candles, and bedding from brands like Frette, Michael Aram, and D. L. and Co.

What's more, Gilt is running a sweepstakes for the next Gilt Bride. To enter, upload your favorite picture of yourself & your betrothed with a paragraph explaining how you'd make your wedding Gilty. The winner will be crowned Gilt’s style ambassador for their next wedding event and, more importantly, will win a dream honeymoon worth $5,000. The contest starts tomorrow, 10/20, and runs through 11/10.

Of course, you need to be a Gilt Groupe member to partake of all this awesomeness. If you're already a member, you can access everything at www.gilt.com/theweddingshop. If you're not yet a Gilt member, join here (it's free!).

I haven't been this excited since the first Alexander Wang sale on Gilt!

It's more crowded than the F train, most of the merch is dirty and/or old, and until the markdowns start, the prices are no lower than the final round of sales in store. And yet, every season, I traipse off to the Barneys New York Warehouse Sale in search of fashion valhalla. Sometimes I am lucky (Lanvin flats for under $100!), sometimes I am not. Still, it's worth it: Prices start at 50-75% off and can go up to 95% off by the final weekend. Ladies, take a small purse (otherwise you'll have to check it) and please wear modest undergarments, because everyone in the store is going to see them if you try anything on. Good luck and godspeed. It starts Thursday 8/19, with hours 8 a.m.-9 p.m. the first two days; 10-9 weekdays and 10-7 weekends thereafter. 8/19-9/6; 255 W. 17th St. (7th & 8th Aves.).

And online this Friday, 8/20, Gilt Groupe is partnering with Target for a first-ever preview of their upcoming masstige collections from Mulberry, Tucker by Gaby Basora, and John Derian. This is awesome, because those collections hit stores October 10th, September 12th, and September 5th, respectively. If you are not yet a member of Gilt Groupe (to which I say, really?), click here to join.

Yet even more online sample sales
Bricks-and-mortar stores are still closing at a somewhat alarming pace, but there's no doubt about it: People are shopping online. Online shopping has always been great for bargain shopping--Google is all one needs to find a coupon code--but one of the fastest-growing categories in e-commerce is private sale websites, also known as online sample sales. WWD wrote about them [subscription required] a few weeks ago; basically, as the article describes, these sites are win-win for everybody: Designers get to dump merchandise quickly and efficiently without turning up in search engines; consumers get same-season merchandise at great discounts, without having to deal with the hassle of actual sample sales, but while still succumbing to sample-sale craziness. Plus, many sites have return policies (often for store credit). The great thing is that with so many new sample sale websites popping up, there are ample opportunities to shop a wide range of products, with different sites specializing in different areas--shopping them is a good way to get exposed to new and independent designers, as well as finding crazy deals on some of your favorites.

Gilt Groupe is the undisputed master of online sample sales--according to the WWD article, they're on track to do $400 million in sales this year. But while they have 1.2 million members, a large number of them never purchase anything--due to, Gilt thinks, too-high prices. Enter Gilt Fuse, their contemporary site, a sort of Co-Op to Gilt's Barneys. Hosting brands like Kova & T, Generra, and Modern Amusement, prices are chiefly under $100, and since the site doesn't quite have the membership numbers of its older sister, most items don't sell out yet (as I'm writing this, most of the Faryl Robin, Earnest Sewn, and Sequin stock is still available). If you're already a member of of Gilt Groupe, then you're automatically a member of Gilt Fuse. If you're a member of neither, you can always join here; as with Gilt, the $25 referral policy applies here as well, and your accounts are linked, so if you return an item from Gilt, for example, you can use the credit on Fuse.

Like the OutNet is to Net-a-Porter, Revolve Clothing has recently launched Rewind, a place for them to dump clearance stock as well as host pop-up sales. While the pop-ups tend to be more under-the-radar designers like Boulee and Erik Hart, the regular sale selection is quite impressive, with good deals on Rachel Comey, Lyell, and Acne Jeans, among others. I also like the interface, which allows you to rollover and get a preview of the item (and what sizes are available) without having to click through to the page. If you're already a Revolve customer, you can shop Rewind; otherwise, you need an invitation (click here to join). Their referral policy is slightly different than other sites: If your friend buys something, you get a $25 credit toward your next purchase of $50 or more.

Beyond The Rack is the first of the sample-sale websites based in Canada, but before you start laughing, know that they've recently had YSL handbags and Gucci sunglasses; J Brand jeans are currently on sale; and coming up, they have Dior handbags, Burberry accessories, and Sam Edelman shoes. And even though everything is being shipped from Canada, the shipping cost is only $10. The only caveat is that the prices are not as low as on some other websites, but as Beyond The Rack is fairly new, the products don't sell out quite as quickly as on other sites. You must be a member to shop (if you need a referral code, mine is NCM260AC086), and the friend referral credit is $10.

