the best and worst people at sample sales

oh, and some shopping secrets too

It takes a really specific kind of person to be good at shopping sample sales. If you’re new around these parts- howdy! I’m Addisabelle, but most call me Belle, I’m a fashion writer, stylist, and avid sample sale girlie. When I first moved to New York 8 years ago, I was working in fashion as an assistant to a few celebrity stylists, and interning here and there. In other words, I had very little in terms of income. Every season, I would save up to buy myself a pair of designer shoes at Bergdorf Goodman. Aka the prettiest department store in Manhattan, and all of continental North America. It felt decadent to own a pair of shoes from such a fancy, prestigious place where the women all seem to use La Mer face cream, and have latte art on every cup of coffee they consume. Bergdorf’s shoe floor is a jewel on 5th avenue. The plush carpeting, the low light chandeliers, and the fact that every corner of the store smells like fresh lilies is enough to make anyone want to shop there. I basically went in there like a kid in a candy store when it was time to buy my pair. That was, until I met my friend Michelle Blashka at a random NYFW party. She liked my navy Chanel camellia ballet flats, and when I told her proudly I got them at Bergdorf’s end of season sale, I’ll never forget the look she gave me when she said, “just go to some sample sales”. To which I said, “what’s a sample sale”. She touched my arm gently and said, “this is going to the fun”.

So what is a sample sale anyway? A sample sale is a designer clearance sale, where items can be over 90% off sometimes. A huge variety of designers have in-person sample sales. No matter what your taste is, there’s a sale for that. Even super exclusive brands will on occasion have a sample sale. One time I even went to a Fendi sale!

rack of goodies

So at these wild sales who are the friends and the foes?

Best:

-The women that you meet in line a half hour before the show starts and become friends with for the rest of your life. You also maybe invite them to your wedding. Hi Michelle!

-Anyone willing to hold your purse, bag, shoe, coffee while you juggle forty different things because you can’t put them down for fear someone will start snatching.

-The women who see you’re about to zip something up and come to your aid straightaway. If the zipper won’t go up, or there’s a problem, she blames the dress.

-The women who see you being critical in the mirror and jump in to tell you you look great because your mom isn’t there to tell you, and there’s nothing wrong with how your arm, tummy, thigh etc look in that dress.

-The person in line that will hold your place because something shiny caught your eye and even though there’s a 9000% chance you’re not gonna buy it, you still have to go look with your own eyes.

The worst:

-The girl that elbowed me in the ribs at an Alice and Olivia sample sale over a pair of light wash denim jeans that she ultimately left crumpled up on the ground while checking out.

-The resellers that hoard hundreds of the only thing everyone came to the sale for.

-Anyone that snatches out of your hands.

-The people that get in line only to decide that they have no idea what they want and need to try things on, ask questions about each piece (they always have 100+), and yell at the person at the register they priced things wrong.

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What’s cute this week?

shopping:

Apparis is having a sample sale- hosted by 260 sample sale: address is148 Lafayette. Nothing is over $200 and that includes the really long luxe faux shearling options! I spotted some faux fur coats, blankies, slippers, and adorable little kid options.

watching:

Avatar the Last Airbender on Netflix- this has no business being as good as it is. I’m on episode 7 out of 8 and it’s WAY better than the live action. Highly rec if you were a fan of the animated version.

everything else:

I’ve been in my arts & culture era (yeah, that should have started a while ago but don’t judge me!) and I’m loving getting rush tickets to the NY Phil. Last week I saw Emanuel Ax as well as an incredible grouping of Rachmaninoff pieces, it was fab. The tickets at Lincoln Centre open at 10am day of performances..my tickets were $22 a pop. It’s worth a shot! Plus, even if it doesn’t work out, you can get a spritz across the street at the Smith.