Gomatta Girls was started by two L.A. fashion insiders, and despite its strange name, it has a pretty good selection of West Coast designers. A great thing about this site is that unless the merch sells out, it lives for awhile under the CLOSEOUT link--currently, you can find clothes by Dolce Vita, Tulle, Jenny Han, and more for up to a whopping 90% off. My one criticism is that its emails don't say who the designer is in the subject line, so you have to read through a bunch of text to figure out what's going on sale that particular day. But in the grand scheme of things, it's a minor complaint. You can invite your friends to join (and get a $10 credit when they make a purchase), but you don't need an invite to shop the site.


Finally, the newest kid on the block is Retail Happy Hour, which thus far appears to host four long-weekend sales that last five days, from Thursday to Monday. The last round included Pop Beauty and L Space swimwear; the next round, starting this week, includes Kara Janx (remember her?) and Prairie NY. Retail Happy Hour does not require a referral to shop, and has no referral program (well, give them time).

Cheryl Shops...Gilt Groupe sale at Samples for (eco)mpassion
I love Gilt Groupe and I love Samples for (eco)mpassion, so when I got invited to a preview of Gilt's warehouse sale (hosted at Samples for (eco)mpassion), I scurried on over. The sale is nowhere near as organized as Gilt's online sales--some digging is definitely in order--but I spotted quite a few gems. There are several racks of Malo and Valentino; lots of Gryson bags (prices top out at $200 for the big ones); quite a few Ali Ro and Lauren Moffatt dresses; some White + Warren sweaters; and a bunch of jeans that I think were Rich & Skinny, but can't quite say for sure. A little digging, however, unearthed several treasures: a great studded DVF dress, in size 8; a huge studded Be&D Garbo bag (it was $400, I believe); two Thakoon dresses, both in size 4; and several Marc by Marc Jacobs black leather flight bags (which were not listed on the price list, but I think I overheard the register guy say they were $130). Sadly, I walked out empty-handed (I'm saving myself for the 3.1 Phillip Lim sale tomorrow), but if any of the items I listed interest you, I suggest stopping by ASAP. Samples for (eco)mpassion is at 2 Great Jones St. (Broadway & Lafayette); the sale runs from noon-7 5/20-5/24. Or, if you'd rather shop from the comfort of your own home, you can join Gilt Groupe here.

Websites of the week: online sample sales
Sample sales hold a certain mystique: The idea of unearthing designer clothing, jewelry, or accessories for dirt-cheap is definitely enticing, and I have certainly scored some fabulous finds over the years. The reality, however, is often less glamorous--far-flung locations, ridiculously crowded spaces, unappealing merchandise. That, and with the exception of a handful of designers and showrooms in L.A., most sample sales are purely a New York City phenomenon. But now a handful of websites are letting everyone in on the action, allowing you to shop from the comfort of your own home, wherever that may be. The downside is that you don't get to try anything on, but the upside is that you don't have to try stuff on in your underwear, in front of a roomful of strangers. There are bunch of online sample-sale sites popping up (even Billion Dollar Babes got in on the action, recently holding a Valentino sale in conjunction with Yoox), but here are my two favorites.

Ideeli specializes in accessories--think jewelry, sunglasses, and handbags--from heavy hitters like YSL, Burberry, Prada, and Derek Lam. Some of these items are available for sale, at 50%-90% off retail; members get periodic emails that preview upcoming sales, then you get an email approximately 30 minutes before it goes on sale. The exact day and time any given item goes on sale is pretty much a surprise, making shopping at Ideeli a very spontaneous experience. Membership at Ideeli is free (2nd Row membership is what they call it), but if, unlike me, you don't have a moral opposition for paying for the privilege to shop, you can become a 1st Row member for $7.99 a month. 1st Row members receive a text message at the start of each sale, and they are allowed to shop for an hour before 2nd Row members. The better perk of membership is that 1st Row members are eligible for giveaways, which are often more luxe than the items available for sale. Of course, the more people who join, the worse your odds. Upcoming items for sale include bags from Tod's, Gryson, Gustto, and Kooba; and jewelry from Pade Vavra and M2. Membership is by invitation only, but thankfully I am equipped to share the love, so email me if you want to join.

If Ideeli sounds complicated--and it is, somewhat--you might like Gilt Groupe a bit better. They hold four or so sales a week; each begins at noon and lasts for 24 hours (or until everything is sold out). You get an email as soon as the sale starts, and be forewarned, items go quickly--I've logged on at 12:05 and found slim pickings. Gilt Groupe primarily features clothing from contemporary and designer labels (everyone from Tibi and Twelfth Street by Cynthia Vincent to Behnaz Sarafpour and Alessandro dell'Acqua), but they also add lingerie, sunglasses, jewelry, and handbags to the mix. Since this is Oscar week, Badgley Mischka and Judith Ripka are already in play; Robert Marc starts Wednesday at noon, and Notte by Marchesa begins Thursday. Every sale features a cute little movie, and the photography is hip without being too "editorial" (in other words, you can actually see the clothes). For those worried about fit, clothes and shoes can be returned for credit within 14 days; accessories are final sale. Again, you need to be a member to shop these sales; but if you email me, I will gladly hook you up.

I have yet to buy anything on either of these sites (although I've tried on Gilt Groupe--I was just too slow), but I find the online sample-sale concept a welcome one--I'm all about democratizing fashion.